Yellow Jersey wins Videojug brief

/in /by

Felicity Winkles insertYellow Jersey PR has been retained by Videojug, the digital publisher of consumer and corporate videos.

The independent business comms agency will develop and implement B2B and B2C media relations campaigns to raise Videojug’s profile.

Videojug provides branding video services and enables businesses to target tens of millions of viewers through branded content and its own proprietary channels. These include Scoff.TV, Posestyle.com, and Decobliss.com.

Felicity Winkles, director at Yellow Jersey, said: “All of our work revolves around messaging and media relations, helping position clients in a crowded market place to ensure that the right message is heard by key audiences. Our corporate division is excited to be working with Videojug, an energetic and highly innovative player in the media-tech space, on this new PR brief.”

Winkles will run the account, with support from consultant Josh Cole.

Based in London, Yellow Jersey specialises in developing communications campaigns combining media relations and complementary disciplines. Recent account wins this year include TechFinancials, Tender Space, and Gaming Realms.

 

Synergy launches Beko’s new FC Barcelona campaign

/in /by

Home appliance brand Beko has hired sports and entertainment marketing specialist Synergy to handle the global launch of its sponsorship of FC Barcelona, following a competitive pitch.

Synergy has developed a PR, digital and experiential campaign, which will be co-ordinated across key Beko markets around the world from Synergy’s London office.

The ‘Official Partner of Play’ campaign, which launched earlier this month, aims to celebrate FC Barcelona as the “most playful team on the planet”, as well as promote Beko’s product range as offering people more time to “play” within their busy lives.

Animations of FC Barcelona stars, including Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar Jr and Gerard Piqué, will appear in advertising, in-store, in-stadia, real-time social media elements of the campaign and on digital channels in coming months.

The campaign will also feature “money-can’t-buy” opportunities for fans, including the chance to play football at Camp Nou, FC Barcelona’s football stadium.

George Mead, International brand manager at Beko, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Synergy to activate our partnership with FC Barcelona, one of the most iconic clubs in world sport. Our sponsorship of Barça has huge potential and we know that Synergy will help unlock and deliver this across key territories.”

Adam Raincock, director of comms at Synergy, added: “Beko is one of the leading home appliance brands in the world and we are very excited to be working with them on maximising the potential of this exciting partnership with FC Barcelona.

“Our purpose at Synergy is to create the world’s most inspiring, innovative and effective sports and entertainment marketing. I’m proud that we can do this with Beko to deliver a disruptive campaign that drives engagement.”

Beko is a Premium Partner of FC Barcelona and is into the second year of a four-year deal with the football team.

Future of the Press – Vikki Cook of Cookie Media on events

/in /by

In the second part of our series looking at the future of the press with board members of the London Press Club (LPC), Gorkana‘s Ronan George talks to LPC director Vikki Cook, founder and owner of Cookie Media, about what journalists want from their own events, the changing media landscape and lessons she has learnt from her career highlights, including the launch of London Live.

You’re a director of the London Press Club (LPC) and now head up its events committee. What does the role entail and what can we expect from LPC events in 2016?

I’ve been a director on the LPC Board since 2013 and was recently asked to chair a new events Committee.  I have two key areas I want to focus on. First off I want to drive an ambitious new programme of events, so that we create a real buzz around the London Press Club.

We have two fantastic annual pillars in the LPC diary – the Awards lunch and the LPC Ball – so I will concentrate on building on the monthly debates and discussions, which attract good press pick up.  Secondly, I want to increase membership. While we have the word Press in our name, we want to attract journalists from across all platforms and disciplines.

Why should people join the London Press Cub?

London Press Club has some of the best journalism within its DNA and operates out of one of the most vibrant cities in the World. We have just announced a fantastic new partnership with the Corinthia hotel in central London, which gives us an amazing new venue for our monthly social meet ups. This is where journalists and opinion formers, both new and old, can come and meet face to face in a relaxed and informal setting.

