Gemini PR Blog

Christmas coming

2011-11-23T16:55:00.001Z

Having just checked my diary and I can't believe that Christmas is so close! Its my daughter's birthday today and up to this point I always feel that I've got lots of time - but not any more. Not a single present bought or a Christmas card written and lots of client work still to do.

One client's Christmas campaign kicks off next Wednesday with a day of Festive Fun on Bridlesmith Gate - may be I'll get more into the spirit then!

Dianne

Empty Nesting

2011-09-28T17:00:00.001+01:00

There's a lot of talk in the media at the moment about empty nesting with students going off to their various universities.

Not experiencing empty nest syndrome myself yet - still got a daughter at home - but my son did go off to Birmingham University for the first time 10 days ago and I must say it was mixed emotions. Clearly proud that he managed to get his place to study medicine - particularly with the fierce battle for places this year - but also missing him. The house just isn't the same - it's quieter, there's less washing and ironing to do and there's more food in the house! Can't wait to see him when he comes home for a weekend though!

Dianne

Superb Weather

2011-09-28T16:54:00.001+01:00

Isn't the great weather we are having at the moment just wonderful! You just feel so much better and you can forget that Autumn is only just around the corner.

I'm going to enjoy going home tonight and relaxing a little - might even be able to get a chair out in the garden if I'm not too late. Will definitely pick some more of those delicious apples in our garden - a bumper crop this year - clearly the result of all the love and attention our trees get - or maybe not!

Dianne

Success for clients in Chamber Awards

2011-09-26T08:59:00.001+01:00

Its particularly pleasing as PR consultants when your clients have success in awards - and that's exactly what happened on Friday night and we were there to enjoy it too.

Djanogly City Academy won the Excellence in People Development Award in the Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce Awards beating off some stiff competition.

North Midland Construction plc was shortlisted in the Sustainability Award too but didn't quite manage to take the title, being narrowly beaten by the Hardstaff Group.

A good time was had by all - and congratulations to both clients.

Blog Entry dated 21/09/2011 17:46

2011-09-21T17:50:00.001+01:00

One of our clients - Mapperley Park Clinic has an event on 29 September to mark the launch of a new treatment - ePrime. It's a brand new and exclusive face lifting technology and our client is one of only three centres in the country to offer this new treatment. Let us know if you'd like to attend.

3D has arrived at Castle Sound & Vision

2011-06-23T11:32:00.001+01:00

Customers of Castle Sound & Vision are getting their first taste of 3D home cinema tonight.

Castle is the first retailer in the country to have the new Lumis 3DS projector from SIM2 on demonstration - the only consumer projector that uses the same triple flash technology developed for commercial 3D cinemas. This eliminates flicker and ghosting giving a smoother motion.

A national reviewer visited Castle recently to review the projector and he was certainly impressed! Check out what he had to say.

http://www.hdwars.com/news/2011/06/hdwars-gets-hands-on-with-sim2s-new-3d-projector/

New Floral Trail

2011-06-23T11:23:00.001+01:00

Yesterday we were at the launch of the new retail floral trail in Nottingham city centre. Funded by the Nottingham Retail Business Improvement District, the trail is a stunning new addition to the retail landscape and is already creating a bit of a stir amongst shoppers. With a series of eight willow sculptures decorated with flowers and plants around the main retail areas of the city, its definitely worth checking it out.

There's a chair at Canning Circus, a shoe on Bridlesmith Gate, a jacket near the Brian Clough statue etc etc

Check out the We are Nottingham website for full details and download a map:

http://www.wearenottingham.co.uk/nottinghaminbloom.php

Churnalism vs Journalism

2011-02-24T16:57:00.001Z

I have just read this article on the Guardian website and found it quite interesting and amusing. Not that us PR types would ever make a story up for the sake of getting news coverage, or ever try to trick journalists, but it is a funny read.

It would be interesting to see how many of our press releases have been used, I may just check the website out sometime.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/23/churnalism-pr-media-trust

Zumba revolution

2011-02-17T12:07:00.001Z

I have recently started going to a weekly Zumba class - and if you have not experienced Zumba revolution that is sweeping the nation yet I definitely recommend it! It is a combination of various styles of dancing and aerobic moves, set to different songs. It is something to look forward to at the end of the day and a way to let your hair down and shake the stresses away...as well as a good form of exercise.

Jenny

Italian delights

2011-02-04T13:45:00.001Z

I spent the evening at Jamie Oliver's new Italian restaurant yesterday, as part of their training week. I can't fault the menu or the interior but I am glad it was 50% off as in my opinion the food did not vary in quality much more than a few of the other Italian restaurants in the city centre. The staff were all friendly and trying their hardest, but a but more confidence is still needed, which I'm sure will come with experience. I'm sure it will do really well as the city definitely has a gap in the market for a celebrity restaurant.

Dianne has been invited to the launch of Carluccio's restaurant later this month so look out for her review...

Jenny

Sexism in the limelight

2011-01-26T14:02:00.001Z

So the issue of sexism is back in the media spotlight this week due to sports commentators being caught off air discussing a female referee.
I think this is a serious issue when it relates to the workplace and implying that women cannot perform a role as well as men, but can't help thinking this has been blown out of proportion now that more footage is coming out of the woodwork of other presenters off air chatting about women. It makes me wonder who is leaking this to the press - and what the benefit is for them?
I'm all for equal opportunities, and think us women should stick up for ourselves and be noticed as competent and successful in the workplace, but not at the expense of purely gaining media coverage.
Jenny

Pesky sales calls

2011-01-10T16:57:00.001Z

We understand that everyone has to earn a living somehow but we have really noticed since the end of last year there has been an increase in the amount of sales calls we get - for services we are never going to use! We try to be polite on the phone but sometime wonder why nobody researches companies before calling them?! Just for the record we don't need work uniforms, don't make international calls, don't need travel arrangements and we do not want to switch our suppliers! Ok, rant over now!

Back and ready for 2011

2011-01-04T12:26:00.001Z

The team at Gemini is back after a refreshing break over the festive period. For some of us it was pretty hard to get out of bed this morning, but now we are planning ahead for our clients for the coming year and getting on top of things.

We hope you had a lovely rest as well and are ready to face the challenges and exciting times that 2011 will bring!

'Tis the season to network and attend events

2010-12-08T13:14:00.001Z

As it nears the festive season, there suddenly seems to be a lot more events on in and around the city centre. Some of them are useful and can lead to making new contacts, etc but if you aren't selective about which events to attend, you could soon find yourself getting behind with client work - which is after all the most important thing.

At Gemini we are all attending a different event this week, we spread ourselves around so we can still all focus on our work. Dianne is off to the Nottingham Hot Property event tonight, organised by our client, Nicola Millward. Jenny is going to a wine and cheese networking event at Belle & Jerome in West Bridgford and Katie is attending the launch of Temprell, a new jewellers in Nottingham on Thursday.

Royal Wedding

2010-11-16T16:44:00.001Z

I'm pleased to hear William and Kate's exciting news of their upcoming wedding next year. I can only imagine the media frenzy that will surround the big day but they both seem down to earth enough to try and keep a hold on reality as well.
I bet they won't have to budget and count the pennies with the wedding planning like I'm currently doing...something tells me their wedding will be on a slightly grander scale than mine!
Jenny

Mob Mentality

2010-11-11T15:34:00.001Z

Students certainly made their feelings clear yesterday about the Government's proposed increases to tuition fees. Although I'm not sure the riots and violent behaviour was the best way for them to get their message across- and I think they have created some negative PR for themselves.
I think this was a case of mob mentality- a few were probably out looking for trouble and lots of others got caught up in the atmosphere and got carried away. I believe they do feel strongly about the rise in fees, as I would if I were about to start university. I hope the Government manage to rethink and come up with a solution that will still enable students from all backgrounds to have the chance to go to university, as it would be such a shame to restrict it to those who can afford it.

