Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company names European PR lead

/in /by

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has appointed Harrods’ Alistair Scott as regional director, PR, Europe.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, a subsidiary of Marriott International, currently operates 91 hotels in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas.

Scott will be based in Marriott International’s London office, working alongside PR agencies The Massey Partnership in the UK, and GCE, which represents The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in the German market.

His initial focus will be on the launch of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s new offer in Budapest in April.

He will report to Allison Sitch, vice president for global PR.

Scott previously oversaw all consumer PR, events and social media for luxury department store Harrods.

Before that, he held senior positions both client-side and agency, working on a variety of brands including Net-a-Porter, Donna Karan and Selfridges.

Case Study: The First 30 Day Battery Smartwatch

/in /by

Find out what Red Hot Penny did to launch the first 30 Day Battery Smartwatch, which led to impressive global coverage and more than 250 pre-orders before launch.

Campaign: Introducing The First 30 Day Battery Smartwatch
Client: Vector Watch
PR Team: Red Hot Penny
Timing: July – September 2015

Overview

Vector Watch designs and develops wearable technology for the modern consumer. It is committed to delivering the highest quality of craftsmanship, by combining impeccable design and exceptional materials with cutting edge software.

Vector appointed Red Hot Penny to bring its products and brand to market through a holistic PR approach featuring event management, online and print outreach, sample allocation and influencer gifting.

Objectives

  • Introduce Vector Watch to multiple international markets, including UK, USA, Australia and Europe.
  • Drive awareness of the brand’s story and its products in the fashion, technology and business sectors.
  • Support the launch of Vector’s first localised e-commerce site.
  • Improve Vector’s authority in search engine results by generating high quality links.
  • Reach 200+ pre-orders in the run-up to the official launch date in September 2015.

Strategy

Our aim was to position Vector Watch as a worthy competitor in the luxury smartwatch market. The process began in July 2015 when we supported Vector’s launch events in London and New York. We were tasked with managing the overall success of both events and ensuring the complete guestlist was in attendance, with the aim of gaining maximum coverage for Vector.

In additional to managing the guestlist, we started sample allocation to ensure all publications had the watch to review. During the events, sync bars were set up to allow attendees to sit with a Vector representative and have their smartwatch connected to their smartphone. Alongside the sync bar, we arranged special one-to-one sessions with members of the Vector team so key publications could interview them privately. All of these aspects added to the overall goal of positioning Vector as a high-end product.

Following the success of the launch events, it was important to keep the attendees updated with any additional news coming from Vector. The day after the event, we sent out event press releases and media kit links so the attendees could download images and product information. One week following the event, we completed courtesy calls to receive initial feedback and opinions regarding the sample.

If there were any issues with the samples they had received, action would then be taken to fix them by setting up calls with the Vector tech team. As the samples were pre-production, small fixes were to be expected.

Results

Before the official launch, the Vector website reported more than 200,000 unique users – an impressive achievement for an unknown brand.

Additionally, 267 pre-orders were completed before the official launch in September and 100 website sales were received after launch. Orders were completed from a total of 41 countries including UK, USA and Romania.

There were over 300 features secured between the launch event in July and September, when the watches went on sale.

Vector has been featured in multiple respected titles including Mashable, International Business Times, Marie Claire, ZDNet, BBC News, Digital Trends, Hypebeast and The New York Times.

Got a cracking campaign – with impressive results – that you’d like to showcase? If so, please email [email protected].

NEFF hands global brand PR brief to Golin

/in /by

Golin has been chosen by NEFF to handle its global brand PR, as the kitchen appliances company looks to develop its presence in more than 14 markets around the world.

Founded in 1877 in Germany, NEFF develops and produces home appliances, including ovens, hobs, extractor hoods, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers and automatic coffee makers.

The brand’s wants to develop a PR strategy this year to help raise brand awareness in more than 14 markets across the globe.

Golin won the brief following a competitive pitch.

Maria Beltran, head of brand campaigns and PR for NEFF, said: “We were impressed by the team and the rigorous insights and clear strategy that were presented. We’re excited to start working with Golin to raise NEFF’s profile, especially in new markets where we see a lot of growth potential.”

