Co-op Food hands retained PR brief to M&C Saatchi PR

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The Co-op’s food business has appointed M&C Saatchi PR as its retained PR partner, after the convenience retailer announced that it was going back to “Being Co-op”.

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Co-op in London’s Old Street

The “Being Co-op” initiative is looking to show its customers “what made The Co-op different and special for people in the first place”, and will see the return to its original Co-op logo.

M&C Saatchi PR has been briefed to promote these “differentiators”, which includes highlighting its ethical sourcing and championing the retailer’s small British suppliers.~

The agency will also raise the profile of the retailer’s wine offering to consumers.

Activity kick offs with an upcoming Autumn/ Winter campaign, with M&C Saatchi PR working alongside Co-op’s in-house PR team in Manchester.

Craig Noonan, head of retail PR at The Co-op, said: “We were hugely impressed by the creativity displayed by M&C Saatchi PR, coupled with an intimate understanding of the retail marketplace and I look forward to working together.

“It was a tough pitch process and they understood our brand values and showed all the necessary creativity to support us. We have a strong in-house team and together they’ll provide great consumer PR support to our food business.”

Kat McGettigan, head of consumer at M&C Saatchi PR, added: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Co-op to the M&C Saatchi PR family. We are ‘Driven by Passion’ and so we have identified a list of brands we want to work with and are passionate about. The Co-op is one of those brands and it’s an exciting time to come on board as the Co-op goes back to its founding principles and purpose.”

Rostrum expands with three hires

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Corporate 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.

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Karen Clark

Clark joins as an account manager in Rostrum’s professional services team. She will be responsible for working on a number of Rostrum’s accounts, including EY, LexisNexis Risk Solutions and JHC Systems. Clark previously worked as a PR and marketing manager for ThinkPR in Scotland.

Brown joins from Redwood Consulting, where she worked across a number of property clients. At Rostrum, she will work as an account executive in the corporate team, working on clients such as Sodexo, DX and Netbooster.

Tupaz will work on a number of clients across the professional services team, including Paul Hastings LLP and Niu Solutions. She joins as an account executive, and previously worked for financial services recruitment firm, BRUIN Financial.

Mark Houlding, CEO at Rostrum, said: “Rostrum is committed to hiring the best talent the industry has to offer and we are confident that Karen, Chloe and Gayle have bright futures at the agency. Rostrum is delivering strong growth moving into Q2 of our current financial year, and we are recruiting to meet the demand from clients and prospects.”

Forster hired to help tackle human trafficking in the UK

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Forster Communications has been selected by Shiva Foundation to help promote its work to tackle human trafficking and modern slavery in the UK.

Forster Shiva

Last night, Theresa May called for the UK to lead the global fight against human trafficking.

Established in 2012 by Shiva Hotels founder Rishi Sachdev and his wife Meenal Sachdev, Shiva Foundation looks to prevent human trafficking and slavery in the UK by working in partnership with individuals, businesses and communities.

Forster, which was appointed following a competitive pitch, will support Shiva Foundation by raising its profile and highlighting how the organisation works with individuals, businesses and communities to build practical solutions to stop human trafficking.

The first stream of work will focus on promoting Shiva Foundation’s aim to create an industry-wide commitment to tackle modern slavery in hotels.

Shiva Foundation, which is funded by Shiva Hotels, will convene leading hoteliers at a roundtable in early November to enable the industry to create a collective commitment to address slavery.

Meenal Sachdev said: “We’re excited to be working with Forster, which brings strong experience in communicating important societal issues. With their support we want to raise awareness of modern slavery in the UK and particularly work towards an industry-wide model to help hotels tackle this crucial human rights concern.”

Forster’s chief executive, Amanda Powell-Smith, added: “Since the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act, this terrible crime has rightly risen up the corporate agenda. It is a complex issue and Shiva Foundation is leading the way with its collaborative approach and willingness to raise its head and actively communicate. We look forward to working with them and their partners, and helping to end the misery of human trafficking, slavery and bonded labour.”

Yesterday (12 October), the UK’s anti-slavery commissioner, Kevin Hyland, released his annual report, which states that police are failing to curb modern slavery. This is the first official review of how law enforcement agencies respond to the crime of modern slavery.

At a service at Westminster Abbey last night to remember 18th Century anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce, Theresa May called for the UK to lead the global fight against human trafficking.

The Prime Minister said: “Our challenge – the challenge for each and every one of us here today – is to ensure that the fight against slavery carries on – to free people from the bonds of servitude, to free those in mental chains, and to free people from the clutches of slave drivers and traffickers.”

We Are Social names head of strategy

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

We Are Social Harvey Cossell

Harvey Cossell

Cossell has spent the past three years as strategy director at Adjust Your Set, where he built the content agency’s strategic offer and planning team. While there, he also spoke at Cannes about the need for a coordinated approach to content in a world where, he says, interruptive advertising is coming under increasing pressure.

