PR Case Study: Around the world in 15 minutes

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For a pro bono campaign project, Frame PR capitalised on a visit that George Clooney made to a shop run by, and for, homeless people. The visit resulted in a 20% increase in sales and an upturn in donations that would provide homeless people with free meals on Christmas Day and for the rest of 2016.

Campaign name: Around the world in 15 minutes
PR Team: Frame PR
Client: Social Bite
Timing: October 2015 – January 2016
Budget: zero budget/pro bono

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George Clooney visited Social Bite, Edinburgh in November 2015

Objectives

Frame PR offered its services free of charge to Social Bite, a sandwich shop that trains, employs and feeds homeless people. Social Bite had already won the loyalty of thousands of happy customers since it opened in 2014, and its Christmas campaign, with Scottish deals and events site itison, sold more than 30,000 £5 meal vouchers.

Frame PR wanted to help with the remit to better tell Social Bite’s story, and help even more people as a result.

Hollywood star George Clooney accepted an offer to visit Social Bite in Edinburgh on 12 November, 2015. It was now Frame’s job to ensure that the star’s visit would have a lasting and tangible benefit to Social Bite, and that its story would come-through in a meaningful way amid the Clooney hype.

Strategy

For Social Bite to reap the benefits of Clooney’s visit, Frame would have to overcome some pretty big challenges. The team had to beat all the other Clooney stories that came out that day, with zero budget, no formal media arrangements and only 15 minutes of Clooney’s time.

The first thing to get right was the story, and as one of many released that day, Social Bite’s had to be stronger than the rest. Clooney pre-paying lunch for local homeless people would be the hook, requiring him to agree to this during his short visit. Frame would then issue the release straight after to a host of major UK and global media outlets.

Next, what was needed was a great picture. It not only had to capture the story, but also beat the competition from the paparazzi. Clooney taking a selfie with Social Bite staff would be the money shot. The pictures would be distributed far and wide, free of charge.

Lastly, a video was needed that would spread like social media wildfire, but would still be good enough to feature on major TV news networks. Frame enlisted the help of a camera crew from a local college to capture the visit, and the footage was fed into a Sky News truck outside the sandwich shop, before being distributed to the world’s major news networks.

Ensuring Clooney’s visit lasted beyond the big day, Frame PR held something back. A short, 15-second video, shot on an iPhone, saw Clooney pledging five pounds to the 2015 itison Christmas campaign. This footage would be used to develop Social Bite’s 2015 Christmas campaign, and was distributed in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

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Coverage on the front page of The Guardian

Results

Before he even stepped foot in the door, Clooney’s impending visit to Social Bite was featured on Sky News, ITV and BBC breakfast, broadcasting to a TV audience of over 1.5m.

The story ran in more than 900 media outlets, reaching over 40 countries including Russia, China and Thailand. Online influencers such as BuzzFeed and MailOnline ran the news as their top story and Social Bite trended on both Twitter and Facebook for the first time.

In December, the Christmas campaign was covered in more than 200 publications across 15 countries, 18 UK newspapers with a combined readership of eight million covered the launch and Frame’s pre-recorded video footage received over 760k Facebook views.

Most importantly, Social Bite’s food and drink sales increased 20% after George Clooney’s 15-minute visit. The 2015 Christmas appeal had exceeded the number of donations made in the previous year within 36 hours, and 73,000 donations were made in just over two weeks, raising £365,000.

The money raised was enough to feed the homeless at all five Social Bite shops on Christmas Day, and provide free meals to the homeless for the rest of 2016. There was even enough to fill a convoy of vans which left for Calais, Serbia and Lesvos on Boxing Day, providing food for those who needed it most.

Got a cracking campaign with impressive results that you’d like to showcase? If so, please email [email protected].

What effective PR looks like for SEO

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By Jane Cronin, Content Manager, and Maria Bain, Outreach Executive, at Jellyfish.

Best practice SEO now incorporates aspects of PR, content and influencer marketing, far removed from some of the tactics used in the past. Wholesale link building has given way to more holistic outreach strategies that blur the lines between PR, SEO and social media.

Producing high-quality, relevant content is more important than ever before, to drive vital social visibility and engagement metrics and position clients as thought leaders within their spheres.

How can Gorkana offer search marketers new ways to undertake both campaigns and day-to-day tasks, particularly discovering and nurturing influencers, finding link opportunities and content creation? These are some of the ways we’re using Gorkana in PR-influenced SEO campaigns.

