London Transport Museum Retail hires instinct pr

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London Transport Museum Retail has selected instinct pr to handle the PR for some of its new Christmas product ranges and the launch of its revamped e-commerce website.

instinct LTM

London Transport Museum Retail’s Christmas ranges

ltmuseumshop.co.uk offers customers a range of London transport inspired gifts, including the “History of the Roundel” and “Edward Johnston” ranges, as well as collaborations with Cambridge Satchel Company, Montezuma’s and Simon Carter.

instinct pr will manage London Transport Museums day-to-day retail PR through targeted media relations, seasonal press events, influencer engagement and in-store appointments.

The team aims to create more visibility for London Transport Museum’s retail offering among consumers, as well as drive sales during the key Christmas period.

David Burns, commercial development director for London Transport Museum, said: “After re-launching our e-commerce website, we’re ready to become the go to destination for London Transport inspired products, and we can’t wait for instinct pr to help us achieve it.

“The team’s extensive experience in consumer pr gives us great confidence that the agency will stop at nothing to ensure London Transport Museums retail outlets and new webshop is on every shopper’s map!”

Jonathan Kirkby, founder and director of instinct pr, added: “Having been a neighbour of London Transport Museum for some time now, it’s thrilling to see the shop added to the instinct pr family.

“With the new website launch, truly unique product offering and exclusive brand collaborations, this is an exciting time and we’re delighted to be part of the journey as the festive season fast approaches.”

Opinion: US Vogue vs Bloggers – what it could mean for brands

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Jenny Tsai, founder and CEO at influencer marketing platform Wearisma, and a former director at magazine publisher Hearst, says the recent US-based “Vogue vs. bloggers face-off” has revealed rising tensions between traditional media glossies and social influencers and identifies what this could mean for brands.

Jenny Tsai main

Jenny Tsai

“The recent (US-based) Vogue vs. bloggers face-off was revealing as it pulled back the curtain on the traditional media outlet’s complicated relationship with the new ‘social’ vanguard. It struck me as indicative of something much deeper and more fundamental, however.

Namely that we’re witnessing the biggest fragmentation of media consumption in history since the invention of the printing press. And few of us – Vogue editors included – know how to respond.

A perfect storm of digital undercurrents has eroded consumers’ trust in the expert. This means they no longer go to the establishment for information in the way they once did.

The, what has been referred to as, “jealous” or “hypocritical” comments by individual vogue writers are symptoms of an identity crisis. It’s telling they stand in dichotomy to the magazine’s outward embrace of social stars with high profile covers and courting on Instagram.

Three things have gotten us to where we are today:

  • The removal of traditional gatekeepers to information in a world where anyone can create their own media empire at near zero cost.
  • The personalisation of media consumption where no two newsfeeds are the same. Each of us is building a separate universe around ourselves based on confirmation bias, selecting news sources and information that reinforce our worldview.
  • Finally, the rise of messenger or social media apps. Our average time spent on these now far outweighs any other apps. Information is passed on peer-to-peer, rather than from a few static “authoritative” sources.

We live in a world of hyper-personalisation and non-overlapping “tribal” communities, as judged by the media we consume. Each of these “walled gardens” has a different, and in many cases even contradictory, reality.

As “realities” and “worldviews” diverge even more amongst these communities, so begins the erosion of trust towards traditional experts and authorities. An expert – whether traditional or blogger – from another community is not as trusted as an expert from your own community.

What does this hyper-fragmented media landscape mean for brands? Firstly, they can no longer rely on one channel, e.g. Vogue to reach all fashion lovers, say, but need to incorporate a peer-to-peer approach.

Secondly, they need to change the way they work with influencers to access these distinctly different communities via sources they trust.

Brands need to take a nuanced “portfolio” approach, focused on working with several different social influencers to access contrasting ‘walled’ communities and therefore a spread of audiences.

They also need to trust that influencers will maintain authenticity, rejecting brand campaigns they feel are not authentic to them – regardless of whether they’re paid for or not. To influencers, trust by their own community is the number one asset they have.”

This week’s top people news

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

Daniel Beach 2Omnicom-owned Portland has hired former Ketchum director Daniel Beach as director at Portland Health. John Clarke has also joined the consultancy as an associate director for policy and public affairs.

Beach support pharma and med tech clients, strengthening Portland’s global product communications capability.

Jennifer Ferguson 2Stock photo agency Getty Images has appointed Jennifer Ferguson to the newly-created role of SVP of global comms. Ferguson joins from Christie’s, the fine arts business and auction house.

