Pete Austin

To celebrate (hopefully) explaining to students at this weekend’s City, University of London ‘Introduction to Branding’ course why AI will never replace brand agencies, I asked ChatGPT to make me a poster.

Copy: full of typos
Design: unoriginal
Messaging: unclear
Verdict: hire me instead

And breathe. Very lucky to have been able to take a proper winter break. As we come to the end of the trip the mind inevitably strays back to “real life”…

Ready to come back to NHS pressures, comms challenges and sub zero temperatures! 🔥

You’re doomed I’m afraid.

Although I work in a hospital so I probably pass as much to her as she does to me…

Gotta love a widget!

I guess we’re all feeling in the dark at the moment. In future, if it really grows, there will inevitably have to be some kind of revenue generation (ads) and I suppose then we’ll find out about the algorithm.

Has anyone seen any audience data for Bluesky? And any algorithm analysis?

Strikes me that many will launch accounts here, and close their X ones. But that’s about it.

It will still be the “corp message dumping ground”.

A bit like Twitter always was.

#opentobeprovenwrong #stillpreferithere

Who is this place for?

Is there anyone “new” on here — and by that I mean not a Musk-ousted Twitter refugee?

If we’re all just those people, longing for “Twitter pre-Musk” then this isn’t much of an audience.

And Twitter has always been “tickbox” for corp comms rather than for engagement.

“Do we launch a corporate account on Bluesky?”…

Hands up if this has been a question in anyone else’s comms dept? 🙌🏻

We’re seeing insane engagement on TikTok and Instagram — far greater than anything we could imagine on here.

Which begs the ultimate question…

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Happy Kids Go Back To Childcare Day Eve…

An estimated 410,000 NHS staff will be giving up their Christmas Day to care for patients and their families.

Thank you to them all! #ThankYouNHS

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How is it basically DARK at 2:30pm?!

“Warmth under pressure” is spot on. Just incredible. Yes she’s recovering now thank you, hope your son is ok too 🙏🏻

So I missed the Great Big Thank You Week, but I sort of lived the experience in real time — over a crazy 24 hours, where I ended up more thankful than you can possible imagine 💙

It’s clichéd but true that we’re lucky to have people who want to dedicate their lives to helping others.

And it’s also clichéd but true to say it’s moments like those that make you proud to work “with” (albeit in VERY different roles!) these people.

Needless to say, I was in awe.

From the reception staff to the triage nurse, the student nurses taking observations, to the doctor, to the consultant - everyone. Incredible.

And on Friday, to cut a long story a bit shorter, we ended up in the paediatric A&E of the Trust where I work, as the toddler’s situation took a turn for the worse.

Since last weekend I’ve been caring for a sick toddler (nothing novel about that, for many of you I’m sure! #solidarity).

Fevers, sleeplessness, snottiness — the usual.

It’s as brilliant as it sounds. And all teams (not just comms) should be proud of how amazing it is.

But… sadly, I missed nearly of it…

TL;DR My daughter got sick and was treated in A&E of the Trust where I work and it was petrifying, life-affirming, humbling and ultimately wonderful.

🧵👇🏻

Last week, our NHS Trust ran its Great Big Thank You Week - a week of food, fun and festivities to show gratitude to the amazing staff.

This week has been proudly sponsored by Calpol

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As sure as day follows night, on the eve of the beginning of all the Christmas parties…

…the toddler falls ill 🤒

Guess the hospital 😜 #NHSXmastrees #ChelseaPensioners

Photo of a Christmas tree at West Middlesex hospital

Photo of a button covered in Christmas wrapping paper

The tree is up at West Middlesex University Hospital, complete with super festive “switch on” with local school children & Brentford FC mascots 🐝 Extra points for the very festive “switch on button” 🎄 #NHSXmastrees

👋 Here's our lovely tree!

Early contender! 🤩 #NHSXmastrees

Who has got the best NHS Christmas tree? Hospital, ward, surgery, clinic - open to everyone. Feels like there should be a national competition… #NHSXmastrees

Pretty sure a comms guy who has been in the NHS for 10mins wasn’t who this free coffee was aimed at — but thank you anyway Starbucks!

NHS colleagues — get to a Starbucks today ☕️

The Starbucks NHS festive giveaway is back and bigger than ever! Tomorrow (Thursday 5 December) Starbucks are giving away a free Tall beverage to all NHS workers in stores across the UK.

Tag an NHS staff member who you know would benefit from a festive pick-me-up 👇

Agree. It was a comment on the optics.

Said man whose hologram band thing took £103m in ticket revenue in 12 months