Here’s a round-up of PR news from across the Easter period, including a new hire at Red Consultancy, big wins for Smarts Communicate and FleishmanHillard Fishburn and Hacks vs Flaks.
Alister’s tHOUGHTs ON: Why you should care about PR measurement
Interviews
Clemmie Moodie, associate showbiz editor at The Sun on Sunday, talks about her Press Awards win, how she likes to work with PRs and her dream showbiz story.
Inside the campaign
Miranda Osborne, brand director at Carling, discusses its Made Local campaign, how the brand is using PR as part of campaign and what success looks like.
Opinion
Holly Ashford, senior content manager at Babel PR, argues that in this very visual world, there is always a place for well-crafted copy.
Dominic Pollard, director at City Road Communications, reveals the PR mistakes startups make and how to avoid them.
Jack Lamacraft, MD of brand experience agency The Park, discusses the ways in which marketers can maximise the effectiveness of experiential campaigns.
People news
Red Consultancy has appointed Sam Bowen to its newly created insights and strategy director position. Bowen will strengthen the agency’s ability to offer clients robust and creative consultancy based on deeper audience insight and analysis.
Hayley Barlow has been appointed as director of communications, press and public affairs for Channel 4 News. She was previously head of Channel 4 News.
Rewired has promoted Harj Millington to director. She joins the agency’s board and becomes a shareholder in the business.
Retail specialist marketing agency BWP Group has hired Catherine Warrilow as PR and comms business director. She will support B2C and B2B campaigns across a diverse range of retail and brand accounts.
Liz Lean PR has appointed Belinda Rastall as a senior account manager as the agency looks to grow following a number of new client wins.
William Murray has promoted Fiona Hamilton from group account director to associate director. The agency has also promoted Anna Berry to account manager who was previously a junior account manager.
Account wins
Home appliance manufacturer BSH UK and Ireland has appointed Smarts Communicate to manage consumer comms campaigns for its Bosch, NEFF, Siemens and Gaggenau brands.
Diageo has selected FleishmanHillard Fishburn to manage the European PR for its Tanqueray gin brand. The agency’s brief includes cementing Tanqueray in culture across Europe and working with its in-house brand team to propel growth.
Flora has appointed TALK.GLOBAL as its lead PR agency in the UK. TALK.GLOBAL will oversee the brand’s relaunch with an integrated campaign.
The Diana Award has appointed b. the agency to raise awareness of its 2019 #change_makers campaign.
The Hard Rock Cafe restaurant group has selected Jam_ to handle PR for its Manchester venue. The agency will be responsible for building region-wide consumer awareness, while also driving footfall during key periods and events throughout the year.
British Swimming has appointed Promote PR to manage marketing and comms for the 2019 IPC World Para Swimming Championships.
John Doe has announced two new client wins. The agency will handle events for Martell Cognac’s Afro Pop strategy, while it has been also been appointed to handle UK PR and events for global restaurant discovery app The Infatuation.
Natural food brand Cru8 has appointed Palm PR to manage a PR campaign across consumer, trade and business media.
Premium Burgundy wine estate Chateau de Pommard has appointed Clementine Communications to handle consumer and trade media relations, events and profile opportunities in UK and European press.
Bland PR has added two new clients to its portfolio. The agency will help shape the comms strategy of The Apprentice runner-up Camilla Ainsworth’s M+LKPLUS nut juice drink, while also being selected to promote vegan popped chips brand Hawker’s Snacks.
Picture credit: Ian McManus
The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan has selected The Lucre Group as its UK PR and content agency. It will handle the launch of the new brand, lead its social strategy and support the existing in-house press office team.
Boutique co-working offices Le Bureau has appointed Milk & Honey PR to build the brand’s position as a home for start-ups and entrepreneurs in south west London.
Remote site construction, operations and maintenance provider RA International has appointed Hudson Sandler as its retained corporate and financial comms adviser.
Argentinian wine firm Vinalba has appointed Phipps Relations as its UK PR agency to develop consumer awareness of its wine portfolio.
Medtech firm Medovate has appointed Farrer Kane to assist with product launches, media relations and event support.
Property tech firm PlanRadar has appointed The PHA Group to oversee and implement its strategic UK PR and comms output.
NESSA, the vegan recovery skincare brand for new mums, has selected Christina Moore PR to handle all press and influencer activity.
