As a qualified personal trainer (nickname ‘gym-finn’), I’m often asked about what people should eat to be ‘healthy’. It’s a fairly broad question and after digging a little deeper, what people are really asking me is what’s the difference between fat and calories and which one should I look at when buying food?
Fat is an essential component in our diet and people shouldn’t be afraid to eat fats. There are of course good fats (usually unsaturated, oils found in nuts and avocados for example) and bad fats (saturated, like the fat on the side of a lamb chop) to consider in your diet, but one thing fats do have in common is that they are all typically high in calories.
Calories are measured by kcal (or kilocalories) which essentially tell you how much energy a specific food will give you. We all use energy every day to live and so need to eat a certain amount of calories to get out of bed in the morning and make it into work! However, when it comes to food consumption, there is a simple calorie equation that should guide your food choices to help you stay ‘healthy’:
Total calories consumed < total calories burned = weight loss
Total calories consumed = total calories burned = weight maintained
Total calories consumed > total calories burned = weight gained
National guidelines suggest that an average man needs around 2,500 calories a day to maintain weight and an average woman should consume around 2,000 calories a day to maintain weight. Of course these values vary depending on age and how active you are.
Managing your calorie intake is a simple and hugely effective way to control your weight and stay healthy, as long as you get your calories from a varied and healthy diet (so please don’t just eat seven Mars Bars a day!) I always recommend calorie control versus fat intake route to friends, family and colleagues because it allows you eat what you want, when you want and how you want!
I’ve included a few key food facts below to help you on your way:
A green banana has fewer calories than a brown banana
Jelly sweets may be low in fat, but they are high in calories, any calories you don’t use in a day get stored as fat
Dried fruits are much more calorific than their fresh fruit equivalent
Nuts are great for essential oils, but are high in calories, so watch how many handfuls you eat
Drinks count as part of your daily calorie intake – fruit juices, tea, coffee and alcohol all carry hefty calories so be mindful about what you drink
If you want a treat, but don’t want to blow your calories grab a Jaffa Cake or Fig Roll
The best way to help control calorie intake is by managing your portion size – your body can function perfectly on a lot less than you think
Another guest post by Brittany, who is our current intern, a recent graduate in communications from the University of Connecticut:
This week at Ruder Finn I was lucky enough to take on some new projects and have an opportunity to work across multiple departments. My big task of the week was working with our wonderful public affairs department. Mark Penman graciously took me under his wing and showed me the ropes of PA. I learned about one of our big accounts and was able to assist the team with their research. My focus each day was examining media coverage surrounding the account and then analysing it. After some practice working with Mark, I was confidently providing recommendations to our client. Throughout the week I learned that I have a genuine interest in public affairs; and I am looking forward to continuing my work with the team. I am especially looking forward to a possible visit to Parliament with them!
An additional highlight of my week was doing some social media monitoring for another Ruder Finn account. I spent time researching trends on websites such as Twitter, and reported key findings back to the client. I was also given the task of composing a blog entry on behalf of the company. This was a challenging task; but after research and repeated editing, I am extremely proud of my final product.
Friday I was able to sit in on a conference call with Ged and a team member from our New York office. The main focus was on an upcoming healthcare project, which I am excited to get involved in. Ged and I will be doing some research on the European market and discussions taking place on the internet. After getting started, I will have had the opportunity to work with each department here at the UK office. This experience has been amazing thus far. In just two weeks, I have learned valuable information about the communications business that I will keep with me throughout my career. I have been so lucky to be welcomed here at Ruder Finn, and every day I look forward to learning something more.
