The Spark

In June, we’ve been embracing new influences in copywriting and pondering the prospect of food waste ice cream.

Reducing food waste, one ice cream at a time

Perhaps the most appalling aspect of our global food waste problem is the surplus of ingredients, caused by storage and distribution problems, as well as changes in demand.

As we work with several waste management specialists at Scriba, we were heartened to see this story about inventive US ice cream brand, Salt & Straw, that’s salvaged 38,000 pounds of food so far, to create new and less likely flavours.

Could this principle of new flavour fusions led by what’s available and in need of using up, be applied in other ways, across different territories? The possibilities seem endless!

Rosie Holt, copywriter

Swapping formal to informal

We love Monzo — full disclosure: some of us at Scriba are account holders at this bank — and it was a spirited and unusual move of the team there to make their official corporate tone of voice guidelines public.

Plenty of brands could learn a thing or two from this. Our favourite section is the one about swapping formal for normal. Why commence assistance when you can start to help? Or ensure we enable customers, when we can make sure we let them?

So simple but so effective.

Katie Mallinson, director of communications

LinkedIn company messaging upgrade

A functionality improvement for LinkedIn is always welcome and the platform’s new messaging inbox for company pages is no exception.

As reported by Search Engine Journal, this update enables direct communication between businesses, coinciding with a global shift in business focus from lead generation to brand building.

For marketeers in search of some bedtime reading, can we point you in the direction of LinkedIn’s Global B2B Marketing Benchmark annual report for a raft of insight and ideas?

Grace Lenihan, account director

AI as a stepping stone

We can’t now imagine an instalment of The Spark that doesn’t mention AI, so here we are again with this fast-unfolding world of possibility.

Amid the uncertainty and fear often dominating the debate, we enjoyed this contribution from PR Daily.

In an uplifting and positive piece, writer Allison Carter emphasises ChatGPT and other generative AI programmes’ worth in helping newer PR professionals to boost and bolster their skills more quickly, helping them to move forward and upward in their careers.

Jenny Gibson, editorial excellence manager

150 ways to evoke emotion

And finally, if all your press releases describe developments as ‘innovative’ or ‘exciting’, here are some fresh ideas carefully collated, for easy reach!

Self-styled email marketing nerd Chase Dimond shared a handy table of no less than 150 words for persuading or evoking emotion among readers. 

Exhilarating and, ahem, exuberant, this list is definitely one to bookmark.

Grace Lenihan, account director

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