I was going to write about Christmas parties being cancelled in many workplaces, one of the problems being the rule that anyone in contact with someone who tests positive for Covid must then isolate themselves for 10 days. If that contact were to happen on, say, 16 December, that person’s Christmas gathering plans would have to be cancelled.
Businesses are stuck trying to maintain staff morale after the most gruelling 22 months of most people’s working lives, without gathering socially. We’re social animals, we’re not used to this. On top of everything, we’re being asked to work from home again if we can from Monday.
This week, the whole subject of Christmas parties became toxic. The Mirror revealed that Downing Street hosted a ‘party’ last year, when London was under Tier 3 restrictions, and then ITV News uncovered video of the then Number 10 spokesperson Allegra Stratton laughing about the episode while rehearsing what to say if quizzed by journalists about the gathering.
Stratton resigned from her latest government role as spokesperson on COP26 on Wednesday with a tearful doorstep statement. Some are now defending her and saying she’s been scapegoated. But she was a government spokesperson at the time of the rehearsal and, if the West Wing has taught us anything, it is that moral principles and dignified behaviour should be endemic in the highest profile jobs in the land.
It’s all thoroughly unedifying for the government but, let’s face it, not a surprise from this Tory administration. At least they should save on the party budget this year.
Personally, I love advent and the build up to Christmas. My younger daughter celebrates a birthday in early December and, after that, I’m in full on Christmas mode – Now That’s What I Call Christmas playlist, writing cards, making food lists, eating mince pies. I even managed to find some shop-bought sloe gin for my advent tipple, having failed to make my own.
I *might* try to moderate the eating and drinking this year, as I’ve joined my local running club and signed up to Run Up to Christmas, clocking all the miles I run between 1 and 25 December. Then in March I’m planning to run the Bath Half for the second time. I’d love to do it in 2 hours 25 mins (I’m a jogger, as you can tell).
Work has been super busy, as I’ve taken on a fixed term contract with ITN to work with their communications team while a couple of people are on maternity leave. I’m also busy helping my performing arts client to write a new audience development plan and prepare to re-apply for Arts Council funding in the spring.
Meanwhile I chaired an awards jury for Broadcast magazine and have had some other ad hoc PR projects on the go. I’m certainly looking forward to taking two weeks off over Christmas and hope that you have some downtime planned, and that the virus won’t interfere with your plans too much.
In other news
Women working from home are at risk of being caught in a ‘she-cession’, according to a Bank of England policy maker. Thanks a bunch.
A Tesco Christmas ad was the most complained about ad of the year, with claims that its portrayal of Santa showing a Covid passport was ‘coercive’. Apparently, it prompted complaints from anti-vaxxers.
And when ads backfire. This ad from Transport for London made me laugh out loud when I first saw it, thanks to The Guardian’s story. Do people really go from out-and-out road rage, to empathy and human understanding in a few seconds? Not to mention that it puts car drivers on a par with cyclists when clearly car drivers have the upper hand in terms of speed, potential to injure and greater protection. I don’t know why anyone thought this was a good idea.
Finally this from the Audience Agency’s Digital Snapshot newsletter, about how arts organisations are using social media. The main takeaway? Social media won’t work for an organisation if it is simply and ‘add-on’ to the press and PR function. It needs time and resources to create compelling content that can cut through the algorithms which are all largely working against you when you post organic content as an organisation.
That’s it for this year. Have a great, safe Christmas.
Lucy Rouse PR Blog 