Brittany Medeiros, a recent graduate from the University of Connecticut and our current London intern blogged the other dayonthe blogger relations training that some of us here at Ruder Finn were involved in. Following that training we thought it would be useful to share some of what we learnt –
What follows are 12 blogger dos and don’ts that we thought were the most important for anyone looking to take their first steps into blogger relations:
DO actually read the blog
DO build a relationship with the blogger before pitching
DO follow their social media accounts
DO find common ground with the blogger
DO comment when something of interest turns up
DO get a feel for the online community of the blog
DON’T sock-puppet or astro turf - unfortunately not as fun as it sounds
DON’T come across as insincere
DON’T bombard their page with comments
DON’T re-tweet your client’s tweets unless you’ve made it explicit that they are your client
DON’T demand lots of the blogger’s time
DON’T do a mailmerge – they never work and Dear {insert name} is a massive turn off
A key learning for me personally is that you can’t simply replicate your approach to the rest of the media for bloggers. Often bloggers don’t blog as their main day job and you absolutely must be mindful and respectful of this.
Blogs are prolific, and an excellent resource for us PRs to tap into - I for one am looking forward to cultivating new and important relationships with some of the great bloggers that are out there - I’ll let you know how it goes!
We’ve had a few questions recently from clients about whether they will be able to use the new product from Twitter - hashtag pages so wanted to provide a bit more information about what they are and how they have been received so far.
Initially introduced a week or so ago via Twitter’s first TV ad, the company has shown that the curation of visual images (something Pinterest does so well) alongside behind the scenes #hashtagged content, a page relating to an event or occasion can be a powerful tool. The company used Nascar, the huge US racing sport, as the example to launch this product and so far it has created a lot of interest and buzz amongst marketers.
According to Utalkmarketing, this is the next in a line of revenue-generating products from Twitter.
Statistics pointed to by WARC show that ad revenue for the micro-blogging site grew by 213% in 2011. In the future it is suggested that Twitter will make $540m from ads by 2014.
So when and how can you get a hashtag page?
Erm….you can’t right now. This isn’t an off the shelf product, it is a partnership between the two companies and general opinion is that the pages will be consumer focused and suited to events than brands with audiences being able to see content from those directly involved in an event. You can see how for events such as The Olympics, Glastonbury, The Oscars, The World Cup etc. these pages will be a really valuable asset and will let people see behind the scenes at events at a level they would never get close to ordinarily.
Mashable reported,
…although this project was a partnership between NASCAR and Twitter, NASCAR had no editorial insight on what appeared on the page, meaning the new hashtag pages are for events, not brands. Twitter explained in an email that the hashtag event page, launched for Sunday’s 2012 Pocono 400 NASCAR race, was aimed at detailing the race experience and not the NASCAR brand. The social network employed algorithms and human curation to showcase tweets and photos from drivers, fans, pit crews, celebrities and media. It plans to continue using “twitter.com/#NASCAR” for future races.
Twitter has not yet confirmed which events will be next to partner with them in this way.
Ruder Finn London is looking for a sharp, digitally aware and ambitious senior account executive to work across a range of corporate, technology and consumer clients. This is a fantastic opportunity with a rapidly growing agency that has some of the world’s most prestigious business brands on its client list - and some of the hottest properties in the digital and technology space. From SMART TV to social marketing, high-level business consultancy to swarm robots, our client list offers the successful applicant a fantastic opportunity to work across a range of different campaigns.
At Ruder Finn we believe that the best people usually have the widest experience and that’s why we don’t pigeonhole our employees. This is a great opportunity to work on a broad range of accounts that will include major campaigns for global giants and includes B2B and consumer technology, professional services, brand reputation and digital/ social campaigns among others.
What we are looking for
2+ years agency experience
Strong writing skills
An excellent media contact book
A good understanding of (and active interest in) the social/ digital space
Confident and ambitious
A strong team player
Flexible
Other than the obvious priority discussions about our client work and key account deliverables, what the healthcare team is really talking about today is what to wear to the Communiqué awards. Panic is starting to set in for some, while others are smugly sharing links to their perfect dresses that are already safely hanging up at home.
These awards are like the Oscars for our industry. As well as the prestige associated with being shortlisted for (or even better actually winning) one of these awards, it is an event at which all the great and the good of the London healthcare PR industry gather. It is a chance to see former colleagues and clients and celebrate the truly impressive and creative things that can be done in the world of healthcare PR.
