But this week Cream proved you can run a witty, fun and effective campaign on a shoe-string budget with just some creative thinking and the power of social media.

We decided to take on the big boys at Ikea when we were approached by our client UK Water Features. The online shop, which sells everything you could possibly need for the garden, was very unhappy at the new Ikea ad which shows gnomes being brutally smashed to pieces.

So we decided to play Ikea at its own game and start our own campaign to protect those little garden friends.  Cream’s Elizabeth scripted an ingenious short story, we drafted in gnome Walter Bucket to star in it then Sixty Second Video created a great YouTube video .

Then it was just a case of promoting the video and getting as many people as possible to watch it and join our #yes2gnomes campaign.

Cream sent out a press release to a wide section of the press, from gardening publications to PR and media trade magazines.

But the real key to the success was using social media. Walter has his own twitter account @walterbucket and appeared on the UK Water Features Facebook page.

Within an hour, The Drum – one of the country’s leading websites for the country’s advertising, media and PR industry – had posted the story on its site and tweeted it to well over 55,000 followers.

Within two hours, it was being well viewed on YouTube.

The beauty of social media is you can get away with being a bit cheeky. When Ikea asked on Facebook what people thought of the gnome-bashing advert, we responded by posting a link to our own #yes2gnomes video.

We also posted a link to the video alongside Ikea’s official advert on YouTube. And sent a copy of the video to their press office.

It’s just the start of the campaign but shows how many thousands of people you can reach within just a few hours.

So if you are lacking on manpower and budget, it just goes to show you can still compete with some of the biggest multi-national companies – with a quirky idea, a bit of bravado and the wonderful world of social media.

Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, once said: “Thinking is the hardest work there is.”

And it’s true. Working in the creative industries requires intense brain-power before you even start to write a press release, stage an event or film a video.

The problem is, it’s difficult to put a price on thoughts, ideas and the creative process.

If you order a thousand leaflets or get a plumber’s estimate which lists parts and labour, you can physically see what you’ve paid for.

But when it comes to paying for something creative, some people think it’s so easily done, you shouldn’t be charging at all.

A professional photographer we met this week says he gets asked all the time to “just take a few photos” for free.

He says: “I usually carry around £20,000 worth of photographic equipment with me, then there’s the cost of petrol and parking to get to a job, processing the photos afterwards plus my skills and 20-years experience of being a photographer.

“So why do people ask all the time for me to take photos for free? You would never dream of asking a car mechanic to do your MOT for free, but people seem to think being a photographer is so easy, anyone can do and I shouldn’t charge.”

A friend who is a journalist is equally frustrated. She says: “Recently, I have been offered five jobs and every single one has been unpaid. I’m amazed but also demoralised and upset that apparently my 20 years experience is deemed so worthless.

“I have a mortgage, bills and two small children with childcare costs yet people get offended when I say I won’t work for free. They say “it’s great exposure” or a “chance to network” but unfortunately, my bank manager only deals in hard cash.”

So while it’s hard to put a price on ideas, people in the creative industries are highly talented, experienced people and you’re paying for skills which they have spent many years studying and perfecting. The next time you’re tempted to ask for a freebie, just remember they have bills to pay too.

By Lucy

It’s over two decades since Mrs Thatcher was in power and she hasn’t been in the political spotlight for many years but her death prompted not just a media frenzy, but sent twitter and Facebook into meltdown.

The one thing which can be said for Mrs Thatcher is that she divided opinion like no one else in history ever has – certainly the death of no other politician has led to such an overwhelming outpouring on social media.

It’s impossible not to be swept up by such a dominating news story but as a business or individual, when should you bite your tongue?

Posting your thoughts on personal Facebook pages is normally an accepted way to voice an opinion – after all, we are all still individuals with minds of our own. At worst, you’ll probably just get “unfriended” by a couple of people.

Twitter is more tricky. Most people put a disclaimer that they are tweeting in a “personal capacity” but followers may still associate your views with your company. And tweets can be retweeted which means you could end up facing the wrath of complete strangers.

If you run a business account as well as a personal twitter account, be careful not to get them mixed up as this person did. He had to apologise after criticising Mrs Thatcher on his work account by accident. He later tweeted: “Whoops. Never give me the keys to the work twitter account. Briefly posted a mildy anti-Tory tweet to the work account. Apologies.”

Another networking group lost followers when it posted mildly supportive-Tory tweets so you can never win on twittersphere.

The one place to definitely avoid posting personal thoughts is Linked In. It’s a platform to network with other businesspeople and showcase your career and CV. Writing a political post is unprofessional and can alienate potential contacts in an instant.

If in doubt remember the old saying – never discuss religion or politics.

By Lucy

Newsflashes disappeared when rolling news channels got underway and the thought of Moira Stewart or Nicholas Witchall bursting onto our screens with a grave face and serious news seems so very archaic now.

The changes in how news is shared and how it’s gathered in the first place has changed immeasurably in the past few years.

Social media and mobile technology have revolutionised the news process to a point where we’re all journalists now. We can upload phone footage to Sky News in the click of a button and share images and audio like never before.

But just because we’re all capable of sharing content shouldn’t mean we do it without a second’s thought.

If you’re tweeting or sharing as a business, or even as an individual, then your opinions could affect how your company or employer is perceived.

I’ve got a few golden rules when it comes to social media.

Here goes.

