Aesthetics company Sinclair Pharma appoints Threepipe

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Sinclair Pharma, an international aesthetics company, has appointed Threepipe to lead the company’s digital transformation as it looks to drive further global growth.

Threepipe will be responsible for digital build and marketing of Sinclair Pharma’s range of dermatological products to both physicians and consumers across key global territories. The scope of work also includes the promotion of Sinclair College, which delivers a certification process for all prescribing physicians.

Threepipe will be creating a supporting programme designed to drive lead generation multiple channels.

Farhad Koodoruth, co-founder, Threepipe: “Sinclair Pharma is a highly innovative and ambitious business and we have created a digitally focused marketing platform that will deliver profitable growth.”

Dave Baldwin, global digital marketing manager, Sinclair Pharma: “We have been impressed with Threepipe’s strategic approach at both a global and local market level. The platforms we are developing are firmly focused on delivering high quality services to our customers in what is a complex market with high regulatory control. I’m excited to continue this digital transformation together.”

The Romans hires Hotwire’s Paul Stollery to senior creative role

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The Romans has appointed Hotwire‘s Paul Stollery as associate creative director.

Paul Stollery

Stollery will begin his role this week. He will work across a diverse portfolio of brands, including PlayStation and Twitter as well as new business, reporting into founder and creative director, Joe Sinclair.

Prior to The Romans, Stollery was a founding member of Hotwire’s integrated comms team, working across creative strategy, branding and execution for clients such as The Met Office, Travelex and The Wellcome Trust.

Stollery said: “Aside from the stellar client list, what got me most excited about The Romans was the team’s singular focus on creating campaigns that are deeply rooted in culture. That, and there are loads of dogs in the office.”

Sinclair said: “Every single member of The Romans is hired on their creative merit. Paul is the first of several super-talented senior hires we’ll be making this year to shape, nurture and develop the agency’s creative talents and turbo-charge our new business efforts. He also has a lovely beard.”

Portland appoints development and trade expert Katrin Kuhlmann

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Katrin Kuhlmann, a nonprofit executive in the international economic development and trade policy arena, has joined Portland’s International Advisory Council.

Katrin Kuhlmann

As a member of the Advisory Council, Kuhlmann will provide advice to Portland and its global clients on international trade, corporate philanthropy matters and pan-African economic development, advocacy and infrastructure issues.

Based in Washington, D.C., Kuhlmann is president and founder of the New Markets Lab, a non-profit centre working at the intersection of law, economic development, and social issues. She is also a lecturer on law at Harvard Law School and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

Tim Allan, Portland’s founder and group managing director, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Katrin to our Advisory Council. For the past decade we have been chosen and trusted by Africa’s most influential leaders and organisations for our unparalleled insight and strategy, as well as our content and delivery approach.

“Katrin’s internationally recognised reputation across Africa, coupled with her extensive background in international development and trade issues, will be a huge benefit to Portland and our clients.”

Kuhlmann said: “I’m honoured to join Portland’s Advisory Council. I look forward to contributing to the firm and advancing their clients’ priorities in the international trade, philanthropy, and developing market sectors.  We are at an interesting turning point in international trade and development, which presents great opportunity to design innovative approaches and build new partnerships.”

60 seconds with MHP Financial’s Andrew Jaques

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Andrew Jaques, CEO at MHP Financial, on how financial PR is changing, the success of the agency’s ‘Missing People’ campaign and why he enjoys ‘wild swimming’ year round.

Andrew Jaques

Prior to joining MHP, you enjoyed a long career as a corporate broker. What inspired you to make the change? And how did the experience prepare you for the world of financial PR?
I was swayed by the appeal of using both my corporate broking skills in a complementary industry, and the team I joined at what was Hogarth (the “H” in MHP) in 2000.

Moving into financial PR gave me the opportunity to be a Partner in an entrepreneurial business whilst continuing to use my capital markets experience and network to help that business grow. Corporate broking is very similar to financial PR – at its core, it’s all about relationships.

