As ex-PRs ourselves we recognise that the freelance community is a vital and growing part of the industry who face a different set of challenges to in-house and agency PRs. As a sole trader their time is like gold dust; they may be juggling several client accounts on their own, as well as managing costs and potentially taking on clients that sit outside their normal area of expertise. As such, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new Gorkana Media Database package specifically developed with the needs of freelance PRs in mind.

The Gorkana Freelance package offers individual freelance PRs a cost-effective resource for their media planning that does not compromise on service quality. With a reduced rate and flexible subscription period, this new offering from gorkana provides them with access to the most accurate media database for PRs on the market – the Gorkana Media Database, PLUS receive our daily Gorkana Alerts, keeping them up to date with the latest media news and journalist moves.

For more information, please contact Charlie Prichard on +44 (0)20 7420 6846 or email cprichard@gorkana.com

Laura Peek, Independent PR Consultant says…

“Gorkana is an indispensable service for freelance PRs. The media database is outstanding: detailed, accurate and up-to-date as well as being simple to use with excellent training and responsive and friendly support”

On 5 March Gorkana Grapevine took over the glamorous and stylish Vertigo bar, atop the 8th floor of No. 1 Leicester Square, providing attendees a stunning panoramic vista over London’s skyline. The evening’s objective, networking aside, was to make the ultimate signature cocktail with teams of top consumer journalists and PRs battling behind the bar to prove their cocktail clout!

The proceedings commenced with a short course in mixology from identical twin barmen Michael and Thomas. The teams on the tables watched intensely as the brothers displayed their deftness with a Boston glass mixing the first competitive cocktail, the Cosmopolitan.  Before long it was time for a bold member from each table to prove their skills behind the bar by emulating what they had just seen. Drinks were judged on mixing and appearance, with the twins painstakingly conferring with gorkana Founder, Alex Northcott, to decide on a winner. Table three was declared the clear winner. A confidence not abashed by them winning the second round with their magical Mojito. One plucky Top Sante journalist from the team was overheard toasting their confidence, which sadly did not carry through to the third and final cocktail round, when table four painstakingly mixed the winning Bellini. However, having won the first two rounds the table three-ers were declared mixologists extraordinaire! A quiz ensued in which the teams vied to be crowned all knowledgeable about all things cocktail, a victory taken by table four.

It proved to be a suitably decadent evening, providing the perfect forum for glitz and networking. Tom Cruise himself would have been proud of the calibre of cocktails produced, and you never know, a career change may be in store for the winning mixologists…

A big thank you to…

Boden, Gosh PR, Golley Slater, JCPR, Sky News, BMA and Weber Shandwick (Slam PR team) who generously donated prizes for the charity raffle – film premiere tickets, a night for two at the Waldorf Hilton and Aer Lingus flights were on everyone’s wish list!

Ticket sales from the raffle generated over £200 in aid of The Journalists’ Charity.

Trimedia presented a stern test in the opening match of the Gorkana PR-emiership, organised by Top Corner . The match kicked off 10 minutes late (not helped by the referee’s highly confusing explanation of “the rules”) and both teams pummelled the oppositions goals. Sadly some wasteful finishing from Gorkana ensured that the deadlock wasn’t broken until mid-way through the half, at which point Julian Morrison (aptly described as the Kieran Dyer of Trimedia’s attack) crashed home the opener.

Whilst spirits might have been dented Gorkana were lifted by the mercurial presence of Bridge, who wriggled himself free from the defenders and slammed an unstoppable drive home for the equaliser. With half-time approaching, both teams were pressing but finding the last line of defence too much to break down. Mondal was proving the catalyst in turning defence into attack for gorkana whilst Haberland was living up to the hype and linking up well in midfield. The turning point came on the stroke of half time when a crazy two minute spell saw Trimedia race in to a 3-1 lead before a silky one-touch move involving all of Gorkana’s outfield players saw Prichard deftly finish and halve the deficit.

The second half was a frantic display, filled with chances and even a hint of desperation. With the ball being sprayed about like you would expect from a vintage Brazilian side, both keepers were defying the odds in producing miraculous saves. On any other day, Worthington, Barnard and Bridge would have had a hatful, but sadly for them and their team they found a brick wall in Trimedia’s goalmouth. In fact it was only one sloppy throw in from an overly exuberant Gorkana captain that proved the defining difference as Morrison broke once more to finish past Osman with deadly accuracy. The clock was wearing down and the hard efforts of Gorkana disintegrated as the referee’s whistle blew.

Next week: Gorkana take on Frank PR…

Wednesday 7 January saw the Gorkana G’n'T’s face a freezing and exhausting 40 minutes on the netball court, battling it out against the champions of the previous two leagues – the great Mantis Dukes.

Despite the extreme weather conditions and effects of one slice of turkey too many over the festive break, the Gorkana G’n'T’s took it all in their stride and emerged supreme at the very top of the league.

Now all they need to do is keep up the momentum for another 6 weeks to reign supreme as champions of the league, so watch this space…

For more information on the Top Corner Oval PR, Media&Marketing League please get in contact with info@topcorner.co.uk

Last night, over 100 journalists and PRs took part in our Gorkana Pub Quiz – the first networking event in our NEW Gorkana Grapevine series, which aims to bring PRs and journalists together.

The evening kicked-off at 6pm at The Long Acre in Covent Garden, with everyone eager to buy tickets for the much-anticipated charity raffle having heard rumors of film-premiere tickets and the “it” handbag of the season being in the prize draw.

From music and showbiz to sport and London landmarks the teams of PRs and journalist battled to become champions. With five teams in contention for the winning spot it came down to the final “Blue Peter” round when the teams were tasked with creating a gag newspaper front-page from copies of the London Lite and the londonpaper. The small, but perfectly formed, 3-man team from Ketchum ruled the round helping them reach the number one spot for the night.

We are looking forward to hosting more Gorkana Grapevine events in the New Year, so watch this space…

A big thank you to…

Charles Stanley, Shine Communications, Jaeger, Talk PR, BMA Communications, Nelson Bostock and Sky News who generously donated prizes for the charity raffle – the Jaeger Tilly bag and two tickets to the ‘Australia’ film premiere were in huge demand!

Ticket sales from the raffle raised over £225 in aid of PACE, a school which helps children with physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, achieve their maximum potential.