Jenny

Winter blues

2010-11-08T11:38:00.001Z

Well we're only a week into November and the weather is certainly making itself known to us all. I'm still trying to cling onto a bit of faith that it won't rain all winter...I can only try my hardest. In the meantime, I think I'll try and focus on booking a holiday for next summer and look forward to that!

Jenny

Women in Nottingham

2010-10-06T10:23:00.003+01:00

I went to the launch of the Women in Nottingham group last night at the Contemporary art gallery. I met lots of interesting women from various workplaces around the city and it was inspiring to see how many senior roles are held by women in Notts currently. The group will work together to try and promote the city on a positive light- we need to move away from the negative stereotypes associated with Notts!

Jenny

Relaxing Cornish style

2010-10-04T16:18:00.002+01:00

I have just returned from a week in Cornwall and am struggling to get back into the reality of city living and being in an office all day. I really enjoyed the laid back style, walking on the beach and sheltering in cosy pubs when the weather wasn't so great. I didn't even get mobile phone signal for most of the week so it was a real break from the normal bustle of everyday life. Thoroughly recommended for at least once a year to get away from it all!

Jenny

Fact of the day

2010-09-22T17:21:00.002+01:00

Today marks the fact there is 100 days left of 2010. Scary thought, so this time in 100 days I will have even less money after getting through xmas...and be desperately making plans for New years eve!

Jenny

Marathon weekend

2010-09-13T14:14:00.002+01:00

I went down to the embankment yesterday to support a friend running the marathon and I was so impressed with the amount of runners and supporters. I have nothing but respect for all the runners, as I know I could never do it myself! The atmosphere was great and the sense of achievement as they crossed the finish line must have been immense. Well done to everyone who took part!

Jenny

Is summer back?

2010-09-03T14:20:00.003+01:00

I think I may be getting a bit carried away but I can't help thinking that summer may be making a return? Ok, three days of sunshine does not amount to a summer but we can hope for the best! The forecast is good for the weekend so enjoy it while it lasts!
Jenny

Toy Story 3 fun times!

2010-09-01T17:10:00.002+01:00

I finally went to see Toy Story 3 at the weekend and absolutely loved it! It was so much more advanced than the previous 2 films, not only as it is in 3D but the characters had more depth and humour to them. I know it is a kids film but I really needed some lighthearted viewing so it went down very well!
Plus I very rarely go to the cinema and every time I come out I say I should go more often...lets wait and see if I actually do.

Jenny

The big pay debate- men vs women

2010-08-19T11:57:00.002+01:00

News out today states that women are not set to catch up with men's salaries until 2067. This is quite a dreary thought, that for years women have been performing at the same level as men, in the same roles and they are still not being recognised for their work.
We have one of the worst gender pay gaps in Europe, and the Midlands is apparently one of the worst regions- with men being paid £10,000 more than women.
I really hope this does turn around sooner than 57 years as I would like to be treated as an equal as I progress through my working life.

Jenny

PR guru in the guardian

2010-08-02T17:09:00.002+01:00

Self-confessed PR 'guru' Max Clifford has got himself in the press for a change in an interview on the Guardian website.
Love him or hate him, he seems to have the ability to make a fortune from other people's misfortunes- and actually says about himself "I've almost become the fourth emergency service"
I'm not sure most people would agree with that, but he obviously provides a life-saving service...

Jenny

Cashing in on counterfeits

2010-07-27T14:29:00.002+01:00

It has been announced today that an estimated 1 in 36 pound coins are counterfeit. This is more than 6 times higher than the amount seized last year.
The Royal Mint have described how to spot a fake from an authentic pound coin, apparently the fake coins have:
- a poorly defined ridged edge
- indistinct lettering or wrong typeface on the edge
- On an authentic coin the Queen's head and the pattern on the reverse should both be upright when the coin is turned over
- The design on the reverse should correspond with the official design of the year of its issue
I think these guidelines are pretty vague, and if that's the case then I could have easily handled a lot of fakes in my time. It is quite scary to think how easy it must be for people to replicate these.

Jenny

The Riviera returns

2010-07-22T11:55:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow sees the return of the 'Nottingham Riviera', which conjures up more exciting ideas in my head than what it actually is.
I do think it's great for kids who may not get the chance to get to a seaside this summer, and it's a family friendly event that is meant to be fun for all.
But for me, the feel of sand between my toes just shouldn't be combined with manky pigeons, trams and shopper. I like my beach experience to be a bit more relaxing and tranquil!

Jenny

End of an era for Wossy

2010-07-15T10:27:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow night sees the final Jonathan Ross show aired on the BBC and I am really going to miss it. You can rely on his show every week to provide entertaining interviews with genuinely interesting guests (give or take a few) and good music performances.
At least he's going out in style with David Beckham as one of his final guests.
I bet the four poofs will be shedding a tear around their piano!
Hopefully Jonathan's new show in ITV next year will continue to be a success.

Jenny

Paul predicts a win for Spain

2010-07-09T16:43:00.003+01:00

Well if we are to believe the predictions of the newly-famous octopus, known as Paul to his many fans then Spain will be winning the World cup this weekend!
Apparently Paul has received death threats from Dutch fans since his latest prediction, so lets hope they keep him safe at the aquarium where he lives!

Jenny

Vuvuzela madness

2010-07-06T16:05:00.002+01:00

One of the reasons I am glad the world cup is coming to an end is the annoying sounds of thousands of vuvuzelas being played in the crowds. It is enough to put me off watching fit men run around in shorts. I know they are a traditional South African horn but my god they are annoying!
I was in Portugal last week and when England played Germany suddenly everyone had them there as well, the streets and bars were full of people blowing their vuvuzelas.
I'm really hoping the trend doesn't now catch on for every football tournament.
Perhaps we should come up with an equally annoying instrument for when we host the world cup?

Jenny

Tis the season to be jolly.... really?

2010-07-02T14:17:00.001+01:00

I love Christmas don’t get me wrong. I love the shopping for presents, the over-indulging in chocolate and stuffing but I don’t think it’s particulary tasteful for campaigns to already have begun gearing up for the Christmas rush (I wouldn’t constitute it as a rush until literally the week before Christmas and suddenly the smart-price face pack gift set starts to look like a really good present for people...particularly the Mr!)

But seriously... Christmas gift ideas in July?! It’s the season for Pimms and Strawberries! Definitely not Santa! (No offense to Santa I do love the chap)

But then again maybe it should be a sign that this year I should start Christmas shopping slightly earlier... maybe two weeks before Christmas this time?

Cat

Dianne speaks to Nottingham Post

2010-06-18T11:10:00.004+01:00

Read the full article here

Hard work at the tennis

2010-06-14T14:41:00.002+01:00

After the months of planning and promoting of the Nottingham Masters tennis, it's now all over for another year. I was there for 3 out of the 4 days and think it was a really good event for all ages. I've never particularly followed tennis but I was very impressed with the level of the players.
Now my new claim to fame is that I spent the morning with Martina Hingis- making sure she got to all her media interviews and the press conference. She was a really nice woman and I wish her luck for her Wimbledon comeback this year!