He started his career as a marketer for GlaxoSmithKline, before switching agency-side as a planner. Having worked for WCRS and then Euro RSCG (now Havas), he then joined JWT where he worked for brands including Smirnoff, Bailey’s, Kenco and Toni & Guy.

He then joined Adjust Your Set in 2013.

At We Are Social, Cossell will oversee the strategic direction for the agency’s entire client roster, which includes adidas, HSBC, Netflix and Domino’s.

Jim Coleman, We Are Social’s UK CEO, said: “Harvey’s strategic mindset and experience client-side, in planning and in content make him a perfect fit for this role. It has never been more important to have the right strategies in place for social media as platforms evolve and it gets easier to bypass marketing content. We’re delighted to welcome Harvey to the agency.”

Cossell added: “In a world where people can avoid interruptive advertising as easily as downloading adblockers or fast forwarding through TV ads, we need to get better at understanding what people actively seek out in culture.

“What I love about We Are Social is that it’s tackling this challenge head-on by creating work that people are genuinely interested in for some of the world’s best loved brands.”

Babel PR promotes Matt Humphries to UK MD

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

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Matt Humphries

Humphries has been with Babel since 2008, and will now head up the London office.

He has been leading the firm’s new business initiatives and telecoms practice and will now act as MD, supporting co-founders Ian Hood and Narelle Morrison with overseeing UK operations, new business prospects, client services and team development.

Humphries said: “The industry has changed a lot since I joined Babel eight years ago, but what hasn’t changed is the demand for the brand of sector intelligence and consultancy that we as an agency provide to technology companies. Our expertise now extends beyond the telecoms and enterprise domains, covering Fintech, IoT, VOD and eCommerce. I’m looking forward to taking a leading role in driving our continued growth.”

Hood added: “Matt was the obvious choice for the UK MD role. As the company’s longest standing employee, time and time again he has proven himself to be invaluable to the team, his clients and the wider business. With Matt taking on the responsibility of managing the UK business, it enables Babel to pursue international ambitions.”

Energy UK appoints Abbie Sampson to lead its communications team

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Abbie Sampson 1

Abbie Sampson

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

Sampson was previously chief press officer at 10 Downing Street. In her new role she will lead the press, public affairs and events teams at Energy UK, and will report to chief executive Lawrence Slade.

Slade said: “I am absolutely delighted that Abbie is joining Energy UK. Not only does she bring a wealth of experience and professionalism as a communications leader but her appointment strengthens our commitment towards consumers.

“An unprecedented number of firms are now competing for customers. Energy companies are investing many billions of pounds in renewing and decarbonising the power sector. Abbie will bring a sharper edge to our communications about how consumers, communities and the economy benefit from reliable, low carbon and affordable energy.”

Sampson added: “It’s a really exciting time to be joining Energy UK. The energy market affects every single person in the country and the challenges and opportunities facing the industry are well known.

“I’m looking forward to leading the communications team at Energy UK and working with the members and our stakeholders to ensure there is a proper, well informed debate about how the energy industry is changing and its vital contribution to the UK.”

Energy UK is the trade association for the energy generations and supply industry.

WHSmith hands Christmas brief to Another Word Communications

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WHSmith has appointed Another Word Communications to provide PR support in the lead up to Christmas.

Another word WHSmith

WHSmith

The agency will report to Laura Wildish, marketing manager at WHSmith, and focus on the retailer’s seasonal product range in the lead up to the Christmas period.

Wildish said: “Another Word impressed us with its response to our brief which demonstrated how it would use creative tactics to engage audiences but ultimately drive them in-store in the lead up to Christmas.”

WHSmith is comprised of two businesses – Travel and High Street. The Travel business consists of more than 750 units in airports, railway stations, motorway service areas, hospitals and workplaces, while High Street claims to operate stores on nearly every significant UK high street.

Nichola Mughal, joint MD at Another Word Communications, added: “Christmas is the single most important trading time for WHSmith High Street and we’re looking forward to bringing some festive cheer to the business with a campaign that delivers creatively and commercially.”

Go Barefoot appoints Three Little Birds

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Travel tour operator Go Barefoot Travel has appointed Three Little Birds PR and Business Development to build awareness of its brand in the UK.

Go Barefoot 1

Go Barefoot tours

Specialising in small groups and individual, tailored travel packages, Go Barefoot has asked the Cheshire-based PR agency to build awareness of its brand in the UK via media relations and press travel with consumer and trade press.

James Scipioni, director of Go Barefoot, said: “We look forward to working closely with Three Little Birds PR on what is an exciting new chapter for Go Barefoot. We feel that their experience and skills fit well with what we want to achieve over the next 12 months, which includes growing the business considerably.”