The Ruder Finn team is especially excited this year as we are a nominated finalist. Based on the murmured discussions overheard around the office this morning this means that the dress needs to be extra fabulous. Should one go for the classic LBD or be bolder and braver? Knowing the characters in this office I fully anticipate that the Ruder Finn table will be singing a very colourful rainbow next month… Watch this space and we will share a photo of the team on the night.
Guest post from Brittany Medeiros, a recent graduate from the University of Connecticut and current intern at our offices here in London. Each week Brittany will explain about what she’s been up to, we won’t be censoring it, honest. Over to Brittany:
Last Tuesday I began my internship here at Ruder Finn in the digital department. I had never worked in a formal office setting before, and I was not sure what I should expect. Of course, I was extremely nervous walking through the door but luckily the nerves soon wore off. Ged and everyone in the office made me feel welcome right away. I came to London with an internship program called Dream Careers that is based back in America. At our orientation our first weekend in London they taught us about the importance of tea in the workplace. I was pleasantly surprised to see they were right because the first thing Ged and I did when I arrived was make a cup of tea.
Before coming to London I had done as much research as possible on Ruder Finn and what exactly it was they did. I knew they worked in the technology and healthcare sectors, but other than that I could not understand much. I really appreciated that a member from each of the departments (healthcare, corptech, and public affairs) took time out of their days to meet with me. Each person gave me some insight into who their client base is and what they do for them. After my one-on-one sessions I have a better grasp on the type of work Ruder Finn does, and I am excited about the opportunity to work across each different sector.
One of my favourite things I did was attend a brainstorming session with some of the members of the team. I loved watching everyone work together and bounce ideas off of one another. It was interesting to see how a PR team works collectively and I was really impressed by everyone’s creativity. Some other highlights of my week were attending a training session held by Ged about blogger relations and spending Friday working with the corptech team. I was able to listen in on a few conference calls and get a good feel for how everyone at RF works with their clients. On my very first day some of the staff went to an art exhibit at the Barbican Art Gallery, and they were nice enough to invite me along. Besides learning about some fascinating art, it gave me a chance to get to know a few of my colleagues.
Overall, I had a wonderful first week at Ruder Finn. I felt welcomed and like part of the team right from the start. Everyone has gone out of their way to include me and help me feel at home. I have no doubts that I will truly enjoy my summer here and gain a lot of PR knowledge from this experience.
This is a guest post by Brittany Medeiros who is interning with us for a couple of months. Brittany is a recent communications graduate from the University of Connecticut. Brittany share her thoughts below on how the recent Apple announcements at WWDC earlier this week will affect marketers over the coming months:
On 11 June, 2012, Apple released some of their new products and upgrades that will be available to customers in the coming months. The hot new item will be an updated version of the 15-inch MacBook Pro complete with a new slimmer and lighter design. This will be the lightest MacBook ever, coming close in size to the popular MacBook Air. Software updates were another highlight with the Os X Mountain Lion being released in July and the iOS 6 to be available in the fall. Mountain Lion will have iCloud as a standard feature, making it easier than ever for users to sync all of their Apple products. Siri will be improved with the iOS 6, now being able to support more languages. iOS 6 will also have a new map application that enables navigation and 3D flyover imagery.
One of the changes made to the MacBook Pro is an improved retina display with over 5 million megapixels. This means better graphics with a crisp, clearer picture. Marketers can use these enhancements to their advantage. With new Apple products producing a better picture, advertisers might want to go for more visual adverts. The graphic capabilities give marketers the chance to use creative imagery to support their products and services, rather than text based promotions. Along with the advanced retina display comes increased speed and storage. Not only can marketers use complex images, but they also have the opportunity to become interactive with their public. Adverts that can be customized to the consumer’s needs are possible due to the increase in technology. This allows companies to become more personal with their publics and as a result more successful.