Jenny

Rooney's rude ramblings

2010-06-08T11:27:00.002+01:00

So Rooney has been mouthing off at a referee...again. Are we really surprised? He has been warned to control his behaviour during the world cup, as apparently it will not be tolerated. Rightly so in my opinion. Can you imagine of the rest of us in office jobs or similar, started coming into work swearing and shouting abuse, or even getting physically violent whenever something happened that we weren't entirely happy with?! Although it may create some amusing moments, I don't think it would work in the long run to form a good working environment!

Jenny

Walking disaster

2010-06-02T17:12:00.002+01:00

There's a story in the news this week about an American woman who is suing Google because one of their streetmap routes led her onto a busy main road where she was then hit by a car.
This is a perfect example of technology overtaking common sense- who would carry on trying to walk along a main road with no pavement simply because their blackberry was telling them to?! I have no doubt that Google have enough money to handle this case, or settle out of court but I just wonder where this is going to lead us in the future- are we going to completely lose control of our minds and the ability to make any decisions? We will have to wait and see...

Jenny

The fall of Fergie

2010-05-24T11:59:00.002+01:00

Oh how life has changed for Sarah Ferguson over the years, from Duchess to pauper- you can almost see a film script appearing.
So she's been caught in the act of trying to get £500,000 from a fake businessman, to introduce him to Prince Andrew. I find it shocking enough that someone would ever be willing to pay that much to meet the prince in the first place.
She claims her £15,000 a year divorce settlement can't possibly sustain her lifestyle but what has she been doing with all the money she's earnt over the years from her children's books and weight watchers endorsements?
I have a feeling she'll be hiding out in America for a while, they're a lot more understanding than the British public!

Jenny

The future of our country?

2010-05-13T11:04:00.002+01:00

I tuned into the Youth Apprentice last night, intrigued to see how Sir, sorry, Lord Sugar would handle a group of teenagers who have been labelled as the brightest and most entrepeneurial young people in the country.
I did find it quite amusing to see the differences between how girls and boys deal with tasks- there was already tears in the girls camp, not a good sign of things to come.
For me the funniest part of the show was seeing the boys team try to sell cheese to passers by on a street. With some of them looking no older than 12 I just couldn't take them seriously!
Good luck to Lord Alan in finding a business leader of the future!

Jenny

Good luck Forest!

2010-05-11T16:10:00.002+01:00

Nottingham Forest are in the play-offs tonight against Blackpool and although I'm not really a football follower I really hope they win or I will have an unhappy man at home!
We have also got a good opportunity lined up for one of our clients on radio Nottingham in the morning if they win, so it will benefit them as well!

Jenny

Powering down

2010-05-07T12:14:00.003+01:00

At Gemini towers we were plagued with pesky powercuts yesterday afternoon, resulting in not being able to get on with anything we had started. Luckily we are back in business today so all is back to normal.
You don't realise how much our lives revolve around electricity until it's gone! We had to take our lives into our hands crossing Maid Marian Way at lunchtime with all the traffic lights out of order.
We also battled with the elements to hang a banner out of our windows advertising the masters tennis. It was not an easy mission so look out for it when driving down Maid Marian Way!

Jenny

Becks is still on top

2010-04-23T13:16:00.002+01:00

The top 10 richest footballers list has been announced today and good old Becks is still fighting it out at the top slot, ahead of other younger and upcoming players that seem to dominate the media spotlight nowadays.
He is apparently worth £24 million...so it seems as though 'brand Beckham' really is paying off for him.
I personally find footballers salaries ludicrous in comparison to all other hardworking professions, but I suppose you have to admire Beckham for building up a large portfolio of advertising and sponsorship deals. He could give up football tomorrow and still live an extremely comfortable lifestlye.
I'm not jealous though...honest

Jenny

Grow taller to earn more?!

2010-04-12T16:06:00.002+01:00

A poll has apparently found that taller women are likely to earn more than their shorter counterparts. This is hardly a scientific study and I doubt very much that a person's height affects their ability to move up the ladder (excuse the pun).
Then again I would be saying that as I am only 5 ft 3 and would like to hope I can compete aginst taller women!

Jenny

World Cup crisps- are they a winner?

2010-04-06T11:03:00.002+01:00

Now we've got past Easter weekend it is apparently time to put aside the chocolate and move onto the range of crisp flavours Walkers have introduced for the World Cup. The flavours represent countries in the competition, and include:
Scottish haggis
Dutch edam
French garlic bread
Australian BBQ Kangaroo
American cheeseburger

I think I'd stick to chocolate anyday over these choices, not very appetising!
I'll look forward to seeing what Walkers PR machine have up their sleeve to promote these.

Jenny

Office hours weather pattern

2010-03-26T15:48:00.002Z

Us girls in the office have noticed a familiar pattern this week. The weather has been a bit chilly in the morning, warming up to almost summery temperatures by lunchtime and then as it nears the 5.30 ending to our day, what happens? Pouring rain, that's what!
We are asking nicely if please can we have some bearable weather for at least part of the weekend, so we can enjoy some time outside instead of being cooped up inside!

Jenny

Laughing in the name of science

2010-03-22T11:58:00.002Z

According to a science experiment, the world's funniest joke has been found.
A study focusing on the psychology of humour and taking in factors such as whether men and women find the same jokes funny, whether humour changes with age or in different countries has been carried out and the winning joke is:

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, "My friend is dead! What can I do?". The operator says "Calm down. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says "OK, now what?"

I have to say I am slightly disappointed with this, but it may be as I have a slightly more childish sense of humour. I'm just glad I wasn't one of the team that had to sift through the thousands of nominations!

Jenny

The dreaded Double-D is back again

2010-03-17T11:17:00.002Z

I am of course talking about the double-denim look that is apparently back in fashion for this season. This is a trend that has come and gone over the years and is very tricky to get right.
I think most people get it horribly wrong, and end up looking like cowboys or someone trying too hard to follow fashion.
After getting rid of my denim jacket a few years ago, this time around I may give it a miss stick to brighter colours for the spring/summer season instead!

Jenny

Rich list announced

2010-03-11T10:48:00.002Z

Forbes have just published their annual rich list and Bill Gates has been knocked off the top spot by a Mexican billionaire. Carlos Slim has made his fortunes from the mobile phone industry and is now worth £35.7 billion.
This is the first time a non-American has topped the list since 1994. The highest British entry is at number 45, with the Duke of Westminster mustering up a measly £12 billion...loose change in the eyes of the billionaires obviously.

Jenny

Got any spare change? Fancy buying a Greek island?

2010-03-04T11:34:00.002Z

Yes that's right, someone could be able to get their hands on their very own Greek island if German politicians suggestions are taken seriously.
In order for Greece to cut its debts, many suggestions have been made including cutting public sector pay cheques and freezing pensions...but this is quite a far-fetched idea that could see them losing some of their land, buildings and ancient artefacts.
It makes me wonder where it is all going to end. With so many countries affected by the recession and getting in serious debt, who knows how this will be rectified and what implications it will have for the future.

Jenny

Sport Relief celeb challenge

2010-03-01T09:31:00.002Z

Six celebrities are today embarking on a challenge- to cycle from John O Groats to Land's End. Are they mad? Well...maybe, but in my opinion they are also very courageous to be doing this mission for sport relief.
The lengths celebrities go to nowadays for charity seems to have no limits but I think it is such a worthwhile cause and they can raise so much awareness from their celebity status.
So good luck to them all and lets hope they raise a massive amount of money!

Jenny

Derby Chamber of Commerce Awards

2010-02-26T09:47:00.004Z

Off to the Roundhouse in Derby tonight to the Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce Awards. It will be good to see it in all its glory as one of our clients Maber Architects were the architects on the redevelopment of the site for Derby College. The Roundhouse itself is stunning but not seen it at night before so looking forward to it.