Go Barefoot develops itineraries which take people ‘away from’ the conventional and commercial tourist circuits. Its portfolio includes 18 countries throughout Latin America, Asia, Arabia and Europe. Go Barefoot offers 30 small group tours, which visit destinations such as Romania, Slovakia, India and Vietnam.

One of the key targets for Go Barefoot is to provide ‘more insightful and enriching travel experiences’  in partnership with NGOs, co-operatives and social enterprises.

Sheila Manzano, founding director at Three Little Birds PR, added: “Go Barefoot is an exciting brand for us to be working with. While responsible travel is currently a niche tourism sector, we have seen significant growth in this area and know that it will continue to be a key issue for both holiday makers and the travel industry.”

By Ona Zygaviciute

Morning Advertiser’s Mike Berry joins Fleet Street Communications

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

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Mike Berry

Berry has worked as a drinks and leisure journalist for 17 years. In addition to his current position at the Morning Advertiser, he has also held senior content roles at publishers covering the HR, corporate comms and building services sectors.

In his new role at FSC, Berry will support the company’s clients in the food, drink, hospitality and leisure sectors to create content-led campaigns that deliver “meaningful impact”.

Berry, who will start his new role on October 17, said: “I’m delighted to be joining founder Mark Stretton and the team at FSC at what is an exciting time for the business.

“FSC is an agency which has long impressed me during my time in the industry with their approach and professionalism, along with its roster of top-notch clients. I look forward to getting started in this new role and making an impact.”

Is PR slow to take advantage of content opportunities?

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While branded content is growing in popularity among marketers, there are few PR agencies on the shortlists for this year’s International Content Marketing Awards. Gorkana asks agency experts if the sector is slow to take advantage of branded content and why it might be falling behind. 

Some 73 agencies of different disciplines are shortlisted in the International Content Marketing Awards for their work in 2016, yet there are only three PR-focused agencies who have made the cut; Remarkable, Good Relations and Finn.

While content is increasingly a feature of PR campaigns and a focus of investment – shown by agencies such as Good Relations and Golin that have created content divisions – it calls into question whether PR is getting recognition in the area.

But, as Andrew Canter, CEO at Branded Content Marketing Association, put it as he wrote for Gorkana this week: ‘the PR industry is extremely well placed to take advantage of what branded content can offer to brands.’

So, where is PR falling short? Remarkable Content, Good Relations, Bottle and Portland all have a content offering and offer their views.

PR needs to take advantage of a content-led approach

Remarkable started as a PR agency and is now a nominee on the awards list for its ‘Beyond Zero’ campaign. Rhiannon Thompson, director at the agency, says she is not surprised to see so few PR-focused agencies on the list.

“Not all have realised the opportunity that developing a content-centric approach brings to the PR world, nor have some embraced a new way of working which shifts PR from the dark ages of lunches and press releases to creating valuable content that is so compelling people want to share it; be that journalists, bloggers, key influencers or, the ever powerful, recommendation from a friend,” she adds.

Thompson says she finds this frustrating as the approach to content strategy should mirror that of PR. “Everything starts with a good story to be told, it’s just the way we package, distribute and encourage others to engage with that material which shifts it from a pure-play PR offering to a content award winner.”

PRs are storytellers but have not traditionally ‘made things’

PRs are catching up to being publishers of content as well as storytellers, according to Wes West, creative content lead at Bottle.

“The lines between advertising, PR, marketing and digital are continuing to blur and content is critical to all of these sectors. Advertising, marketing and digital agencies have always made things as part of their offering. PR work in the past has been more ephemeral and less tangible, which may explain why it’s been slower to catch up – but I think that will change soon,” he adds.

In the same vain Mark Flanagan, senior partner for content and digital strategy at Portland, says many PRs are failing to realise that a lot of what they do already is content marketing.

“It could be that a lot of PRs don’t recognise what they do as ‘content marketing’. At Portland, we create a lot of content for reputation management or public affairs campaigns that might not be seen as marketing.

“Many of these award nominations might be for consumer marketing campaigns that drive huge numbers in terms of audiences – whereas we might be targeting a small number of influencers who can affect a decision. That disparity might put off many corporate agencies,” he adds.

The industry is evolving and gaining content expertise

Good Relations is also on the short-list for its work with Pilsner Urquell. Robert Anderson, executive director of content marketing and digital strategy at the agency, says recognising the changing landscape of PR has led to the agency’s success.

“We made a call several years ago to develop a best in class content offering because we could see the world of communications and marketing was moving in that direction. We knew we had to be great at content as well as the media relations work, and that the two had to be fully integrated.

“Producing great content is the coming together of multiple skillsets – strategy and creativity, production and distribution. Typically PRs have been generalists, rather than specialists, but I think that’s changing as the industry evolves,” he explains.