Deep South Media

BOX OFFICE: Tomorrow's Budget - the first by a Labour government in 14 years and the first by a woman - is set to have a major impact on business and the public. Some tax rises already seem baked in - NI paid by employers, for example - but there may well be some surprises when Chancellor Rachel Reeves opens her red box and sets out the government's fiscal plans. We'll be gathering reaction from our clients and feeding it through to the media to help explain what it all means for them, their sector and the economy. Will it be the Halloween horror show that everyone is expecting or not as bad as feared? We will find out at 12.30pm tomorrow... #Budget24 #economy #business

QUESTION: What is it that makes your business buy from another? There are 50 companies and organisations which chose Deep South Media (DSM) for a variety of compelling reasons, including: ✅ As the outsourced media partner, DSM's costs are much less than a salaried equivalent role. ✅ Retained clients get a dedicated account director - and the support/input of other account directors. Up to five for the price of one. ✅ DSM's team are seasoned media and comms professionals - with all the frontline experience that comes with that. ✅ Fast and ethical response during a crisis - sage counsel and calm heads. ✅ Press releases for clients are accurate, informative and substantiated - the articles are 'oven ready', requiring few changes by newsdesks. ✅ Articles, including thought leadership ones, are replete with organic SEO, generating higher search engine rankings. ✅ On LinkedIn, for clients, DSM is in the top 1% on the social selling index out of PR/comms agencies in the UK, compared to the 33% industry average. ✅ Push-back - the team at DSM are 'critical friends', not cronies. ✅ Working insights from central and local government, FTSE 250 companies, medium-sized enterprises, smaller firms and start-ups. ✅ Marketing nous - providing valued input to marketing professionals. ✅ Proven, verifiable returns of investment for clients, from editorial, of more than £10 million to date - the figure is actually even higher if business pick-up from reputational issues handled by DSM are factored in. ✅ Financial reassurance - DSM is in the black, with decent cash reserves, providing clients with project continuity confidence. ✅ Media interview training - DSM was described as being even better than a national broadcaster's own training when it comes to putting interviewees under pressure on camera. ✅ DSM has learnt from many businesses over decades, providing clients with best practice. ✅ Loyalty - DSM will not work for competitors of clients because exclusivity matters. ✅ Behind the scenes - the team at DSM provide welcome input on business strategy and weak spots. ✅ Production of interesting case studies, with calls-to-action. To find out how DSM can be your outsourced media partner, with all the benefits that brings, please DM Ron Wain - Deep South Media 📰 or email pressoffice@deepsouthmedia.co.uk DSM - national, regional, local.

IN THE NEWS: Many thanks to The News, Portsmouth for a story about gamechanging technology to combat the threat of fires from lithium-ion batteries found in such devices as mobile phones, vapes and laptops. Fareham firms Barnbrook Systems Ltd, TJ Waste & Recycling Ltd and Flair have joined forces for the UK's first pilot project to trial a 'smart' system using nanotechnology to suppress fires and isolate suspect devices. According to latest figures from the British Safety Council 10 people have died and 190 people have been injured from fires linked to lithium-ion batteries since 2020. Figures from business insurer QBE, based on freedom of information requests to UK fire and rescue services, showed that there were 921 call outs to fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in 2023, an increase of 46% on 2022.

DON'T DO IT❗As tempting and easy as it is, unless you have a licence, don't screenshot a media article and then share online or in print - this is copyright infringement and you or your employer may find yourself in hot legal water. It is, of course, fine to share links to online articles, perhaps with a 'teaser' which does not replicate what was written or said in the report. Sharing best practice, media relations consultancy Deep South Media is flagging the issue as there have been several instances on LinkedIn where a screenshot has been taken without the publisher's consent to do so.

URGENT ACTION: Businesses are being urged to review their payroll records, particularly those items listed in letters HMRC commonly sends to employers during its ongoing investigations into National Minimum Wage compliance.. These are: ❌ Deductions taken from pay that reduce pay for NMW purposes. ❌ Unpaid working time, such as time before or after a shift, travel, training and on standby. ❌ Rates of pay, with the NMW age brackets recently changing in April 2024. ❌ Apprentices, with a focus on study time, whether the apprenticeship agreement is in place for the duration and if the individual qualifies for the reduced rate of pay. ❌ General records being available for the six-year period required by law. Kyle Newton, Head of National Minimum Wage, at UK top 10 accountancy firm Azets, has welcomed the findings of a new report by the Department for Business and Trade which details HMRC’s enforcement activity during the 2022/23 tax year. The report includes a focus on HMRC’s newest form of enforcement, the ‘Geographical Compliance Approach’ (GCA) which targets particular areas and uses a three tiered method designed to encourage employers to comply with the rules and make payments of NMW arrears due to workers. He said: "Since 1999, 90,000 investigations have been completed and 1.5 million workers have received NMW arrears.” Kyle has urged any businesses currently being subject to the geographic compliance approach by HMRC, and perhaps have been contacted by letter, to take professional advice at the earliest opportunity. 📰 Thanks to Family Business United for excellent coverage of this topic: https://lnkd.in/eFpTyG4p

