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The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA), the UK trade body that represents digital and physical retailers of video, music and games, has named Universal Pictures’ Lynn Li as its new director of marketing and comms.
Li previously led the international publicity functions for Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and 20th Century Fox International Home Entertainment until 2014.
Most recently, she has been consulting for Universal Pictures UK Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment UK.
In her new role at ERA, she will head up all consumer, B2B and internal comms activity, working alongside strategic adviser Steve Redmond.
Li will report to ERA CEO Kim Bayley.
Bayley said: “We are delighted that Lynn is joining us at ERA. Her extensive experience working within the home entertainment industry and strong consumer focus will allow ERA to amplify our members’ voice and develop new consumer-facing initiatives.”
Li added: “The ever-evolving entertainment ecosystem means there has never been a more exciting time to be joining ERA. I’m looking forward to working alongside our members and partners to help drive growth and understanding during this time of dynamic change within the industry.”
ERA members include independent record shops (Reflex, Sister Ray), digital services (Spotify, Netflix, Deezer, 7digital, Sky Store), online retailers (Amazon), specialist High Street operators (HMV, Game) and supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons).
British transport group FirstGroup has extended its relationship with Mischief PR by handing the agency a consumer PR brief for its TransPennine Express franchise.
In December, Mischief supported FirstGroup’s announcement of its successful bid for the TransPennine franchise, which links major urban areas including Newcastle, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool.
The agency provided a “NOWSROOM” real-time newsroom service, media strategy, editorial packaging and message delivery.
Mischief had also provided strategic consultancy to FirstGroup in 2014. The team will now cover all consumer PR activity for TransPennine Express, which plans to deliver £500 million of investment over the next few years.
The campaign is part of a wider integrated launch being led by Mischief’s parent company, Engine, which has offices in London and Manchester.
Mischief is also working with sister agencies WCRS and PAA to deliver a campaign, which will include print, digital and OOH advertising, social media, CRM and website content. The work, is all linked by the phrase “Where Next?”
The agency will report to Victoria Tomlinson, head of marketing for First Group’s Rail Bid team, who said Mischief had: “Great media and strategic understanding, exciting creative ideas and a proven ability to react at the speed of life.”
One of the world’s largest sailing regattas, Cowes Week, has appointed luxury boutique agency Gabrielle Shaw Communications to handle its PR as it reaches its 190th year.
Cowes Week, which takes place from 6 to 13 August this year, has seen the globe’s most talented sailors and Olympians compete alongside seasoned amateurs and novices along the shores of the Isle of Wight since 1826.
Gabrielle Shaw has been briefed to promote Cowes Week’s luxury positioning and deliver increased stand-out for the event as part of the British summer sporting season.
In the past, Cowes Week has seen several members of the Royal Family, past and present, enter into the sporting competition, including George V, Prince Philip and Princess Anne.
When Harley-Davidson wanted to tap into its target audience of touring motorcycle riders, Lexis set in motion an evolving ‘Discover More’ competition that would offer one lucky biker, selected from more than 10,000 entries, the chance to create the ultimate European biking adventure.
In January 2014, Harley-Davidson undertook some touring motorcycle research. It showed the brand that its products really tapped into the wants and needs of touring motorcycle riders, but that there were certain barriers and misconceptions associated with the brand that had to be overcome.
Several key brand themes resonated, including the sense of freedom offered by the open road and the Harley-Davidson camaraderie, bikers built along the way.
Harley-Davidson tasked Lexis with creating a European-centric campaign that would communicate to customers, competitor riders and potential new motorcyclists why touring on a Harley-Davidson is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience, while enhancing their emotional connection with the brand too.
Objectives
Lexis wanted to create an experience that encapsulated Harley-Davidson’s spirit and passion for personal freedom and the open road, aimed at the touring audience, while driving sales and coverage for the brand across motorcycling and lifestyle media.
Our brief was to:
Raise awareness of Harley-Davidson’s touring credentials.
Challenge the preconceptions of the brand and its products.
Create global engagement.
Increase test ride requests and drive Sales for its eange of touring motorcycles.
Strategy
Taking inspiration from the brand’s roots, we devised ‘Discover More’ – an iconic touring adventure that saw riders take to some of the most incredible, challenging roads across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, travelling more than 20,000 km across more than 30 countries. We enlisted the service of more than 50 motorcyclists from across the region to experience their dream, join the tour and share their stories with the world.
In 2015, we evolved the concept of Discover More. We decided to find just one rider who exemplified the Harley spirit to win the chance to tour around Europe while being paid a generous salary and getting to keep the bike.
The lucky winner, Luis Castilla, then planned and starred in his very own European adventure. Travelling through more than 20 European countries and accompanied every step of the way by a dedicated film crew, Luis sought out the best riding roads in Europe and shared his experiences through social media and a dedicated ‘Greatest Rides’ website.
The content rich, authentically European experience gave Harley-Davidson a storytelling platform that was tailored to each and every market through media relations, influencer & stakeholder engagement, social media and customer engagement.
