PR news round-up (24-28 June)

Here’s a round-up of PR news from the past week, including highlights from CommsCon X Insights, the CIPR Excellence Awards and new wins for Launch, Clarion Communications and Milk & Honey PR.

CommsCon X Insights

Thank you to everyone who battled through the poor weather and transport disruptions to attend CommsCon X Insights on Tuesday! If you were not able to make it, or want a reminder of the great insights from our speakers, watch our highlights video and read our review of the event and individual sessions:

• The key takeaways from CommsCon X Insights
• Cision senior research analyst Jazmine Duncan discusses the Insight into reality session
• Andra Chezan, senior research analyst at Cision, blogs about the How does PR prepare for the age of AI? panel

Keep an eye out for the rest of our session reviews early next week.

Awards news

Taylor Herring and Pegasus took home multiple gongs at this week’s CIPR Excellence Awards. Both agencies secured two campaign awards, while Taylor Herring won the prestigious Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy prize. A full list of winners can be found here.

People news

Sonja Robertson

Milk & Honey PR has appointed Sonja Robertson as editorial director. She will head excellence in content production, with particular focus on listed clients and fintech.

Engine | MHP has made two senior appointments to its newly-formed brand and reputation practice. Sam Holl joins the team as director, while Emily Wescott has been hired as an account director.

Prova has announced two new hires. The agency has appointed Christopher Foster as chief operating officer and Anthony Hornsby as senior account manager.

Christopher Foster

Account wins

British animation studio Aardman has appointed Riot Communications to handle its corporate comms.

Cheese and dairy supplier Savencia Fromage & Dairy has appointed Clarion Communications as the UK PR agency for cheese brand Saint Agur. The agency will launch an influencer campaign to promote the brand’s partnership with chef Raymond Blanc, as part of a larger consumer media relations remit.

Science magazine New Scientist has appointed The Brighter Group, a Finn Partners Company to launch and manage PR for its 2020/2021 Discovery Tours.

GUARDHOG, the home-sharing insurance brand, has appointed Launch to position it as a market leader through a PR and content programme.

The Disruption House, the benchmarking and data analytics firm for finance companies, has selected Milk & Honey PR to manage all of its external comms, encompassing everything from brand identity to reputation management.

Cross-border trade finance provider Stenn International has appointed Frank to deliver a wide-ranging corporate PR brief.

Children’s furniture and equipment brand Stokke has selected Rooster PR to implement an integrated PR, social media and influencer programme to build media and consumer brand awareness.

Visit Dana Point has appointed Black Diamond as its first international PR agency. Black Diamond will promote the Californian destination to the UK and Irish markets.

Health and wellbeing drink brand Captain Kombucha has appointed Smoking Gun to handle trade and consumer media relations.

The Sports Integrity Global Alliance, a coalition pushing for reform to the integrity and governance of sport, has engaged The PR Office to handle a social and traditional media relations project.

Wellbeing brand LA-EVA has selected LEAF as its comms agency.

Agency news

Hopscotch, the French communications group, has acquired a majority stake in food, drink and lifestyle agency the Sopexa Group, after taking its shareholding from 30.5% to 66%.

MMGY-owned Hills Balfour has brought in a new leadership structure. Managing director Jonathan Sloan has stepped down from his position following 17 years of service, with Amanda Hills, founder and president of Hills Balfour Europe and Middle East continuing in her role, with the restructure leading to the following changes:

• Sam Hancock will be promoted to associate director, overseeing a variety of flagship clients and incorporating the Hills Balfour events division into his role
• Rosina Bradshaw will be promoted to associate director, with her role expanding to include responsibility for digital and special projects activity between all European and Middle East companies within the MMGY group
• Associate director Jo Hartley will become associate director and head of PR for Hills Balfour Europe and Dubai
• Rhys Powell will take on a new role as head of sales for MMGY/Hills Balfour
• Associate director Russell Meara will integrate his role more closely with head of HR and operations Peter Balfour, in addition to newly appointed MMGY group financial controller Nimmi Shah
• Jane Nicholson will undertake a new head of campaigns and promotions role until the end of the year, covering Rosina Bradshaw’s upcoming maternity leave until her return in 2020
• Simon Gidman will join Hills Balfour on 8 July as MMGY Global, director of business development, Europe and Middle East.