It was a fun and festive #CommsChat on Monday 19 November as we were joined by SantaComms for the last #CommsChat of 2011.

The full transcript is available below but we’ve also pulled out a few tweets from the course of the hour.

@SantaComms: Well, the first candidate for the naughty list is an obvious one: News International

@FelicityStewart: How about RIM for its complete lack of communications during October’s service interruptions?

@mynewsdesk_uk: Well I am certainly impressed by @SantaComms’s multichannel strategy! Talk about blanket coverage!

@LiamFurther: Got to doff my hat to John Lewis for ‘that’ advert. Still don’t like it, but their sales have surged since!! Well done…

@Communicatemag: surely you’ve got to namecheck @amandacomms for the great comms work from greater manchester police during the riots

@mynewsdesk_uk: If you had to sum up your brand in 3 words, what would they be?

@SantaComms: @mynewsdesk_uk Ho, Ho, Ho?

You can read the transcript at: December 19 with SantaComms . A very merry Christmas to you all and we’ll see you in the new year! CommsChat will be back on Monday 9 January.

Before everyone shuts up shop for Christmas, there’s time for one last #CommsChat – and we’ve enlisted the help of a very special guest for the session on 19 December.

SantaComms will be joining us from 8pm to cast a festive eye over the communications events of the past year. Tonight, we’d like your input to help us come up with the CommsChat 2011 Review – topics to be covered by SantaComms include:

• Who’s been naughty with their comms this year?
• And who’s been nice?
• If you were in charge of Santa’s stakeholders relations, how would you get over the problem of your brand only being relevant for one month a year?
• What’s the one thing you’d like to find under the tree on 25 December to improve your professional life?

#CommsChat with SantaComms starts at 8pm (UK time) on 19 December. Take part by adding the #commschat hashtag to your tweets or at http://commschat.com/commschat-now.

On Monday 5 December, #CommsChat looked at lobbying and public affairs and was hosted by Francis Ingham, chairman of the PRCA.

The PRCA has recently withdrawn from the UK Public Affairs Council, which was seeking to establish a register of all those working in UK public affairs. It was therefore a highly topical #CommsChat, with both the PRCA’s withdrawal and the Independent’s front page splash on 6 December revealing senior Bell Pottinger executives discussing their influence over policy-makers at the highest levels of British politics.

The full transcript of this discussion of lobbying reputation and regulation can be found below, but we’ve also pulled out a few of our favourite tweets from the course of the hour.

@markadams321: Lobbying profession is almost all professional and ethical but we are collectively failing to explain that

@AdamAzor: An unsettled government knows it can score publicity points by creating the perception of standing up against ‘manipulative’ PR

@PRCAIngham: With regret, we concluded UKPAC had failed. We need to recognize that and do something better

@PhilM_CIPR: we disagree with PRCA move, but they have their reasons. Rest of industry should now unite and move on

@jane63c: It’s one of the oldest tools of influence but society now demands more transparency and won’t accept it being limited to elites

@markadams321: voluntary regulation better than statutory. Rather have people choosing to be regulated rather than having to be forced

@PRCAIngham: why do business lobby groups, trades unions etc etc feel lobby transparency isn’t for them?

You can read the transcript at December 12 with Francis Ingham

This hasn’t been the best week, press-wise, for the UK lobbying industry. The Independent’s front page splash on 6 December revealed senior Bell Pottinger executives discussing their influence over policy-makers at the highest levels of British politics, and the PRCA has today withdrawn from the UK Public Affairs Council, which was seeking to establish a register of all those working in UK public affairs.

Monday’s #CommsChat will be hosted by Francis Ingham, chairman of the PRCA, and author of the letter which confirmed the body’s resignation from UK Public Affairs Council.

So as our topic for #CommsChat on Monday 12 December, we’re asking: where does UK lobbying go from here? Are the ‘dark arts’ apparently practised by Bell Pottinger widespread among other firms? What are reasonable steps to take for a client? What should the parliamentary inquiry into lobbying look at? And where will reform start?

Communicate magazine: Defence against the ‘dark arts’, 6 December

Communicate magazine: PRCA withdraws from UKPAC over public affairs register, 9 December

The key topics are:

-Of all the areas of communication, lobbying has the fiercest critics. Does it deserve its current reputation?

-Have public affairs strategy and practice been affected by a relatively unsettled government?

-Cameron warned that lobbying would be the next big scandal. Should the spotlight shine equally on lobbyists, companies and politicians?

-Stephen Byers, Geoff Hoon, Bell Pottinger. Pilloried by the press. Criminals, spivs or clumsy salespeople?

-Now the PRCA has pulled out of the UKPAC, where to now with regulating public affairs?

The discussion begins at 8pm (UK time) and will last for an hour, with a transcript being posted the next day. You can take part by using the #CommsChat hashtag or here: http://commschat.com/commschat-now

On Monday 5 December, #CommsChat looked at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with special guest Charlie Almond, a senior account director at Hill+Knowlton Strategies Sports Marketing and Sponsorship.

The H+K Sports team works with global sports brands on their engagement and brand strategies and is busy gearing up for a very busy year in 2012 that will take in the UEFA Euro 2012 competition as well as the Olympics.

‘How prepared are UK organisations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games?’ and ‘How will these games differ from previous Olympics in terms of the way sponsors get their messages across?’ were among questions discussed this week. The full transcript can be found below, but we’ve also pulled out a few of our favourite tweets from the course of the hour.

@CRMediaSport: There’s a lot of not so big names going to the games (inc Paralympics) that still need funding and exposure

@charliealmond: If it’s a non-sponsor looking to get involved, a word of caution. There is now law in place to protect from ambush

@StevenWoodgate: ‘Legacy’ is the big word used by officials for London 2012 – are sponsors looking to make similar long term gains?

@nataliebenjamin: Sponsors mustn’t neglect power of Games to engage their employees, above and beyond merchandise!

@charliealmond: It’ll be a really exciting Games for fans – Twitter will give insight from athletes never seen before

@louise_s_page: when will sponsors question impact of sustained PR activity on athletes’ training? Will sponsors be blamed for poor performances?

@Comprof1: Companies need to be smarter and target better with social media. Able to reach some real niche markets (i.e. rowers, equestrian)

You can read the transcript at December 5 with Charlie Almond

On Monday 5 December, #CommsChat is looking forward to an event that seems set to dominate much of 2012 in the UK: the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Starting at 8pm UK time, we’ll be discussing how brands can make the most of the opportunities provided by the global audience that the Olympic and Paralympic Games will draw. We’ll be joined by Charlie Almond, a senior account director at Hill+Knowlton Strategies Sports Marketing and Sponsorship – the H+K Sports team works with global sports brands on their engagement and brand strategies and is busy gearing up for a very busy year in 2012 that will take in the UEFA Euro 2012 competition as well as the Olympics.

Topics for tonight will include:

- How prepared are UK organisations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games?

- What do sponsors need to focus on over the next six months to maximise the opportunities and exposure for their brands?

- Is it too late for organisations to start to incorporate London 2012 into their brand strategies now?

- How will these games differ from previous Olympics in terms of the way sponsors get their messages across?

- What’s the best way for a small brand to build awareness through association with London 2012? Is it by gambling on an unknown with medal potential, or another route?

As ever, everyone can take part in #CommsChat, simply by using the hashtag or following the stream at http://commschat.com/commschat-now. #CommsChat will last for an hour, and a transcript will go up on Tuesday morning. We hope to see you online!