We devised the overall concept, the broader comms strategy and worked tirelessly with the Harley-Davidson team in selecting the winning rider (from more than 10,000 entries), tailoring the story and maximising the coverage on social channels and in the media.
Results
Stats
7,500 test rides booked off the back of the campaign.
270+ pieces of media coverage across EMEA in endemic and lifestyle press.
89,500,000 media impressions secured and 90% positive sentiment.
3.5 million social media impressions.
7,500 test rides booked off the back of the campaign.
100,000 website visits.
800,000+ video views.
The campaign delivered on all fronts. It reached non-bike media and increased presence in mainstream and lifestyle media for touring.
It engaged key influencers through social channels and developed relationships through Harley’s Touring offer.
It raised awareness and created engagement for Harley-Davidson Touring amongst new customers and competitive riders.
It also inspired customers and competitor riders to test ride a Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle, ultimately driving sales and increasing market share.
The campaign didn’t just showcase to the world the rich cultural, unexpected experiences that can be had on a motorcycle tour. It also proved that superb handling and comfort go hand in hand when touring on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on some of the most technical roads in the world.
Discover More not only tapped into the rich emotions associated with motorcycling touring, but the raw human passion for adventure, for pushing boundaries, for living live to the full.
The sheer volume and quality of entries for the 2015 competition demonstrated how deep these emotions run not just in motorcyclists, but also in people.
Discover More gave its target audiences a reason to believe, to contribute, and to live the dream. It made good on the brand’s promise to ‘fulfill dreams of personal freedom’.
The campaign was so successful in 2014 and 2015, it has evolved again in 2016. This year, two winners will get the chance to ride Harley-Davidson touring bikes on anywhere in the world. In addition, the winning pair will also be given €5,000 spending money for the trip.
Mike Johnstone, EMEA marketing director at Harley–Davidson, said: “Discover More 2016 is designed to give riders the opportunity to win an experience on two Harley–Davidson touring models anywhere in the world. This year, we want riders to tour on their own terms and we’re looking forward to seeing the route the winning pair chooses.”
JAM has had its PR brief with international food ingredients supplier EHL Ingredients extended for the sixth year in a row.
In 2010, JAM started working with Stockport-based EHL to raise its profile in the food manufacturing and processing sectors, as well as within wholesale, retail, catering and foodservice.
Coverage hits included Food Manufacture, British Baker and Food Navigator and The Grocer.
The team also targets regional media in the North West, highlighting corporate developments, recruitment drives and success stories, and manages social media streams to enhance EHL’s online and digital presence.
In addition, JAM’s creative division has designed and produced new marketing collateral including product brochures and price lists.
Jaime Gee, JAM MD, said: “Going into our sixth year together, we’re looking forward to driving EHL’s campaign forward, delivering solid, impactful coverage and ensuring it remains firmly on the map of the food ingredient sector.
“EHL is a fantastic client to work with and the business is really going from strength to strength. We are extremely proud of our long-standing relationship with the EHL team and are delighted that the company will continue its PR contract with us. Food is one of our areas of expertise and we welcome enquiries from other food suppliers in the region looking to raise their profile, embark on PR campaigns, or develop new creative marketing collateral.”
Corporate and financial media relations specialist Yellow Jersey PR has been retained to handle UK corporate media relations for Light Rabbit.
Light Rabbit is a privately operated LED lighting specialist based in London, Dublin and Jersey. It launched in 2011 and sells to both consumer and trade markets.
Yellow Jersey will work closely with management on B2B and B2C media relations in order to publicise the company’s product portfolio and drive customer growth and M&A.
The account lead is Alistair de Kare-Silver, reporting to Light Rabbit CEO David Kennedy. Initial work will focus on copywriting and messaging, followed by local and national media relations addressing the cost and energy benefits of LED lighting in today’s economic and environmentally conscious times.
Dominic Barretto, Yellow Jersey PR’s MD, said: “We are delighted to be representing LED specialist Light Rabbit on profiling its brand and products to its customer communities. Increasingly, our media services are being deployed across the corporate sector, to businesses looking to use independent press write-ups as a way to drive revenues. Now, nearly half of Yellow Jersey’s portfolio comprises private company work.”
Tin Man has been shortlisted for eight CIPR Excellence Awards this year, with Brands2Life nominated seven times, Mischief up for six, and Ketchum and MHP in the running for five awards each.
Tin Man founder Mandy Sharp
Tin Man’s nominations include Consumer Relations Campaign, Best Use of Media Relations, Automotive, Arts, Culture or Sports, Best Event and Outstanding Small PR Consultancy.
Also in the running for Outstanding Small PR Consultancy are Genesis PR, Holistic, Jargon PR, JPR and spottydog communications.
Shortlisted agencies for Outstanding Large PR Consultancy are Hotwire, Instinctif Partners, PHA Media and Brands2Life.
Brands2Life is also in the Consumer Relations Campaign, Global PR Campaign, STEM Campaign, Best use of Media Relations, Best Use of Digital and Best Event categories.
Mischief is in with the chance to pick up six awards, including Best Use of Social and Best Use of Digital, while Ketchum and MHP have been shortlisted for five awards each, including Global PR Campaign and Consumer Relations Campaign for Ketchum; and Public Affairs Campaign and Public Sector Campaign for MHP.
