Alan S. Morrison MBA, CIPR Prof PR Cert, MCIPR Accredited

Experience

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  BBC

  Jan 1987 - Jan 1987

  Work Experience person from Cardiff
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  The Sunday Post

  Jul 1988 - Mar 1993

  Reporter

  I developed skills as a news, features, sports writer and photographer until I was working for all areas of the paper, taking pictures for other group titles and being commissioned privately to take pictures for The Scots Magazine.I also developed a one-off news story on an Edinburgh charity helping Romanian orphans into a campaign which raised £7,500 in aid and recruited 59 skilled volunteers to help three orphanages in July 1991. I went with them and the aid to create a feature showing readers its delivery.I was one of a trio of reporters who volunteered to cover the Lockerbie Disaster all-night and managed to get several reports from the crash site through to the group’s morning paper without mobile phones (we found the only phone box still working!) Show less

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  UPN

  Mar 1993 - Aug 1996

  I was asked to launch an innovative free paper into a market with three well-established weeklies in just 23 days using a strategy of strong differentiation through ‘good news’ features-based content.We leveraged limited resources (me plus two reporters and some photographic support from the group) by using the above strategy to quickly build a strong contact base, gain news exclusives and achieve in just six months the immediate objective of being the best-read free paper in the area. The title was closed by TWN when its parent group in Ormskirk was sold by UPN to TWN.Its goodwill is believed to have added £0.25m to the acquisition value. Show less

  • News Editor, Southport & Formby Advertiser

    Jan 1995 - Aug 1996

  • News Editor, Lakeland Echo

    Mar 1993 - Jan 1995
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  Trinity Weekly Newspapers

  Aug 1996 - Dec 1997

  • Managed group-wide campaigns including Local Heroes, run with Allied Domecq, which led to good stories in several editions and having the Lord Mayor of Liverpool and the Mayor of Sefton accept a special award to the people of both boroughs for their hospitality after the 1997 Grand National bomb hoax.• Managed the group freelance photography budget and co-ordinated the picture diary.• Built the contact base of the Maghull edition of the Star until it overcame a complacent established paid-for title to become the news leader in its market. Show less

  • Chief reporter, Liverpool Weekly Newspaper group

    Jan 1997 - Dec 1997

  • Reporter, Ormskirk & Village Visitor

    Aug 1996 - Dec 1996
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  The Sunday Post

  Dec 1997 - Apr 2011

  Responsible for:• Sifting incoming general email for possible stories. • Managing relationships with external stakeholders through answering their email queries. • Management of Picture Desk (not formally recognised as a titled position) including sourcing new stock imagery providers at best value prices, picture research, handling and archiving incoming ordered and contributed pictures. • Project managed the introduction of the Televisual Assetflow picture desk system at the paper in 2005.• Editing Pop/Rhythm Section music page.• Laying out Features spread (till October 2004).• Weekly updating of website.• Providing holiday cover for Raw Deal page editor (till mid-2010) and Features Editor (till October 2005). Show less

  • External Content Taster

    Oct 2009 - Apr 2011

  • Sub-Editor (de facto Picture Editor)

    Oct 2001 - Oct 2010

  • Sub-Editor

    Dec 1997 - Oct 2001
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  Freelance public relations

  Aug 2011 - Nov 2011

  Freelance PR, photographer, ex-journalist, sub-editor, editorial manager, broadcaster & web ed

  Freelance public relations consultant, photographer, ex-journalist, sub-editor, editorial manager, broadcaster & web editor. MBA and graduate of top UK journalism school with 23 years journalism experience in national and local newspapers as well as regional and local radio.Professional-level photographer working at Associateship level of the Royal Photographic Society. Preparing formal assessment panel.

