10 Yetis Digital says ‘Shut up, beige!’ for gift retailer

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10 Yetis Digital has been appointed by UK gift and home accessories retailer Red Candy to handle its PR, as part of a marketing drive to raise awareness of the brand’s offering and slogan, ‘Shut up, beige!’.

10 Yetis Digital


Red Candy launched in 2009 as the world’s first “red-only” website, with every product sold coloured red. The retailer now sells products of all colours, with the strict exception of beige – hence its slogan: ‘Shut up, beige!’.

10 Yetis Digital has been briefed to create a new consumer facing PR campaign for Red Candy and increase awareness of its products, as well as the slogan. As a result, it hopes to enhance the retailer’s position as a leading provider of reasonably priced, quirky gifts and home décor products.

Red Candy’s partnership with 10 Yetis Digital marks its first project-based PR campaign dedicated to driving traffic through consumer PR activity.

Andy Menzies, director at Red Candy, said: “We’re so excited to be working on new PR implementation with 10 Yetis to introduce new audiences to our website.

“Ultimately through this kind of partnership we are hoping to solidify ourselves as one of the go-to gifting sites for Britons looking for a quirky, characterful or unique product for their loved ones, or as a little treat for themselves!”

Andy Barr, owner of 10 Yetis Digital, said: “Over the years we have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic gifting companies, and now with a company as quirky and unique as Red Candy on board, we are confident we can deliver some fantastic results! We are totally on board with the ‘Shut up, beige!’ slogan ourselves, and the products featured on the website have already caused quite a stir in the office.”

McFrank promotes Brew at the Bog festival

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Highland festival Brew at the Bog has appointed the Scottish arm of Frank PR, McFrank, to promote its summer event, which takes place on 3 and 4 June and features Scottish indie band Idlewild as the headline act.

McFrank

Idlewild

Set against the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, Brew at the Bog aims to showcase the best in Scottish music, comedy, art and beer. Other acts confirmed for the bill include Mercury-nominated C Duncan, The LaFontaines and White.

McFrank has been briefed to manage the festival’s influencer engagement programme and media partnerships, as well as provide a round-the-clock ‘always on’ press office, including artist announcements through to the festival weekend in June.

The win marks the first festival brief for Glasgow-based McFrank, which launched last year.

Claire Morrison, McFrank GM, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Brew at the Bog to help make an even bigger noise this year and spread the excitement. Brew at the Bog is the ultimate Highland fling and the perfect place to showcase the wealth of talent in traditional, folk and indie music from every corner of this country.”

PLMR hires adviser to the former London Mayor

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Joe Mitton, former adviser to the London Mayor, is joining the top team at PLMR, the London-based agency specialising in political lobbying and media relations.
Joe Mitton 1

Mitton joins from the Mayor’s office where he acted as special adviser for business and science until the recent mayoral elections. He will join PLMR as a senior consultant in London and begins his new role next week.

“I am delighted to be joining the PLMR team.  It is a firm that understands London’s economy and government like no other.   PLMR is the best partner for high-growth tech, science, infrastructure and City firms and I am looking forward to working with all their clients, existing and new, to grab the opportunities in London and beyond,” said Mitton.

Before taking up his position as special adviser at the office of the mayor of London, Mitton worked in the Australian Civil Service.  He went on to be appointed to the Australian High Commission in London, where he represented the Australian government on trade and regulatory issues in the UK and the European Commission.

Kevin Craig, managing director at PLMR, added: “We are very excited to welcome Joe to PLMR.  He brings a wealth of relevant experience to our current clients and he has big ambitions to help us widen our reach in emerging sectors.”

 

Opinion: Overcoming landmark energy and planning challenges

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Jason Nisse, partner at Newgate Communications, which advises Third Energy, explains what it was to like to work behind the scenes in the run up to its landmark planning success as it got the go ahead for its fracking operation. Challenging planning projects mean it is essential to cover “all the bases”, he writes.

Newgate

Jason Nisse

In the end it was all very quick. After two days of speeches, presentations and deliberations, Councillor Sowray, chair of North Yorkshire County Council’s Planning and Regulatory Functions committee, moved to the vote. And by seven votes to four, and in under 30 seconds, the first approval for five years for a fracking application in the UK went through.