Battling it out to win Outstanding Mid-Sized PR Consultancy this year will be Berkeley PR, Cirkle, Dynamo, Finn, Lucre PR and Stripe Communications.
In the Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year category, the shortlist comprises Kazoo PR’s Emily Jones, spottydog Communications’ Katie Bregazzi, Scriba PR’s Katie Mallinson, Citypress’ Kelly Hollidge, Augur’s Max Tatton-Brown and Stripe Communications’ Shaun Bell.
Winners of the 2016 CIPR Excellence Awards will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 8 June.
Publicasity has had its PR work with BSH Home Appliances extended to include its Bosch, NEFF and Gaggenau brands. The appointment comes a week after the agency was named as the UK PR agency for Siemens Home Appliances.
The agency has been retained by German appliance brand Bosch to handle the PR for its range of home appliances, following a four-way pitch.
Publicasity’s brief is to drive the message of the “total Bosch solution” for the home and will cover appliances across its cooking, cooling and floor care categories.
Activity will kick off in the Spring, with the campaign theme of “Every Day Wins with Bosch”. The campaign will include a blogger advocacy programme, online media partnership and social media activations, which will form part of a wider marketing campaign across the year.
Kitchen appliance brand NEFF has briefed Publicasity to drive awareness of it “Cookaholics” platform and cooking appliance category, following a four-way pitch.
Publicasity’s brief is to promote NEFF’s Cookaholics platform (a panel of six “real-life” men and women who are enthusiastic about cooking are creative in the kitchen), with a focus on its ic6 ovens, which offer a number of specialist features for “confident cooks”.
The campaign will kick off in the Summer to appeal to NEFF’s key target audiences of real food enthusiasts, and will involve a celebrity and media partnership, experiential events and social media activity. The campaign will be supported by a wider marketing strategy across the year.
Gaggenau, known for its high-end kitchen appliances, has chosen Publicasity to promote its cooking and cooling categories in the UK with a year-long PR campaign. The kitchen appliance maker is marking its 333rd anniversary in 2016 across the globe, having been founded 1683. Publicasity plans to raise the profile of the anniversary with a series of events.
The Bosch and NEFF briefs will be led by Publicasity associate director Barbara Normile, while the Gaggenau account will be headed up by associate director Julie Malamute.
Both Normile and Malamute will report to Heather Butcher, group marketing manager, PR and comms, at BSH Home Appliances.
Jim Selman, London MD at Allison+Partners, on starting off his PR career in LA, what his first boss got so wrong and youthful dreams of becoming a fireman.
Before I reach the office in the morning, I’ve already… Hung out with my wife and son, checked my emails and news feeds.
You’ll mostly find emails about…in my inbox. Pretty much anything. From new business pitches, new contracts and new hires to new furniture!
I know I’ve had a good day if… Everybody goes home happy.
My first job was… At age 11 during the summer holidays, I used to wash cars and walk dogs near where I lived. There was good money in pet and car care! My first job in the industry was in the mailroom as a workie at Rogers & Cowan in LA.
I can tell a campaign is succeeding when… It goes far beyond even what we had hoped, and when the client begins talking about the next one.
I eat…when nobody is watching. French mustard on pickled cucumber. It is so good!
The first time I pitched to a journalist… Was on my first day on the job at Rogers & Cowan. I called to sell in a story and the journalist slammed the phone down on me. I learned a lot that day!
The worst thing anyone has said to me is… When my first boss told me I didn’t have a future in PR.
The last book I read was… Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff.
I’ve never really understood why… People are scared of change.
If I could go back and talk to my 10-year-old self, I’d say… “Don’t worry about wanting to be a fireman, PR will suit you just fine!”
This time next year, I’ll be… Toasting continued growth with an even bigger team of talented colleagues.
WE Communications (formerly known as Waggener Edstrom) has acquired a majority stake in Australian communications agency Buchan.
Buchan is a full service integrated communications agency with dedicated teams in corporate affairs, investor communications, consumer and stakeholder management.
With offices in Melbourne and Sydney, it is more than 30 years old and has been a partner of WE Communications since 2008.
It will now be known as WE Buchan but will keep its current leadership team of CEO Rebecca Wilson, general manager and head of consumer & technology Gemma Hudson, and founder / executive chairman Tom Buchan.
Buchan’s clients include the Australian Taxation Office; global human capital experts Manpower; Australia’s largest not-for-profit private health insurer, HCF; eHarmony; Bentleys Chartered Accountants and Advisors; and dorsaVi.
Melissa Waggener Zorkin, WE’s CEO, president and founder, said: “The power of WE is in the collective, and by bringing WE Buchan closer into the fold, clients will quickly experience the transformative power of communications.
“The immediate amplification of resources, expertise and reach, not to mention the magnetic cultural fit between both the agencies, will ignite how WE Buchan bolsters our offerings in the APAC region and around the globe.”
Pictures Home Entertainment and 20th Century Fox International Home Entertainment until 2014.
