The risky PR play of Eric Watson and Chris Liddell

High-profile and controversial figures often use PR consultancies and the media to help clean up their public perception. But as Pattrick Smellie of BusinessDesk reports, it can easily go the other way. Every journalist loves an exclusive scoop. So much so that last weekend, the country’s main rival news publishers, NZME and Stuff, both published … Read more

The business year: Construction woes, CTO sagas, and so much corporate jargon

Business editor Maria Slade reflects on lessons learned from her truncated career in corporate PR and the enduring importance of journalism. Not so long ago I did a stint in the communications department of a large organisation which shall remain nameless… Oh bugger it, it was Fonterra. The corporate world was new to me. The … Read more

Sharks have a PR problem. The solution? Tourism

Jaws has a lot to answer for. Rather than being terrified of sharks, we should embrace shark tourism to make people realise that they need to be protected, writes Michelle Barnes and Sarah Ruth Sutcliffe.  Shark ecotourism can change people’s attitudes about sharks and make them more likely to support conservation projects – even after … Read more

Murray Bevan on growing some of New Zealand’s biggest fashion brands

Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week, he’s joined by Murray Bevan of Showroom 22. We’ve just seen the end … Read more

Business is Boring #33: Deborah Pead on the evolution of PR

‘Business is Boring’ is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. What do a revolution in middle-class cooking, a re-energised and more professional … Read more