Benugo briefs Fleet Street Communications

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British food and drink business Benugo has appointed Fleet Street Communications as its retained PR agency.

Benugo was founded in 1998 by Ben Warner and brother Hugo Warner in London’s Clerkenwell. It nowFleet Street Communications operates 11 high street cafes, restaurants, dining spaces throughout London, including Curzon St, Luton Airport, Covent Garden, Great Portland St, Waterloo Station, St Pancras, Wigmore Street and Victoria.

Fleet Street Communications will provide support for Benugo’s retail, restaurant and public space sites.

The brief includes trade and corporate comms activity, and the agency will also identify local opportunities.

Mark Stretton, MD at Fleet Street Communications, added: “Benugo is a fantastic business that fits perfectly into our portfolio of hospitality and leisure clients. It has an inspiring vision and we are delighted to have the opportunity to support it.

“FSC’s experience and credentials in the sector complement Benugo’s market positioning and strategy for growth, making the partnership an ideal match.”

Manifest to launch “social crowd” platform Crowdmix

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New “social crowd” platform Crowdmix has chosen Manifest as its retained comms agency, with a brief to handle the platform’s UK launch this Summer.

Crowdmix is Manifesta social crowd platform that aims to connect individuals within active ‘crowds’ through shared interests, which it says will close the gap between artists, brands and their communities.

Manifest is already providing strategic brand consultancy for the app, which is still in its invite-only phase.

The team will help develop a brand manifesto for Crowdmix and aims to strengthen its global messaging structure.

Alongside its consumer PR remit, the agency will also advise on content strategy, influencer relations and corporate comms.

Alexandra Annable, global head of comms at Crowdmix, said: “We were instantly impressed with the creativity and enthusiasm of the Manifest team. They immediately understood the potential of Crowdmix to engage and connect with our audiences, providing a bold, intelligent and creative approach that resonates with our own working culture. We are thrilled to be working with to bring the Crowdmix message to the world.”

Alex Myers, founder and group CEO of Manifest, added: “Crowdmix is not simply trying to compete within an existing market, it is redefining the concept of using technology to promote shared cultural experiences. This platform could genuinely revolutionise myriad industries over time, closing the gap between artists, brands and their communities.”

Behind the Headlines with Stir PR MD Alicia Mellish

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Alicia Mellish, MD of Stir PR, on what’s led her to appreciate vacuum packed food, the marker for campaign success and why PR should be seen as the gatekeeper to a brand’s most powerful influencers.

Alicia Mellish

Alicia Mellish

Before I reach the office in the morning, I’ve already…
Sat down with our client service director, Jo, to get an update on the team, the clients and what’s coming up in the day. Oh, and had lots of coffee!

You’ll mostly find emails about…in my inbox.
Marketing insight and innovation. PSFK is my favourite newsletter I get through each day – I find it fascinating to see what brands are up to especially as the tools (technology wise) of communication and consumer engagement develop at a staggering rate.

I know I’ve had a good day if…
My head hits the pillow with a sense of calm about it.

My first job was…
Working in a Gentleman’s Outfitters on Piccadilly owned by Eric Clapton – there isn’t much I don’t know about a well fitting suit, fine crafted brogues and how to deal with customers who expect high quality, good service, and all delivered with a smile.

I can tell a campaign is succeeding when…
The team feels good about working on it. Success breeds pride in their work and that in turn drives even greater success.

I eat…when no one is watching.
Frankfurters from the packet. Off shore sailing has given me a true appreciation and gratitude for vacuum packed food.

The first time I pitched to a journalist…
I was selling in six-foot long roses for Valentine’s Day. I still don’t know anyone who owns a vase big enough.

The worst thing anyone has said to me is…
Not one for sharing here.

The last book I read was…
 James Rhodes’ Instrumental.  Its probably one of the hardest books I have ever read (heartbreaking content wise), but an inspiring tale.  The main thing I took from it…Find something you are willing to die for – and live it.

I’ve never really understood why…
The PR industry is (sometimes / arguably) all too ready to see itself as ‘less than’ other marketing disciplines. We are the inconspicuous gatekeepers to brands’ most powerful influencers – never underestimate the impact of PR.

If I could go back and talk to my 10-year-old self, I’d say…
Meet as many people, from as many different walks of life possible; and ask them what they do for a living. I grew up being afforded every opportunity, but I didn’t necessarily get encouraged (or rather take the initiative) to think outside the box. Get out of that box! The world is a big place!

This time next year…
I’ll be one year wiser.

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

Chesnara appoints FWD for financial communications

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UK and Europe-based pensions consolidator, Chesnara, has appointed FWD to handle its financial PR strategy.

