mhp first named may 2011

FIRST NAMED:Ministers’ most favoured name drops in Year 1 of the Coalition Government

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INTRODUCTION

There are many ways in which an organisation’s strength of reputation with Government can be manifested.

The request to join a policy commission, the invitation to Number 10, the placing of a Government photo opportunity on your site. But, while many of these are either below the radar or only endorse by allusion, for many the gold standard remains a Minister choosing to highlight your organisation in one of their o� cial speeches.

Citing you in their speech is the most clear manifestation of a Minister linking their reputation with yours and wanting to see the celebration of your e� orts rub o� on them. It’s the Government saying that they believe you are key to future of UK plc and you should be proud of that fact.

So which organisations have been most successful in achieving ministerial recognition in the fi rst year of Conservative-Liberal Democrat rule?

One year on from the formation of the Coalition Government, MHP Communications has conducted an analysis of the organisations that have been most frequently cited by ministers in their o� cial speeches since taking o� ce. We have examined whether economic pressures and the di� erent priorities of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat partners in the Coalition have led to any new trends in this most high powered form of name dropping.

There are some results you may expect, and some others that will no doubt surprise you. But one year into the new era in British politics, this report shows some signs of those organisations that are most on the mind of the powers at the heart of Government.

I hope you fi nd it interesting.

Sacha Deshmukh CEO, MHP Communications

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CONTENT

Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………………………………4

Results………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5

Trends ..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

Top mentions by sector.…………………………………………………………………………………….10

Media, Sport and Leisure………………………………………………………………………………………….11

Technology and Telecoms.……………………………………………………………………………………….12

Transport……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13

Financial Services and Investment..……………………………………………………………………….14

Charities and Social Organisations…………………………………………………………………………15

Education……………………………………………………………………………………………….....………………..16

Engineering and Industrials……………………………………………………………………………………..17

Consumer Goods and Retail……………………………………………………………………………………17

Energy, Utilities and Natural Resources…………………………………………………………….….18

Health……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….19

Professional Services and Outsourcing…………………………………………………………………20

Property and Construction………………………………………………………………………………………20

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This piece of research looks at which organisations ministers reference

most in their ministerial set piece speeches – whether they are companies,

trade associations, QUANGOs, local authorities, charities or educational

establishments. The research analyses departmental speeches made

between May 2010 and April 2011.

Sources: All ministerial speeches published on departmental websites

between May 2010 and April 2011 (this does not include speeches in

Parliament or speeches where the text is not released).

Method of analysis: Quantitative. The research quantifies how many

references there were of organisations including; companies, trade

associations, QUANGOs, local authorities, hospitals, charities and

educational establishments.

METHODOLOGY

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RESULTS

Technology and telecoms companies - such as BT, Facebook, Google and

Apple – dominate the top ten most frequently mentioned private sector

organisations in departmental speeches. BT attracted the largest single

number of references in ministerial speeches, with 19 separate references to

the company in the past year.

An important trend to note is that the vast majority of the mentions in

ministerial speeches are either positive or simply factual. Ministers very

rarely use set piece speeches to criticise organisations, but instead use

speeches to showcase successful businesses, and see name drops as a vital

way of endorsing government schemes or projects.

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For example, the vast majority of mentions of BT – the most frequently

mentioned organisation in the research – were very positive. Ministers praised

the company for investment in broadband and spotting opportunities to

grow their market abroad, and also made a number of positive comments

about the company’s CSR credentials.

BT’s apprenticeship programme and flexible working policies were singled

out as best practice examples by ministers looking to encourage other

businesses to do more in these areas. The only negative association for BT

was by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey MP during a speech on e-privacy, when he

mentioned concerns in 2009 that a company was working with BT to track

behaviour on the internet in order to target advertising more effectively.

The most highly referenced public sector organisation was the BBC. Despite

controversy in the media about the Government’s view of the BBC, in set

piece speeches the references are exceedingly positive. Ministers from a

number of departments praised the quality of BBC’s programming, the

organisation’s role in promoting the British film industry, and highlighted

the strategic importance of the BBC World Service as part of the UK’s

foreign policy.

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TRENDS

Of course many companies will not want to be mentioned by ministers,

and therefore drawing the conclusion that organisations that are mentioned

most frequently are rated most highly by ministers would be rather crude.

However, the results do highlight some interesting trends for organisations

that do seek public recognition by ministers for their work.