1. Scrolling through Twitter , Facebook or even LinkedIn after a glass or two of wine is risky. By all means scroll but think very carefully what you type.
2. If you’re angry, then cool down before taking to social media. Or at least devise a draft and wait 10 minutes before posting. Don’t do what Curtis Woodhouse is alleged to have done!
3. Think hard. Deleted tweets don’t disappear. Followerwonk is a brilliant site for tracking social media activity and collating all those Tweets you’d forgotten about. Checking your usage will also remind you just how virulent social media can be.
4. What you write is permanent and public so be cautious particularly on Twitter– you might only have 20 followers but you are effectively Tweeting to the world.

That’s why I haven’t got time for anyone who uses business gobbledygook when simple, concise English will do.

Infuriatingly, it’s the PR and marketing sectors which are among the biggest culprits.

(just say no to waffle)

There’s rarely a week goes by when I don’t have to translate a few paragraphs of marketing-speak to work out what it really means.

I suspect that the PR industry, like the wider marketing industry, is a touch insecure and that’s why it resorts to wordy waffle.

Marketeers and PRs rely heavily on the media but know how just how fickle the media can be.

I’ve always enjoyed writing awards submissions and I’ve had some success at the highest level with the Charity Awards and Charity Times Awards but the whole process can be a bit of a lottery.

Last month our client Team Activ won the Community Impact Award at Barnsley and Rotherham Business Awards and another client Jane Robinson, of Cutting Technologies, was Highly Commended in the Businessperson of the Year category at the same awards. Cream itself was shortlisted for Most Promising Start Up.

Darren Padgett receives the award from Coun Mahroof Hussain MBE

We were delighted with the awards results and the incredible lift it has given to our clients.

There are always awards to enter so why not give your entry the best chance by following these simple tips?

1. Read the small print and always supply images, additional documents and relevant testimonials when asked.
2. Think carefully about the categories you’re entering. Can you put a different spin on what you do and enter a totally different category? Competition in the main categories like SME of the Year or Businessperson of the Year can be tough.
3.  Evidence your statements. Supply facts and figures, demonstrate growth and success and be creative in your descriptions.
4. Keep your submission lively and fun. No judge wants to read an essay.
5. Tell the judges what it would mean if you or your company won the award. The reasons behind why you’re entering an award make the best stories. Good stories mean good PR. Another reason to choose you as winner!
6. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t win. It could be there are too many entries from a geographical area or a particular sector.

Good luck with your submissions.

Best wishes, Jane

Have a look at our rough and ready video. We thought we’d be quiet for once and let our clients do the talking. We don’t claim to be expert film-makers…just handy with an iPhone! Enjoy.

Although it took a few days to strike Gold, our nation hasn’t looked back since.

As we reflect on the Olympics, we can apply some of what we’ve learned to PR and business in general.

Success, whether it’s on the sports field or in the boardroom, doesn’t happen overnight.

Public relations isn’t any different. Increased profile and super-stardom rarely happens overnight (unless you’re a member of One Direction or the woman who put the cat in the bin).

Just like our elite athletes, it takes stacks of effort and determination to increase profile, build rewarding relationships and achieve business objectives.

Over a number of years, the mighty Usain Bolt chipped away at his 100m time to become the fastest man on earth. A hundredth of a second here and a millisecond there made all the difference to his incredible 9.63 second time.

Small wins add up to big wins whether you’re a living legend or a small business owner.

So here’s our golden tips for applying Olympic spirit to your PR effort.

• Be determined and never give up
• Keep on top of your game – social media is your friend but it changes in less time than it takes Bolt to tie his laces.
• Celebrate success – share your wins and own your marketplace.
• Be from Yorkshire (well it does seem to work quite well for Team GB!)

So many businesses are wrapped up in their brand and performance that they overlook the fine detail.

As a communications business, we’re a little bit obsessed with attention to detail.

Not everyone has to be as meticulous as us but basic spelling, grammar and punctuation really should be a priority.

Spelling mistakes and sloppy English speaks volumes. Even the most expensive and dynamic website won’t save you if your homepage is littered with typos.

Communication fails just seem to jump out at me. So much so, that I make business decisions on them.

Only this week a South Yorkshire web company Tweeted how it had finished a client’s fantastic new site. The name of their client was spelled incorrectly in the Tweet. It might have been a hasty Tweet – possibly typed on a mobile – but it spoke volumes. My reaction was to mentally strike this company from our supplier list.

Yes, a business decision can come down to a comma. It can come down to inappropriate language. Text speak in emails? UR kidding!

The most innocuous communication can deliver the biggest impact in a good and bad way.

The ability to see the big picture is crucial. But, please, not at the expense of fine detail.

Slap bang in the middle of the homepage is this promo video (see if you can spot the Cream ladies waxing lyrical about what it’s like to call the DMC home!)…

Of course, many small businesses simply don’t have the budget for a professionally shot film like this (although if you have, Geoff at Deadline Digital who created this masterpiece would love to hear from you!). But you can still employ similar techniques to benefit your business.

The DMC’s video works so well because it’s their customers who are doing the selling. Happy clients have always been the best advocates and word of mouth will always be the most trusted form of marketing. By using video, the authenticity of word of mouth can be taken to a new level and reach much bigger audiences.

Try investing in a basic foolproof Flip camera for around £60 or use your iPhone to get some video recommendations. All you need is 20-30 seconds’ footage of a customer explaining how fantastic your product or service is and you’re on your way to a winning marketing strategy.

Once you’ve got your video testimonials filmed and edited (free editing software like Windows Movie Maker should be ok to get started) make sure the world knows about them. Host them somewhere nice and visible on your website, share via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook and ask your featured clients to promote them for you too.

Before long, you could have a whole army of customers doing your online selling for you. What are you waiting for?