FWD 1

Roddy Watt

Chesnara is currently listed at £390 million on the London Stock Exchange, and administers approximately 910,000 life and pension policies in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands.

John Deane, chief executive at Chesnara, said: “FWD has extensive knowledge of both our sector and our company. As we continue to pursue our stated strategic objectives their support will help us to maintain a well-informed stakeholder community including both shareholders and policy holders.”

Roddy Watt, director of capital markets at FWD, said: “As a specialist financial services consultancy, Chesnara is a natural fit and welcome addition to our portfolio of clients. Having worked with the management team in the past, I look forward to continuing to work on their behalf as they strive to deliver impressive returns for their stakeholders.”


Weber Shandwick appoints Shirin Majid as creative director

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Shirin Majid has rejoined Weber Shandwick to become creative director, 17 years after starting her PR career at the agency’s Washington, D.C. office.

weber

James Nester and Shirin Majid

Based in London, Majid will help oversee the creative output of Weber’s UK offices and lead work for key clients across its consumer, corporate, healthcare, technology, and social impact practices.

She will report to James Nester, EMEA and UK executive creative director, who joined Weber Shandwick in July 2015.

Nester said: “As we ramp up our creative and social capabilities, Shirin’s the perfect hire for us. I don’t believe ideas should ever be put in boxes. Shirin’s thinking effortlessly fuses disciplines and transcends media channels, like all the greatest campaigns do. She’ll add great value to our creative offering.”

For the past two decades, Majid has helped build brands through PR, digital, social, events and content. One of her most iconic campaigns was the award-winning Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project, which ran for two years across 50 markets.

She has held senior creative roles at comms and digital agencies in New York and London, including Edelman and Profero, and established and led the US offices of M&C Saatchi PR and Splendid Communications.

In her six years at Edelman, Majid helped build the agency’s digital and social credentials in both New York and London, as the first digital copywriter and associate creative director in both offices.

She helped create some of the first social media campaigns for the likes of Axe, Microsoft Xbox and Trojan and orchestrated the social media launch of the London 2012 Olympics brand and the world’s highest phone call for Motorola.

At Splendid, she developed creative platforms, integrated and social media campaigns, content and experiences for clients such as Smirnoff, Marmite, Miller, Harvey Nichols, and Topshop. As head of Splendid’s New York office, she led the PR launch of Spotify in the US.

Majid started her career at Weber Shandwick in Washington, D.C. where she began as a senior account executive leading media relations for campaigns including the White House 200th Anniversary.

Majid said: “I’m returning to Weber Shandwick after 17 years because I want to work with smart, creative people at the top of their game who are creating the PR agency of the future. I’m most looking forward to working with a powerhouse of multi-disciplinary talent whose creative and strategic thinking constantly challenges the status quo.”

KBC wins three-year PR brief from Travel Alberta

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Travel Alberta, the tourism marketing organisation for the Canadian Province, has appointed KBC to handle its travel media relations, social media and consumer marketing in the UK, Benelux and Scandinavia.

KBC
KBC secured the contract, which will run for an initial three-year period, as part of an RFP process which began in October 2015.

The agency will work with social influencers, bloggers, travel writers and broadcast outlets to build destination awareness for Alberta’s tourism experiences.

Account director Louise Evans, who was recently recruited to the agency from Thomas Cook, will lead on the account. She will be supported by account manager Beth Higham. They will report to Susan Darch, director, global media and content, at Travel Alberta.

The appointment marks a return to Alberta for KBC, which was retained by the organisation from 2001 to 2010.

Kate Burgess-Craddy, KBC chief executive, said: “It is a huge honour to be reappointed by Travel Alberta and we are absolutely delighted to once again be working for this breathtaking Province. The high brand recognition of the Canadian Rockies gives us the perfect platform to drive awareness of Alberta as an authentic and memorable travel choice for UK visitors.”

Red Door’s Kate Aldous joins Lansons to boost health offer

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Lansons has enhanced its healthcare team with the appointment of Red Door Unlimited’s Kate Aldous as an associate director.

lansons

Kate Aldous

Aldous has been briefed to bolster Lansons’ capability in the corporate healthcare sector. Over the last three years, the agency has worked on projects in the public and private sector for clients including Novartis, MSD, and Simply Health.

She will work closely with the existing Lansons Health and Change and Employee Engagement teams, reporting to Lansons’ joint-MD, Scott McKenzie.

Aldous has 11 years’ health comms experience and has led ethical and consumer healthcare campaigns for leading pharmaceutical companies at a UK and global level.

