Here’s a bumper round-up of PR news from the last two weeks, featuring Cision’s latest white paper on influencer marketing, senior hires at Newgate and Hills Balfour, and big wins for Fever and DeVries Global.
Is influencer marketing a busted flush?
Once the apple of marketers’ eyes, influencer marketing is now on the naughty step.
A series of scandals, ranging from the buying of fake followers to influencers being willing to promote anything that moves if they’re paid to do so, has undermined the sector, potentially fatally.
Our latest white paper – Is influencer marketing a busted flush? – details why the sector has lost its sheen and what the potential consequences could be.
It provides examples of influencer campaigns which have been brilliantly executed and examines what the future of the sector will look like, including the strategies communicators can implement to do more than simply pay influencers for a post.
Find out what working with influencers will look like in future and download our white paper now by filling in the form below.
Interviews
For Cision’s latest white paper on influencer marketing, Influencer Champions asked Em Sheldon, Scarlett London and Travel Mad Mum for their views on the sector.
Michael Evans, managing partner at Madano, discusses the agency’s 15th anniversary, how Madano has evolved, and the importance of proving outcomes in comms.
Opinion
Katie Watts, senior press officer at MoneySavingExpert, explains how the site builds its own influencers, the reasons behind this strategy and the benefits it brings.
Barbara Watson, director of brand and content at Launch, gives her view on what the future holds for influencer marketing.
Barbara Watson
Jess Pardoe, digital PR and outreach executive at SEO agency Tecmark, provides an SEO perspective on the importance of earned media.
David Shimwell, franchise recruitment manager at disaster recovery and specialist cleaning firm Rainbow International, presents his top tips for how franchises can maximise their PR efforts.
People news
MMGY Hills Balfour has appointed Caroline Moultrie as managing director. Previously executive vice president of the World Travel & Tourism Council, Moultrie will join the agency on 16 September.
Newgate Communications has hired Debbie Standen as a partner. Standen joins the agency’s property division, having previously managed strategic campaigns for the likes of Taylor Wimpey Central London, Berkeley Homes and Lendlease in her career.
Debbie Standen
Comms consultancy JBP has promoted three new directors to its board. Strategic engagement director James Hinchcliffe and operations director Julie Williams will join the board immediately, while senior counsel Chris Hayward will take up his position on the board in September.
Launch has recruited Robin Invest as associate creative director. Invest will report directly to agency founder Johnny Pitt and will drive the agency’s creative output.
Robin Invest (left) and Johnny Pitt
Prova PR has appointed Laura Priestley as B2B account director. Previously head of B2B at Superdream, Priestley will utilise her experience in the energy and tech sectors to across the agency’s clients.
Laura Priestley
Stand Agency has hired Salonee Gadgil as digital content director. She will work with clients to expand their digital offering.
FieldHouse Associates has appointed business journalist Zen Terrelonge as content manager, where he will drive the agency’s content strategy.
Account wins
Toshiba TV Europe has appointed Fever to launch its new range of TVs and manage the brand’s social channels in the UK. Fever will develop and implement and integrated campaign target technology, consumer, and lifestyle media, as well as ongoing social content creation for Toshiba’s social channels.
Intercontinental Hotel Group has selected DeVries Global as its global comms agency of record for its luxury and boutique brands. The agency is tasked with raising awareness of the group’s luxury credentials through brand PR campaigns, media relations and supporting key new hotel openings.
Bletchley Park has appointed Kallaway to raise its profile and drive footfall to the attraction.
Cummins, a Fortune 500 manufacturer and distributor of engines, filtration and power generation products, has appointed the transatlantic partnership of Bray Leino and The Mx Group as its comms agencies of record.
Bed retailer Dreams has appointed M&C Saatchi Public Relations as its retained UK consumer comms agency. It will handle brand strategy and planning, creative and strategic press office and influencer relations for the brand.
Speed Communications has announced two client wins. Chartered accountancy firm PKF Francis Clark has tabbed Speed to promote the business in the Bristol area as it opens a new office in the area, as well as celebrating its centenary. The agency will also handle comms for national recruitment firm Resource Solutions Group.
32West has secured three new clients. Home fragrance company Wax Lyrical has selected the agency as its PR and content partner. 32West has also been appointed to handle PR and content for engineering firms REACT and Forth Engineering.
HR technology platform Hibob has appointed Hotwire to manage its UK PR programme. The agency will look to increase awareness of both the company and its growing customer base.
Food platform Food.Social, described as the Airbnb of restaurants, has appointed Plus 1 Communications to drive brand awareness in the UK.
Haven Power, an electricity supplier to businesses, has selected Whiteoaks International to raise the profile of the firm’s renewable electricity and services.
Accsys, the chemical technology group focused on the acetylation of wood, has appointed FTI Consulting to handle its PR and financial communications. The FTI team working on the account will consist of managing directors Matthew O’Keeffe and Alex Le May with support from senior consultant Cally Billimore and consultant Anna Jones.
Specialist build environment agency becg has announced four client wins. The agency will handle a planning comms brief for care home sector developer Frontier Estates, promote two development sites for land fund company Generator Strategic Land, create a graduate recruitment campaign for tech firm Smiths Group and manage PR for housing association Thrive Homes.
“Naked PR Girl” Claire Etchell has been appointed to a number of new briefs. She will handle PR, marketing and social for the relaunched Young Chef Young Waiter competition, as well as managing PR for Yogi Footwear’s new womenswear range.
Aesthetic and cosmeceutical brand TEOXANE Laboratories has appointed Aisle 8 to handle its comms. The agency will manage all brand, product and editorial requests, stakeholder profiling, events and new product launches.
Self-heating eye mask brand Spacemasks has appointed Kilpatrick to handle its UK press and influencer comms.
Online clothing firm Everlane has appointed The Communications Store as its PR representative in the UK market.
Trade body Washington State Wine has appointed Sopexa to launch a new PR and marketing campaign to grow its presence in the UK.
Electric car brand Lightyear has selected LEWIS to launch its Lightyear One solar-powered car.
Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry, which represents the country’s asset management and investment fund community, has appointed Peregrine Communications to deliver an integrated marcomms strategy to enhance Luxembourg’s position as an international fund centre.
Agency news
Travel PR specialist LOTUS has launched a regional business in Asia. LOTUS Asia’s headquarters will be in Malaysia, supported by a team in Singapore.
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.