Welcome to richardirvine.com, my communication and digital consultancy.
Things I strongly believe:
- We should find the simplest, clearest message possible. And start from there
- Plain language, with no jargon or buzzwords, wins every time
- Two ears, one mouth is the correct ratio for all communication

Services
Digital strategy
Who are your people, what do they want and how do you make it easy for them to get it? What’s a retweet anyway, and how do I treat it if it bites me? Is Snapchat still going or what?
If you’re not clear on your story and how to tell it online, you may as well set your communication and digital efforts on fire. Putting solid building blocks in place like a simple strategy and engaging core story, backed up by effective planning and execution is crucial to truly engage your customers or stakeholders.
Why you should work with me
My background is in-house and agency communications and I’ve designed digital communication strategy for Telecom, New Zealand Cricket and Fonterra, among others.
It’s my job to listen, really listen, to what you’re trying to achieve, and about the problems you’re having getting there, and help build and deliver a solution that’s right for you. I DON’T DO BUZZWORDS or try and impress you with acronyms you’ll have forgotten in three months time. Sorry!
Social media
Why do otherwise engaging, articulate and funny humans freeze in front of their keyboards and suddenly sound like a toaster’s instruction book? Your voice is a big part of your brand, and if your online persona doesn’t match who you are, you’re missing out on real and human connections with your customers and stakeholders.
Why you should work with me
I helped make Talking To People On The Internet (shock! horror!) a part of what we did every day at Telecom waaaaay back in 2010. It worked, and I took that approach to New Zealand Cricket, and then Fonterra, helping build communities and credibility.
Oh, and if you don’t have social media platforms like a Facebook page, Instagram account or Twitter, I’ll set them up properly for you and train you how to use them. All in plain language.
Media relations and publicity
A phone call from a journalist is a chance to get your story out into the wild – I can help you work with the media, including media strategy, content creation, issue and crisis management, media releases and more.
Why you should work with me
I know how to balance the media’s needs with those of your organisation, helping secure great coverage while building an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship.
I managed media for the BLACKCAPS on two tours to Bangladesh, including the ICC World T20 2014, negotiating powercuts, gastro-related issues and time differences to ensure media needs were met both at home and away. This included shooting and distributing video and audio packages, running media conferences, sending media releases and arranging interviews in Bangladesh and back home in New Zealand.
Background
I’ve worked as an independent contractor and freelancer since 2018, offering communications and digital services.
I decided to give it a crack out on my own after working for Fonterra, New Zealand Cricket and Telecom (Spark) in communications, media and digital and social media.
It makes me extremely proud to have contributed to three New Zealand-headquartered organisations, because this is the best country in the world.
I’ve been incredibly lucky to be part of some of the country’s best corporate affairs teams, negotiating some extremely public, high pressure and challenging issues along the way. I’d really love to put that experience to work for your organisation.
Life-wise, my family and friends are more important than anything for me. After that it’s cricket, cycling, reading, playing guitar, binging Scandi crime drama and writing my newsletter.
Selected highlights
- Chipping in for Kane Williamson on The Spinoff – 2018
- Talking BLACKCAPS, cricket world cup and digital on the Sports Geek podcast – 2015
- Talking alternative cricket commentary on RNZ’s Mediawatch – 2015
- Selling NZ to the world in the Irish Times – 2014
- Talking commentators and bloggers on RNZ’s Mediawatch – 2008
Here I am talking cricket and digital at Auckland’s social media club in 2013:
One Comment
Great read this morning Rich! Loved this weeks newsletter mate.