LPC is all about providing a strong network for journalists, so a lot of work is also going on behind the scenes on our digital presence. Modern club membership is also a competitive thing, so we’re currently looking at additional benefits associated with becoming a member of LPC, which we’ll announce over the coming months.

From webinars to social media, there are more ways for people to connect than ever. Why are you confident in the future of media and journalism face to face events?

Nothing will ever replace the importance of face-to-face communication within journalism and the media industry.

Whether it’s to gauge opinion, connect with your audience, establish trust with contacts, or merely have fun with your colleagues, you cannot simply replace human interaction with a digital interface. It’s important to strike the  right balance. Webinars and social media provide fantastic and easy ways to hook up, maximising diary time and spanning continents, but all too often people hide behind their computers – a personal approach is so much more effective.

Your career to date has taken in the BBC, Sky News, Five News, and the launch of London Live. What has been the highlight?

Working for a big broadcaster is amazing, but launching London Live has to be the highlight. It’s rare to be asked to launch a brand new channel and it is one of the most exciting things you can do in television. Seeing your creation come to life, from a blank sheet of paper, is an incredible feeling.

Is there anything that in hindsight, you’d like a second shot at?

Yes – presenting on national radio.

You are currently running your own company, Cookie Media. What sort of projects are you currently involved in?

I’m spinning a lot of plates, which won’t surprise anyone that knows me as I’m not very good at sitting still. I’m working with a number of digital companies, which are looking to move into the content arena as that’s definitely where the current focus is. I’m also still passionate about good quality television, so I’m working on a couple of specific TV projects.  I’m also involved in Women in Leadership training, trying to build my website and finish a TV sitcom…though there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day.

Throughout your career, the way audiences consume news content, and the way it is presented, has changed. What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned?

Change is good. Of course the way we consume content has changed and it will continue to do so, that’s  progress. Technology now defines much of the way we live our lives and we should embrace that. My one word of caution, however, is never take your eye off of the quality of your product. You can aspire to play your content on the moon if you wish, but you must be producing something that people actually want to watch and share.

How important have PRs been in your career?

Good PRs are always important to journalists as a source of ideas, contacts and story leads. But, they must understand the company or individual they are pitching to and they must understand their own product. If they can’t sell it to me on the ‘phone, how the hell am I going to sell it to an audience? One of my favourite examples was during the 2005 General Election. I was running the political unit in Westminster for Sky News and a PR rang me to see if I’d like to do something about the latest UK Breastfeeding Survey…

We’ve also seen enormous changes in print media, with the rise of digital, paywalls and newspaper closures – with The Independent and Sunday Independent recent casualties.  What do you foresee for the broadcast news industry in the short, medium and long-term?

The eye watering speed with which the digital world is maturing means that it will continue to play an ever more dominant role within broadcast news, but I strongly believe that those who talk of the imminent demise of TV, will have a much longer wait then is often predicted. People have the luxury of choice as to where and how they consume their news now, which is why the quality of the content has to be first class.

Broadcast news must continue to evolve, but it’s not just all about technology – it’s about people too. One of the best things about launching London Live, was recruiting my entire team from scratch.  There’s currently a lot of talk about the need for diversity among the bigger broadcasters, but who is really leading the way?

I am a passionate advocate of strong and inspirational leadership, so we need to start seeing real proof of change – not only to encourage the new and emerging talent, but also create a product that will appeal to – and inspire – a whole new generation of news consumers.

What is the single biggest piece of advice you would offer a prospective broadcast journalist?

Be honest, be yourself and never lose your sense of humour.

Vikki Cook is a director of The London Press Club. The Club provides opportunities for journalists and others interested in the media to meet and learn of new developments, debate the latest issues and explore our collective past as communicators. It runs a range of regular events from networking drinks, sponsored by Gorkana, to discussions on matters of importance not only to journalism, but to the furtherance and protection of free speech throughout the world.