Charlie Coney, head of creative EMEA at Golin, added: “It’s not often you get to pitch for a world-class brand you’re so personally vested in – for an agency of passionate foodies, NEFF is a hugely rewarding win.  Neff is the choice of cooking enthusiasts, and we hope our programme of Golin-led creative PR campaigns will help markets around the world spread that enthusiasm even further.”

Weber Shandwick boosts London leadership team

/in /by

Weber Shandwick has enhanced its leadership team with the promotions of Emma Thompson and Lucie Harper to the newly-created roles of MD London operations and consumer, and MD London client experience and health, respectively.

Thompson (pictured left) has led Weber’s consumer marketing team in London for the last six years, taking the team to double digit growth in revenue.

In her new London Operations role, she will manage financial operations from five P&L structures to just one, and will organise the agency’s specialists around client assignments.

Harper (pictured right) has led Weber’s health practice in London for ten years, which also saw double digit growth in revenue in 2015.

Her primary focus will be to work closely with chief client officer Cathy Calhoun, executive vice president, international consulting, EMEA, Nick Stravs and Weber’s global client experience team to deliver a London focused programme for the agency and its clients.

Weber Shandwick London reported 30% year-on-year growth of its top 40 clients in 2015, and recent wins have included British Gas and The Avis Budget Group.

Rachel Friend, MD of Weber Shandwick London, said: “Weber Shandwick continues to push the boundaries of PR, going beyond our traditional scope to transform client engagements in our dynamic industry.

“As we continue to evolve our agency model, I am delighted to promote Lucie and Emma into these important new roles to enable us to stay ahead of our competitors and put our clients and innovation at the heart of every decision we make.”

Typhoo hands digital brief to MC2

/in /by

Typhoo has awarded a social and digital brief to comms consultancy MC2, as the tea brand looks to attract younger consumers.

MC2’s digital and consumer brands teams have been responsible for delivering a new brand website for Typhoo, as well as managing its social channels.

The work runs alongside a through-the-line campaign launched with Nigella Lawson last month.

MC2 won the social and digital brief was following a competitive tender.

Somnath Saha, CEO at Typhoo Tea, said: “It’s an exciting time for the brand, and we believe we’ve got an incredibly strong team working in partnership to help make this campaign a great success.”

Martha Goodfellow, associate director at MC2, said: “It’s fantastic to be working with Typhoo. It’s such a strong brand, and this campaign is bringing it into a new era without losing sight of the great heritage and reputation it’s built up over more than a century.

“The through-the-line campaign is really going to stand out from its competitors and we’ll be driving that through digital and social channels.”

The AA hires Rhizome to boost motoring unit

/in /by

The AA has hired Rhizome Media to manage a trade and consumer PR brief, raising the profile of its Motoring Services portfolio of brands including AA Cars, AA Vehicle Inspections, AA Tyres and Automyze.

Rhizome was appointed by The AA following the work it had done with consumer motoring start-up Motoriety. Last year, Motoriety announced a joint venture with The AA which saw it rebrand as Automyze.

The team, led by associate director Guy Smith, will manage a consumer and trade media relations brief “to build positive media interest in the portfolio.”

Emily Garnham, Rhizome MD, said: “Kicking off 2016 not just with a rebrand but getting the UK’s most trusted brand, the AA, onboard as a client, has been a good start to the year for Rhizome Media. At a time when clients increasingly want results rather than the usual PR fluff, our team of straight-talking ex-journalists is coming into its own.”

David Bruce, director of Motoring Services at the AA, added: “We felt it was time to shine the spotlight more brightly on our Motoring Services division and we were very impressed by the results Rhizome Media had achieved for Motoriety. It was exactly the type of media profile we were looking for and we liked Rhizome’s no-nonsense approach to PR.”

Portland hires Shapiro as US B2B lead

/in /by

Portland has continued its growth into the US market with the appointment of  FleishmanHillard’s Rob Shapiro as head of its B2B practice.

Shapiro’s responsibilities include sourcing new business, building the firm’s B2B practice in the US and serving clients across financial and professional services, manufacturing, technology and energy sectors.

