PR news round-up (21 May – 1 June)
Our latest round-up of essential PR news, featuring five influencer marketing tips from Golin, account wins for Frank and how technology is revolutionising the comms industry.
Why it’s time for CMOs to embrace PR and comms
Consumers trust earned media more than any other kind of marketing. It can generate the greatest returns. And yet most companies are still under investing in it.
The reason for this is simple. Company execs want to be confident their investments are generating returns. But for years, comms professionals have struggled to measure the business impact of their campaigns with the same accuracy as their colleagues in paid and owned media.
That is, until now.
Thought leadership
Will Cooke, executive director, strategy and innovation at Golin, presents his five top tips to hone your influencer marketing strategy.
PR case study
Discover how Brands2Life helped Moonpig’s Valentine’s Day cards to stand out by forming a partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant to send organ donor cards to loved ones.
Account wins
The Apprentice winner Ricky Martin, founder of Hyper Recruitment Solutions, has appointed Manc Frank to handle PR for both himself and his company.
Ricky Martin
Tech PR agency CCgroup has celebrated three new recent account wins. It is the new global PR agency of record for Travelex Currency Solutions, helping the brand to establish itself as a fintech giant. Public service network provider MLL Telecom and Swedish fibre-to-the-home company VXFIBER have also appointed CCgroup as their UK PR agencies.
MediaCityUK communications agency Rule 5 has been selected to deliver social media training for 15 Nando’s employees working at restaurants across Scotland, Ireland and the North of England.
Mural and wallpaper firm Rock Roll has appointed Little Red Rooster to manage its press office, handle hero product launches and oversee influencer outreach in the UK and Ireland.
Health drinks brand For Goodness Shakes has made Impero its lead creative agency to relaunch the brand and deliver its first full scale social campaign, Feel the Good.
Yogi Footwear has hired Claire Etchell as a consultant for its relaunched premium brand. Etchell will handle the brand’s PR strategy, including brand partnerships, press and influencer relations.
Propeller PR has a won brief to promote the ad:tech, Technology for Marketing and eCommerce Expo conferences for online retail association IMRG and exhibition business CloserStill Media.
Aduro Communications will provide PR support for a brand collaboration between Mr Men, Little Miss and vitamin brand Haliborange.
Manchester leisure destination The Printworks has appointed Jam to drive awareness of the venue both across the North West and nationally.
French private equity firm Omnes has appointed Brackendale Consulting to manage its UK comms brief.
Alpha Kilo will implement and manage a global comms and media relations strategy for the association of art and antiques dealers LAPADA, Linteloo and Clippings.com. Freya Simms, LAPADA’S CEO, said: “We are delighted to be working with Alpha Kilo to promote the association and the wonderful pieces our members have to offer, whether online or at our flagship fair in Berkeley Square.”
Photobox has appointed Frank as its agency of record following its work developing the company’s The Crown From The Crowd campaign last month.
French bar and bistro TraTra has appointed Palm PR to deliver a print and digital PR campaign as well as manage its press office, to drive bookings at the venue.
Hencote Vineyard Estate has appointed travel and property specialist P1 Communications to implement a PR and marketing campaign promoting the estate’s accommodation, wine tasting tours and event space.
Enterprise St Helena has selected The Brighter Group to handle its PR and marketing activities.
Skin Aesthetics Clinic London has appointed Kay Flawless PR to manage its publicity, including PR activity.
Specialist financial and investment consultancy Communications and Content will handle media relations briefs for Osmosis Investment Management and Welplan Pensions.
Electronics company Casio has appointed Inkling to create a content-led campaign for its calculator division designed to encourage young people into STEM subjects, with particular focus on A-level maths.
GPS smartwatch startup Pin iT has appointed integrated comms agency One to provide PR and social media services to raise the company’s profile.
Laser processing company Opsydia has appointed The Nisse Consultancy to support the launch of its new laser marking technology aimed at tackling tampering and counterfeiting in the diamond sector.
Opsydia’s laser marking system
EMERGE will handle UK press and publicity for content monetisation platform rewardStyle and consumer content platform LIKEtoKNOW.it.
The Astrid Lindgren Company has appointed Riot Communications to develop a campaign celebrating the author to mark the 75th anniversary of the publication her Pippi Longstocking books in 2020.
Independent opticians and eyewear boutique Aston & Woods has appointed The PHA Group to manage the comms strategy around its launch.
Financial services membership organisation TISA has appointed Atlas Partners to support its public affairs and media strategy.
Drayton Controls has appointed HROC to manage consumer PR and other marketing services for its Wiser app-controlled smart heating system.
International creative agency Toaster has selected Tuesday Media as its PR partner to raise its profile in global markets including the UK.
Colossus Bets has appointed Influence Digital to manage its B2C social strategy. The agency will use social-first content to educate existing and new customers on “crowd betting”.
People news
Global banking firm MUFG has appointed Susan Tether as its first head of corporate communications for EMEA. She will be responsible for internal communications, CSR, press office activity, public affairs and activating marketing initiatives including thought leadership and sponsorship.
Video advertising specialist Unruly has appointed Mark St Andrew, Cannes Lions’ former head of communications, as global communications director. He will lead Unruly’s PR and brand comms strategies, working with regional teams in Europe, the US and APAC.
Brand activation agency tbk Group has brought in Rachelle Headland to run its London operation. Headland previously worked as managing partner at Oliver and managing director of Saatchi & Saatchi X.
Atlas Partners has hired Nina Doehmel-Macdonald as senior consultant. She joins from Bupa’s UK press office and will manage a range of clients, including GambleAware.
Legal and litigation PR agency Byfield Consultancy has appointed Jeff Segvich as associate director and head of transatlantic relationships. The consultancy has also hired Asad Moghal as digital and content manager.
Carnsight Communications has appointed Steph Palmer as account manager. Palmer initially joined the team as an intern in February.
Agency news
Ketchum has restructured to shift its resources towards 14 industry sectors in a sweeping initiative that comes less than six months into CEO Barri Rafferty’s tenure. The move dispenses with the practice area offering that is common among PR firms and includes a new agency ‘look and feel’.
MLPR owner Marie Louise Pumfrey has launched specialist Instagram marketing consultancy Social Paradise Global with Fiona Austen.
Rachel Green, Jacqui Doughty and Lindsey Hoyle have combined their expertise to form specialist food marketing consultancy The Gourmet Collective. The consultancy will offer a range of PR services to clients, including media relations activity.
PRCA news
The PRCA has launched its Communicating the Gender Pay Gap report and disclosed its own pay gap figures. The report is designed to help organisations voluntarily address their gender pay gaps. The PRCA’s median and mean gender pay gap figures skew 12.14% and 39.71% respectively in favour of men.