Having advised Third Energy from the time it first signalled an intention to frack in late 2014, as well as advising the trade body, UKOOG, I have seen first-hand what a struggle it has been to secure this victory. The companies who want to frack for gas in the UK have had to deal with misinformation, intimidation, misrepresentations and delays, pronouncements from so called “experts” who have read a few articles on the internet but haven’t read the actual application, smear campaigns on social media and heartfelt pleas from people who used every emotional lever from weeping to bringing babies to demonstrations in an attempt to win over hearts and minds.

The industry has been targeted by professional campaigners, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and 38 Degrees, who brought substantial resources to bear, which made up nearly two thirds of those sent into North Yorkshire County Council.

Yet this is nothing new for us. Newgate’s sister agency, PPS, has a long track record of working on difficult planning projects, including major energy and infrastructure schemes, across the UK and Newgate Australia is the leading consultancy for infrastructure projects down under. PPS actually won an award for helping UK energy company Cuadrilla following its earth tremor in Lancashire. We’re also working with Professor Ragnar Löfstedt, director of the King’s College Centre for Risk Management, on academic analysis of the factors needed to win acceptance for major projects.

Our experience shows that for the most difficult schemes, having all the bases covered is essential. So good community engagement can be undermined if you do not have strong, responsive media relations able to rapidly rebut any negative comments. Gaining political cover from MPs – or being aware of what issues will bring attacks from politicians – makes your life infinitely easier when dealing with the media and communities. Also, 24/7 monitoring of social media – even if you never engage with it (as we didn’t with Third Energy) – is impossible to do without.

Finally, the job of the consultant is often to be the conscience of the client – asking “have we disclosed all we can?”, “did we tell x this?” or “when are we doing what we promised at the meeting on y?”

Critically, I would advise anyone working on a project to try to avoid being drawn into national debates. Tempting though it may be to argue with The Guardian about whether gas is a bridging technology to zero carbon future, local issues carried in local media and discussed in the local pub will hold more sway. Think global, but act local.

  • Jason Nisse is partner at Newgate Communications. 

Behind the Headlines with NPR founder Nathan Rous

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Nathan Rous, director of NPR, talks about cutting his teeth in local media, why PR is one of the most “incredible” sectors to work in and once bearing a striking resemblance to former Olympic long-distance runner Zola Budd.

NPR

Nathan Rous

Before I reach the office in the morning, I’ve already…
Made the most hideous smoothie known to man and tried to force-feed it to the kids. Think moringa, baobab, wheatgrass and kale. I’m not popular at 7am.

You’ll mostly find emails about…in my inbox.
Other than Gorkana requests you mean? I wade through a myriad updates from trade publications (Retail Week is particularly good) and clients in the US, whose emails land at three and four am, but you’ll also find plenty of failed attempts to organise a round of golf. A year since I last ruined a good walk.

I know I’ve had a good day if…
I can’t put the phone down in the evening.

My first job was…
A Saturday job aged 12, making/ruining sandwiches, but my first real job was as a cub reporter at the Brighouse Echo and Halifax Evening Courier, starting the day after I left my NCTJ course in Darlington. I had a heady starting salary of £7,500.

I can tell a campaign is succeeding when…
The client rings to say “I know we’ve been on ITN, BBC and Sky, and we’re in the Daily Mail and The Times today, but is anything happening tomorrow?” I love that there’s no let up as it reminds me of working in newspapers.

I eat….when nobody is watching.
My youngest is 21-months-old so I do my best to ensure she doesn’t eat any sugar. I feel I’m taking one for the team by hoovering up the chocolate buttons and Milky Bars brought over by her grannies.

The first time I pitched to a journalist…
I’d been a journalist for 15 years before setting up NPR so I already knew stacks of people in the media. I was pitching a style piece on Charles Tyrwhitt to The Telegraph and relied on Old Faithful (the freebie) to lure the journalist to its Jermyn St flagship. Job done.

The worst thing anyone has said to me is…
“Can you help this little girl find the toilet paper please?” My mum had sent me into the supermarket, aged 11, and I raced up to a shop assistant for help. She was too busy so asked the supervisor to assist with this immortal utterance. I was horrified and ran out. In truth, I had an uncanny resemblance to Zola Budd.