Agency news
Claire Keegan
Manchester-based integrated comms agency One has launched a new strategic planning division. It has promoted Claire Keegan to strategic planner to lead the division.
Grace Publicity, a new agency which oversees press and publicity for celebrities, influencers and politicians, has now launched.
Awards news
Creative Moment has announced the newly-formulated Creative Moment Awards. The awards are designed to celebrate the best of the UK creative sector.
There are 36 categories which are now open for entries, with the final deadline for submissions on 14 June. The ceremony will take place at the Montcalm Marble Arch Hotel in London on 26 September.
Hacks vs Flaks
Picture credit: Justin Thomas
The 2019 Hacks vs Flaks Easter Sports Day takes place this Sunday at the Club des Sports in East Acton. Netball and football players from PR and journalism are raising money for mental health charity Mind – with generous sponsorship from Blackstock PR, EY, FTI Consulting, Sharpener Communications, City & Docklands and VisMedia (among others).
This is the 14th instalment of Hacks vs Flaks, which has raised nearly £400,000 for more than 20 charities.
“Hacks v Flaks is a fun day and open to all – come along and see what it’s like. Most of us live with mental health issues in one way or another, through our own experiences or those close to us, so we’re delighted to support the great work of Mind this year,” said Ed Berry and Jamie Ricketts, from FTI Consulting.
Any supporters, sponsors or players looking to take part should contact Ed Berry or Jamie Ricketts at FTI Consulting: edward.berry@fticonsulting.com / 020 3727 1046, or jamie.ricketts@fticonsulting.com / 020 3737 1624.
The teams are as follows:
Netball Teams
Hacks
- Anna White, Freelance
- Chloe Cuplan, Sky News
- Olivia Prutz, Sky News
- Ros Snowdon, Yorkshire Post
- Holly Jones, BBC News
- Yasmin Omar, Town & Country
- Emma Dow, The Daily Telegraph
- Maddie Grant, The Daily Telegraph
- Jodie McEwan, The Times
- Hannah Rogers, The Times
- Rosie Klein, The Times
Flaks
- Sorrelle Cooper, Sharpener Communications
- Vicky Conybeer, EY
- Felicity Young, City & Docklands
- Viv Onslow, Oracle
- Kristie Nanson, Oracle
- Rebecca Warden Brown, Instinctif
- Imogen Long, Four
- Tahlie Cooper, Edelman
- Laura Bertrand, Edelman
- Dom Staindl, .Ing
- Emma Walsh, Milltown Partners
- Tessa Bruyns, Euromoney
- Hanna Smith, Grayling
- Amanda Healy, Finsbury
- Natalie Toman, Finsbury
Football Teams
Hacks
- Nick Clark, The Stage (c)
- Dan Hyde, The Mail on Sunday
- Matthew Pettipher, Financial Times
- Ben McLannahan, Financial Times
- Thomas Hale, Financial Times
- Mark Kleinman, Sky
- Hamish Birrell, The Economist
- John Crowley, Freelance
- Henry Deedes, Daily Mail
- Jamie Nimmo, London Evening Standard
- Sam Meadows, The Daily Telegraph
- Richard Partington, The Guardian
- Alex Ralph, The Times
- Will Turville, The Mail on Sunday
- Luke Jeffs, Euromoney (manager)
Flaks
- Peter Folland, Cinven
- Carl Philip Brandgard, Simmons & Simmons
- Craig Terrington, Fidelity
- Tom Portingale, Nationwide
- Jamie Ricketts, FTI Consulting (c)
- Ben Mascall, Headland
- Sam Kane, 3 Monkeys
- Tom Bermingham, Brands2Life
- Lewis Durkin, Brands2Life
- Kwaku Aning, FTI Consulting
- Calum Macdougall, MHP Communications
- Simon Thiel, Milltown Partners
- Ben Novick, Milltown Partners
- Ed Brown, Smithfield
- Harry Williams, Blackstock PR
- Adam Davidson, FTI Consulting
- Ben Roberts, Blackstock PR
- Jamie Bullen, Blackstock PR
About Alister Houghton
Alister writes about the PR and comms industry as content marketing manager at Cision. Send press releases, interview pitches, Inside the Campaign/PR case study examples and thought leadership pieces to alister.houghton@cision.com.