stedavies.com - communications consultant

Andy Wake from event management company, Don’t Panic, has tagged me with a blog meme around an up-and-coming event he’s organising called New Wave PR. Andy says, “Don’t Panic are now putting together our New Wave PR event and we thought a meme might be a fun way to create some buzz, identify potential speakers and find out who you feel the visionaries, mavericks and pioneers of PR really are.

“The idea’s simple. We’re asking you to list the three communicators living or dead who have most influenced your way of thinking professionally and perhaps personally too. Who do you think the real innovators are? Who’s been most responsible for kicking the industry forward? And just who are the communication PRunks?”

Andy’s listed his three so here goes mine. Although, I must admit, my three haven’t necessarily influenced my way of thinking from a professional point-of-view, but I respect and admire them for their communication skills nevertheless.

Muhammad Ali – Early on his fight career, Ali (who was at the time known as Cassius Clay) was a quiet and reserved character. That is until he met a wrestler known as Gorgeous George – a flamboyant self-promoter who would show little respect for his opponents. Ali adopted this style and used it to garner media attention in a time in America when black boxers were supposed to only fight and not be heard. Watch this YouTube video to see what I mean.

Richard Branson – No CEO can work the media like Branson. From his crazy hot air balloon stunts and sailing the Sex Pistols down the Thames singing Anarchy in the UK to the compassion he showed in front of the camera after a Virgin train derailed in Cumbria last year. Branson knows the value of good press and will do practically anything to get it.

The PR blogosphere – A little cheesy, yes, but Andy’s brief asks who the real innovators are and who are responsible for kicking the industry forward. The media evolution (read: not revolution) which we’re going through at the moment has caused a number of people in the industry to share thoughts, ideas and best practices with one another in ways which were previously not possible and regardless of the country they reside in. To that, I salute you.

People I’m tagging: Ayers, Wadds and Matthews.