Ferguson will lead on communications with the company’s diverse stakeholders; from the photographic and creative communities, to internal and investor audiences, as well as consumers, corporates and news organisations around the world.

Jen Stebbing 2Communications consultancy Hawthorn has appointed Daniel Rolle and Jen Stebbing as associate directors. They will advise clients across the technology and professional services sectors.

Stebbing joins Hawthorn from ESI Media, where she was head of video. Rolle joins Hawthorn from Burson-Marsteller.

Mathew O'Keeffe 2Matthew O’Keeffe has joined FTI Consulting as a managing director in its Industrials & Special Situations team.

O’Keeffe joins FTI with more than 20 years of experience working as a sell-side analyst at a number of major investment banks.

infinate 2

Infinite Global, an international professional services comms consultancy, has hired Benjamin Thiele-Long as an account director in London.

Thiele-Long joins Infinite Global from global law firm King & Wood Mallesons, having previously been a consultant at Pagefield Communications.

 

Cartoon Network briefs Tin Man for new Ben 10 series

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Cartoon Network has brought in Tin Man to handle the launch of the new series of its animated children’s series, Ben 10.

Ben 10 features Ben Tennyson, who discovers an out-of-this-world alien-morphing watch – the Omnitrix – while on summer holidays with his grandfather Max and cousin Gwen.

Ten years on from the first episode, the new series premieres with back-to-back episodes tomorrow (8 October) at 10am (GMT) on Cartoon Network.

Following a competitive pitch, Tin Man was briefed to create a PR moment for media that would drive brand awareness among children, aged six to 12, and their parents.

To engage with their target audiences, Tin Man and Cartoon Network created a real-life version of the show’s famous RV, “the Rust Bucket”, and partnered with Airbnb to offer families a half-term holiday home with a difference.

The experience will see sees families travel to Rendlesham Forest, “the UK’s most prominent UFO hotspot”, to spend a night in the RV under the stars.

EDITORIAL USE ONLY Television presenter Ben Fogle and his son Ludo, aged 6, launch Cartoon NetworkÕs Rust Bucket competition in partnership with Airbnb, for families to win a nightÕs stay in a real-life replica of the motorhome that features in the animated series Ben 10, which returns to screens on Saturday 8th October at 10am. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday October 5, 2016. The real-life Rust Bucket will be available exclusively on Airbnb during the October half term at Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk, which is the UKÕs most prominent UFO hotspot. Photo credit should read: Doug Peters/PA Wire

Ben Fogle and his son Ludo launch Cartoon Network’s Rust Bucket competition

The first guests were series super fans, TV presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle and his six-year-old son Ludo.

Tin Man founder Mandy Sharp said: “Ben 10 has been a TV favourite in my house for a while now, so I was very excited when the brief came through. We really wanted to create a memorable campaign that would engage as many people as possible.  By bringing to life one of the key assets of the cartoon and making it available through Airbnb not only gives the campaign reach but allows fans a once in a lifetime experience through a quirky and newsworthy mechanic.”

Neville McCarthy Associates wins Sushi Gourmet brief

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Asian hot food service provider Sushi Gourmet has brought in Neville McCarthy Associates to handle its UK PR and comms activity.

NMA

Sushi Gourmet

Sushi Gourmet, owned and managed by the Hana Group, was first launched in France in 2012. Today the brand operates in over 380 outlets across eight countries in Europe and North America.

Its first UK-based sushi kiosk opened at the end of September in the new Nine Elms Sainbury’s and it has plans for rapid expansion throughout the country.

Neville McCarthy Associates has been briefed to handle all consumer and trade media relations activity, across traditional and online media, to raise the profile of the brand. Activity will also include influencer outreach.

Jason Danciger, MD of Sushi Gourmet UK, said: “We are delighted to work with Neville McCarthy. They share our passion for quality food and intrinsically believe in our evangelical cause of bringing sensational fresh sushi and hot Japanese food to the country.”

Dominic McCarthy, Neville McCarthy Associates’ MD, added: “We are excited to be introducing Sushi Gourmet to UK consumers. The brand is recognised for its freshness, quality and price, and we look forward to being a part of its ongoing success.”

Hilton Dalaman briefs Hills Balfour

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Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & Spa in Turkey has appointed travel PR and marketing consultancy Hills Balfour to handle its digital PR strategy in the UK and Ireland, following a competitive pitch.

