The online 'social media' revolution that is shaking up the worlds of marketing, public relations and mainstream media has prompted the launch in London on 1 December of Audacious Communications (www.audaciousonline.com).

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Audacious says it is a new style of creative communications agency that combines the power of online social media such as podcasting, blogging and videocasting with the skills of traditional public relations, organisational communication and marketing.

Social media forcing companies to rethink marketing & PR models

The impact of the internet, social media and the continued and dramatic rise in mobile phone sales, means people are increasingly able to get news, information and advice on their terms and from their own personal networks. According to Audacious this means organisations of all types will need to reassess their marketing and public relations strategies as well as the way they communicate with employees. Audacious aims to meet this strategic need head on and to develop, produce and distribute podcasts and videocasts on behalf of clients.

The new agency has been created by a team with a unique combination of skills and includes:

Alex Bellinger, producer and host of the pioneering podcast SmallBizPod (www.smallbizpod.co.uk), who has 15 years experience in public relations, marketing and lobbying, having most recently headed-up commercial banking public relations for HSBC and The Royal Bank of Scotland;

Neil Dixon, founder of BritCaster.com (www.britcaster.com) the UK home of podcasting. As one of the UK’s first podcast producers, Neil has established himself as an authority on the subject in the media. He has over 15 years experience in creative, design and internal communications roles at companies such as Oracle and Vivao plc and has consulted to many new media, marketing and brand development agencies;

David Davis, a former business journalist on The Times who rose from account executive to vice chairman of Edelman, the world’s largest independent public relations company. Davis is now a lecturer on the new media industry;

Jen Dixon brings to the Audacious team a unique set of new media skills stemming from a degree gained in industrial design from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and including expertise in digital pre-press production with Freedom Graphic Systems, Inc., coding for the web and freelance writing. She is a trained public speaker and has a genuine passion for podcasting.

One-way, top-down approach to communications losing ground

According to Alex Bellinger at Audacious, “It’s an exciting, some would say revolutionary, time for anyone involved in the communications business. The impact of what’s become known as social media means that individuals and organisations have a new way of talking to each other. A more open, honest and conversational way of communicating. A two way street."

“Some organisations will find this frightening. Some will relish the chance to develop a different, mutually beneficial relationship with customers, staff, volunteers and anyone who matters to them.

“We set up Audacious to help guide organisations through this new world, to help give them the courage to embrace some of these new media and ensure that they’re not just seen as a gimmick, but a real, strategic part of how an organisation communicates.”

Podcasting, which could be described as ‘online audio or radio to go’ enables companies and organizations to communicate in a more engaging and personal way with employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, members, volunteers and other special interest groups.

The Audacious service covers the creative development of concepts and content integrated into an organisation’s existing communications strategy as well as professional production, distribution and promotion of a company’s podcast.

Podcasting gains ground among brands

Audacious believes that as a communications tool, podcasting brings the power of the human voice, the power to inspire and the power of accessibility to a world drowning in email. Because podcasts are portable they also bring employee dead time alive, for example, during commuting, business travel or exercise.

More and more organisations such as IBM, Virgin Atlantic, Simon & Schuster, The Daily Telegraph, St John’s Ambulance and General Motors recognise the benefits of using podcasts for internal communications, external marketing and PR campaigns and for briefing of sales staff, investors and customers. Charities, also, look set to use podcasts as a means of inspiring and recruiting volunteers and donors.

Audacious will also advise clients on the design, production and effective use of blogs which have now become a powerful way of communicating in an engaged and open way. It will also help organisations monitor blog posts related to them, providing advice on how and when to respond.

“Blogs present at once a huge opportunity and a huge risk to organisations that ignore them or fail to understand their dynamic and the open feedback that they generate,” Bellinger concluded.

Contacting Audacious:
For further information contact: Alex Bellinger at alex@audaciousonline.com blog: www.verbalism.net podcast: www.smallbizpod.co.uk; Neil Dixon at www.neildixon.com podcast: www.neildixon.com, or David Davis david@audaciousonline.com