Blog
The world of public relations and marketing is forever changing, and our Mutant minds are constantly evolving with the industry. Keep yourself updated on the latest tools, tips and trends to inspire you and help boost your business.
How to kickstart a social media presence for business executives
Nobody expects business leaders to take selfies and post Instagram Stories about their day-to-day work. But, that may be exactly what they picture (and maybe even fear) when their marketing team suggests they leverage social media as a professional communication channel. And that’s where the ... Read More
5 PR tips to get you through the festive season
So, you’ve made it to December. You’re probably wondering where the last 11 months have gone, but hey ho, it’s now time to start looking ahead. December is a month that is notoriously filled with back-to-back celebrations. From year-end parties to Christmas and New Year gatherings, it’s full on – ... Read More
Crisis 101: Picking up the pieces after a social media meltdown
Social media is a very powerful tool many brands use today to tell stories and engage with their audience. With this power also comes great responsibility, and brands need to be accountable for the messages they broadcast - be it positive or negative. We’ve seen brands like Coca-Cola and Oreo ... Read More
6 common content marketing mistakes
It’s true, content marketing is one of the more effective strategies used today by modern marketers. A clear strategy helps brands to not only reach their intended audience, but the results also provide helpful consumer insights to improve future campaigns. The process requires commitment, ... Read More
3 tips to creating smart content
It’s no question that content is an integral part of any marketing strategy and has consistently proven to be effective for lead generation. While creating content is relatively easy, the challenge most marketers face is whizzing up relevant content that truly appeals to their target audience. ... Read More
Creating captivating content in a mobile world
In Asia Pacific alone, it’s estimated there are more than 1 billion mobile users – and this is expected to grow to 1.4 billion users by 2019. Over the last five years we have witnessed a massive shift to digital (after all, an estimated 87% of smartphone users regularly have their device near them), ... Read More
3 PR lessons from Rio 2016
What a great event the Olympics really are! It’s a chance for the world to come together and connect over a love of sport, patriotism and healthy competition. Every four years we witness some of the world’s greatest athletes achieve the unachievable, break records, and make us all proud. Over ... Read More
5 brands that are slaying video
According to an article published by TechinAsia last year, 100 million internet users watch online videos every day and 64% of them are likely to buy a product online after watching a video. Today, you can view videos not only on YouTube, but on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook…and the list goes on. ... Read More
Are you adding those snaps to your brand story?
You’ve realised the potential of building your brand’s presence on social media. You’re running a great Facebook page and you have an Instagram account with a massive following. Your Twitter page is updated every ten hours and engagement is high. Everything seems perfect… Or so you think. The ... Read More
Have you met yourself on camera?
Despite dozens of media training sessions we’ve conducted here at Mutant, I have yet to meet someone who absolutely loves the way they sound and look on camera. Even the most confident people struggle to prepare for TV interviews and shy away when they see and hear themselves. “My voice sounds so ... Read More
Everything you need to know about copywriting and SEO
So, you’ve nailed down your content – now what? Maybe you’re struggling with content optimisation and how to get the most out of your copy. Perhaps the thought of keyword planning and SEO makes you nervous. Very few of us actually understand the mechanics behind search engine optimisation (SEO). ... Read More
Emoji Marketing: Using tiny images to send a big message
The way we communicate with each other is constantly changing, thanks to technology. I mean, 10 years ago, would you have been able to decipher this sentence?: OMG, IDEK. LOL IDC… actually, IDGAF TBH. BRB, TTYL. Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the way we speak to each other ... Read More
The do’s and don’ts of social media
It should be no surprise that in this day and age our eyes are glued to anything that is square-ish, has a touchscreen, and fits comfortably into the palms of our hands. Chances are, the opened apps include Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat - the works, if you will. If we’re going to be ... Read More
Distributing content to the right people
Great job! You’ve created a lot of content that’s just waiting to be read. Now the next step is to identify what you want to share, how and when. Suggested read: Content Distribution 101 Ask yourself these important questions: Why are you sending out content? How will it support ... Read More