Also looking forward to finding out whether one of our other clients, Garry McBride, chairman of bespoke precast concrete specialists Evans Concrete Products, takes the Entrepreneur of the Year Award title in the Chamber awards. I really hope so. I think he really deserves it and it would be great to great recognition for a traditional manufacturing company that is doing well. Good luck Garry!

Dianne

Gleefully taking over the world

2010-02-11T16:19:00.002Z

I, along with millions of other people in the world have been bitten by the 'Glee' bug.
The American musical drama has taken over the TV every Monday evening, and I even quite often find myself watching the repeat on the following Sunday, so it is fresh in my mind for the next night.
It seems as though the music charts are the next thing to be dominated by Glee, with the cast already having 25 hit singles in the US- rivalling the Beatles! It's pure madness...yet I think I will be downloading this myself, there's nothing like a bit of glee-ful music to liven up the bus journey to work in the morning.

Jenny

John Terry for captain?

2010-02-02T12:10:00.002Z

Now I'm the first to admit that I don't really know that much about football, or try to follow it or pretend I do...but with all the controversy in the press this week about whether John Terry should be sacked as England captain it seems everyone has an opinion.
Footballers are inevitably public property, with their every move being scrutinised so what did he really expect? It's bad enough that they insist on living up to their reputations by having affairs all the time when they're married with children...but choosing a teammates girlfriend is a pretty poor decision!
I don't see how it will affect his performance on the pitch, so just leave him to do his job and let PR 'guru' Max Clifford reap the benefits!

Jenny

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T16:37:00.001Z

So it’s 2010 and everyone is hitting the ground running (or falling in some cases- aided by the very ice-laden pavements which have been very kindly given as a post-Christmas present by Jack Frost!)

Be it with New Year Resolutions coming into practice or some much needed splurging in the sales everyone seems to be very busy!

January looks set to be a busy month and from all of us at Gemini we wish you a bright and busy 2010!

Cat

Christmas Song Number One Recipe.

2009-12-09T16:17:00.001Z

There’s a recipe to a good Christmas pop song and I think I may have actually sussed it...

Take one (for best effect add two more of similar size and shape) shiny haired pop prince/princess (shiny, smile and organically grown is best)
Sprinkle them strategically with faux snow (glittery snow adds extra wow-factor)
Shake vigorously until substance gyrates of own accord and begins uttering warbles similar to that of the angels after a heavy session down the local celestial brewery (kebab optional.)
Apply generous fine tuning (until sounds like a sober angel)

Bake until charts at number one.

N.B: This recipe is not necessarily fool-proof as it can be subject to undercooking (against some overly chirpy reality star contestant most likely) or a sharp gust of cynicism.

Cat

Christmas is looming..

2009-11-24T10:35:00.001Z

Or at least that’s what the shops would have us believe! All around are twinkly lights and festive red and green colour schemes.
I keep half-expecting Santa to jump out from shop doorways and rugby tackle unsuspecting shoppers into the stores!
I’m all for seasonal festive-based cheer (my journeys to Starbucks for gingerbread lattes are enough to prove that) but dare I say it- I’d usually say that “Maybe it’s a little too early to bring on the Yule?”

This year however I’m playing devils advocate (or do I mean Tiny Tim from Christmas Carol) Maybe this year we should start Christmas early- this year has had a lot of gloom and doom (and recession and rain...) maybe everyone deserves to put the tree up early and start consuming mince pies....maybe....

(On your marks, get set, go!)

Cat

Laughing along with Rob

2009-10-06T12:25:00.002+01:00

I went to see Rob Brydon on Friday night at the Concert Hall and had a really good time, it was a very enjoyable night out.
I went along - probably like many others in the audience- as a Gavin & Stacey fan, loving his Uncle Bryn character and having seen previous programmes he has acted in but never seeing him perform as 'himself'.
From the start it was a laugh a minute, I even cried with laughter at one point! From his impersonations to extremely physical version of comedy, he involved the audience throughout his act.
Also, I am never going to the toilet halfway through a show EVER after seeing one lady become the centre of Rob's attention after a toilet break!

Jenny

Do I speak cat language?

2009-09-21T11:46:00.003+01:00

I have recently had 2 additions to my house, of the furry variety. My 2 new cats are already starting to rule normal household activities and behaviour- including what time I wake up in the morning, making me hoover and clean more often, getting in my way whilst making dinner, etc.
I started thinking about whether they understand us humans at all when we talk to them, and I wondered what they might be trying to say to me. Apparently we can analyse their behaviour...
Twitching tail- they are excited
Swishing tail- they are curious or annoyed
Scratching furniture- they are seeking attention
Short meow- hello
Long, drawn out meow- feed me now!
Arched back- Leave me alone!

I will see if, over time I can figure out what they're saying to me!

Jenny

Congrats to all A-Level students!

2009-08-21T10:41:00.002+01:00

It's been another great year for A-level results, with record numbers of students achieving A grades. After being around some of the happy students yesterday, they have their whole lives ahead of them to pursue whatever career path they want to...it made me feel quite old!
Congratulations to everyone who got their results, starting University is a scary but exciting step and you need to try and enjoy every minute of it!

Jenny

Perfume causes pandemic

2009-08-03T09:51:00.002+01:00

It has been in the news recently that 150 workers in a Texas bank had to leave the building due to a woman spraying strong perfume. It makes me wonder what on earth this perfume was?! I thought the point of wearing perfume was to attract others to you, not repel them.
Apparently 12 people had to be taken to hospital suffering from dizziness and shortness of breath. Now I know there are usually office politics in most workplaces, but is trying to harm people with your perfume taking things slightly too far?!

Jenny

Carry on camping

2009-07-27T16:30:00.002+01:00

I've just returned from a camping trip to Cromer in Norfolk and can say I've been bitten by the camping bug! (and surprisingly no other bugs)
I'm a girl who likes my luxuries so I had my concerns about sleeping in a tent in the middle of a field, but having chosen a very well equipped campsite (with electric points for the all important hair straighteners- a must)I can really see how easy it is to get in the relaxed way of life.
With sea views and plenty of room for frisby throwing and BBQ's, it was a really relaxing experience and I will definitely be going again- hopefully next time it won't even rain.

Jenny

Meat free Mondays

2009-06-15T15:58:00.002+01:00

According to Paul McCartney (and the world's leading climate scientist, but obviously Paul thought of it first) we should all be encouraged to go 'meat free' for one day a week for the sake of saving the planet by reducing carbon emissions.
I myself would find it more of a challenge to eat meat everyday anyway, as many of my weekly meals are meat-free.
I am all for supporting these schemes if the experts (not Sir Paul) believe it could truly make a difference, but I am now wary of the supermarkets raising the cost of non-meat products and making us pay more for our environmentally friendly diets.
We will have to wait and see if this catches on.

Jenny

Heatwave induced slump

2009-06-02T16:40:00.003+01:00

Being typically fair-skinned and British, I am not coping very well with the current hot weather! After sitting out in the sun for a picnic for an hour or so at the weekend I had to retreat to the shade with pink shoulders.
Having popped to the tennis centre for a meeting this afternoon, I couldn't even contemplate sitting watching a match let alone running around on a sun-soaked court.
I was put to shame by all the lean, bronzed legs wandering about so there are benefits to their dedication to the sport!
Jenny

The precarious predicament of a skirt pretending to be a parasol!