Mountain Lion will add a range of new applications available to consumers while also improving some of the old ones. Now more than ever marketers want to get involved with apps whether it be creating one for their company or putting advertising in existing ones. Consumers rely heavily on the use of apps for everything from information to entertainment, making it a prime resource for reaching the public.
iOS 6 is going to add over 200 new features to Apple’s mobile operating system. This increase with technology will have consumers relying on their phones and tablets more than ever before. Currently, mobile sites are not aesthetically pleasing and are often difficult to navigate. Marketers should take another look at their companies’ mobile sites and make them more user-friendly because this will now become a practical way to reach consumers. The new map application is an opportunity for marketers to make their companies visual to the public. Marketers will want to ensure that the branches of their company are clear points on the map. This gives users a tangible location and the knowledge of how to seek out their products and services.
With Siri’s added language capabilities, marketers can reach out to publics that might have been unattainable in the past. Siri bridges the language gap between company and consumer, and promotions can go global in a way that was never possible before. Specifically, iOS 6 will have new features for China and Chinese-speaking consumers. There will be a built in support for Chinese websites and users are given the possibility to read, write, and translate into their native language. China is a dominating force in the consumer market, therefore, reaching China means reaching an influential public. What marketers can now do is create Chinese specific websites and applications that will increase interaction between Western brands and Chinese consumers.
A new application that will change the face of travel and retail companies alike is Passbook. This app can register airline tickets, movie tickets, retail coupons and loyalty cards. It opens up a window of opportunity for airline companies, theatre companies, and other retailers such as Starbucks that offer loyalty cards to their customers. The big selling point of Passbook is convenience. Tickets have become digital, which means stress-free travel. Brands can market the ease of using their cards or going to the cinema. Consumers want simple and marketing for companies such as British Airways can now give that to them.
Guided Access will now be available on iOS 6. This makes iPhones and iPads user-friendly for consumers with disabilities ranging from Autism to visual impairment. Marketing companies now have a direct way to access the disabled public in a way that is geared towards their specific needs. Company advertisements and applications can be created in a way that is promotional, while also being understandable. This is a revolutionary way to reach those who may have been a difficult target to access in the past.
In the fall, Facebook will be integrated into the applications on Mountain Lion. Users will have the ability to share or “like” posts without ever leaving the app. Notifications will go directly onto the user’s Notification Centre on their desktop. Status updates can also be made from the desktop. Facebook friends’ information will be placed into contacts along with profile pictures, and when a friend updates their info it will automatically be changed in the contact section. This will almost entirely eliminate the need to open a web browser and log onto Facebook. Advertising on Facebook using side bar or banner adverts may no longer be an effective tactic. Marketing will need to go directly into applications rather than relying on browsers such as Chrome to send their messages.
All of the increases in software and technology Apple has released will change the way marketers work and interact with the public. Companies have advantages and opportunities that have never been available before. With technology paving the way of the future, marketing is rapidly following behind.
When consultant Dr David Jayne said the TV show House had done more to raise awareness of vasculitis, he wasn’t kidding.
The show’s unauthorised biography, Vasculitis, Clinical Duty, and Bad Bedside Manner, recognises that vasculitis was often the go-to diagnose in the show for patients with odd symptoms. In the US, the patient organisation Vasculitis Foundation has written and thanked David Shore, House’s creator and executive producer, for the regular mentions given to these rare autoimmune diseases, which have helped bring them to the attention of millions of people.
Despite the rarity of vasculitis, thousands of people are affected by some form of the condition in the UK. When diagnosed in the early stages, treatment is effective but early diagnosis is a challenge because many of the symptoms of vasculitis – fatigue, fever, weight loss – are common to other conditions. Some sufferers wait years for a diagnosis and a small number die for want of diagnosis and treatment.
But UK patient groups are working hard to change this landscape and alert all those people who don’t watch House, about vasculitis.
In the UK, the patient-led charity Vasculitis UK has developed a guide for patients and primary care medics that provides basic information on the various types of vasculitis, treatments, how to live well with the condition, and how to access benefits. The Route Map, as it is called, is one of a number of route maps developed by patient groups working with people with rare diseases that the Department of Health has supported via the Genetic Alliance.
In Scotland, the Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation last week launched a DVD fronted by TV doc Hilary Jones that also seeks to raise awareness of the vasculitis and support newly diagnosed patients. And in the video, Dr David Jayne offers hope and advice to those with these incurable conditions.