At Red Door Unlimited, she provided senior level consultancy to clients including Sanofi, Astellas, Pfizer, Novartis, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Lily and AstraZeneca.

She was also part of the leadership team responsible for financial best practice and driving new business during her five years at the agency.

McKenzie said: “We’ve brought Kate into Lansons to help service the growing demand we’re seeing in the healthcare space. We’re doing a lot more work across the sector, but in particular projects based around business transformation, corporate reputation, innovation and brand.  Kate is a wonderful consultant and her experience will be incredibly valuable as we continue to build our presence in a sector that faces many reputational and business challenges.”

Aldous added: “I’m delighted to have joined the team at Lansons. I was attracted to the consultancy because of its truly integrated offering and future-thinking focus, which is successfully delivering exciting results for clients, including in the evolving healthcare sector. I’m looking forward to working with some of Lansons’ diverse existing client base, as well as helping to grow the healthcare business further.”

VFS Global names comms chief

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VFS Global, the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, has appointed Kuoni Group’s Peter Brun to chief comms officer.

VFS Global

Peter Brun

Brun, who takes up his new role on July 1, will head up corporate comms, marketing and branding, and CSR activity for VFS Gobal, which is based in 124 countries across five continents and serves the interests of 50 governments.

He will be based at the company’s head office in Dubai, UAE, and joins the extended executive board of VFS Global.

Brun has more than 28 years’ experience, and joins VFS Global from Kuoni Group.  He has been with the Kuoni Group since August 2005, initially as head of comms for Market Switzerland, before taking on his current role as chief comms officer for the group in March 2008.

Before Kuoni, he spent 17 years working in radio and television, gaining experience as a journalist, moderator, anchor and, finally, as MD and chief editor at Radio 24 AG, Switzerland’s largest private radio station.

He was also the winner of the “Switzerland’s Spokesperson of the Year” award in 2012.

Zubin Karkaria, CEO at VFS Global, said: “As we are look at further developing and expanding our business, we are pleased to have Peter onboard at VFS Global, strengthening our management team. Ours is a very people driven business and hence we have always focused on attracting and retaining the best professionals.  Peter’s appointment is a validation of the same.”

Brun added: “VFS Global is an incredible success story. I have been following the company and its global progress for many years and I am very pleased that I will now have an opportunity of contributing to this story.”

Rentplus hires Instinctif Partners

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Laura O'Connell BC

Laura O’Connell

Instinctif Partners has been appointed as communications advisor to Rentplus following a competitive pitch.

Instinctif is set to promote Rentplus’ business which provides “affordable” rent-to-buy homes. The agency will push the offering to local authorities, central government, national and regional housebuilders and tenants.

The agency will use a multichannel communications strategy which includes content origination, events, capital markets and political communications, digital and social media as well as film and production activities.

Richard Connolly, chief executive at Rentplus, said: “Rentplus has an ambitious pipeline of affordable intermediate rent-to-buy homes. We now need to take centre stage as an innovative model in the affordable housing sector. With a range of audiences and stakeholders to speak to and a number of channels to master, we are delighted to be working with leading integrated UK communications agency, Instinctif Partners.”

Laura O’Connell (pictured), managing partner at Instinctif Partners, added: “We are very excited to be working with Rentplus, a truly pioneering affordable housing model which is seeking to alleviate the housing crisis issues of affordability and supply which are affecting so many people. The broad programme of communications we will deliver reflects our strength as a consultancy to offer deep expertise across many specialisms via one interconnected team.”

Instinctif Partners frequently works across sectors including residential and commercial property, international real estate and development and construction and housebuilding.

Shooting Star offers PR clinic to Lincolnshire business

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PR and marketing agency Shooting Star is offering a morning of free PR “clinics” to Lincolnshire businesses in July 2016.

The Lincoln and Bristol-based agency is set to offer advise to local businesses at the University of Lincoln on Wednesday 6 July from 9:30am to 1pm.

Previously, Shooting Star has hosted a morning of PR clinics as part of the Bath Digital Festival after the launch of its Bristol office in January.

Kate Strawson, director at Shooting Star, said: “The PR clinics we hosted in Bristol earlier this year were very popular and as a result we’ve decided to repeat the sessions in Lincoln.

“We’re hoping that by hosting these clinics for local businesses, they’ll be able to use the support and advice we offer in order to grow their business and shout about the things they do well. We’re not charging for the event and so we’d encourage anyone to come along.”

Businesses are asked to sign up for their free 30-minute slot via Shooting Star’s Eventbrite page or by contacting the team directly.