2009-05-18T17:25:00.000+01:00

Just thought I’d play wordsmith for a second there! So spring is a tricky season to dress for. It causes a number of conundrums none more worrying than the ever-present threat of the ‘Flash attack’ a.k.a Marilyn Moment- minus the coy grin and perfect poise.
What usually befalls us poor women is the desperate clutching of our clothing as the cruel spring wind attempts to strip us of our dignity!
Gents don’t get let off lightly, I’ve seen you; desperately trying to maintain your perfectly preened ‘do!
My solution to the skirt fiasco is to clutch a clump of skirt in both hands whilst ducking and diving into alleyways if a particularly nasty gust attempts to catch me off guard! (Smart, eh?)
Sure I look like a crazy woman and sure I could just wear trousers but then why should I succumb to the British weather?
We should all embrace the windswept dishevelled look... to be fair it seems to work in Hugh Grant’s favour enormously.
Cat

The humble sandwich is celebrated!

2009-05-13T16:02:00.003+01:00

It is officially national sandwich week and this should be celebrated! An authentic British snack, it is amazing to think of all the possible variations and fillings you can make to fulfil your hunger.
Although I'm partial to a fancy version every now and then- roasted vegetable, mozzarella and pesto panini for example- you can't go far wrong with a traditional cheese/ham/chicken salad or the good old bacon butty with lashings of ketchup.
One of the most basic snacks to make (and master the art of) the trusty sandwich will never go out of fashion!

Jenny

A typical British summer?

2009-04-30T14:15:00.002+01:00

The forecast for the summer months has been announced today and I have to say I'm not about to get too excited just yet. Apparently it is meant to be hot and dry...with heavy downpours not ruled out. Isn't that just covering all bases just in case?!
After being cheated out of the past two summers, I'm sure everyone's been hoping for some lovely weather this year. Lets hope we can make the most of the summer fashions and barbecue opportunities, or it's off to the travel agents I go!

Jenny

What a hefty load for fashion

2009-04-22T11:00:00.002+01:00

The age old concern of how large womens handbags are and the potential health implications these may have is back in the news today. I know we tend to carry a lot of (very essential) items around in our bags but I didn't realise they weighed an average of half a stone!

When it's put like that it does seem a bit ludicrous but I don't think I could bring myself to leave home without the 'basics'- purse, keys, phone, glasses, make up, ipod, diary, hairbrush, umbrella (dependant on weather)....that's just what I can think of off the top of my head!

Although this would explain the shoulder ache I tend to suffer from every now and then, it seems I am not alone in my suffering as apparently over half of womena are often in pain when carrying their bags, with shoulder, neck and arm complaints being the most common.

Each season seems to bring around an even larger bag in the fashion world so I cannot see an end to this trend. If it's good enough for Mary Poppins then the rest of us ladies will have to learn to cope!

Jenny

Happy Easter

2009-04-09T14:35:00.002+01:00

I think it has reached that time of the year where a few days off is needed. The holiday season is still a bit too far in the distance and the weather isn't nice enough to get excited about yet so a long Easter weekend is the best prescription.

We've battled through the dark mornings and darker nights of winter and the light is at the end of the tunnel. As per typical British weather, the weekend is not looking the best but I for one will still try and make the most of it.

All those who have been struggling through lent (myself not included!) can treat themselves and it's the perfect time of the year to get away with eating lots of chocolate!

Jenny

Holloway holiday camp

2009-03-25T11:56:00.003Z

I have been watching the programme on ITV about life inside Holloway prison, expecting to be shocked by the levels of security and threats of danger,etc as when I think of women's prisons, especially Holloway it conjurs up images of the most dangerous women all enclosed and desperate to get out.

How wrong I was, it seems most of the inmates try their hardest to remain inside for as long as possible and as soon as they are released the majority of them return withing weeks if not days. They seem to have got into the pattern of being fed 3 times a day, being able to wear their own clothes, go the to prison gym and swimming pool and generally live quite a life of luxury.

At one point it really did resemble a holiday camp, with 'jobs' earning them the money to buy treats each week and a TV for their cells costing £1 per week. Visits to the hairdressers are at discount costs while the rest of us pay full price in the outside world for all these things!

It has left me wondering what exactly this programme set out to achieve, as many potential offenders would not be deterred from offending, if anything they probably see it as an easy way to pay for their crime.
I will watch the rest of the series as I am a bit hooked now so it could reveal a more meaningful side eventually...

Jenny

Happy Friday!

2009-03-20T16:25:00.001Z

So I stepped out of the office for my lunch break and went walking around with squinted eyes (I felt like a small animal emerging from their burrow into the big wide world) and it’s now what I’d officially call spring. There was blue sky, birds chirping (quietly in comparison to the veritable smorgasbord of traffic noise) and yes also the slight indication I could walk about without my coat on and developing frostbite!
Yes, it probably helps that shops are crammed full of Easter paraphernalia: Bunnies and chickens galore! I enjoy the fact that window displays are embracing the colour yellow and somehow, miraculously, this has encouraged the sun to peak through the clouds and grace pasty English!
May I say welcome back Mr Sun, may you stay for the spring and summer haul of 2009...
And please don’t leave us!!!
Cat

Happy St Patrick's day!

2009-03-17T13:24:00.002Z

While the celebrations are going on all over the UK and many other countries with Irish links, I have found a few facts about Ireland and its traditions:
- According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14!
- There are an estimated 10,000 regular three-leaved clovers for every one lucky four-leaved clover
- The colours in the Irish flag represent different things- green is for the people of the south, the orange is for the people of the north and the white represents the peace that brings them together
- The Irish consume an average of 131.1 litres of beer per year, the 2nd highest amount after Czech republic
- The common surnames starting with 'Mac' mean 'son of' and 'O' mean 'grandson of'

Jenny

My little pony

2009-03-13T14:28:00.003Z

On the BBC news website there is a story about a pony who is being mistaken as being stuck in the mud in the field. Apparently many passers by have been calling 999 to report the incident and the poor little pony has been causing chaos without even knowing!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7939187.stm

At half the height of the other ponies in the field, this vertically challenged animal must look quite amusing!

Jenny

Still got it!

2009-03-06T10:39:00.001Z

Hurrah! Cadbury have seen sense and brought back Cadbury Caramel Rabbit! She’s now even saucier featuring bigger curves and more make up but thankfully she’s still wearing her trademark pink bow.
8 years on since the bunny was the spokesperson for the chocolate bar she’s back in order to help encourage a more ‘up-market’ appeal of the chocolate. Along with a change in packaging which will feature more flowing calligraphy with the phrase ‘Still got it’, the design has been altered to represent the smoothness of the caramel.
Just goes to show that presentation is extremely important (and one can never underestimate the significance of a bunny with a pink bow.)
Cat

A Killer of a show

2009-03-04T11:43:00.002Z

I was lucky enough to see the Killers at Nottingham Arena last night and can honestly say it was the best live concert I have been to. From the opening track 'Human' to the final encore of 'When you were young' the band gave it their all and gave a faultless performance.

I had recently read reviews that mentioned Brandon's Dad-like dancing but I would be concerned if my Dad wore skinny jeans and a feather embellished jacket! I will not hear a bad word said about his talents as a front man, he kept the crowd going throughout.

Jenny

Looking into the void...

2009-03-03T17:08:00.000Z

As I perused the Guardian website I came across an exhibition that’s going on in Paris's Pompidou Centre entitled: “Various Voids, a retrospective” which is basically various rooms left completely starker’s.
Apparently it “assembles in a totally original manner exhibitions that showed absolutely nothing, leaving empty the space for which they were designed.”
People are able to walk through the dozen rooms and experience “Emptiness also represents a form of radicalness” personally it doesn’t sit well with me as ‘art’ but that’s probably because I like more art a little more visually stimulating!
But then again kudos to the artists for managing to sell this idea to people to such an extent there’s an exhibition dedicated to white-wash installation walls.