How has financial PR changed in your time as MHP Financial’s CEO? What changes do you predict over the next five years?
Companies are increasingly looking for a joined-up approach to their overall communications, with financial PR as a vital part of an integrated offer. This has been key to the stream of new client wins we’ve had this year, such as FTSE 250s: Cobham, Shaftesbury and HarbourVest Global Private Equity.

The creation of MHP (the merger of three different agencies; Mandate, Hogarth and Penrose) in 2010 is a testament to this trend, and we have increasingly seen existing and new clients requiring the services of our colleagues in corporate affairs, health, brand, digital and design alongside financial comms.

What would you say are the biggest challenges facing the financial and investor communications industries today, and how can PR professionals overcome them?
Keeping pace with the fast-changing nature of the financial and media worlds is an ongoing focus. A “standardised” financial comms programme is no longer enough, with the ongoing growth of digital, online and 24-hour news creating huge complexity. Companies require more bespoke communications solutions and a broader suite of tools to deliver these.

We have overcome these by continuing to strengthen our capabilities; for example, this year MHP launched a dedicated Crisis team and specialist Media unit upon which the whole agency can call. From a financial PR perspective, we think this has given us an edge when advising clients on special situations this year – whether high profile reputation issues, defined benefit pension schemes, M&A or major rights issues.

Is there a single piece of advice you’ve been given over the course of your career that’s stuck with you?
I’ve never forgotten the mantra of one of my most longstanding colleagues: at all times have a healthy degree of paranoia about the quality and consistency of the service you’re giving your clients.

What’s the most rewarding part of your role at MHP, and why?
Leading a hugely talented, ambitious and fun team, and working with them as they grow into the comms leaders of the future. Our people are our business and it is down to them that we have had such an excellent 2017 so far despite the prevailing political uncertainty.

MHP has produced some truly innovative campaigns over the years, from its #MissingType campaign for the NHS to Game’s ‘Christmas Tinner’. But which of the campaigns you’ve worked on are you most proud of and why?
From Missing Type to Missing People. Last month, we launched an amazing new CSR initiative for Palmer & Harvey, the UK’s largest delivered wholesaler, called Delivering Hope in partnership with the Missing People charity.

By putting the anonymity of P&H’s vans to good purpose, we utilised the beige space on their vehicles to display appeals of missing children and adults. It’s more than just a PR stunt. Just one week after the launch, one of the missing people featured in the campaign was found safe and well.

How do you like to unwind after a long week at work?
Family first always but Daniel Start’s brilliant book ‘Wild Swimming’ has inspired me with a certain madness to jump in and out of rivers and lakes at all times of the year.

Opinion: how to overcome comms challenges for niche sports

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Ahead of the 2017 Drone Racing World Championship taking place tomorrow (13 June), CLICKON’s CEO & co-founder Richard Wilson describes the challenges brands face when marketing niche sports and how to overcome them.

Richard Wilson

Effectively run marketing and communications campaigns will help enhance credibility, motivate buyers and forge relationships to augment customer loyalty.

But running successful campaigns can become even more challenging when you embark into the unknown field of a niche and new sport: such as drone racing and eSports.

Below are five key challenges and potential solutions for you and your brand to consider:

Its audience is budding
Before anything else, consider the dynamics of this emerging audience. This can be broken down into demographics including age, education level, gender, income, region and psychographics, ranging from attitudes, beliefs and lifestyle.

Doing some initial research will help you get a good picture of who your audience is and why they could care about your product – which will make sure you have a clear strategy to deliver authentic content.

The Drone Racing League, with their audience in mind, have crafted some exciting and engaging videos to promote their sport. Elements such as pace, style and music are all reflective of the audience they are trying to attract.

You can’t always do it alone
If you want to make a splash quickly, consider finding partners who can help to provide insight and make your transition into a new realm a seamless experience.

Brands reap benefits from gauging the inner workings of the ecosystem and find trustworthy partners already embedded in the space. We’ve seen soft drinks giant, Coca-Cola, mark their impact on the eSports industry with the launch of the first ever eCOPA games. This would not have been made possible or at all successful without the help of their partners, Riot Games.

