Think Again Media are packing up their Macs, flipcharts and maps of the UK rail network and moving to a new home.  From Monday 1st March, you can find Marc, Ian and Jane at 24 Greville Street,  a converted diamond workshop a (precious) stone’s throw from Hatton Garden.   Close to Farringdon and Barbican stations – come and see us if you’re in the area.  We’ve got an IKEA sofa and a kettle that’s always on.

Our work is all about words.  Choosing the right ones, saying them at the best time in the most effective way.  Sounds simple, but it’s anything but – as we’ve been reminded several times this week.

The Toyota recall crisis has been intriguing, especially for those of us who had to sit through business school lectures in the ’90’s explaining that Toyota’s processes and procedures were the world standard by which everyone else would be judged, and found wanting.  On the evidence of their handling of the sticky accelerator issue, Toyota management should be back in school now, and at the back of the class.

Toyota’s message in today’s newspapers is late in coming, and oddly worded: “apologising to our customers for any concern we may have caused”.  Presumably lawyers had a hand in drafting it, but the overall impression for Toyota owners is not a reassuring one.

An article in today’s Observer Sports Monthly also reminds us of the value of the right words – deconstructing  the football manager’s half-time talk, the mythical process by which a failing team can be lifted and sent back out to victory.  It debunks several myths.  Most people assume that Rafa Benitez must have delivered the speech of the century to his Liverpool side, 3-0 down against Milan in the final of the Champions’ League, inspiring them to go out and level the score, and then win on penalties.  Sadly, Benitez can’t remember what he said, and the players who were there don’t agree either. One of them claims Benitez was so emotional and confused that he tried to send twelve players out for the second half.

The article also suggests that the half-time dressing down, the legendary “hairdryer” tactic employed by Sir Alex Ferguson and so many others in the game, is rarely successful – and usually counter-productive.  Criticism, abuse and humiliation rarely make people perform better; carefully chosen words of support, belief and inclusion usually do.

Not always the case, of course – and the American cycling team manager Jon Vaughters may yet have cause to regret a casual insult this week against his former team-mate Lance Armstrong.  In an interview in the Times, Vaughters suggests that, in last year’s Tour De France, Armstrong’s team had to “soft pedal”, or take it easy, in order not to embarrass him by leaving him behind.

Armstrong is a man who’s turned grudge-bearing into a lifelong passion, and whose career has been driven by anger and revenge.  So far, he’s simply “tweeted” a warning that he “won’t be forgetting the comment any time soon”.

Vaughters is intelligent and thoughtful, and it’s possible that the insult was a calculated piece of gamesmanship, designed to unsettle his rival rather than spur him on, but if I was him I’d be a bit more careful about choosing my words in future.

“The Think Again training is inspirational…able to deliver exactly what we need at the time we need it – which is NOW”

A ringing endorsement – one we’re really proud of – from the Chair of the Federation of Music Services.

So far, 25 local authority music services have taken part in Think Again’s Campaign and Communication programme and another 25 are being given the opportunity when the second programme gets underway in March.

Full details here.

Need convincing of its value? Listen to just one testimonial from the first sessions:

‘The course is practical, challenging, relevant and enjoyable. The leaders are experienced in media and marketing, and they share their experience openly and professionally.”

We can do the same for you, of course, whatever business or sector you’re in.

We’re really good at helping people and organisations get their message across (it’s not just us who say that, our clients do too – give us a call and we’ll put you in touch with some for a reference).

But sometimes you can’t beat the direct approach – and we can all learn from the legendary Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, and his  brilliantly blunt letter to a director.

A lot of media training focuses on TV and video. Rightly, because getting your message across on TV is a powerful and sometimes complex skill. We spend a lot of time helping our clients perform well in front of a camera. But we don’t forget the importance of radio, especially BBC local radio – which often allows you a longer, more relaxed and very different way of making your case.
So we always offer the chance to recreate a radio interview – even a phone-in if required – in all our sessions. And digital technology has made radio even simpler and more immediate. In this rucksack is the Think Again broadcast-quality radio studio, checked and ready to go back on the road for another round of client visits next week.
Give us a call, and we’ll put you in the picture – and on the air.

Some work to be done there on clarity of message.  We’re happy to help.

Marc Jaffrey has been given an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.  The award is in recognition of his services to education.

Marc took on the role of Music Manifesto Champion in 2004 to campaign for improvements in music education in schools and communities. He led a team drawn from the music industry, the arts and education to influence government policy and unlock record levels of funding for young people’s music making.

Thanks to Marc’s leadership, millions more children now have the opportunity to play instruments and sing. “I feel privileged to have worked with an amazing team of people who are as passionate as I am about music and its importance to a child’s development.”

“Music has the power to inspire, enrich and transform a young person’s experience of learning. It is fun, it gives us all a lift and it brings out the creative individual in us all. I am proud to be honoured in this way. Our music education system and our music industry are world leaders. This award recognises the brilliant work being done by thousands of people around the country to keep Britain musical. Music is working for children, our young people and our nation as a whole.”

Darren Henley, Managing Director of Classic FM and Chairman of the Music Manifesto, says he’s delighted by Marc’s award.  ”Without his tireless efforts, many of the landmark changes in music education over the past few years would simply not have happened.”

marc.jaffrey@thinkagainmedia.co.uk

Photo by Hazel Thompson

In particular, standby for one piece of news coming very, very soon.

Have a peaceful and safe holiday season, and see you all in January.

(photo by our brilliant and award-winning colleague Hazel Thompson)

Barack Obama’s presidential campaign changed elections forever, in particular the way his young team used digital media and social networks to mobilise support, spread their key message and help voters feel they could make a difference.

We’ve been using his campaign as an example of good media practice with many of our clients; and it’s clear his success and tactics have not gone un-noticed; the Conservative party are using many of them in preparation for next year’s UK election and more examples will emerge as polling day approaches.

One of Obama’s campaign insiders Rahaf Harfoush has written an intriguing guide to how the tactics developed. Essential reading for anyone involved in getting a message across to a wide range of audiences.

Get it here on Amazon.