The last book I read was…
I’m an annoying foodie so I have a stack of cookery books by my bed. There’s nothing better than drifting off over a marbled steak or a meticulous Nigel Slater lemon curd tart.

I’ve never really understood why…
I have to apologise for the PR industry every time I see a new client. There’s a lot of mistrust out there and plenty of poor practise, but in the main it’s an incredible sector to work in and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

If I could go back and talk to my 10-year-old self, I’d say…
Maybe Hammy isn’t dead? I’m convinced my brother and I buried our hamster without proper checks. The claw marks on the inside of the shoebox we dug up months later could be seen as evidence.

This time next year, I’ll be…
Enjoying my last holiday (possibly ever) before the builders move in.

Fancy featuring in a Behind the Headlines interview? Please email [email protected]

‘The myth that Facebook isn’t a channel for B2B comms is dead’

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Hotwire PR and market research company Vanson Bourne have launched The Changing Face of Influence report, which highlights the finding that B2B decision makers are influenced by platforms outside of what is considered ‘the norm’. It also claims the ‘myth’ that Facebook isn’t a channel for B2B comms “is dead”. 

In the survey, where 1,000 business decision makers responded, the research found that nearly one in four (24%) of them say Facebook is their preferred social channel when seeking information on a purchasing decision.

In this context, the social media platform ranks ahead of Twitter and LinkedIn – the platforms traditionally perceived to be more appropriate for B2B comms – with 6% and 17% of the vote, respectively.

Despite this preference for Facebook as a source of information, 30% of the respondents surveyed do not plan to use Facebook in their own B2B marketing. Hotwire says this highlights the gulf between the way decision makers use social media themselves and how they think their peers use it.

The study also cites that 87% of decision makers say traditional media sources and social media are equally important as sources of information and as reference points for purchasing decisions.

In addition, marketing decision makers are more likely to engage with newer outlets which have a digital-only focus with Business Insider and The Huffington Post cited as the two most widely read publications.

What does this mean for PR?

John Brown, group head engagement at Hotwire, said this means PRs looking to push B2B brands across platforms should be open to using all channels. He said: “It’s time to put to bed the myth of some channels only being suitable for B2B comms and others for B2C. Social media has eroded these divides and created an environment where what matters is how compelling the story is, not where decision makers see the story.”

Brown added that there are two key takeaways for PRs from the study. Firstly, the channels that decision makers use in their personal lives are also where they look for relevant information. Secondly, there’s no longer a perception difference between old, new and social media – they are all equally important to decision makers looking for information.

  • The data cited in this report is based on interviews with 1,000 marketing and IT decision makers from large organisations across various sectors in the US, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Australia and New Zealand. The survey was conducted during March and April 2016. 

Fraser Yachts hands UK PR brief to TLA

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The Lifestyle Agency has been chosen to handle the PR for Fraser Yachts in the UK.

TLA

Part of the Azimut-Benetti Group, Fraser Yachts has been described as the largest luxury yacht service provider in the world, with more than 150 employees and 12 offices worldwide.

TLA has been briefed to promote Fraser Yachts’ services, which include yacht sales, charter, yacht management, crew and construction, targeting the luxury yacht, lifestyle and travel media.

Alicia Legg, senior account manager at The Lifestyle Agency will lead the account and report to Lisa Peck, global marketing manager for Fraser Yachts.

Hempco Canada Superfoods appoints Storm as first UK agency

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Hempco Canada Superfoods, described as a pioneer in the global hemp industry for more than 14 years, has brought in Storm Communications to launch its new range of hemp oil, seeds, superfoods, supergreens and snacks under its first consumer-facing brand, PlanetHemp.

Hempco Canada Superfoods has briefed Storm to help generate retail listings in the UK.storm1

The agency will target trade press in the grocery and retail sectors alongside a consumer-focussed drive, with the core objective of raising awareness of the Planet Hemp brand and products, as well as raising the profile of hemp overall.

Elinor Tyler, Storm Communications’ head of consumer, will lead the account.

Tony Reeves, MD of HempCo Europe, said: “One of the goals of HempCo is to reduce the amount of animal products we consume as humans. 15% of all greenhouse gases are currently created by meat production – more than cars, trains, planes and ships combined.

