Splendid Communications promotes economy hotel chain ibis

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Splendid Communications has won a PR brief to promote AccorHotels’ economy hotel chain, ibis, following a competitive pitch.

ibis

Created in 1974, ibis says that it is now the European leader in economy hotels and the fourth hotel chain in its category worldwide, with over 1,060 hotels and 135,000 rooms in 64 countries.

Splendid has been briefed to manage press office activity for ibis, as well as its ibis Styles and ibis Budget offerings. It will create content for the ibis UK social channels.

The team will generate brand awareness through creative campaigns, with the aim of bringing to life ibis’ positioning as an economy hotel that focuses on differentiation in the customer experience, simplicity, modernity and wellbeing sectors.

Splendid Communications’ PR senior account director Sophie Hayes will lead the account working with Lucinda Blencowe, digital account director.

Jennifer Cole, PR director at AccorHotels, said: “We take a 360 degree approach to all our work and were looking for a dynamic agency which aligns with our integrated visions, thinking beyond one communication channel.

“Splendid Communications presented an impressive pitch, taking on board our brand values and positioning, illustrating strategic thinking with creative ideas, all of which were rooted in real world insights.”

Splendid CEO Alec Samways added: “Our ambition is to position ibis as the benchmark in the budget hotel category and we’re committed to developing ideas with our people first approach to ensure they thrive in the real world, where the brand lives and breathes.

“We’re delighted to be working on brand with such an integrated approach to communications and look forward to developing campaigns with the ibis team.”

Premier Inn hands consumer PR brief to Golin

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Golin has been appointed to handle the consumer PR for the UK’s largest hotel chain, Whitbread’s Premier Inn.

Premier Inn

Premier Inn was named the UK’s top-rated travel brand 2016 and the top-rated hotel chain for 2016, according to Which? It has more than 750 budget hotels and across the UK and Ireland.

Golin, which won the account following a competitive pitch, has been briefed to deliver a new consumer PR strategy for 2017 and beyond.

The agency will work with the brand’s other agency partners, including creative agency Lucky Generals, to enhance the profile of the brand and direct bookings for Premier Inn through “creative stories linked to key booking occasions and relevant news hooks”.

Mark Fells, chief customer officer for Premier Inn and hub hotels, said: “This pitch was a natural follow-up to our new brand focus on being ‘A Great Place to Start’.  After a rigorous process involving the incumbent, we have appointed Golin whose team demonstrated great depth of brand and guest understanding, as well as a highly-memorable creative.”

Bibi Hilton, MD of Golin, added: “We are over the moon – and stars – to be taking on the challenge of keeping one of the UK’s most loved brands front of mind whenever and wherever people need to book a great place to stay. Nearly everyone in the UK has stayed in a Premier Inn and the brand’s guests and team members have fantastic stories that we look forward to telling.”

Premier Inn’s PR was previously handled by Frank PR.

Fells said: “Frank PR has dedicated over nine years to Premier Inn and, in that time the team has delivered some unforgettable PR moments. We are grateful to everyone there who has worked on our business and we all wish them well for the future.”

Vigo wins financial PR mandate for Crossrider

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Communications consultancy Vigo has been appointed by Crossrider, a marketing technology platform, to support its ongoing financial PR and investor relations activity.

Jeremy Garcia

Crossrider has retained Vigo to provide support as it seeks to broaden its operational reach by implementing a series of strategic growth initiatives and through the evaluation of selective acquisition targets.

Jeremy Garcia, director at Vigo, said: “We are proud to add Crossrider to our growing list of TMT clients and look forward to working alongside this highly ambitious management team as they implement their transformational growth strategy.”

Garcia will run the Crossrider account at Vigo along with account director Fiona Henson and senior account executive Antonia Pollock.

Vigo was last week appointed by Big Sofa.

Cobham appoints MHP Communications

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Cobham plc, the FTSE 250 technology and services business, has appointed MHP Communications as its retained financial PR adviser.

A Cobham plc air-to-air refuelling system

MHP will advise on Cobham’s UK financial and corporate communications, reporting to CEO David Lockwood and CFO David Mellors and the group’s in-house team. Reg Hoare, Tim Rowntree, Jamie Ricketts, Nessyah Hart and Pete Lambie comprise the MHP team.

Headquartered in Wimborne, Dorset, Cobham was founded in 1934 and is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange in the aerospace and defence sector.

BackBay promotes Jen Dowd to COO

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Financial services marketing and PR firm BackBay Communications has promoted Jen Dowd from SVP to the newly-created role of chief operating officer (COO).

Dowd, who has been with the company for 10 years, will focus on strategic initiatives, client relationships, marketing and new business.

She will help with the implementation of programmes designed to realise BackBay’s business objectives and will partner with senior leadership to enhance the BackBay client experience, elevate the brand and accelerate growth.

Bill Haynes, president and CEO at BackBay Communications, said: “BackBay has been fortunate to experience steady annual growth since the firm was founded 11 years ago, and at this point in our evolution it is the ideal time to add a COO position to help take BackBay to the next level.

“With her strong integrated marketing experience, understanding of BackBay’s unique vision, culture and services, and outstanding client relationships, Jen Dowd is the ideal person for the COO role at BackBay.”

Since joining the firm in 2007, Dowd has developed and led on campaigns for global asset management, private equity and financial technology clients including Graycliff Partners – formerly HSBC Capital, Hancock Capital, Ridgemont Equity Partners – formerly Banc of America Capital Investors – and Thompson Street Capital.

Dowd joined BackBay from Compton Consulting, a financial communications firm which specialises in the asset management industry. Previously, she was editorial assistant at Euromoney magazine.

 

 

 

Threepipe wins PR brief to launch Aero Heavenly

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Lactalis Nestlé Chilled Dairy (LNCD) has hired Threepipe to launch Aero Heavenly, a new mousse in a large single tub, which launches this month.