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Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & Spa

Located between the Verdant mountains and Mediterranean Sea, the Hilton Dalaman’s offering includes 23 dining options, as well as ten pools, a spa, private beach, tennis courts, and a fitness centre.

Hills Balfour has been briefed to position the Hilton Dalaman as an enticing destination for a range of travellers – from adventure seekers to families, cultural explorers, those interested in health and well-being, food lovers, and wildlife and nature enthusiasts.

Tunç Batum, general manager at the Hilton Dalaman, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Hills Balfour who share our enthusiasm, drive and vision and whose experience and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry will enable us to elevate our brand within UK and Irish media.

“With the rise of digital media and the fluidity of the UK travel market, it’s an exciting time to leverage new ways to communicate our messages with consumers.”

The account will be led by Amy Scott, Hills Balfour’s PR account director, with the support of PR account manager Freya Boucher and PR account executive Rachel Walker.

Amanda Hills, CEO of Hills Balfour, said: “The strength of the Hilton Dalaman as a hotel destination lies in the variety of experiences on offer as well as in the undeniable draws of the hotel’s spectacular natural setting, all of which cater for a wide range of tastes and interests. We are delighted to be showcasing these to the UK media, and helping to inspire and drive travel to the resort.”

Aspectus expands Brexit services

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Aspectus has launched a new package of services to help firms deal with post-Brexit comms following the launch of its specialist Brexit unit.

Tim Focas 1

Tim Focas

Its Brexit offer includes media training and Q&A documents to assist clients with post-Brexit messaging as well as a data toolkit designed to help businesses compile data for media consumption.

Tim Focas, co-lead of Aspectus’ Brexit unit, said: “In the weeks since we announced our new Brexit communications unit, we’ve received significant interest from potential clients looking to get onto the front foot post-Brexit.

“Many of these businesses have access to vast reserves of untapped data – from recruitment and house price figures to broader information about the state of the energy, technology and capital markets sectors. This data is an invaluable resource for journalists looking to make sense of the Brexit story as it unfolds.

“Our offer will help clients to make full use of their in-house data stores – pulling them together into coherent narratives that can both showcase their value and expertise and provide journalists with the insights they need.”

Aspectus will provide further details on its Brexit offer during an upcoming Gorkana webinar on the topic on November 23. Please email [email protected] to register.

Daniel Beach joins Portland as director

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Omnicom-owned Portland has hired former Ketchum director, Daniel Beach, as director at Portland Health. John Clarke joins the consultancy as associate director for policy and public affairs.

Daniel Beach 1

Daniel Beach

Beach’s experience spans agency and in-house roles. In his new position, he will support pharma and med tech clients, strengthening Portland’s global product communications capability.

He said: “Portland stands out among consultancies both in the way it engages its staff and the quality of advice and work it provides its clients. These two are clearly linked and instrumental in the company’s success. I look forward to becoming an integral member of a uniquely talented Health team, and to helping realise its ambition to deliver the best work of our careers.”

Dr. Jane Brearley, partner and head of health at Portland, added: “I am delighted to welcome Daniel who expands the experience and skills we need to ensure we continue meeting and exceeding the expectations of current and future clients.

“Daniel complements the existing senior team expertise with extensive global communications experience and invaluable insights from his in-house and patient advocacy roles. As a science geek with a knack for engaging diverse stakeholders and delivering creative campaigns, Daniel is the perfect fit for our award winning team.”

Clarke’s background in the pharmaceutical industry includes advising major international companies on issues such as changes to the NHS and uptake of new medicines and market access strategies.

60 Seconds with Manifest London’s Martin Farrar-Smith

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Martin Farrar-Smith, branding and design director at Manifest London, believes agencies need to think less about media coverage and more about changing things, says all Manifest’s campaigns need to to be “bold, brilliant and beautiful”, and wants to get his hands on a brief from Liverpool Football Club…

Manifest

Martin Farrar-Smith

Describe the current state of the comms industry in five words?

‘It needs blowing wide open’

The industry has changed so much in the 11 years since I started and not just the web. Society’s behaviour towards brands, and its interaction with them, is now totally different, so we’re having to think and work so much smarter than ever before.

Too many agencies (and more worryingly, brands) lose sight of this world of opportunity around them and settle for the status quo. Equally, too many agencies think their job is about media coverage and not changing things; which is scary not just because it’s old school, it’s scary because they aren’t going to survive for very long.

How does your role fit into Manifest’s agency structure?