Multi-tasking for pets

2009-03-03T16:33:00.002Z

I came across this link today on sky news:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/Hamster-Powered-Vacuum-Cleaner-Roomba-Video-Skynewscom/Article/200903115232375?lpos=Strange_News_First_Strange_News__Article_Teaser_Region__0&lid=ARTICLE_15232375_Hamster-Powered_Vacuum_Cleaner_Roomba_Video_Skynews.com

It is a contraption that you put a hamster in their exercise ball on and they generate the power to activate a hoover.
Being a hamster owner myself, this seems like a genius invention! My little furry friend is in his element when he is running around the house crashing into walls and generally trying his hardest to break free from the confines of his plastic ball.

My only concern is that my hamster is male so probably wouldn't master the art of multi-tasking!

Jenny

A celeb-tastic endorsement for Adidas

2009-02-23T13:21:00.001Z

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the new adidas advert last night on mtv. The sports brand are obviously not being affected at all by the credit crunch, with what I would think is one of their most expensive campaigns to date.

The first time I saw it I was drawn in by the music (Franki Valli and the Four seasons- ‘Begging’) and the creativity of the advert, but the second time I was determined to identify as many celebrities as possible! The ones I spotted were:
David Beckham, Katy Perry, Estelle, Ting Tings, Missy Elliott, Run DMC, Method man, The Game...and others that I recognised but wasn’t able to name.

It’s a bit of a 'who’s who' in celebland and really goes along with one of adidas’ slogans- ‘celebrate originality’. This campaign is to celebrate the 60th anniversary of adidas and I think it really sets them apart from their rival brands. Watch it and see how good you are at celeb-spotting!

Jenny

Cooking with mother...

2009-02-19T16:18:00.000Z

Well not quite. When I say cooking with mother I mean more so attempted baking (with the added bonus of flour and sugar everywhere) with my “urban family” of friends.
I’ve read a couple of articles about the recession causing fast-food outlets (who shall not be named!) to be one of the only businesses that’s still smiling in this gloomy time.
Understandably people are going for the cheap option and unfortunately the first thing you think when you hear the word cheap is “unhealthy, quick, convenient” a.k.a fast food.
Attempting to fight-back the tide of takeaway menu leaflets my friends and I are buying good old wholesome basics like “self-raising flour” in order to concoct our own recipes. These basics are surprisingly cheap when you buy in bulk (especially when you compare them to their pre-made, neatly-packaged counterparts)
I was quietly chuffed with the fact I’ve passed on my recipe for mean marmite scones via email to a few people who wanted the recipe after eating it!
As another big-name food corporation (they’ll remain nameless too!) says; “Every little helps”
Cat

Happy Valentines!

2009-02-13T15:45:00.002Z

I want to wish everyone a big Happy Valentines Day!
As for singletons, now is not the time to go into a deep depression, it could be the best time to meet the perfect match...two lonely hearts and all that!
Although I do think it is an overly commercialised celebration, where people tend to be forced into spending lots of money...it's nice to receive a card and appreciate the small gestures that make us all happy!
So enjoy the one day of the year that we are allowed to show our emotions without being judged!

Jenny

Gemini Join Myspace, Facebook and Twitter!

2009-02-12T09:41:00.003Z

Come check us out on:
www.myspace.com/geminiprmarketing.com

and on Facebook and Twitter!

They're still works in progress but pop on by and tell us what you think!

Cat

Power to the Pistol!

2009-02-09T14:05:00.000Z

You have to love it when unlikely celebrity endorsements work exceptionally well! Like good old John Lyndon (or Johnny Rotten) plugging the benefits of Country Life butter. The image of seeing this middle-aged punk gallivanting all over the country side stating that he doesn’t buy Country Life butter for the patriotism of helping out the British farmer but rather it’s the supposedly yummy, buttery goodness.
Well obviously it’s worked quite well. Here I was scoffing at the implausibility of the campaign actually working and it turns out that people love the cashing-in of Lyndon’s style and I’m sure so are the Country Life Execs as sales of the brand lifted by 85% in the most recent quarter.
Sure he may be selling up his Punk ideals- but there’s something quite likeable in a man who will go to the extremes of tongue-and-cheek behavior… especially in the name of butter… let’s just hope it really is as good as he claims it is!
Cat

Bring back snow days!

2009-02-03T14:37:00.001Z

This wintery (rather delayed Christmassy) weather has made me wonder at what age do snow days become frowned upon?! With the hundreds of schools closing this week due to snowy conditions, inevitably all the teachers are also enjoying the time off. Why should the rest of the country’s workforce be missing out? I say national snow days should be compulsory! Obviously there would have to be some sort of guidelines...a certain amount of centimetres of snow for instance but I think this would boost morale and let everyone enjoy the rare opportunity for a snowball fight! I believe this would also cut down on the amount of women slipping over on the ice and getting injured due to no fashionable shoes having any form of grip on the soles...but that’s another matter entirely to rant on about, I’ll save that for another day.
Jenny

Knowledge is power...

2009-02-03T14:32:00.002Z

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

As we're in the middle of the working week I feel I should do my part to stave off the Late-Afternoon-Mind-Shlump (or L.A.M.S for short.. I felt it was worth while forming some form of abbreviation as I’m sure to use the phrase again in another blog at some point…) I’ve decided to give you some gems of knowledge in the form of random ‘facts’ (Google is great for producing this kind of stuff in search engines: That is a definite fact!)

So here goes, get your brain matter chewing on these morsels:

- Elephants are the only mammals that can't jump.
- You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV.
- There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with orange, purple and silver.
- If you keep a goldfish in the dark room, it will eventually turn white.
- On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily!
- Every year more people are killed by donkeys, than in aircraft crashes.
- Porcupines float in water!

Now, doesn’t your brain feel all the more richer and replenished for knowing these vitally important facts?!

Cat

A Happy New Year to everyone!

2009-01-12T12:00:00.000Z

Christmas already seems so far away and yet we’ve only been back to work for a week. I don’t know about anyone else but I really enjoyed the break which gave me the chance to recharge the batteries – and get to know the family again!

The lead up to Christmas is always frenetic as you try to squeeze in the Christmas shopping along with concerts at school, parties – and not to mention the work which for Gemini was particularly busy throughout December. But I’m now back with some renewed energy – which is probably just as well with all the talk of doom and gloom – and ready to take on some new challenges.

My own particular focus is on continuing to provide a high quality and cost effective service to clients whilst also driving the business forward.

There have been some changes here at Gemini of late. Helen and Ruth have moved onto pastures new to take on some fresh challenges. For Helen this means Nottingham Trent University and for Ruth, Nottinghamshire Police. This means that there are some new faces at Gemini – Cat Leggatt and Jenny Hutson – take a look at their personal profiles to find out more about them.

All the best to everyone for 2009. Its going to be a difficult year ahead and I think its going to be very much a case of keeping the nose to the grind stone. We’ll aim to add a lighter note with our blogs so keep checking it out to find out our latest pearls of wisdom!

Dianne

Year End

2008-12-23T13:37:00.000Z

Well, another year nearly over. I know we say this each year but this year really has flown!
I hope it has been a successful one for you all, we have certainly enjoyed blogging for you for the past 12 months.

Have a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

See you in January!!

All the team at

Gemini PR & Marketing

The Best Man Won!

2008-12-15T09:56:00.002Z

Well, this may be an unpopular blog today, especially as I write it from an office in Nottingham but I for one am delighted that Chris Hoy won sports personality, and what’s more deserved it the most, except for maybe, Ben Ainslie.