Earlier in the series, Gorkana talked to Squawka’s Amar Singh about the future of sports journalism and content.

Instinctif Partners expands US presence

/in , /by

Instinctif Partners, an international business comms consultancy, has expanded its presence in the US with three senior hires in its New York and San Francisco offices.

In San Francisco, Instinctif has named Philip Sontag, previously a communications consultant at BDC Marketing 360, as engagement director. TJ Worley, previously COO and VP of Production at Camp Creative, joins as head of project management.

In New York, Meridith Bridge, a seasoned PR professional with an expertise in media relations and innovative marketing strategies, joins as an associate partner. She will be responsible for growing the firm’s New York corporate affairs practice.

Instinctif’s US clients include eBay, Starwood Hotels and Fragomen.

Richard Nichols, CEO of Instinctif Partners, said: “This significant investment will enable us to continue to service our clients throughout the US and globally. Engagement, a key offering from our San Francisco office, continues to be a business critical issue worldwide and a key driver of a company’s success. The expansion of our corporate affairs team in New York will also enable us to continue to grow this important part of our business communications offer.”

Gorkana meets…Jean Comte and the Société Générale de Presse (SGP)

/in /by

Tell us a bit about your role of EU Correspondent for the Société Générale de Presse (SGP).

My job is mainly to follow the progress of legislative issues between the JeanCompteEuropean institutions (from presentation by the European Commission, to examination and adoption by the EU Council, then negotiations between the two institutions). Two aspects of my work are crucial.
Firstly, I must always make sure that it is clear to the readers, who may not otherwise be aware, how the European Institutions function. This means, for example, frequently reminding readers how the European legal system works, providing context for each article, and explaining official jargon.
Secondly, I always insist on highlighting the agenda: What is the status of the issue? What are the next steps? What is the next key date?

Can you present the Société Générale de Presse and its readership?

Founded in 1944, the SGP publishes four daily newspapers in French (le Bulletin quotidien, la Correspondance économique, la Correspondance de la Presse and la Correspondance de la Publicité). They are mainly aimed at French policy makers in the fields of politics, economy, media and advertising. We cover news in an extremely rigorous, and relatively ‘technical’, manner because our readers often already have a good command of the subjects and need in-depth information.
The four newspapers also have an ‘appointments’ aspect which is very important, as we follow the professional movements of executives who have a significant role in the areas covered by us. Simultaneously, the SGP edits a biographical database through its website. LesBiographies.com is updated daily and brings together the biographies of more than 90,000 decision-makers in politics, economy, media and advertising.

How do you use social media for your work? Is it generally a useful tool when it comes to covering EU news?

I use Twitter a lot, as a monitoring tool. It is very useful to see articles written by colleagues on Brussels, or information on how to follow a conference or a remote debate.

Are you in contact with PRs? How can they help you with content?

Yes, I am often in contact with public relations officers, mainly to be kept in the loop of press conferences, or press releases, and official statements from their organisations.

Do you participate in a lot of EU-related PR events in Brussels? Do you find them useful for your work?

I mostly participate in press conferences. Regarding their efficacy, it is difficult to judge because, overall, it really depends on each event.

The EU is often criticised by European citizens for its supposed lack of transparency. As a daily observer of the European institutions, is this fair? Do you personally have any difficulties in getting information when you are working in Brussels?

As a journalist, it is very easy to get in touch directly with spokespersons, or press officers, and obtain a minimum level of information, but it is sometimes difficult to surpass this minimum and obtain more concrete details. I am thinking, for example, of legislation still in preparation. In this case, we need to try to use other information channels, such as representations of EU member states, the Members of the European Parliament, or the multitude of lobbies and NGOs gravitating around the European bubble.