Content distribution 101
You have written all this content, but what’s next? You may have read our recent post which talks about making the most out of your content, and stretching it that extra mile, and in this post I’m going to go a bit further and explain what content distribution is and how to develop a clear ... Read More
Capturing the younglings (with the help of social media)
Most Millennials and Gen Z (iMillennials, as they are infamously called) have grown up in an environment where everyone is connected 24/7. They can barely survive half a day without the Internet or their smartphones (trust me, it’s true) and they leave footprints all over various social media ... Read More
Hey ho recruiters, it’s time to show the passive crowd some lovin’
News flash: Providing a tofu-smooth hiring and job seeking experience today serves as a no-brainer fundamental of a recruitment business. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably got a business sales target you’re not meeting and your team is close to exhausting your cold call list. It’s ... Read More
Your brand sucks: Part 1
This feature is part of a regular series"Getting frank with Joe" giving you a brutally frank, yet realistic look at the business world. Look, I get it. You’ve worked your arse off building your business - you deliver a product or service you are proud of. The market is simply waiting for ... Read More
Content yoga: How to stretch your content into multiple posts
You have heard it over and over again. Content marketing is the next big thing in marketing communications. You have bought the Kool Aid, you have started drinking it. You have established a content development process that is both consistent and committed. Various internal stakeholders are ... Read More
How I got schooled by a 16 year old while trying to do my job
I thought the times of me being put on the spot at meetings were over. I've had practice of dealing with different personalities at many different meetings before, both professional and personal. We all have that one difficult friend or client that deserves an honest piece of your advice. But ... Read More
3 steps to creating targeted content that sells
Understanding your consumer, their journey and purchase process is and should be the backbone of any content marketing strategy. The material we produce needs to help a buyer with their purchase decisions and address certain pain points. It should educate and inspire as well as provide helpful ... Read More
Why you need to hire a cross-functional PR and content agency
As PR and content professionals, we’re no longer just writing releases and making calls, we’re producing videos, directing photoshoots, filming vines, writing literature, overseeing design work, and some of us need to breakdance. Okay one of us. Public relations is one of the fastest moving ... Read More
5 signs your business should invest in a content marketing agency
There are a multitude of large and small businesses that think they know best when it comes to content marketing. How hard can it be? A blog here, a social media post there and you’re done! Right? I hate to break it to you, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Put simply, content ... Read More
The Ultimate Cheat Sheet To Building A Powerful Media List
Behind every published news article, is a compelling media story and a PR pro’s powerful stash of press contacts. This stash comes in the form of a targeted list, consisting of the contact details of new editors and journalists. Pulling a new list together for your business is no easy feat, and ... Read More
How to write a razor sharp content brief
You have a great idea but can’t put it into words. So, you hire a content marketing professional to package all those thoughts and visions into something easily digestible to potential clients. The thing about content marketers, is that we are wizards of words and want to read your mind too, but ... Read More
Finding the right social media influencer for your brand
In this day and age of social media, the rise of influencers can no longer be ignored. Social media influencers are often a powerful channel for driving engagement. Perhaps, a personal touch is just what a potential consumer needs to make a decision. In this blog, we’ll take you through the ... Read More
Inviting the media: the do’s and don’ts for a full house
Media events are a crucial part of the work we do at Mutant for clients both big and small. From intimate food tastings to large festivals, we’ve done them all. Much more than just a boozy knees-up, a well executed media event has the ability to build the hype and momentum needed to give a campaign ... Read More
Happiness at work
More and more companies are starting to subscribe to happiness as a business philosophy. These firms are focusing on happiness from the inside out and with happiness comes creativity. In our industry, creativity is a crucial element when it comes to creating content or communicating information and ... Read More