1) Major UK investors and global brands continue to dominate

It is clear from this research that ministers continue to use speeches as

a way of highlighting successful businesses in the UK. Companies that

are traditionally regarded as ‘British’ brands, but that have a growing

global presence – such as BT and Tesco – tend to get singled out most

regularly. However non-British global brands that have invested in the UK

and are responsible for employment are also regularly cited. Japanese car

manufacturer Nissan, in particular, has seen a number of positive mentions

from transport and business ministers for its decision to manufacture

the Nissan Leaf in Sunderland. Highlighting these global brands helps to

reinforce the image of the UK as a leading centre for global business at a

time when inward investment is crucial.

2) Manufacturing and technology based businesses are viewed as key areas of growth by ministers

Looking at the types of businesses that ministers are mentioning, it is clear

that ministers see manufacturing and technology as key areas of growth

for the economy. Industrial and manufacturing companies such as BAE

Systems and Rolls Royce are often highlighted for their contribution to UK

plc and their innovative approaches to research and development.

Technology is cited as a growth area for the economy, and the creation of

a ‘Tech City’ in East London – which has been delivered with the support of

companies including Google, Facebook, Cisco and Intel – has led to positive

mentions for the companies involved.

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3) Media, sport and leisure related organisations are mentioned most frequently, followed closely by technology and telecoms companies

Organisations that operate in the media, sport and leisure sectors have

attracted the greatest number of mentions. However, unlike most other

sectors, the ministerial mentions are largely in relation to the work of public

sector or Lottery funded bodies. The BBC, Arts Council, NESTA and British

Film Institute, as well as the various sports governing bodies, attract far

more mentions than the businesses operating in this area.

When looking purely at mentions of businesses, technology and telecoms

companies are undoubtedly the most frequently mentioned overall.

Microsoft, Google, Apple and Intel are mentioned regularly, as are telecoms

companies such as BT, Vodafone and Virgin.

4) Social networking sites are constantly name dropped

A new trend in ministerial speeches is regular name dropping of social media

businesses and sites – predominately Facebook and Twitter. Foreign Office

ministers have highlighted the role that these sites have played in toppling

authoritarian governments and opening up the media, and ministers across

departments have highlighted how public services need to keep up with the

changing ways in which we communicate. However, in addition to talking

about the businesses themselves and what they do, these company names

are also used as by-words to allude to the views of the younger members of

society. The ‘Facebook generation’ is the new political demographic that all

parties are trying to win over.

5) The most overtly positive mentions often relate to corporate responsibility and investment in skills

For companies that do not fall under the manufacturing, technology or

telecoms sectors, it appears that the best way to get a positive mention by

ministers is to invest in (and talk about) your CSR credentials. Companies

with a strong track record in training staff, ‘greening’ their supply chains or

developing transformative (and often highly branded) CSR programmes,

such as Marks and Spencer’s ‘Plan A’, have received some of the most

overtly positive mentions of the past year.

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In fact, many big companies are only referenced because of their

sustainability credentials, and not due to their wider contribution to UK plc.

Aviva, Unilever, Nike, Nintendo, British Gas, GE, McDonalds and Rio Tinto are

all only mentioned in terms of their CSR programmes.

Companies that have invested in green technologies or research – particularly

in the areas of transport and energy – are also regularly praised, and this is

an area where many SMEs and start ups are referenced by ministers. Liberal

Democrat Transport Minister Norman Baker MP is particularly keen on name

dropping, with car firms investing in hybrid and electric technology - such

as Nissan and Toyota - amongst his favourites.

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TOP MENTIONS BY SECTOR

When broken down by sector, organisations operating in the media, sport

and leisure arena attached the largest overall number of mentions. A large

proportion of these mentions related to public sector or Lottery funded

bodies such as the BBC, Arts Council or British Film Institute, unlike many

other sectors where companies tend to attract the largest number of

references (presumably so that ministers can show that they are in touch

with the needs of business in a particular sector).

Private sector companies are mentioned most frequently when they are

involved in the technology and telecoms, transport, financial services and

energy and utilities sectors. Large retailers with well known consumer facing

brands - such as Tesco, Marks and Spencer, John Lewis and Sainsbury’s – are

also mentioned frequently.

150

140

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32

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2520

18 18 12 12Media, Sport and Leisure

Technology and Telecoms

Transport

Financial Services and Investment

Charities and Social Organisations

Education

Engineering and Industrials

Consumer Goods and Retail

Energy, Utilities and Natural Resources

150

140

95

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74

70

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32

26

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18 18 12 12Media, Sport and Leisure


Transport



Education




Health

Trade or Professional Associations

Local Authorities

Other Public Sector

Professional Services and Outsourcing

Property and Construction

Other

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Media, Sport and Leisure

With 150 individual references, organisations in the media, sport and leisure

sector have attracted the greatest number of mentions. However, unlike

most other sectors, the ministerial mentions are largely in relation to the

work of public sector or Lottery funded bodies. Over a tenth of mentions

in this sector also relate to the BBC, with most other organisations only

attracting two or three mentions each.