Regarding the EU’s level of transparency in general, it varies greatly from one institution to another. The European Parliament is clearly the institution that has the highest culture of transparency, whereas the Council of the EU (which brings together the Ministers of the Member States) tends to favour closed-door negotiations.
The European Commission has wanted to deepen its transparency since 2014, notably by publishing a list of its leaders’ rendezvous, but in practice, this requirement is not always respected.
In 2015, the Commission was also supposed to propose a mandatory register listing the lobbyists in 2015 – but the project was delayed, and it will only happen in 2016.

As a journalist, how would you rate media relation efforts made by EU institutions?

I would say the EU Council and the European Parliament’s press services are very effective. The European Commission is always very careful about its image; it’s always extremely cautious when it speaks publicly about thorny issue. On the Greek crisis, or the ‘Brexit’, its spokespersons’ public answers are sometimes very vague. It is possible to go a bit deeper when off the record, but the answers will still be limited.

In November 2014, the Commission reorganised its press office, adding ‘communications advisers’ in the cabinets of Commissioners, advisers in charge of talking with the press. This system has its advantages, mainly because it multiplies the points of contacts for journalists, but also some disadvantages. These are mainly due to the fact that each of these advisers has a different vision of his, or her, role: some tend to refer reporters to the press service, which is not very helpful.

It should also be noted that, in Brussels’ European circles, the culture of ‘off record’ (no identification of the source) or ‘background’ (no mention of the source) is very important. Each press office (Parliament, Council and Commission) has its own rules on the matter.

What’s the most memorable story you’ve worked on ?

Without hesitation, the Greek crisis, and particularly, the Euro Summit in July that resulted, after a whole night of negotiations, in an agreement in principle on a third aid programme for Athens. It was a pretty intense moment, an experience I will not forget any time soon.

Jean was interviewed by Gorkana’s Jeremy Martin.

Thomas Pink briefs Pitch on Lions rugby partnership

/in /by

British shirt maker Thomas Pink has appointed sports marketing agency Pitch to launch its partnership with the British & Irish Lions 2017 Tour, following a competitive pitch.

Pitch

Thomas Pink is the official formal wear outfitter to the Lions 2017 and will produce blazers, shirts, ties and formal wear accessories for Lions players and squad members. The shirt maker will also design a range of formal and casual wear, which will go on sale to the public in October.

Pitch has previously worked with Thomas Pink to activate the brand’s role as official formalwear supplier to the British & Irish Lions Tour in 2013. The 2012/13 experiential campaign incorporated two ‘Pink Lion’ pop-up hubs, with guest appearances from past and present Lions players including Sam Warburton, George North, Phil Vickery and Matt Dawson.

The consumer campaign, which will be run by Pitch’s recently launched specialist sponsorship division, Pitch Partnerships, is expected to run from September 2016 to May 2017, and will include a range of ambassador, digital and experiential activations. Central to the creative will be the launch of of a tongue-in-cheek Thomas Pink rugby club.

Alex Field, global head of marketing at Thomas Pink, said: “Pitch showed they understand the character of Thomas Pink with the highly successful Pink campaign for the last Lions Tour. This campaign will be a natural evolution of the last but adapted for the digital environment, across more markets.”

Henry Chappell, Pitch CEO, added: “We’re delighted to be working with Thomas Pink again to activate its second partnership with the British & Irish Lions – an increasingly sought after sports property. The first collaboration was a big success, and for the second campaign we plan to produce some great content and experiences that will be accessible to fans in the UK and across the globe.”

Jago wins all-Ireland PR brief for VisitScotland

/in /by

Jago Communications has had its Northern Ireland-based consumer PR brief with VisitScotland extended to include the Republic of Ireland, following a competitive pitch.

The Old Drovers’ Road in Glen Coe

Jago, which was set up in Belfast in 2012, has worked with VisitScotland for the last two years in Northern Ireland. The agency will now work with the VisitScotland team on a consumer PR programme throughout 2016, with the aim to make Scotland a ‘must-visit, must return destination’ for Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland visitors.

Jago’s extended brief follows the launch of a new global campaign by VisitScotland in Feburary, which is aimed at promoting the “spirit of Scotland”. Using the hashtag #ScotSpirit, the organisation is encouraging people across the world to share what Scotland means to them.

