Recently by Alistair Houghton

FACEBOOK can be a boon and not a burden to business - that's the message from Merseyside users of the popular website after employers were told that social networking breaks could help improve staff performance.
And LDP Creative is offering you the chance to have your say by taking part in our poll below.

HERE'S the latest from LDP Creative blogger Dougal Paver:

I was in Vigo last week and there were some interesting parallels with Liverpool: Big north west seaport; ship building; premier league footy team; proud Celtic connections and even their own beer (Estrella de Galicia - best served cold).

THEATRICAL marketer Bill Elms is celebrating the first birthday of his own PR firm.

LDP Creative has been trawling the internet for stories that may be of interest to you - here's a small selection.

MERSEYSIDE drinks giant Halewood International has criticised the British Medical Association's call for a total ban on alcohol advertising.
The BMA said yesterday that there should be a total ban on alcohol advertising, including happy hours and sponsorship of music and sporting events.

SO WE'RE all apparently hooked on Twitter and Facebook, et al, but are these and other social networking sites actually businesses or lifestyle projects?

DESIGN and brand consultancy Uniform has been commissioned to design and produce the 2010 Liverpool City Region Visitor Guide for The Mersey Partnership.

DOUGAL Paver is away - but here's fellow Paver Smith founder and director Martyn Best with his take on this Thursday's Twestival

TWITTERERS here and Twitterers there will be descending on Liverpool this coming Thursday, 10th September, for a "Twestival".
The Leaf Tea Shop and Bar in Jamaica Street will host the second such Twestival and the 807 followers of @lpooltwestival are bracing themselves for the revealing of all secret identities.

LIVERPOOL is set to stage the city's second fundraising Twitter Festival - Twestival - with proceeds going to boost the work of Clatterbridge Cancer Research.
Users of the online social media site Twitter - a favourite with celebrities such as Stephen Fry, Lily Allen and Philip Schofield - raised £500 for international aid organisation "charity.water" at the first Twestival held in February, and after being given the opportunity to choose a local charity for the second fundraising event, opted for Clatterbridge.

SIX Merseyside and Cheshire organisations have this morning been shortlisted in this year's Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) North West PRide Awards.