Aero Heavenly

Launching in two varieties, ‘milk chocolate’ and ‘salted caramel’, Aero Heavenly is described as an “after-dinner sharing treat”.

Threepipe has been briefed to “leverage the passion for Aero chocolate” and attract consumers who are looking for a new alternative to other chilled after-dinner treats.

Activity will include an influencer-led campaign, media relations and trade media work.

Jim Hawker, co-founder of Threepipe, said: “It’s fantastic to be part of a launch for such an iconic brand and to take it into a new and growing category. We are really looking forward to getting people’s taste buds watering at the prospect of sharing an Aero Heavenly mousse.”

Coffin on Cake rebrands and appoints MD

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Coffin on Cake has been rebranded to GUNG HO, following the agency being acquired by consumer sport and lifestyle PR agency GUNG HO Communications last year. At the same time, Exposure’s Sophie Hadded has been named MD of the newly-named London team.

Sophie Hadded

In April 2016, GUNG HO Communications, which is based in Birmingham and specialises in retail, sport and lifestyle, acquired Coffin on Cake, a consumer-focused comms agency in London.

The move to rebrand Coffin on Cake comes as both agencies look to align their identities under the GUNG HO name. Directly translated from Mandarin, GUNG HO means ‘Work Together’.

Hadded previously spent nine years at Exposure, where she held a number of roles, the most recent being that of commercial director.

She said: “The core value of ‘Work Together’ attracted me to the company and will remain at the centre of how we collaborate with our clients and talented teams. The unique proposition created from the consolidation of the two agencies will allow us to provide commercial, creative and innovative solutions that consistently push the boundaries and remain at the forefront of trends and the communication landscape.

Paul Phedon, GUNG HO CEO, added: “We are delighted to welcome Sophie to the team as the MD of our London office – previously Coffin on Cake PR – at such a pivotal and exciting time for GUNG HO.

“Sophie brings a wealth of experience and combined with our existing offering, we have the utmost confidence that she can develop our vision for this new combined agency in 2017 and onwards.”

Hanover partners with German public affairs agency

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Hanover Group and German public affairs agency Johanssen + Kretschmer have partnered to support clients across their respective markets, including London, Berlin and Brussels, at a time of political uncertainty in Europe.

Charles Lewington (left) and Heiko Kretschmer

They will combine to provide strategic communications and public affairs services across multiple sectors; including energy, financial services, technology and transport.

The UK has a bigger trade deficit with Germany than with any other EU country and the relationship between the two governments will be a critical feature of the forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

According to the independent agencies, the cooperation agreement between Hanover and Johanssen + Kretschmer is driven by a growing demand from international clients, current and prospective, for advice on how to navigate the prevailing economic and political uncertainties.

Charles Lewington, chief executive at Hanover, said: “By combining Hanover’s existing strategic advisory capabilities across London, Brussels and Dublin with Johanssen + Kretschmer’s deep understanding of the German political environment, we will be able to offer our clients an unparalleled mix of pan-European expertise to help manage the uncertainties ahead.”

Heiko Kretschmer, co-founder and managing partner at Johanssen + Kretschmer, added: “We are looking forward to offering our clients targeted and fast services across borders in the complex transition phase towards a post-Brexit Europe.”

While Hanover has offices in London, Brussels and Dublin, Berlin-headquartered Johanssen +Kretschmer has offices in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich.

Wine brand Bodegas Muga hands UK PR brief to The Lifestyle Agency

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Spanish wine brand Bodegas Muga has appointed The Lifestyle Agency to promote its Rose and white Muga wines within the UK market.

Bodegas Muga

Founded in 1932, Bodega Muga consists of five vineyards: El Estapal, La Loma, Baltracones, Sajazorra and La Loma Alta.

The Lifestyle Agency will target lifestyle, trade, food and drink titles in the UK to raise the profile of Muga’s Rose and white wines.

Charlie Mason Pearson, MD of The Lifestyle Agency, will lead the account and report to Bodegas Muga’s co-founders, Eduardo and Manu Muga, as well as marketing manager, Ana López-Cano Lamarain.

Eduardo Muga said: “We chose The Lifestyle Agency for the hands-on approach that comes from working with such a close-knit and efficient team. The team have fantastic experience and key contacts within the industry.”

Ex Disney PR Lizzie Earl launches MUNCH

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Lizzie Earl, who has spent the past 10 years in PR roles at Disney, Frank and Golin, has set up a new consumer agency called MUNCH, with launch clients including sportswear start-up Python Performance and music platform and artist management company Music Crowns.

Lizzie Earl

Earl has spent the last decade delivering campaigns for brands like Unilever’s Magnum and Persil, Danone, Stella Artois, TK Maxx, npower, Nestlé’s Milkybar and Disney.

At Golin, her most recent agency role, she oversaw its media specialist team before transferring to its Hong Kong office to run the Asian PR hub for tech company Huawei and The Economist’s pan-Asia account.

Now back in the UK, she has launched MUNCH, with an initial three-strong team and launch clients including sportswear start-up Python Performance and music platform and artist management company Music Crowns.

The agency’s first campaign for Music Crowns has already seen global coverage for the release of viral star Daisy Clark’s Hopelessly Devoted to You track via Warner Music, doubling traffic to the Music Crowns platform and knocking Ed Sheeran off the no. 1 spot on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart.

Earl said: “When returning to the UK I knew I wanted to set up an agency that offered brands truly excellent PR that would make a real difference to their business – big agency thinking with a boutique approach.

“At MUNCH, we realise that our campaigns will often be the only marketing a client is doing, so we really have to deliver. Our ability to think strategically, expertly craft the right story and our never–ending tenacity means we always will.”