“The public is increasingly in-tune with this message; the rise of flexitarians (with a diet that is plant-based with the occasional inclusion of meat products) in the UK and the fact that 12% of the British population, the highest ever, follows a vegetarian, or vegan, diet is testament to this fact. It is with this in mind that we are so passionate about making environmentally-friendly hemp products available to UK consumers who are concerned with reducing their impact on the planet and the amount of meat they eat.”

He continued: “Storm has impeccable credentials in the health and wellbeing sector and we’re excited to be working with the agency, to drive the brand forward in the UK market.”

Tyler added: “Hemp is one of the most nutritionally dense products in the world and Hempco Canada Superfoods has harnessed these nutritional properties to bring a series of innovative firsts to the market. We are delighted to be chosen as Hempco Canada Superfoods’ partner to assist in driving listings, sales and awareness of the brand and hemp as a whole.”

Debenhams names head of product PR

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Debenhams has promoted Hayley Betts to head of product PR, 15 months after she first joined the UK department store chain as a senior PR manager.

Betts will head up all product PR for Womenswear, Menswear, Kidswear, Homes and Beauty at Debenhams.

Heading up a six-strong product PR team, she will work alongside Debenhams’ senior marketing management team to deliver brand campaigns, with a focus on targeting media, influencers and bloggers through PR events and activities.

Betts will also be responsible for all content creation, which will include photography and video content and reports to Christine Morgan, director of PR at Debenhams.

Betts first joined Debenhams as senior PR manager in March 2015. Before that, she was head of PR at French Connection for nearly three-and-a-half years. Her other PR roles have also included an in-house stint at Oasis and four years at Modus Publicity.

Eight ways PRs can tackle the consumer health debate

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The consumer health debate is growing in momentum as the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) runs a public consultation on how food and drink products should be advertised to children. In response, Good Relations suggests eight top tips for handling the debate in the media. 

On 13 May the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) launched its food and drink consultation with a look at introducing non-broadcast rules for how food and soft drink products are advertised to children.

As the body responsible for writing the UK Advertising Code, it says it launched the consultation in response to “wider societal concerns around childhood obesity”; the theme is high on the public and political agenda as the government continues to introduce initiatives such as the ‘sugar smart’ campaign and a sugar tax to tackle the problem.

In order to explore how brands should deal with media debates around nutrients, food and diets, Good Relations recently held a panel event with representatives from a range of major food brands and the media. James Hawkins, senior consultant, public affairs, at Good Relations uses the event highlights to inform his eight top tips on how to handle the debate.

James Hawkins Good Relations

James Hawkins

The eight key points PRs must consider in the food and drink debate:

  1. A brand cannot just think that product labelling is the end of its corporate responsibility. Above all, companies must have integrity which informs their activities – from a product reformulation strategy to promoting the physical well-being of their staff.
  2. Many brands will have “indulgent” products as part of their portfolios. These are part of the nutritional landscape and should not be hidden. However, you have to have sound messaging and remember it is not what you sell that necessarily counts, it is what you promote.
  3. Traditional media will typically provide a balanced story even if you don’t like the headline – although that “balance” may only come at the end of the article which may not be widely read. However, newspapers will often follow up health related news stories with features written by a qualified nutritionist or health writer. This provides an opportunity to explore the wider issues in a more depth and context.
  4. Brands should not be naïve about social media. On nutrition issues, social media is like the Wild West with digital commentators often driven by ego, who have very few qualifications, and can easily wreak havoc on brands.
  5. Brands should shout more about the changes they are making to their products, including in the production process (these are often hidden). A good news story is often one that is counter intuitive and after bashing brands for a long time, good news stories can get traction if they have an interesting angle.
  6. Reformulation is only successful if it is commercially successful; otherwise consumers shift to another “unhealthy” product. Brands must be clear that reformulation takes time (and not all their product range can be reformulated necessarily at the same time).
  7. Telling your story is important. Those engaged will listen, but it is important (in public policy terms) for those who switch off, that the process continues.
  8. Sensational media reporting often informs political debates. Politicians can’t regulate diet so will perhaps inevitably focus on diet components. Political engagement is as important as media engagement.