What a legendary Hollywood talent agent can teach you about PR
We’re in the business of shining the spotlight on other businesses. So to do a little research, I watched a documentary on sixties Hollywood talent agent, Shep Gordon and learned a thing or two about what it takes to make other people famous. It’s alright if you haven’t heard of him, that’s his ... Read More
Go small or go home: Why boutique PR agencies are crushing big firms
At the speed of digital trends, do you want a PR agency that’s agile like a fox or sturdy like a buffalo? Big PR firms have the manpower, resources, and contacts to execute campaigns quickly, but advances in technology means brands need the flexibility to pivot to suit the mood of today’s ... Read More
Pitching perfect: 6 tips PR pros should know before picking up the phone
Media pitching takes tact and research. It’s a means to much of what the public sees today, whether it’s a published news story, a successful media event or the general hype surrounding a brand or product. Securing a media placement can be the best feeling in the world, but here’s what happens ... Read More
Less is more: 4 tips to choosing the right social media channel
With the increasing global smartphone ownership, social media surrounds us. It’s inescapable, and for businesses, it means we can interact with anyone at any time. Having said that, it’s a common misconception that brands need to be on every social media channel possible to achieve mass ... Read More
5 reasons Millennials and PR agencies are the perfect match
The Millennial generation are making their mark on the professional workforce, gradually climbing the corporate ladder and bagging leadership roles, with many taking an entrepreneurial path and running their own successful business. There are a lot of opinions out there about this (large) group ... Read More
5 ways to get booed off stage
Pretty much all great orators – the ones who can talk to 10,000 people while giving off that ‘just having a casual chat with my mate on the sofa’ vibe – can do what they do because they have a lot of practice under their belts. Many have also probably had media training. Public speaking with ... Read More
The secret to getting people to open your emails
Getting your point across in an email isn’t as easy as you think. No matter who your customer base is, chances are they receive dozens of emails and newsletters every day, informing them of special deals, new information or other updates to their business that might be of interest. It’s ... Read More
Content Marketing for HR: Attracting the right talent
Hiring good talent is tough. The recruitment process can be long, expensive and exhaustive, especially in a competitive talent marketplace like Singapore and wider Southeast Asia. Over the past few years, recruiters have had to become increasingly creative with how they attract and connect with ... Read More
A musician’s guide to public relations
Like any young boy, I went through phases about what I was convinced I was going to do with my life. When I was 10, I was sure I wanted to repair cars for a living. When I was 12, I wanted to be a musician after I first picked up the guitar, and by the time I was 22 I had been introduced to the ... Read More
How to communicate like Elon Musk
Elon Musk is the world’s raddest man. Sure, he’s an engineer, investor, genius, innovator, and has an actual car startup. But did you know he’s also really good at email? Musk’s success comes (in part) from his effective interpersonal skills. He’s a stuttery public speaker, but he can pitch. He’s ... Read More
P.R.W.A (Public Relations Wit Attitude)
You might think gangster rap and the PR industry have little to do with each other, but if Straight Outta Compton has taught me anything, it’s that with the right attitude, you can do anything you want. (You know, like creating the above photo to accompany this blog...) The long-awaited biopic ... Read More
How to make your Instagram content discoverable
Congratulations! You’ve created an Instagram page for your business. Now what? Since acquiring Instagram in 2012, Facebook has kept this simple photo-sharing app going from strength to strength. With developers tirelessly rolling out updates to enhance its existing features, marketers and ... Read More
Social media lessons from the rich and famous
The growth and popularity of social media has been incredible. As consumers, we use a multitude of platforms to keep in touch with people across the globe and to access information about products, events or brands, while the end goal for businesses is to make sales and connect to a target ... Read More
How to send a memorable media gift
So, your client has requested a hand-delivered gift for the media. Believe it or not, there’s an art to making sure press material will be remembered and appreciated, rather than chucked aside. Also known as a ‘media drop’, personally delivering press material in the form of a gift is meant to ... Read More
