mandate blog
How the internet is changing: the tale from Pagerank 10 sites
Posted by Mark Pack at Mon, 23/08/2010 - 11:01am in Internet
The internet has changed in many ways over the last six years, broadening its international reach and with a far more diverse range of uses. That change is neatly illustrated by comparing the select list of sites that had a Google Pagerank* of 10 back in 2004 and those that do now.
Here's the 2004 list:
US technology outfits
Adobe
Adobe Acrobat 10
Apple Computers
Apple - QuickTime
Blogger Google
Google Search
Hewlett-Packard Development Company
Intel Corporation
Macromedia
PHPBB Forum
Real Media
Why do you walk on the wrong side of the corridor in Tube stations?
Posted by Mark Pack at Thu, 19/08/2010 - 9:18am in
A typographer would say it's because the "Please walk on the right" signs don't use a clear enough font.
An ad man would say it's because there aren't enough adverts in the station reminding you.
A sociologist would say it's because you just follow the person in front.
An architect would say it's because the design means sometimes you have to walk on the right but sometimes on the left.
Judge us on fairness and social mobility - Clegg
Posted by Mark Pack at Wed, 18/08/2010 - 2:00pm in Political commentary
Tackling the budget deficit may the coalition government's short-term overriding need, but its legacy will be both a stronger economy and also a fairer society according to the speech Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg gave earlier today.
You know he is a PR genius when...
Posted by Sacha Deshmukh at Fri, 13/08/2010 - 2:17pm in Brand best practice
You know you a true PR genius when he can take all the ingredients of a knock, and bat them right round into a triumph. I am the second member of the Mandate team to wax lyrical about Becks in the last few weeks. But then, there is much to wax lyrical about.
Is this the leakiest Government ever?
Posted by Nick Laitner at Wed, 04/08/2010 - 9:56am in Political commentary
Today's Guardian publication of a leaked letter from Teresa May to George Osborne, setting out the prospect of a possible legal challenge to the Budget, is the latest in a string of leaks out of a still very young Government.
International variations in health: do they matter and should we care?
Posted by Mike Birtwistle at Tue, 27/07/2010 - 10:42am in Health Mandate commentary
The charge that the UK 'lags behind' the rest of the world on any form of health service makes a great story for the media and can be politically toxic for ministers. Voters hate the concept that England might be the poor man - let alone the sick man - of Europe. Yet being different from Europe is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, on many other issues the same commentators who decry variations with Europe in healthcare are all too proud to be different than our European neighbours.
It sometimes takes a late convert to ask an awkward question.
Posted by Gary Cleland at Thu, 22/07/2010 - 12:28pm in Digital news
This week the BBC's Andrew Marr revealed he wishes he could turn the clock back and begin again in journalism, such is the opportunity presented by digital.
By his own admission he is somewhat behind the curve in reaching this conclusion, certainly comparative to early adopters if not, perhaps, Fleet Street-era journalists.
I fell in love with David Beckham when...
Posted by Gemma Irvine at Wed, 21/07/2010 - 2:14pm in Brand best practice
I fell in love with David Beckham when he was just a young promising footballer at Manchester United - admittedly then it was all about the floppy hair and twinkly eyes. Since then, as he has grown into a global icon, I have witnessed one of the greatest PR stories develop alongside his fame.
The history of Prime Minister's Questions
Posted by Mark Pack at Wed, 21/07/2010 - 9:35am in Political commentary
Today sees Nick Clegg take to the Despatch Box to answer Prime Minister's Questions in David Cameron's absence from the UK.
Several Liberal Democrats have taken to twitter expressing their anticipation, such as Jo Swinson:
reserving a seat to watch a little bit of Lib Dem history later today - Nick Clegg taking #pmqs, first Lib leader to do so since 1922
Is it newspapers rather than politicians who should be learning from the 2010 election?
Posted by Mark Pack at Tue, 20/07/2010 - 8:58am in Internet
Most of the punditry about the internet and the general election has focused on the impact of the internet, and social media in particular, on politics. Although journalists often get a mention, the basic frame of reference is "how is politics changing?"
However, there was a hint of a different perspective at the launch at Google UK on Tuesday of Nic Newman's report for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism into the impact of the internet on the politics and the media during this year's general election.