BBC 17

NESTA 6

Arts Council 5

British Film Institute 5

Sky 4

British Museum 3

Channel 4 3

ITV 3

Royal Opera House 3

Tate Gallery 3

Channel M 2

England and Wales Cricket Board 2

English National Opera 2

Film London 2

Football Association 2

Lawn Tennis Association 2

London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) 2

Olympic Park Legacy Company 2

Pinewood Studios 2

Rugby Football League 2

Rugby Football Union 2

The Guardian 2

Victoria and Albert Museum 2

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The Government has invested heavily in initiatives designed to boost

the technology sector, and the high number of mentions for businesses

operating in this area shows how important the Government believes this

sector will be for economic growth.

The big players in the market – such as BT, Facebook, Google and Apple –

get the most mentions in this sector but it is not only the big brands that

are getting singled out by ministers. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd was

referred to as the world’s leading maker of small satellites by BIS ministers,

and the growth of software company the Autonomy Corporation has been

hailed as an example of the potential in the market by Prime Minister David

Cameron.

BT 19

Facebook 13

Google 11

Apple 10

Virgin/Virgin Media 8

IBM 7

Twitter 6

Vodafone 6

Intel 4

Astrium 3

Mircrosoft 3

Automony Corporation 2

Cable & Wireless 2

Cisco 2

Hewlett Packard 2

Infosys 2

Safari Telecom 2

Skype 2

Surrey Satellite Technology 2

Youtube 2

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Transport

Rolls-Royce achieves more than double the number of mentions of its

nearest competitors, and this is only partly down to the fact that the

company is involved in both the production of cars and aeroplane engines.

Rolls-Royce’s apprenticeship and graduate programmes have also attracted

the attention of ministers, and the company is also regularly cited as an

example of British engineering excellence.

In rail, the Government’s flagship programme, Crossrail, is mentioned

frequently as an example of the Government’s commitment to investment in

UK infrastructure. Network Rail is also mentioned frequently. The mentions

largely relate to improvements in punctuality and reliability, and actual or

potential changes to the organisation’s funding and governance.

Rolls Royce 13

Airbus 6

Jaguar Land-Rover 6

Network Rail 6

Nissan 5

Boeing 4

Crossrail 4

Toyota 4

Deutsche Bahn 3

London Underground 3

AA 2

China Eastern Airlines 2

Eurostar 2

Lotus 2

Smith Electric Vehicles 2

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Despite the perception most high street banks are constantly being

barracked by ministers, in fact many large banks have been cited as best

practice examples of corporate social responsibility. HSBC in particular has

been successful in getting ministerial endorsement for its Climate Change

Fund, staff volunteering projects and the work it has done with NGOs and

other businesses on sustainable forestry. The company’s global reach and

success in Asia has also led to a number of mentions.

HSBC 11

Barclays 9

Standard Chartered 8

Lloyds Bank 6

Deutsche Bank 4

BNP Paribas 3

Co-operative 3

JP Morgan 3

Santander 3

It is worth noting, however, that many of the names mentioned above did

benefit from double-counting, having been mentioned in two strikingly

similar speeches by Treasury ministers Mark Hoban MP and Lord Sassoon:

“Geography might suggest that Britain is an island, but in terms of financial services we are inseparably connected to all nations – including India. If you walk down a high street in the UK you can as easily walk into your local branch of a foreign owned bank as you can to walk into Lloyds or RBS. In the City, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas and JP Morgan jostle for business alongside Barclays Capital, Rothschilds, Standard Chartered and HSBC.”

Lord Sassoon, Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, 7 September 2010

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The Government’s commitment to the concept of the ‘Big Society’ has

meant that charities and social enterprises have attracted large numbers

of mentions in ministerial speeches in the past year, although interestingly

the vast majority of charities only get mentioned on one occasion. The

exception is Relate, the national charity that offers family, relationship and

sexual counselling services, although admittedly seven out of eight of the

mentions all occurred in one speech. In December 2010 the Prime Minister,

David Cameron MP, gave a speech on families and relationships to an event

hosted by relate in Leeds, during which he praised the work the charity has

done with children and families.

Relate 8

Royal British Legion 3

RSPB 3

Whizzkids 2

Fairtrade 2

X Prize Foundation 2

Help for Heroes 2

First Step Trust 2

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 2

Marie Curie Cancer Care 2

Clinton Foundation 2

“Whilst geography might tell us that Britain is an island, in terms of financial services we are inseparably joined to world markets, not least to European markets. The UK has extensive experience of the benefits that opening up domestic markets to competition can bring. If you walk down a high street in Britain you are as likely to walk into your local branch of Santander as you are to walk into Lloyd’s or Barclays. In the City, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas jostle for business alongside Barclays Capital, Citi, Nomura, JP Morgan and HSBC.”