He joins from FleishmanHillard where he advised B2B companies on integrated marketing programmes, reputation management and corporate positioning. Prior to that he held roles with Weber Shandwick, Burson-Marsteller and MSL Group, as well as in-house at Visa USA.

At Portland, Shapiro will report into David MacKay, Portland’s US general manager, who said: “Adding Rob to our U.S. leadership team will enable Portland to expand its counsel to our existing and growing client base and deepen our B2B capabilities. Rob’s track record in building a business and his extensive experience with the B2B market will be instrumental to our fast growing operation and invaluable to our clients in the US, UK and internationally.”

Shapiro added: “I’m proud to be joining a dynamic and diverse global team of professionals at Portland at an exciting time in its global expansion. As B2B organizations navigate an increasingly competitive global marketplace to meet their customers marketing and business needs, Portland’s outstanding reputation provides a new platform for significant growth.”

Hume Brophy

Shelly Durrant joins Hume Brophy as account director

/in /by

Hume Brophy has appointed Four Broadgate’s Shelly Durrant to the role of account director.

Durrant will support clients across Hume Brophy’s corporate and financial services sectors. She reports into Roddi Vaughan Thomas, MD of the agency’s International Financial Services division.

She previously held the role of account director at Four Broadgate where her clients included St James’s Place, Walker Crips and insurer Thomas Miller.

Durrant has some eight years’ PR experience having worked in a variety of financial services sectors including pensions, IFA networks, wealth and asset management, and insurance.

Eoin Brophy, Hume Brophy founding partner, said: “We are pleased to have Shelly join our London office at what is an exciting time for us as we look to expand our financial services division. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise in financial services along with strong industry contacts which will be an excellent addition to our team.”

Durrant added: “Hume Brophy is a highly regarded PR agency in the financial services space. They have an admirable reputation among financial services companies and the media. I look forward to working with the team to help expand the financial services division.”

McCarthy & Stone chooses Powerscourt

/in /by

Retirement homebuilder McCarthy & Stone has hired Powerscourt to advise on its financial and corporate comms, following a competitive pitch.

McCarthy & Stone floated on the London Stock Exchange in November 2015 and it has committed to invest £2.5bn in building over the next four years. The company has a 70% market share of building retirement properties in the UK. The company expects to enter the FTSE250 in March.

Directors Justin Griffiths and Nick Dibden will lead the Powerscourt team, with support from Mazar Masud and Georgianna Vaughan.

Griffiths said: “McCarthy & Stone is a terrific win for our fast growing housebuilding and real estate practice. We look forward to working with the management team to help tell a great story to the City and strengthen the Company’s position as a key commentator on some of the most critical factors impacting on the UK housebuilding sector today.”

Paul Teverson, director of communications at McCarthy & Stone, added: “The Powerscourt team demonstrated a real hunger to work with us, creative thinking around our corporate positioning and an excellent understanding of our business, our position in the market and our growth ambitions.”

Ingenuity appoints van der Zant as business director

/in /by

Ingenuity, an integrated new business consultancy for agencies and brands, has appointed Claire van der Zant as business director.

Van der Zant will be responsible for leading client strategy and overseeing Ingenuity’s 30-person account team, alongside business director Dominic Glenn. She will report to Chris Kemp, Ingenuity CEO and co-founder and Shaun Varga, co-founder, chairman and creative director.

Van der Zant joins Ingenuity from Cherry London where she was head of new business. At Cherry she developed partnership-led CRM, acquisition and loyalty programmes, helping to launch O2 Priority. Previously, she was client partner at Rainmaker.

Van der Zant said: “I’ve always admired Ingenuity’s ability to spot opportunities for the company and its clients. It’s aptly named as it develops new ways of making connections for brands and agencies, helping their businesses to grow.”

Chris Kemp, co-founder and CEO of Ingenuity, added: “It’s great to have Claire on board. She has a wealth of experience with agencies and brands and we believe she’ll help our business achieve strong growth in 2016. I look forward to working with her to bolster the team and our processes to get the best out of our new business drive for clients.”

Ingenuity houses an expert events team which runs brand and agency intermediary days as well as bespoke events. It also joins forces with sister PR agency Acuity, which offers services including sector-specific media targeting for clients.