4 media training tips we can all learn from Ahmed Mohamed
In case you’ve been off the Twittersphere or living in isolation, you may have missed the story of Ahmed Mohamed – the bright, 14 year-old student in Texas who brought a home-made clock with him to school to impress his teachers, but ended up in handcuffs instead when she (wrongly) assumed it was a ... Read More
Lessons from @jonnysun: Why content marketers need a journalism background
Emotions make content viral, not the content itself. Anger, awe, happiness, enlightenment and sadness create the urge to share with others. When content is written with the intention to “give you the feels”, facts can become secondary. In comparison, journalism in its traditional form is ... Read More
4 media pitching mistakes to avoid
Media pitching is one of the key components making up public relations, but the act of pitching is often easier said than done. To many people it sounds simple enough: "I'll just write a press release about my client's business or event, find some media contacts, and send it to them! They'll ... Read More
5 lessons in public speaking (as illustrated by famous people)
It’s hard to talk in front of an audience. Your palms sweat, the lights can be too bright, and your brain can abandon you right when you need it the most. Public speaking is an art form, whether you’re in a boardroom in front of three people or an auditorium in front of 3,000. The language, the ... Read More
How to create a newsletter people actually want to read
From beginning to send, you need to know what works for your business when constructing an effective e-newsletter to engage with customers. We all want the best returns on our marketing activities. Whether you are a small startup or a large corporation, we’re all after effective marketing with the ... Read More
10 tips for constructing an engaging speech
Giving a speech can be pretty daunting. There’s intense pressure to be confident, project your personality, engage the audience and be coherent all at the same time. Most of us naturally associate the burden of speeches with being on stage, where nerves take over and stage fright rears its ugly ... Read More
6 striking similarities between public relations and networking
Having worked in the PR and communications field over the past decade, I’m used to both pitching to journalists as well as formulating the strategy and angle behind a good story. Recently though, I embarked on something new and completed a two-year, part-time stint helping to run and manage The ... Read More
8 tricks to write a viral headline
Before you pen your next blog post, stop what you’re doing and read these writing tips for more clickable and shareable content. It’s fairly easy to argue that the headline is more important than the article. It’s not always true, of course, but when most people only read about 50% of your content, ... Read More
Blogging: The missing weapon from a recruiter’s talent toolbox
A lot of recruiters are quick to be dismissive of blogs. Too often, blogs are viewed as a sort of corporate ‘Dear Diary’, or a place to simply post press releases or in-house news. But while that may have been what blogging started out as, the power of the written word has moved well beyond ... Read More
Finding talent: Set your sights on social recruitment
Firstly, if your organisation is relatively new to the social media recruitment game, a warm welcome. Secondly, what took you so long? Chances are you’ve been involved in some sort of social recruiting for a while now. As recruiters, business leaders or burgeoning start-ups, you will have been ... Read More
The dos and don’ts of media interviews
When it comes to publicity, as Richard Branson once said: “A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad”. And it’s true - a good PR story is what every person, professional and business wants. But understanding how that story is crafted and the role the interview plays in the ... Read More
Ex-Human Resources Editor Rebecca Lewis calls Mutant home
Mutant Communications is absolutely thrilled to welcome Rebecca Lewis as account director of our HR practice! Formerly the editor of Human Resources magazine, Rebecca will spearhead our expanding HR practice, which offers specialised public relations and content marketing services for HR and ... Read More
Top 5 tips for an effective PR campaign
How is it that it’s already September? More than half of the year has passed, and with it, came along bittersweet, monumental events. The World Cup, for instance was a month long, nail biting competition that was full of emotions, surprises and… phenomenal opportunities for PR and marketing firms to ... Read More
Common myths of Public Relations – and what we really do
Public relations gets a lot of flack. It often stems from a misunderstanding of what is actually required in the role. From hedonistic party animals, to the bane of many journalists’ existence, PR people have been brandished with many negative stereotypes. I will try to banish the common myths ... Read More