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  Peppermint Soda

  Aug 2011 - Aug 2011

  Work experience person

  3 weeks work experience at Peppermint PR, an award-winning UK Top 150 agency based in Hale, Manchester.Experience gained included:• Identifying relevant stories and PR opportunities in the daily papers.• Suggesting, researching and costing proposed PR activities.• Researching and drafting press releases.• Using Gorkana database and the Web to research and compile media campaign lists.• Drafting advertorial copy.• Drafting blog posts.• Drafting website editorial.• Suggesting and drafting tweets.• Proof-reading press releases. Show less

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  SOS Limekilns

  Sept 2011 - Jul 2012

  Pro bono PR support

  Providing pro bono PR support to SOS Limekilns, a local campaign group formed by local residents and members of Charlestown, Limekilns and Pattiesmuir Community Council, to save their their village from a fatally-flawed harbour proposal for Rosyth which they believe will put at risk their homes, quality of life and vulnerable wildlife.Quickly created awareness of the group, its aims and arguments among its key audiences via local and national media.

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  Smith & Smith P.R. Ltd.

  Nov 2011 - Mar 2012

  Account Manager

  • Coverage gained for clients included comment pieces in The Grocer and Management Today website as well as features in Professional Engineering and other leading B2B titles. Speaker slot won for a client at a Chartered Institute of Housing conference.• Arranged VIP speakers for a round-table summit on the Agency Workers Regulations, including the top BIS official on the subject plus the heads of leading stakeholder groups.• Identified and negotiated sponsorship and competition opportunities for a key client.• Helped convert two clients from project to retainer relationship.Duties included:• Managing social media for a client.• Event and product photography.• Event media relations. Show less

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  ASM Media & PR

  Apr 2012 - now

  Owner

  I help you achieve your goals by influencing your key stakeholders with Public Relations, copywriting and pictures planned and integrated strategically with your marketing and delivered with a dedication to excellence recognised in my many client Recommendations..I'm an MBA ex-photojournalist, sub-editor, editor, picture editor, broadcaster, web editor now working self-employed as a CIPR-qualified and Accredited PR Practitioner, event and PR photographer plus business copywriter,Am I any good?See my Recommendations.Check out my videos for examples of my work. Show less

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  Escouter

  May 2012 - Jul 2012

  Sub-editor

  Edited copy for online recruitment magazine.

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  Mr Droogle - Google Streetview Trusted 360 Photographer

  Feb 2013 - Feb 2016

  Sales & Marketing

  In the three years I spent with Mr Droogle, I:- Took it from three-figure deals to several four-figure ones and one five-figure project.- Got several award-winning high-quality brands as clients, including Crieff Hydro, St Andrews Links Trust and Edinburgh Napier University.- Generated monthly sales which twice won Google Sales Awards- Project-managed the largest shoots in Scotland, possibly the UK - including one more than 600 panoramics. Typical shoots 10-20.- Devised marketing-focused innovative uses of the service, together with creative input from business owner Drew Cunningham- Helped create five world-first shoots - 1. ‘Pool View’ at Crieff Hydro – http://goo.gl/maps/k2I04; 2. SCAA - http://goo.gl/TUVyR7; 3. Aloft! at Action Glen - https://goo.gl/maps/Bf99l; 4. Quad Bikes at Action Glen - https://goo.gl/maps/ELwA5; 5. Segway at Action Glen - https://goo.gl/maps/nnN0M Show less

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  St Andrews Business Club

  Apr 2016 - May 2020

  President of St Andrews Business Club 2018-19. Led an excellent team of volunteer Committee members, marketing communications interns and a marketing assistant to a second successive record-breaking year - increasing membership 17% YoY and average event attendance 11.5%. Event feedback also improved. Member retention was 97%.We also re-engineered core processes to make them less time-consuming while offering better quality service e.g. the application and payments processes.As well as leading the Committee, I headed up the Club Marketing team and took overall responsibility for Events. Show less

  • Immediate Past President (2019-20)

    May 2019 - May 2020

  • President (2018-19)

    Apr 2018 - May 2019

  • Vice-President (2017-18 Season)

    Apr 2017 - Apr 2018

  • Committee Member

    Apr 2016 - Apr 2017
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  Business Women Scotland

  May 2019 - Sept 2023

  Business Mentor, Growth Panel member & Awards judge

  Mentor for Marketing & PR on the BWS Mentoring Programme