You need to think long term
Quick and thoughtless campaigns fall foul to the niche sports audience, you need to make considered moves and be patient when waiting for results. Making a concerted effort to build a position and relationship over time with a new audience is paramount.

This can be seen with the German financial services company, Allianz have signed up for a five year partnership with the Drone Racing League. Despite not being offered equity, they deem the access to insights and the audience valuable enough for their investment.

Engagement needs to be 24/7
While brands mostly consider sponsorship during events, they should extend their engagement to the ‘community’. While this might seem a lot like ‘audience’, it is, in fact, worth mentioning these as separate points.

The whole community concept is much more than taking a commercial opportunity when you see one, but rather embedding and investing into it. You need to actively try to understand all the cogs in motion within these complex and budding communities.

Take, for example, Twitch a leading social and video platform community for gamers, who have continued to expand their investment within the eSports industry. They have worked together with teams such as Team Liquid and games such as Vainglory to cultivate an engaging and welcoming community for eSports enthusiasts to connect on.

Content is constantly evolving
These new niche communities and their audiences are immune to ‘bullshit advertising’ to quote Shane Smith at VICE.

Brands should work to develop content and experiences that shows a much deeper level of understanding and integration with their niche target audiences, instead of bombarding the community with typical marketing messages. One of the simple ways around this is to push out native content through articles or videos as well as sponsoring documentaries and informative videos that benefit a wider subset of people.

Another way is not only deliver content within the area but build upon it to expand the dimensions of the sport – as we’ve seen with Mountain Dew, who together with Day of Drones continue to promote the drone racing by launching interaction events and new subcultures within the sport such as drone hunting.

MOMA appoints Hope & Glory for UK branding

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Breakfast brand MOMA has appointed Hope & Glory to build momentum for its brand across the UK.

Hope & Glory’s remit will be to run a press office, influencer relations programme and to support with brand activations during peak periods. The account will be led by Hope & Glory account director Lisa Fox reporting to MOMA head of brand, Amy Walker.

Fox said: “MOMA is at a pivotal point. Its range caters perfectly to those who want a quality, filling breakfast but who don’t have as much time as they’d like.

“With tasty, brilliantly balanced and convenient options, the brand appeals to those disappointed by the offer from others in the category and who value quality and convenience. We’re looking forward to helping the MOMA team win a host of new fans to support their growth.”

Walker added: “These are incredibly exciting times for MOMA. We have huge ambitions for 2017 and we’re delighted to be working with Hope & Glory to help us grow our brand across the UK and beyond through creative and powerful PR.”

United Utilities taps Markettiers Manchester for broadcast and digital capabilities

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United Utilities, the UK’s North West water company, has appointed Markettiers Manchester to handle its broadcast communications.

United Utilities Reservoir in Thirlmere, UK 

Markettiers will act as an extension to the United Utilities’ digital newsroom. The newsroom is designed to ensure customers are kept up-to-speed with developments taking place within the organisation – and Markettiers will be responsible for media relations across TV, radio, online, digital and social output.

Sean Robinson, head of news at United Utilities, said: “Markettiers are a great addition to our multimedia operation. Our digital news team are already responding to incidents across the North West by keeping customers informed with news packages and features across our own platforms.

“They also provide high-quality content to media outlets, including TV, Radio and Online. Markettiers will now help us to get the best out of existing activities.”

Markettiers general manager Josh Wheeler, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside United Utilities helping to boost the capabilities of their digital newsroom – ensuring broadcast is at the heart of what we do. Collectively, we have some exciting plans which will help further cement their position in the North West and beyond”.

freuds bolsters digital and content offering with two senior hires

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freuds has appointed Haran Ramachandran from M&C Saatchi as creative director of  the digital and innovation team, and Jay Williams, founder of 72 point, as head of news.

Haran Ramachandran

Ramachandran will work on campaigns from across freuds’ client portfolio, identifying opportunities to use technology and innovation to develop ‘breakthrough ideas’.

