If you ever want to feel utterly inspired about the power of comms, judge the Best Creative Comms category at the UnAwards.
by Alan Oram and Team Alive With Ideas
Read morestaying human when disaster strikes
Dee Cowburn, who judged the crisis communications entries with Ruby Bhattal, and is no stranger to a crisis herself, tells how blown away she was by the breadth and depth of entries in her category.
Read morethe unawards 2025 - your guide to the big day
After a three-month build-up the UnAwards 2025 is almost here. Here’s your guide to the sold out big day…
by Darren Caveney
Read morethe unawards 2025 shortlists are LIVE
It's here. Almost 3 months after their launch, the shortlists in the 10th annual UnAwards are LIVE.
by Darren Caveney
Read morea reminder: our audiences are human
Technology has transformed every profession — and communications is no exception. Artificial intelligence can now draft copy, summarise reports, and analyse sentiment faster than any of us could ever hope to. It’s impressive, and it’s useful. But as we enter this new era, we must be clear about one thing: technology cannot replace the humanity of communications.
by Nick Price-Thompson
Read morewe need to talk about 2025
something astonishing happened yesterday
My email inbox went into meltdown under the weight of UnAwards entries as last night’s midnight deadline loomed.
It was the busiest day in the 10-year history of the UnAwards.
by Darren Caveney
Read moretrust us – we need your help
We all know that trust is the bedrock of what we do in the public sector. Without it, messages don’t land, communities don’t engage, and the best-intentioned campaigns fall flat. And we’ve all heard the news that ‘trust is at an all time low’. But here’s the thing: how do we really know that? While we talk about trust a lot (and believe me, at Orlo we talk about trust a LOT), how often do we stop to measure it? To really understand what it looks like from inside our own organisations?
That’s exactly what we want to change. We know this is ambitious, and that’s why we need you.
by Helena Hornby
Read moreno, we don’t need another logo (and the real value of comms)
Public sector comms isn’t just about pushing messages out, prettying up posters or sprinkling fairy dust on a report that no one understands.
by Dominic Ridley-Moy
Read morenow showing: the best creative comms
The Unawards 2025 entries are open, and the spotlight is yours.
It's that time again. Not just fireworks and festive plans…
It's Unawards season, where the boldest, brightest, most human communications (and communicators) get their well-earned moment in the spotlight.
by Alan Oram
Read moreunawards fusion radio takeover
We’re doing something a bit special to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UnAwards – and it’ll be music to your ears.
by Mark Gardner
Read morecalling centaurs & cyborgs: time to recognise ai collaboration in comms
When it comes to AI, there are no shortages of hot takes on what it all means for society - for better and for worse.
by Alex Waddington
Read morea swollen arm, a theatre seat, and a tray of hot water: why i’m grateful for the nhs
Recently I have had two experiences that reminded me why we should be grateful for the NHS. One was moving. The other was painful and slightly scary.
by Russell Cartwright
Read moreall-new webinar: how to win an unaward
Winning an UnAward is a very special thing.
But how can you win one?
Find out exactly how by getting the inside track from past winners and current judges in this all-new webinar.
by Darren Caveney
Read morethe unawards 2025 are open!
The 10th annual UnAwards launch TODAY. They're the most exciting and accessible industry awards around. Now is not a time to quietly sit back and hope your organisation recognises and appreciates your efforts. Instead try and get yourself shortlisted for an UnAward to really put your work on the organisational map on this, the very special 10th anniversary of the UnAwards.
by Darren Caveney
Read morethe long, hard road of job search in 2025
After leaving a role in February 2025, I didn’t dream that it would take four months to land my next gig. As time ground on, I realised I wasn’t alone - there’s a sea of unused, untapped and unemployed skills out there with folks battling an increasingly difficult recruitment market. Is this the new job searching ‘normal’?
by Neil Hopkins
Read morehandling a crisis: rising from the ashes when it all goes up in smoke
There’s plenty of training and advice about being prepared for a crisis. And the biggest advice is to have a plan so that you know what to do. While you can’t be prepared for every eventuality, knowing you have a process for dealing with a crisis will put you in a better position when it happens.
by Andrew Broughton
Read morewhat do showaddywaddy, blue, culture club and toadfish from neighbours have in common?
how to prioritise your comms to focus on the things that are important
With resource, time and budgets shrinking, comms teams have to be super astute in how we plan if we are to make a difference to our residents.
by Lindsay Coulson
Read morethe butchers of bow
It is your first week as a press officer. What could go wrong? Steve Watkins recalls his baptism of fire in a pre-gentrified East End in the early 1990s.
by Steve Watkins
Read more