We’re on a mission to be an agency like no other, so it’s been quite a natural fit. I’m here to add to our already successful brand strategy offering, meaning we can offer clients the full package. We want all of our campaigns to be bold, brilliant and beautiful so I guess I’m here to help on the latter (although having worked in a PR environment before, I enjoy doing the other two as well).

This is also true with our owned media, so I’m currently working on evolving our brand for our imminent office move. On top of all of that, I’m part of our production division O, being brought on as art director, which is really exciting.

What’s your favourite part of your job?

Getting right under the skin of a brand. I’ve been lucky to work with a wide variety of brands from blue chip to consumer facing and I’ve always got a kick from being able to find something about the brand I work on that I love.

It makes the whole thing much easier when you do that. There’s always something in a job that you can make your own and out your stamp on, you just need to find it.

What’s surprised you the most since taking on your role?

I kind of knew it already, but it was amazing to see how creative the team is. They’re just so switched on to the world around them. I think, as a designer, you can think of people in ‘PR’ like ‘people in PR’ if you know what I mean? But Manifest isn’t like that at all. We’re an ideas agency and it’s such a great feeling to be a part of it.

What was your first job?

Actual job? Working in a car parts and accessories shop called ‘Motorworld’, which I took on after [my current boss] Alex had left. Design-wise, it was junior designer at the agency now known as ‘ilk’.

Which brand have you most liked working with during your career?

There’s been a few. And it’s always for the same reason. They’re the ones who trust in what you’re proposing to them. The ones who let you take hold of their brand and take it where they can’t. If I had to pick one, it would be Grumpy Mule. It’s got my stamp on it. There’s loads of snappy, sassy and referential copy, which I never thought when I wrote it would fly; but the client loved it.

What’s the dream brand to work with?

This is kind of related to the previous question – there’s not a specific brand really. I love brands that want to change the world; they’re just so inspiring. And when you get to work with them, the ideas just come so much easier. But, again, if I had to pick one – Liverpool Football Club. I love them to bits.

Your boss [Alex Myers, Manifest’s group CEO] says you can recite Mean Girls in its entirety. Any other films under your belt?

So many. I spent my university days working at Blockbuster so there’s a bazillion films that I reference on a daily basis. As for word for word, Wayne’s World 1 & 2 and the criminally underrated Street Fighter II – The Animated Movie (not to be confused with the Jean-Claude Van Damme live action disaster).

Having two young children, I know every single song from Frozen without ever seeing the movie from start to end. I am also known to drop a Simpsons line into most conversations and I do a mean rendition See My Vest.

  • Martin Farrar-Smith joined Manifest last month as branding and design director. He was previously art director at ilk, an integrated agency based in Leeds, and is a school-friend and long-time collaborator of Alex Myers, group CEO at Manifest. He has more than a decade of experience as a senior brand and design consultant, delivering work for brands including BrewDog and Panasonic.

Personalised travel service CityUnscripted hires Rooster

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Rooster has been handed a UK media relations brief by CityUnscripted, a new personalised travel service, which offers travellers planning and booking tools to help them get to know a city “through the eyes of a like-minded local”.

Rooster CityUnscripted

CityUnscripted

CityUnscripted launched in London in April 2016 with a database of ready-made tours and an online TripPlanner service which allows visitors to create bespoke itineraries based on detailed recommendations of the best things to see and do in the city.

The site claims to helps visitors get away from scripted excursions by exploring their chosen city with a “local” who will plan a personalised outing based on their interests. It is expanding with a new ‘Book a Local’ option available in 13 new cities across Europe, America and Asia.

As CityUnscripted’s first PR agency, Rooster’s brief is to deliver a strategic PR campaign that will focus on the global expansion of the ‘Book a Local’ feature, as well as raise media awareness of company news, announcements and new partnerships.

The agency plans to position CityUnscripted as a leader in providing high-quality, bespoke experiences that get away from scripted tours.

Nick Whitfield, founder and CEO of CityUnscripted, said: “As our network continues to expand rapidly, it’s great to have Rooster on board to help raise awareness of our inspiring community of locals.

“We devised this concept with the aim of changing the way travellers experience a city for the better, by branching away from conventional tours that just show people traditional tourist traps and we look forward to seeing our user base grow.”

James Brooke, MD at Rooster PR, added: “As an agency of avid travellers, this is an exciting appointment for us. CityUnscripted is a service that we ourselves would book when visiting a new city, so we’re very much looking forward to utilising our industry contacts and implementing a creative approach to get word out about the site.”