Engage the right influencers easily:
Gorkana’s media database allows searches by keywords, sectors and topics, which can be used to build a list of highly relevant influencers. After an initial list is drawn up, this can be refined by looking at blog posts and social media information in their profiles to ensure that the right people are contacted.

Profile notes and biographies show the angles which are most likely to resonate with particular influencers and whether they review products, attend events or are interested in commission-based programmes.

Following on from this, a detailed outreach plan can be put in place that nurtures influencers, leading to quality editorial links and brand citations, social brand visibility and ongoing mutually beneficial relationships.

When it comes to creating content, from whitepapers to blogs and infographics, these tactics can pinpoint the most relevant people to ask for quotes or information so that the end product is as unique and shareable as possible.

When events are part of an outreach strategy, you can save time by using the media database to refine searches geographically.

For newsworthy items, Gorkana’s press release system allows these to be pushed out to a highly targeted audience, bypassing some SEO concerns associated with press release sites after Panda 4.0.

Spot link and brand citation opportunities:
Obtaining high quality editorial links and brand citations is still one of the main goals of outreach campaigns. Once the media database is used to build up a list of targeted prospect sites, profile information indicates the preferred way to pitch.

This can vary significantly from sector to sector and Gorkana’s media briefings include information on how influential bloggers and editors like to be approached.

Both Gorkana profiles and briefings are an opportunity to discover current trending themes within specific sectors, information that can be used in pitches to emphasise how content adds relevancy and value to the target site.

The difference between acceptance and rejection frequently rests on providing all the information up front, tailored and in the first communication. Showing that you understand the market that bloggers, editors and journalists operate in is the foundation to building lasting relationships.

Create content that leads discussion:
Used together with appropriate social media monitoring, targeted influencer lists are a valuable way to track conversations and popular topics. This data can provide vital insight for content strategies, creating assets that are pertinent and engaging.

Gorkana’s Forward Features and media briefings are opportunities to scope out hot upcoming themes across relevant sectors. Using this information to inform content strategies positions businesses as thought leaders who instigate and participate in topical debate, rather than as an organisation who scrambles to respond.

Content that speaks to a genuine need or interest in readers is more likely to be organically shared and linked to, further enhancing the signals that build trust and authority in Google’s eyes.

Using these PR tactics and opportunities contributes to creative, integrated SEO campaigns that deliver across a variety of KPIs, including visibility, brand awareness and traffic.

Follow Jellyfish on Twitter @JellyfishAgency for the latest digital marketing updates.

Steffan Williams takes on CEO role at Porta

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Porta Communications, the international communications group, has announced a series of changes to its board and management team, including the appointment of Steffan Williams as CEO.

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Steffan Williams

Williams, PRCA chairman and former group managing director, is now CEO at Porta; David Wright, previously chief executive, is now executive chairman; Bob Morton has stepped down from the board and John Foley, formerly a non-executive director, is now senior independent director.

David Wright said: “The strength of the platform that we have built is allowing us to add to the quality of our senior team across all geographies. This accumulation of talent is allowing us to be considered for and to win ever more significant client assignments. Steffan’s initial focus will be to ensure that this positive momentum continues to gather pace.

“I would also like to thank Bob Morton for his very considerable contribution as chairman to date. It’s no exaggeration to say that without Bob’s support Porta would not have achieved the rapid growth shown to date.”

Porta’s portfolio includes agencies Newgate Communications, PPS Group and Redleaf Communications.

Luxury charter jet firm hires PMW Communications

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PMW Mark Green

Mark Green

New luxury charter jet company Volanteus has handed a full marketing brief to PMW Communications, which will include PR activity.

Volanteus provides charter jet services that it claims are entirely bespoke and personalised to each client, including access todestinations and journeys that “rival charter companies are unable to offer”.

PMW Communications’ remit will include a marketing plan to launch and position Volanteus as the first choice in luxury travel. Activity will include PR, social media, web articles, design and production, as well as a new website.

Mark Green (pictured), CEO of Volanteus, said: “My aim for Volanteus is to be the first choice in luxury travel, while taking care of the journeys that other charter companies cannot meet.

“It really takes a lot to impress me in terms of service and quality, but PMW has truly delivered.”

Cogent Elliott appoints Hutton as CEO

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Marketing comms agency Cogent Elliott has hired Bruce Hutton as group chief executive and Francis Maude as non-executive chairman.

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Francis Maude (left) and Bruce Hutton

Hutton replaces Mike Phillipson, who recently left the agency after more than four years as chief executive.