How to spring clean your website and improve your search ranking
So, you want to come up first on Google? That’s great! And it’s definitely possible. But first there is a lot of spring cleaning and forward planning that needs to be done. Old social media pages Remember that Bebo page? And your Myspace account? So does Google. But if you don’t want to ... Read More
The Golden Circle – Focusing on the ‘Why’ in your communications
Google dethroned tech darling Apple on the 2014 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brand ranking released days ago. The departure of their charismatic leader, business choke-ups and perceived lack of innovation in recent times likely played a part in Apple’s gradual decline – but few will disagree ... Read More
Hello, Asia! (How to communicate your brand and engage with media)
That feeling of complete helplessness that occurs when you find yourself in a strange land, surrounded by unrecognisable smells, tastes, sounds, faces or landmarks, is culture shock. Sometimes it comes as a complete surprise – you might be well-travelled in a region, and well-versed in what you ... Read More
Who are you? Finding your brand voice
You might have your elevator pitch down, and you might have a new strapline to display alongside your logo, but do you and your team really know the personality behind your branding? Do you know how your brand speaks, who it speaks to and how it reacts in stressful situations? I’m not talking ... Read More
Why you need content marketing, and 5 simple ways to kick it off
Consumers today are smarter and more discerning than they used to be. They know what they want, know where to get it, and more often than not, can see right through fancy hard-selling or in-your-face marketing. Instead of blindly reaching out through paid ads or cold calls, arm your marketing ... Read More
Why bloggers can deliver the marketing boost you need
It has been close to two decades since the web log’s humble beginnings in 1997. Now, from The Huffington Post’s insightful business advice to Perez Hilton’s latest revelations of celebrity shenanigans, blogs have woven their way on to everyone’s daily reading lists, and are now seen as very ... Read More
Why you need PR and how to be good at it
I love writing down my thoughts and voicing my opinions – and the fact that my company has a blog on which I can do this is great. But every now and then, I come across something that says it all for me. This piece in Venturebeat is one of those pieces, and answers that burning question I find ... Read More
How to make your band famous
So you’ve been jamming with your best buds for a while now and you think it’s time people hear the awesome-ness that has been brewing in the studio. What you need (aside from quality music of course) is some PR. Public Relations or PR in short is all about bridging the gap between a ... Read More
Pitching Etiquette – how to approach media
Ah, Public Relations. It has its perks. Scoring a cool client, brainstorming equally cool and creative ideas for pitching and marketing angles, meeting colourful personalities (some of them becoming friends), the satisfaction of successful event launches, and ultimately, seeing everything you’ve ... Read More
Social Media – Threat or Asset?
Social media is becoming or has become a part of everyone’s life – even the aunties and uncles have embraced it, despite their misgivings. Unfortunately, the aunties and uncles were right, as many do turn the freedom social media brings into a stage for their mischief. In recent months, there has ... Read More
Social media for journos, and journos for social media
I was going to write something about Facebook's new open graph announcement, and how it seriously compromised my own privacy. But then I started thinking about the wider applications of a search function that basically allows you to delve into the lives of others, pick out their ideas, pictures, ... Read More
Managing Multiple Twitter Accounts
It’s not uncommon for most of us to have more than one Twitter account these days. If you’re in media/PR/marketing, you highly probably would be tasked to now handle the Twitters of your company or clients as well. There are several apps out there which lets you effectively log into and manage ... Read More
Facebook Still Most Preferred by Marketers
These days, your business just isn’t cool if you're not using some form of social media. A report done by the guys over at SocialMediaExaminer.com revealed that amongst marketers, Facebook still remains the top of the social media pack. The top five social media networks/tools used by marketers ... Read More
Digital Crisis Management: Dealing with haters on social media
It shouldn’t matter, and you shouldn’t care what other people think of you, but we all know how hard negativity is to ignore. When you get a negative or unfavourable comment on your personal social media page, you can choose to deal with it as you please - delete it, ignore it, report it, or ... Read More