The one with many celebrations

You read that right – we've started the month with a few celebrations, but you'll have to read through to the end before we spill those beans!

First up, we've got another news digest hot off the digital press. You'll want to listen to this one if you're interested in upcoming social media trends and editing Instagram reels.

For those of you who want to up your PR game, we've also got a great case study for the power of persistence and some tips for crafting compelling stories for businesses.

And after that? Well, as I said, you'll have to read on to find out exactly what (or who) we've been celebrating ??

Digital digest ??

TikTok launches 2025 marketing calendar for SMEs

The report is full of timely insights into the upcoming months. It was specifically developed to help companies and creators maximise seasonal opportunities and predict trends.

The most valuable thing here is that this doesn't just give you the key dates and events – it pairs them with actionable insights that are specific and relevant. You can find a heads-up on trends to tap into, learn about valuable stats to guide your content, and help shape a relevant yet meaningful strategy.

Our top tip here, though, is to make sure you apply that relevance filter when reviewing each month. Think about whether each event, trend, or insight is something that you can meaningfully engage with or whether it's something better left to other creators and businesses.

?? Download the full report for the UK and Ireland

Meta announces its video editing app to rival CapCut??

The timing of this is no coincidence. Meta has a history of making strategic moves to fill market gaps, and the uncertainty of TikTok and CapCut’s accessibility in the US has likely played a role here.?So, you can expect this to function?as a rival to CapCut, and other video editing tools that combine app-specific insights and trends.

What is Edits??A free, simplified video editing tool for mobile creators, developed by and linked with Instagram.

What features will 'Edits' have?

• The ability to export videos without a watermark?
• The option to capture videos of up to 10 minutes in the app?and store drafts
• Clip-level editing and auto-enhance features
• Effects like green screen, overlays, and transitions?
• A?dedicated tab for inspiration, including trending audio insights and a real-time overview of what’s popular in the app ?
• The option to record in higher quality, including HDR, 1080p, etc.??
• Access to analytics to assess content performance?

Where can you find it? The app is yet to be released, but it’s expected to launch across app stores on?13 March.?

?? Sign up for the app

Tips and insights – practical and powerful PR ????

How a PR opportunity sparked two national media hits 365 days later?

PR can truly be the gift that keeps on giving. You plant the seeds with one well-placed piece of content, and sometimes, they sprout into unexpected opportunities down the line.

When BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live called up our founder, Jessica Morgan , to feature live on air, it wasn’t just a career highlight. It was a testament to the power of PR.

You’re probably wondering how that happened.

The story started over a year ago… and continues in my latest blog. It's well worth the read if you want to understand the long-term benefits of PR, not to mention our checklist for making sure your business is prepared to maximise PR opportunities like these.

The power of good storytelling

“You’re never going to kill storytelling because it’s built-in the human plan. We come with it.” – Margaret Atwood

Storytelling is built into our DNA. For as long as we’ve existed, humans have shared stories. Leigh-Ann Hewer , account director and children's writer, explains the power of good storytelling just in time for National Storytelling Week. She also reminds us of three things that might be easy to forget but are foolish to ignore.

?? Storytelling in business

At Carnsight?– a week of celebrations ??

People in the pipeline

Helping to grow and support the next generation of creatives is part of our future-focused approach. We're always open to opportunities to help nurture the amazing talent we're surrounded by in the South West. One of the ways that we do this is by giving people the opportunity to gain valuable experience.

This week, we're celebrating the prospect of bringing two new people into our office for a few weeks over the coming months.

We'll be welcoming a talented intern and ex-journalist for a few weeks this February. We're also slated to have a university student join us on placement for a week in April. We look forward to introducing you all to these two wonderful people when they join us.

National Storytelling Week

As a communications agency, you can bet we're fully on board with shining a spotlight on storytelling (and not just this week but every week!). For us, that train left the station many, many years ago.

"Stories teach us about the world; they allow us to step into someone else’s shoes and feel empathy; they help us to relax and escape, and they can help develop essential literacy skills."

They're also an essential business tool (and asset!). Trust us – that's literally part of our job ??

This week has been a joyful celebration of the power of sharing stories. We've explored what story means to us as PRs and social media managers and also what it means to people and businesses like you. We've shared our top tips for crafting powerful stories for your business and highlighted some of the best chapters to seek out in our eBook, Powerfully Practical PR.

Cotswold Networking turns three!

Jess celebrated three years of Cotswold Networking in Malmesbury last night. She heard from Dan Randell-Sly of The Chopping Block Shop and enjoyed celebratory treats from the amazing team at Truffle & Thyme. Big congratulations to Angela Roberts for this exciting milestone! You've built something well worth celebrating.