I know Lewis Hamilton did exceptionally well this year, winning his first world title, Becky did incredibly well with 2 Olympic gold medals– Chris on the other hand has won 4 gold and one silver medal throughout an 8 year period...and four of those medals were in different events. Also prior to that he has been World Champion, and World Cup Champion a number of times over – you may not know that because he pedals a bike rather than kicks a football! This was a celebration of his career not just his Olympics.

There has been mixed reaction to his win, but I think the cycling team thoroughly deserve their success, this is a culmination of years of hard work and training, and being the anonymous best in the world at what they do. Their success wasn’t a surprise to those who were in the know – they’ve been top of the world for the past few years, and it’s about time they got some recognition.

It was a tough year, and I think in any other year, they all could’ve won. But I don’t doubt that Lewis will be back again, after becoming the youngest driver to win back to back world championships, and likewise we won’t have seen the last of Becky...only 1319 days to go to 2012!!

Ruth

A critique of mince pies...

2008-12-11T17:20:00.001Z

It’s nice that Christmas allows us to indulge... and by indulge I mean scoff an inconceivable amount of mince pies.

So to me the best mince pie has to have the correct ratio of mincey goodness to tasty pastry. The pastry has to be buttery but not oily or do that fetching thing of falling all over your face whilst running in and out of the office. Also the filling has to be just the right level of cinnamon or it can feel like you’ve emptied out the quantity of a mixed spice sachet into your mouth. (These are crucial factors one must take on board if one is to perform an impartial study.)

Size is also a factor. It’s not particularly satisfying to gobble down miniature mincey pies but then again you can pretend the scoffing was in fact sin-free.

However there is some justification in the size of a larger mince pie as there is less pastry surface area and you can delude yourself that the sugary currents were in fact one of your five a day.

It is tricky. Luckily this research can remain on-going, at least until the end of December or I make myself ill on mincey pies... whichever comes first.

Next week: Christmas pudding analysis

Cat

How to Making Smoking Cooler by G. Brown

2008-12-09T15:24:00.001Z

I don’t mean to sound cynical - and remember that I am an adamant anti smoker, no one was more pleased than me when the smoking ban came in 18 months ago - BUT by hiding cigarettes & tobacco products under shop counters will surely only make smoking seem ‘cooler’ and more ‘underground’ to rebel teenagers than ever before.
I know when I was at school; the smokers were those who were deliberately trying to be rebellious and bad, by doing something illegal rather than being attracted by the pretty colours on the boxes displayed so prominently on shop counters. Surely today’s teenagers are even more streetwise than they were 10-15 or so years ago, and if smoking, or getting hold of cigarettes, is more of a challenge and therefore naughtier than before, teens are just as likely to start/continue smoking!
I think it is a rather naive strategy...but we’ll see!

Ruth

Panto Fantastic

2008-12-08T16:05:00.002Z

I had the pleasure of going to the opening night of Nottingham Playhouse's pantomine last weekend. Kenneth Alan Taylor is back for the 25th successive year, donning his dresses, wigs and heels as the ever popular Widow Twanky.

I haven't been to a panto since for about 15 years, and I wasn't sure what I'd make of it...but it was absolutely brilliant!
From the dancing penguins, the 'en masse' Time Warp (just one more time Kenneth!!)
it was a laugh fest from beginning to end. Mr Taylor kept the cast on their feet, adlibbing as only a pantomine great can do, he had the audience (and his players) in stitches.

My personal favourite bit though, had to be the tribute to the other famouse Nottinghamians celebrating their 25 year anniversary, Torvill & Dean's Bolero...absolute genuis!

If you don't have tickets yet, I would highly recommend it. Be it with children, parents, partners or a girly night out - its a great Nottingham night out

Ruth

Christmas is looming.

2008-12-03T14:54:00.002Z

It has only just lurched into December and it’s time for the annual 25 days of non-stop Christmas-themed paraphernalia and we should all be revelling in it (or at least that’s what the Powers That Be are telling us!)

The Christmas decorations are already up in the shops and city centres are rivalling Las Vegas for the levels of light pollution!

Christmas is the time of year when everyone looks forward to that day when they can eat as much turkey as possible, open presents and will then all collapse round the telly to fall asleep whilst watching the Christmas afternoon film (trying desperately to dodge the Queen’s Christmas speech!)

It’s a shame though that there is really only one day when we can smile at people in the street and say hello and generally be polite to one another without looking like we’ve escaped from a psychiatric ward.

Rather than just the Christmas decorations being strung up excessively early and Mariah Carey’s familiar warble of “All I want for Christmas is you” reappearing on radio stations what might be a bit better is if everyone embraced what Christmas was really about; that old-fashioned notion of Christmas cheer and being just that little bit friendlier and dishing out good will to their fellow man (and woman!)

Cat

Bug Point Well Made

2008-11-18T09:20:00.002Z

Well thank goodness someone is seeing sense!

The front page of today's Metro makes a complete mockery of 'I'm A Celebrity' which features c list celebs shocked at the thought of having eat bugs to survive out there, comparing it to children in Zimbabwe who are delighted to find a mere cricket to stave off their starvation.

Hundreds of thousands of people are dying of starvation there, and in the jungle these celebs are having a really hard time...I know it is light hearted and entertainment, but more than ever the gap between the first and third worlds is as wide as it has ever been!

Ruth

Remembrance Day

2008-11-11T15:50:00.002Z

Another year, and the tradition of the poppies is still going strong. This time of year always leads to discussions as to whether we still need to mark it or is it old news?

It absolutely is relevant for all to remember the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. It is incomprehensible to think of the number of men who died in the many muddy battles of the flanders fields before the ceasefire was called. The amount of blood shed for the future of the country, is not something that should be forgotten.

If you missed the 2 minute silence today then maybe take 2 minutes later today, and when the bus is late, or you burn your toast or have the sniffles...remember the brave men who fought all those years ago

Ruth

Crazy cats

2008-11-04T15:55:00.003Z

At the Gemini office we do love our pets, we've boasted an array of cats, dogs, birds, fish etc etc, both presently and in the past.

So a story on the BBC news website was met with much hilarity today. A new set of Government guidelines have been produced on how to look after your pets, bbc.co.uk/news reports that the Code of Conduct includes the statement;

"You should ensure that your cat has enough mental stimulation from you and from its environment to avoid boredom and frustration.

"It is your responsibility to provide opportunities for your cat to satisfy all of its behavioural needs, such as play and companionship."

Seriously, all my cat wants from life is food and sleep, and occasionally to go outside if it's not to cold / wet / windy. If I even try to entertain him with all the little furry, cat-nip-filled creatures I've bought for him, he looks at me like I'm idiot, and strolls off to bed.

I sense that most people get this sort of reaction from a cat which is older than one year.

It also says: "Cats need opportunities to climb and jump, such as a simple 'platform' type bed or safe access to shelves and the tops of cupboards." Yeah my cat loves to jump. Onto the bed. Or the work surface when I'm trying to open a can of tuna.

I do sort of get where they're coming from, some people do buy pets without thinking about how they need to be looked after, but the majority of us know how to entertain a cat. Leave it to sleep.

Helen

Government gone mad?

2008-10-29T15:04:00.002Z

Firstly, does Gordon Brown not have anything better to do than comment on Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross? Seriously Gordon, shouldn't you be cleaning up hospitals and helping the poor or something?

Secondly, my homepage is the BBC News site, and when I clicked on it a moment ago the first two 'latest' headlines I saw were;

'Gordon Brown announces a £700m plan to buy new armoured vehicles for the Army' closely followed by...'Government to cut support grants for thousands of prospective students due to overspend'

Now I know that the Army need better equipment, but do the Government really have their priorities right here?