Hutton spent the last three years on several food-based ventures, including his own brewing company. Prior to that he held numerous senior positions at Mission Marketing Group and Bray Leino, and held a chairman role at IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising).

Hutton said: “These are exciting times to be joining Cogent, and I’m looking forward to playing my part in helping our current clients grow their businesses, and working with new brands.”

Maude is a Conservative politician who served 25 years on the front bench in the House of Commons, including posts as minister for the cabinet officer and paymaster-general.

He has also held senior roles within the comms industry including chair at Incepta Group, deputy chair at Huntsworth Group and chair at Mission Marketing Group.

Maude added: “I’ve known Cogent for 30 years as MP for North Warwickshire – I lived half a mile from its Meriden base. Cogent is such a great agency that consistently produces work of the highest quality. It’s a pleasure to be involved in the next stage of its journey.”

Tim Pile, chairman at Cogent Elliott, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Bruce and Francis are joining Cogent at this moment in our journey. These are both very significant hires for us, and between them will bring a vast array of skills, exceptional management and client focus, plus immense energy and outstanding leadership to our business.”

Pile will continue on the Cogent board in a non-executive capacity.

Raft of wins for Murray Chalmers PR

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Murray Chalmers PR has won PR briefs for the Beautycon Festival London, Big Apple Brixton and the BRITs Icon Awards. The agency has also retained its PR brief for the NME Awards for 2017.

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Beautycon Festival London

Beautycon Festival London will return to Kensington Olympia on December 3 2016, offering visitors the opportunity to meet their favourite YouTubers and beauty and dashion bloggers, as well as take part in interactive beauty experiences from a range of yet-to-be-announced beauty brands.

MCPR will work with the event’s organiser Beautycon Media  in the US to coordinate all media, talent profiling, line-up announcements, and live event management.

Big Apple Brixton, which launches on October 27, is described as the “winter incarnation of London’s hottest summer pop up, Brixton Beach Boulevard”. MCPR also handled the PR for Brixton Beach Boulevard earlier this year.

MCPR will raise the profile of the new pop-up, which aims to transport Londoners to 1970s New York City, with three themed indoor bars and one themed nightclub. There will also be four themed private rooms available for hire (a barbershop, record store, Latino chapel and peep show) and four different US themed food vendors, as well as roasts and a Bloody Mary bar on Sundays.

The BRITs Icon Award 2017 will be awarded to Robbie Williams. MCPR will handle all live event PR for the show at London’s Troxy on 7 November, as well as PR activity for the show’s broadcast on ITV in December.

MCPR was first brought in to handle the PR for the NME Awards 2016 in January this year. The agency will now handle the PR for the 2017 NME Awards, with activity including the annual NME Awards ceremony in February, the NME Award Shows in London and the NME Awards Tour across the UK.

The accounts will all sit within the agency’s brand and events division, and MCPR’s head of brands and events, Lottie Lander, and brands and events PR coordinator, Sarina Clark, will lead on them.

Gorkana meets… Girl Talk

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Kelly Wilks, acting editor at Girl Talk & Girl Talk Art, talks about producing content for pre-teen girls’ magazines, and how they fulfil a role as a ‘favourite big sister’ to their young readers. 

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Kelly Wilks

What do you love most about working in pre-teen magazines?
Quite simply, I love our readers. They’re still at an age where they are very keen to tell us exactly why they love Girl Talk and Girl Talk Art magazines, and they like to get involved too. It’s why we include a lot of interactivity in the magazines, so they’re not just reading but they’re doing something too.

Do you remember reading magazines during your pre-teen years? How did they help you?
I don’t remember having any loyalty to a particular brand, but my bedroom was papered in pop posters so I must have bought a lot of mags! They helped to give me all the information I wanted on my favourite band so I could go and talk about it in the playground the next day.

I also remember having cute posters of Snoopy or Smurfs on my bedroom door, so that’s what I keep in mind when planning issues of Girl Talk. Pre-teens want to feel older, but they’re not embarrassed to still love the cute stuff!

What is Girl Talk‘s ethos?
We consider our magazine to be the favourite big sister of our 9-year-old readers. They love us because we’re fun and we understand them. They come to us for advice, amazing facts and fun ideas because they know we’ll never judge them.

When are PRs most useful?
PRs are most useful when they can offer us exclusive content that our readers would love. If it’s tailored to suit Girl Talk, then we can really impress our audience.