IN DRIVING SEAT: Azets has been appointed administrators of Completely Motoring, John Wilkins (Motor Engineers) and Thunder Road Motorcycles. The new and used vehicle group, with a £70m turnover, has 165 staff and 14 showrooms across South West England and Wales. Jonathan Amor has been appointed joint administrator, along with Matthew Richards (Azets) and Alessandro Sidoli (Xeinadin Corporate Recovery). Mr Amor said: "We are exploring sale options with interested parties. We have received several expressions of interest and we urge any other parties to make contact as soon as possible, with a view to securing a future for the group and saving as much of the business, and as many jobs, as possible.”

BRAND VISIBILITY: On behalf of clients, some of the latest press releases we've shared with news outlets: 📰 https://lnkd.in/eNgKXgwx 📰 https://lnkd.in/edzjP-wM 📰 https://lnkd.in/e_q96ZTC 📰 https://lnkd.in/evxnFHSh 📰 https://lnkd.in/ewABgKtb 📰 https://lnkd.in/eMTKW6WT 📰 https://lnkd.in/e64XCzud 📰 https://lnkd.in/eVfbM4sP 📰 https://lnkd.in/eQecTnPk 💯 Looking for a professional to research, draft and issue a market announcement? Deep South Media is at your service. 📧 pressoffice@deepsouthmedia.co.uk 📲 01202 534487

MARTYN'S LAW: This important Bill, to strengthen the security of public events and venues following the Manchester Arena terrorism atrocity in 2017, receives its second reading in the House of Commons next Monday [14 October]. If and when it becomes law, there will be 24 months to prepare, with the appointment of a 'responsible person' key - the responsible person is one who has control of the premises or the event. The law would apply to publicly accessible locations such as festivals, nightclubs, pubs, shopping centres and hotels, including buildings and grounds. If you hold an event for 200 to 799 people, it is standard tier, with enhanced tier for 800 or more people. Procedures to have in place would include evacuation, lockdown and communication. In an updated factsheet, the UK Home Office stated: "The Bill is intended to improve protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK. "The Bill requires those responsible for premises and events to take steps to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack and reduce harm in the event of a terrorist attack occurring. "We are aware through independent research and engagement with businesses that, without legal requirements, counter-terrorism security efforts often fall behind legally required activities, such as health and safety. "Our expert security partners assess that individuals are more likely to take action that can reduce harm and save lives, if they have considered what they would do, and how, prior to a terrorist attack occurring. "Seven in ten respondents to the Protect Duty consultation agreed that those responsible for publicly accessible locations should take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect the public from attacks." Formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, Martyn's Law is named after Martyn Hett, one of 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing; 1,017 people were injured. Martyn's mother, Figen Murray, has campaigned to have the law introduced. Martyn's Law factsheet 🔗 https://lnkd.in/enWUg6Dc The photo, copyright of Deep South Media, is for illustrative purposes only.

MARTYN'S LAW: This important Bill, to strengthen the security of public events and venues following the Manchester Arena terrorism atrocity in 2017, receives its second reading in the House of Commons next Monday [14 October]. If and when it becomes law, there will be 24 months to prepare, with the appointment of a 'responsible person' key - the responsible person is one who has control of the premises or the event. The law would apply to publicly accessible locations such as festivals, nightclubs, pubs, shopping centres and hotels, including buildings and grounds. If you hold an event for 200 to 799 people, it is standard tier, with enhanced tier for 800 or more people. Procedures to have in place would include evacuation, lockdown and communication. In an updated factsheet, the UK Home Office stated: "The Bill is intended to improve protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK. "The Bill requires those responsible for premises and events to take steps to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack and reduce harm in the event of a terrorist attack occurring. "We are aware through independent research and engagement with businesses that, without legal requirements, counter-terrorism security efforts often fall behind legally required activities, such as health and safety. "Our expert security partners assess that individuals are more likely to take action that can reduce harm and save lives, if they have considered what they would do, and how, prior to a terrorist attack occurring. "Seven in ten respondents to the Protect Duty consultation agreed that those responsible for publicly accessible locations should take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect the public from attacks." Formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, Martyn's Law is named after Martyn Hett, one of 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing; 1,017 people were injured. Martyn's mother, Figen Murray, has campaigned to have the law introduced. Martyn's Law factsheet 🔗 https://lnkd.in/enWUg6Dc The photo, copyright of Deep South Media, is for illustrative purposes only.