Williams will oversee the development and delivery of news and content for freuds’ clients and campaigns from across all corners of the agency – a position which will play to his strengths in creating bespoke news and content packages.

Ramachandran said: “It’s a very exciting time to join freuds, and I really look forward to working with one of the best teams in the business. The agency has a number of hugely interesting and diverse clients in its portfolio, and now is a more exciting time than ever to be joining.”

Williams added: “I’d had the pleasure of working with freuds in various capacities through my previous roles, so I know first-hand just how much emphasis the business places on high-quality story-telling and the creation and delivery of truly engaging, thought-provoking content.

“I’m really looking forward to working with the talented teams from across the agency and seeing how we can create an even bigger impact through our work.”

Cision World Tour video: PR can lead the marketing mix

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Earned media and influencer marketing are perfectly positioned to tackle the challenges facing brands in 2017, speakers at this week’s Cision World Tour event in London agreed.

By combining the latest innovations in data-driven insights with earned media’s natural talent for storytelling, industry experts on the stage argued PR and comms is ready to dominate the marketing mix.

Watch the video below to hear Mischief head of influence Lucy Hart and The Future Laboratory co-founder Chris Sanderson give their take on why this is such an exciting time for the industry:

The London leg of the Cision World Tour brought together hundreds of top communications professionals at Soho’s Ham Yard Hotel to discuss the future of innovation in PR:

  • Lynch and Akeroyd opened the event by explaining how brands are combining storytelling with data science. They showed that this is helping businesses uncover the right influencers, craft great content and link coverage with customer behaviour.
  • A panel of industry personalities chaired by CIPR president Jason MacKenzie discussed how to establish a win-win relationship between brands and the media.
  • During the session, Hart said clients were increasingly coming to Mischief with bigger PR spend available as support for influencer marketing continued to rise.
  • Hart commented: “We have to loosen up a little bit and be willing to be more innovative and pushier and take our slice of the pie. Because what we do a brilliant job of is creating dialogue, conversations and creating content that people actually sit back and watch!”
  • Sanderson rounded off the day by sharing his insights into the impacts, consequences and opportunities the latest industry trends are creating for PR professionals.
  • He concluded that technology is creating fantastic opportunities for PR professionals. But the industry needs to innovate and take full advantage of the latest innovations in order to create bold campaigns that capture the imagination of consumers.

This week’s PR News in Brief (5-9 June)

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Here’s a round-up of the essential PR stories, features and events news that have broken over the last week (5-9 June 2017).

Pitch wins

The Shetland Distillery Company has appointed Garnish Communications to enhance the brand’s reach in the UK market.

Hudson Sandler is advising Polyus, Russia’s largest gold producer, on its upcoming flotation on the London Stock Exchange.

Beauty brand High Definition has appointed health and beauty specialist – and PR Week’s Consultancy of the Year – Pegasus to lead its UK consumer communications.

Short break provider Greatlittlebreaks has appointed Fleet Street Communications to implement a consumer PR campaign to help build the brand’s profile.

People news

Stature PR has appointed Tim West as its new business and digital director to lead the company’s new business operations and shape its digital content strategy.

PR and social media agency WPR Agency Ltd has appointed Graeme McKenzie, former Heineken and Bidvest head of marketing, as its new strategy and planning director.

Neil van Ginsburg has joined TVC Group as global sales director, with a brief to drive international new business opportunities across global brands.

Cheshire B2B PR consultancy Skout has appointed Celine Goodier in the newly created role of business development manager.

KPPR has been appointed the personal publicist for Channel 4 presenter, Danni Menzies.

Cision World Tour

A stellar line up of the industry’s leaders and influencers spoke to a packed audience of PR and comms professionals at the London leg of the Cision World Tour.

Communicators finally have the opportunity to prove how great they are to company executives, Telefónica UK‘s director of corporate affairs Nicola Green.

The Future Laboratory co-founder Chris Sanderson predicted a new era of PR creativity in his keynote speech at the Cision World Tour summit in London.

Scores of PR professionals took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the Cision World Tour event in London using #CisionWorldTour.