Mark Hoban MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 2 June 2010

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Education

Universities dominate the mentions by organisations operating in the

education sector, and unsurprisingly Oxbridge and Russell Group universities

attract the most attention. Although most mentions are positive, Oxford

and Cambridge did attract some criticism from the Prime Minister for the

number of students they admit from Eton and Westminster schools, and the

low numbers of entrants from ethnic minorities.

Many of the mentions relate to research and development being undertaken

by the various universities. The University of Abertay’s centre of excellence

for the video games industry has attracted significant attention from

ministers in BIS, DCMS and the Scotland Office.

University of Oxford 9

Imperial College London 7

University College London 4

University of Abertay 4

University of Cambridge 4

Open University 4

Student Loans Company 3

John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2

Skillset 2

University of Leicester 2

University of Manchester 2

University of Sheffield 2

Birkbeck College 2

De Montford University 2

17


Engineering companies involved in defence continue to attract significant

interest from ministers, particularly in relation to research and development

of new equipment. Despite controversy a few years ago over the purchase

of Jaguar Land Rover by Indian steel company Tata, and the almost

immediate request for a government loan, Tata is now regularly cited as a

positive business example.

Business Secretary Vince Cable MP, Chancellor George Osborne MP and

Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan MP have all spoken about recent visits to

Tata plants in ministerial speeches, and have welcomed the fact that the

company is now the largest manufacturing employer in the UK.

Tata 8

BAE Systems 6

JCB 5

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd 3

Mott McDonald 3


In the battle of the supermarkets, Tesco’s international expansion in recent

years has meant that it is a preferred ministerial case study for the potential

for British business around the world. When it comes to positive CSR

mentions however, Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer undoubtedly win the

battle. Interestingly all of the mentions of John Lewis have been made by

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley MP as an example of the productivity and

morale benefits associated with employee ownership.

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Tesco 6

John Lewis / Waitrose 5

Marks & Spencer 5

Sainsbury’s 5

Diageo 3

eBay 3

Unilever 3

Morrisons 2

Procter and Gamble 2


Despite the controversy over the company’s role in the Gulf oil spill in

2010, ministers have still found opportunities to highlight the investment

successes of BP, particularly in the Middle East and Asia. Surprisingly

energy companies are rarely mentioned in ministerial set piece speeches,

despite the fact that energy issues are a recurring topic. EDF Energy is the

only one of the major energy utilities that is acknowledged more than once,

with mentions covering the company’s plans for investment in new nuclear

and its CSR programmes.

BP 4

Shell 3

EDF Energy 3

Siemens 2

Ofgem 2

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Health

Health represents a significant section of the economy and touches upon

a number of Whitehall departments, including Business, Innovation and

Skills, Education, the Treasury and of course Health. Most mentions tend

to focus on charities (see the Charities and Social Organisations section),

representatives or hospitals. For the latter, the NHS reforms will make

such profile increasingly important as they seek to compete for attention

and business, although in the case of Mid Staffs, the hospital may be keen

to receive rather less attention. References to commercial suppliers of

healthcare or healthy products are relatively sparse and –predictably – are

dominated by pharmaceutical companies with large UK operations (who

therefore employ significant numbers of people and are major investors in

the economy).

GlaxoSmithKline 5

Astra Zeneca 3

Mid Staffs / Stafford Hospitals 3

Pfizer 2

NHS Confederation 2

Queen Elizabeth II Hospital 2

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Professional Services and Outsourcing

Despite the public service reform agenda and the increased focus on

outsourcing, professional services and outsourcing companies only attracted

a small number of ministerial mentions last year. Only two companies –

McKinsey and Co and Wipro – managed more than one mention. Both of

Wipro’s mentions were made during trips to India by Business Secretary

Vince Cable MP and Prime Minister David Cameron MP, whereas McKinsey

and Co’s investment in technology start ups and the ‘Tech City’ in East

London attracted some attention from ministers.

Property and Construction

Although many of the big players in property and construction – such as

Balfour Beatty, Laing O’Rourke and Taylor Woodrow – were mentioned in

ministerial speeches last year, only one was mentioned more than once;

Carillion. Interestingly most of the mentions of property and construction

companies related to investment in areas such as the Middle East, rather

than topical mentions on issues such as skills, infrastructure or investment

in the housing sector.

For more information on the research behind this report, or

to discuss any of the findings, please contact Fiona Holroyde,

Managing Director Public Affairs, MHP Communications.

[email protected]

0203 128 8100

www.mhpc.com