Helen

Cross/Gruff/Grass/Graph/Cruss

2008-10-17T15:10:00.005+01:00

I am a member of a group on Facebook called, “People Who Always Have To Spell Their Names For Other People”. It is a worldwide collection of 381,326 who all join together to rant about the constant mispronunciation of their names – for anyone who has asked me for my name on the phone they will know me as Ruth Gross, G-R-O-double S for sugar...maybe not the correct phonetic letter but 95% of the time prevents mail arriving for Miss Cross/Gruff/Grass/Graph/Cruss

Rather a random topic to blog about it but I have been thinking about it this week following a conversation with somebody on the phone about my surname, who insisted I was wrong. Whilst I appreciate the anglicised pronunciation of my surname is Gross as in 144, the correct (and Polish version) is Gross similar to Cross. Yes it is Polish NOT English so if I correct you please don’t correct me back!

I apologise for the tirade but I know there are 381,325 other who know just what I mean!

Ruth G-R-O-S-S, granddaughter of Aleksander Gross, Zakopane, Poland

P.S. it is meant to be AleKSander, not AleXander

Credit Crunchie Escapes Cadbury

2008-10-15T15:56:00.002+01:00

With all the news of doom & gloom there was some good news for Cadbury’s today as they saw a 14% increase their sales following the relaunch of 80’s favourite Wispa after a campaign on social networking site Facebook.

It is a very interesting turn of events from a PR practitioner’s point of view, as new media is becoming more important as a source of material. Thanks to over 2000 members of the BRING BACK CADBURY’S WISPA facebook group, the choccie firm have now brought the bar back. I don’t know if the person who set the group up actually works for Cadbury’s or not but in our research for current & new clients, and local radio stations, show that more and more employees/communications folks are setting up discussion groups, social groups to reach new audiences.

I’m not sure if we’ll be replacing our press releases with social groups but it certainly is starting to factor in our communications strategy...it will be interesting to see if any other firms follow suit, especially in the run up to Christmas.

Ruth.

Living legends at Notts Arena

2008-10-13T13:14:00.000+01:00

I have met a lot of people in my life, I have met some of the best sportspeople in the world, cyclists and rugby player and I have even met Hollywood actors but on Friday night I was privileged enough to just share the same breathing space as three absolute living legends.

I went to watch Queen & Raul Rodgers at the Trent FM arena and it was absolutely amazing. Yes I hear you scoff, how can it be Queen without the presence of Freddie , I know because I was dubious about how it would work but it did, it really, really did.

Freddie was very much there in spirit and it was more of a celebration of the music than the ‘next generation’ of the band. A 15 minute guitar solo from Brian May and the same from Roger Taylor who beat out an impressive rendition of ‘another one bites the dust’ on an electric double base proved that these two chaps are indeed bordering on genius. Paul Rodgers was a sympathetic lead man, not trying to make the classics his own but very much doing justice to the fans young and old packed into the arena. I was concerned during the first few songs that his voice just wasn’t strong enough to be heard over the music, but a tweak from a sound guy and he was off, and in his element.

The highlights for me? Too many but I was particularly impressed with the Bohemian Rhapsody, a giant image of Freddie playing the first verse started the song which was continued by the band & audience alike. The other was ‘We Will Rock You’. I looked out to see 18,000 or so people clapping in unison –Brian May said to the audience, I wish I could swap places with every one of you so you could feel the electric atmosphere tonight. It was pretty good from where I was sitting!

Ruth

Pizza Hut PR

2008-10-08T15:37:00.006+01:00

Yesterday I went on BBC Radio Nottingham to do their morning paper review and one of the stories I picked out was about restaurant chain, Pizza Hut, changing it's name to 'Pasta Hut'.

My opinion on this story was simple. It's a crime. Pizza Hut will always be about the pizza, and surely that's why we love it?

On the show, the presenter suggested that it was just a publicity stunt and I scoffed 'what's the point in that?'. But being in the PR business I looked at the story again today to see if it was, in fact, a stunt. And it is.

In an attempt to generate a healthier image, the chain is replacing it's pizza-dominated menu with more pasta dishes, and to promote this change they're temporarily renaming 30 outlets 'Pasta Hut'.

As part of the exercise, customers are being asked to express their views on the name change at pastahut.co.uk and the chain will then decide if it is to become permanent. So after my initial disbelief that they would go to all the trouble of rebranding just for a PR stunt, I'm actually quite impressed. It's certainly got everyone talking.

I just hope they don't change their menu too much, my Dad and I were frequent visitors on a Saturday when I was younger and I'd be sad to see it lose it's traditional appeal just to be healthier. We know it's not healthy, and we still love it!

Helen

Monkey business

2008-10-07T11:29:00.000+01:00

A restaurant in Japan has hired two unusual waiters - a pair of macaque monkeys, Yatchan and Fukuchan.

The duo, who are popular with customers, serve hot towels and drinks and are given soya beans as tips.

Following a recent bad experience I had at a local pub where after waiting 20 minutes to be served at the bar I was met by a sour faced barman with an attitude, I think this restaurant may be onto something. After all, these guys are only to eager to please and I think it can be argued that they are likely to be much better waiters than some human ones.

A video of the monkeys at work can be found at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7654267.stm

Emma

Blog Response

2008-09-30T09:36:00.003+01:00

We had a lovely e-mail on Friday from a client complimenting our blog!

We enjoy writing for the Gemini PR blog & do take time and effort to regularly update it with interesting/topical/amusing (we hope) articles so it is always nice to get feedback!

Thanks very much, keep reading!

Ruth

Goose Fair

2008-09-26T09:41:00.001+01:00

I was sat in a meeting yesterday with one of our newest clients, the Djanogly City Academy, at their premises on Gregory Boulevard, and couldn't help sneaking a look out of the window at the log flume being constructed just across the road. It reminded me that Goose Fair is only a week away. I’m pretty sure my two children will want me to go with them – if for no other reason than to pay for the rides for which I’ll probably need a bank loan!

My son though who’s 15 will probably want to go with his friends but my daughter who’s 11 has already said she wants to go but with strict instructions that we go on the big rides – which I am sure we will! Maybe I’m just a big kid but I can’t help being a little bit excited about the prospect of the fair. It brings back fond memories of my childhood in Loughborough, when a fair used to (and still does) take over the town centre for a few days in November. I can still remember rides of the Waltzers listening to Hot Chocolate – that shows my age!

The only dilemma is when we manage to squeeze in a trip to Goose Fair. With a public meeting for one of our clients, Evans Concrete, about the proposed redevelopment of their site in Ripley on Thursday evening, a centenary party for Nottingham Northern Swimming Club of which I am chairman on the Friday and the Club Centenary Gala on the Saturday, not quite sure when we’ll manage it – but I’m sure we will! And with the forecast for the weekend looking good, it would be a shame not to wouldn’t it!

Dianne

Love poetry

2008-09-24T11:48:00.003+01:00

I've just read that the charity Booktrust is planning to give reception pupils a book of poetry to inspire a love of reading.

I love this idea, when I was younger I used to read all the time, my parents frequently read to me and I had a great collection of poetry books, many of which I've kept to this day.

Although I'm a lot busier now than when I was when I was five, I still find time to read as much as I can.

I honestly think that reading so much helped my vocabulary and spelling when I was growing up and led me to the career I'm in now. At Gemini PR we can often tell if a candidate for a job is a reader because the standard of their CV and their writing is much higher.

So I'm all for this, I'm just disappointed I don't qualify for the free book!

Helen