Are they ever a nuisance?
In an ideal world, PRs would know what deadlines we are working to and contact us at least eight weeks in advance. It can be so disappointing to hear too late of something that would have been absolutely perfect for us.

Describe your ideal story
I’d love to get David Walliams and Jacqueline Wilson in boxing gloves in a battle for the best children’s author. But I’m not sure that fits our ‘friendly’ theme so much!

How has the title changed since you first joined?
Both Girl Talk and Girl Talk Art have undergone redesigns to make sure the magazines look fresh and exciting. We also include YouTubers on our covers now, and we have re-launched our own YouTube channel.

Also, following on from the success of our Girls Are Amazing campaign, we are committed to including positive role models in our editorial, and featuring a diversity of girls who reflect our audience. But overall the tone of the magazine has stayed the same, which is friendly, funny and inclusive.

What do you see in the future of the magazine?
Girl Talk is approaching its 22nd year and sales have increased by 25% year-on-year, so I don’t see any reason to make any great changes in the near future. We’re staying entertaining and relevant and it appears to be working!

As for Girl Talk Art, this magazine has undergone the biggest change of our titles. I really feel like it has found its style and identity and I hope to see it pushed more into people’s consciousness in the future.

This week’s top agency news

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Your bitesize update on the latest agency news from Gorkana this week:

Wayne-Mark-media-conference1 2Triple S Group, the management group for Wayne Rooney, has appointed the FA’s former head of media, Mark Whittle, as MD of its newly-formed PR company, Triple S Communications.

Triple S Communications will provide PR and media solutions for a range of “high-profile” individuals, brands and organisations in the sports, business and entertainment sectors.

John Doe has launched a global influencer division called John Doe_i, which the agency says will drive influencer activity across its client base.

Services provided by John Doe_i include content creation, influencer strategy and campaign implementation.

Pete Davies Sugar PR Manchester2Former RMS PR director Pete Davies has launched a new Manchester-based PR agency called Sugar, with six new clients.

Davies has spent the past the past 15 years at RMS PR, prior to which he was a senior press officer at Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) – now Transport for Greater Manchester.

This week’s top people news

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Your bitesize update on the latest People News and Moves featured this week on Gorkana:

Karen Clark 2Corporate PR agency Rostrum has hired Karen Clark as an account manager and Chloe Brown and Gayle Tupaz as account executives across its corporate and professional services teams.

 

Global social media agency We Are Social has brought in Adjust Your Set’s Harvey Cossell as head of strategy.

 

Babel PR, an integrated technology PR and communications agency, has promoted Matt Humphries to UK MD.

Abbie Sampson, head of news at Which?, will join Energy UK as a director of external affairs at the start of the new year.

taste 2London-based food and drink comms agency TASTE has restructured its leadership team with the appointments of Bite’s Ricky Davison, Spider PR’s Charlotte Joseph and We Are Social’s Louise Stapley, as well as the promotion of Carolanne Bamford.

Professional services firm KPMG has appointed Zoe Sheppard as head of its press office. She replaces Erfan Hussain who has joined Accenture.

The Morning Advertiser’s managing editor, Mike Berry, is joining Fleet Street Communications to take on the newly-created role of head of content.

MHP Communications has hired Timothy Goodman and Stephanie Snow as directors in its health division.

City Year UK briefs Stand Agency

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City Year UK, a leading youth social action charity, has appointed Stand Agency to increase its profile across national and regional media, and support its growth targets.  

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City Year UK

City Year UK aims to challenge 18 to 25-year-olds to tackle educational inequality through a year of full-time voluntary service.

As mentors, tutors and role models in schools, City Year’s ‘leaders’ support pupils growing up in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the UK.

Stand, which won the account following a competitive pitch, will support City Year UK’s press office and campaign activity.

Sophie Livingstone, CEO of City Year, said: “Stand Agency stood out for being an intuitive PR agency that was accustomed to challenging key messages for charities across the UK, for all age groups.

“With such cross-generational experience we knew they were perfectly equipped to bring the message of City Year to thousands of children, teenagers and the wider society through insightful media approaches.”

Laura Oliphant, co-founder and MD at Stand Agency, added: “We’re passionate about ensuring young people are given the opportunity to develop and progress as individuals. It isn’t only a question of social mobility; it’s also about offering both City Year leaders and the young people they help a chance to give back to society and redefine the power of education , whether this be through learning soft-skills or providing the next steps in a young person’s career.

“We can’t wait to start demonstrating the impact of a service year and helping City Year UK start recruiting additional young people, schools and supporters.”