Helen Campbell, head of global brand and marketing comms at VisitScotland, said: “The Irish market is a key focus for Scottish tourism and the appointment of Jago Communications, coupled with the launch of our new global brand, aims to raise the spirit and profile of Scotland to the highest it has ever been in Ireland and around the world.”

“While there is plenty to inspire Irish audiences to visit Scotland in 2016, it requires a strategic and considered approach to drive tourism visitors throughout the year. We are very pleased with the creative approach taken by Jago Communications with exciting campaign plans already underway.”

Shona Jago-Curtis, director of Jago, added: “We’re very excited to secure the all-Ireland PR brief for VisitScotland. In order to create stand out in a crowded travel and tourism environment, we know we must deliver bold, high impact campaigns that reach new audiences. It is a key opportunity as PR becomes a central focus of VisitScotland’s marketing here. An important part of the strategy is working closely with VisitScotland’s travel partners throughout Ireland to maximise results.”

Lloyds Banking Group appoints Grayling

/in /by

Grayling has been appointed by Lloyds Banking Group to support its public affairs engagement across the UK.

The agency will focus to support Lloyds in the delivery of its ‘Helping Britain Prosper’ plan, which focuses on the key social and economic challenges facing the UK.

Grayling, which has worked with the banking group for over three years in Scotland, was briefed following a competitive five-way pitch. The agency will work with a range of brands within the group including Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows.

Jonathan Curtis, Grayling’s head of public affairs, said: “We were thrilled to be appointed by Lloyds Banking Group at such an exciting time for the business. This is a huge win which reflects Grayling’s compelling public affairs offer and bolsters our strong financial services.”

Honda UK hires Prova PR

/in /by

Honda UK has chosen automotive agency Prova PR to act as the PR provider for its entire Honda dealer network, following a four-way pitch.

Warwick-based Prova has been briefed to provide full media support to the 180 franchised and independent Honda dealers across the UK, with the aim of increasing brand awareness and footfall to showrooms.

Simon Branney, PR comms manager at Honda UK, said: “We chose to partner with Prova for our retail network PR activity as they had thoroughly researched the market, the network and our brand and came up with a killer pitch.

“They have an in-depth knowledge of what the dealer needs when it comes to PR and we’re really looking forward to working with the Prova team to help dealers drive footfall, and therefore sales, through a series of exciting campaigns.”

Ruder Finn hires Brands2Life’s Robin Grainger

/in /by

Ruder Finn has brought in Brands2Life’s Robin Grainger to take on the newly-created role of director of connected comms.

Ruder Finn

Grainger, who will be based in Ruder Finn’s London office, has been briefed to lead the development of an international capability that aims to help clients enhance their comms by drawing on “complementary expertise” within the agency.

Working across a variety of clients in consumer, healthcare, tech, financial services, digital and internal comms, he will also identify opportunities for growth across the global Ruder Finn network.

He will report to Nick Leonard, MD of Ruder Finn UK.

Grainger has spent the last ten years at Brands2Life, most recently as director of International, sitting on the company’s board. While there, he led the firm’s globalisation strategy and looked after a variety of business and tech clients.

Leonard said: “Robin has an outstanding track record working with complex client briefs and building successful international agency teams. Organisations today are increasingly looking for guidance on scaling their communications globally, delivering a consistent message to internal and external stakeholders, and unlocking new market sectors. RuderFinn is perfectly placed to capitalise on this trend, and Robin will be instrumental in charting this new stage of our development.”

Grainger added: “Ruder Finn works with some terrific organisations and has a foothold in some of the fastest-developing markets in the world.  I’m really excited at the possibilities that my role will open up and am looking forward to working with its teams in the UK and around the world.”

Grainger’s appointment comes as Ruder Finn makes its move to its new London office location in Finsbury Circus, providing additional space for an office that has grown 50% over the past three years.