The Salvation Army hires Weber Shandwick to promote Strawberry Field redevelopment

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The Salvation Army has appointed the Manchester arm of Weber Shandwick, following a competitive pitch process, to develop the creative comms strategy for its redevelopment of Strawberry Field in Liverpool, the location that inspired John Lennon’s famous song for The Beatles, which was released 50 years ago.

Strawberry Field

Having been a children’s home for decades – where Lennon joined the children for garden parties – the site is now due to undergo a major revival, which will include the creation of a training hub for young people with learning disabilities, an exhibition on the links between Lennon and the Strawberry Field children’s home, and a place of spiritual exploration.

Weber Shandwick Manchester won the creative brief to raise awareness and deliver a global fundraising campaign.

Members of the agency’s senior management team, including director Anna Varley Jones, associate director Amy Hopkinson and creative director Owen LaBeck, will oversee the account.

Carol-Anne Latta, PR and comms manager for The Salvation Army in the UK and Ireland, said: “The Salvation Army is trusted and respected across the world, so we sought an agency with a global outlook, which understands our movement and our role as a custodian of the Strawberry Field site, and shares our vision to help transform lives. Weber Shandwick Manchester ticks all of those boxes and we’re excited to bring our campaign plans to life.”

Amy Hopkinson, associate director at Weber Shandwick Manchester, added: “Every aspect of The Salvation Army project at Strawberry Field inspires excitement, from the incredible work that will be done with young people with learning disabilities, to the long-lasting connections Strawberry Field has to John Lennon and his legacy.”

Newgate Communications completes merger with PPS Group

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Newgate Communications has finalised its integration of PPS Group. All PPS offices and teams now operate under the Newgate brand.

The Newgate team

PPS Group will retain its offices in London, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester and Edinburgh, and will continue to deliver the same services in local stakeholder engagement, media relations and public affairs, as well as Newgate’s financial and investor communications, corporate reputation and brand communications services.

Newgate has committed to the improvement of its regional presence, in particular the delivery of corporate campaigns, and continues to deliver on local stakeholder engagement for the property, planning and infrastructure sectors under its Newgate Engage brand.

Andy Martin, formerly managing partner of PPS Group and now managing partner of Newgate Engage and head of the regional offices, said: “I am delighted that we have completed the integration of PPS, all of its people and its long and successful track record and heritage, under the Newgate brand.  Being able to offer the full range of communications services alongside our traditional strengths is an exciting new chapter.”

Gavin Devine, chief executive at Newgate, added: “Bringing PPS fully within the Newgate fold means that we can offer a unique service to the market.  Clients have made it clear that they want support not only with their relationships with the City, with the national media and in Westminster and Whitehall, but also in the regions where their projects are located, their people are based and their customers live.  Our promise as a fully integrated agency is to meet that demand, and to help clients engage with audiences from the grassroots to the boardroom.”

 

‘Human propulsion’ start-up Gravity hires Radioactive PR

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British ‘human propulsion’ tech start-up Gravity has hired Radioactive PR to handle its launch across Europe, Australasia and Africa, a brief founder Rich Leigh says could be the “coolest thing we’ve worked on”.

Gravity founder Richard Browning

Gravity is a British ‘human propulsion’ tech start-up founded by entrepreneur, inventor and former Royal Marines Reserve Richard Browning. Its aim is to “re-imagine the future of manned flight”.

Gravity’s first project is the ‘Daedalus’ suit – an “Iron Man-like suit” that uses arm-mounted jet engines to fly.

Radioactive PR officially launched Gravity to press last Friday (31 March), which has already seen hundreds of pieces of coverage so far, and millions of plays on YouTube/video.

Launch activity will continue throughout the coming months, as Gravity moves towards a strategic approach to pushing the commercial possibilities around Gravity. Radioactive PR will also manage Gravity’s social media accounts.

Radioactive PR founder Rich Leigh will lead the account and be supported by account director Angharad Welsh, account manager Lydia Bryant and account executive Callum Gable.

Leigh said: “I know the word ‘excited’ gets thrown around when it comes to PR quotes, but that word doesn’t do our feeling to be working on this account justice. Not just because I firmly believe pretty much every agency in the world would want to work on it, but because it is arguably one of the biggest technology launches in recent years.”

60 Seconds with Milk & Honey PR’s Kirsty Leighton

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Kirsty Leighton, former Hudson Sandler MD and the founder of Milk & Honey PR, talks to Gorkana about her experiences as a team leader and the challenges and rewards of setting-up her own agency.

Kirsty Leighton

What made you decide to leave Hudson Sandler and set-up your own agency?
Hudson Sandler is a wonderful agency with an enviable client list. I was lucky enough to hold the role of MD there for five years. Coming into a capital market focused agency with a brand background was exciting and the agency evolved quite considerably during those five years. I have always, however, secretly yearned to do something on my own terms. The move of HS out from under Huntsworth was the catalyst I needed.

What do you hope will set Milk & Honey apart?
We are an agency where people come first. Where passion and creativity are prized. Where clients are celebrated. One where there is time to think, to go the extra mile. A land of opportunity as the name suggests!

Our focus is managing and nurturing reputations for ambitious growth companies. We work with senior decision makers to change the way businesses talk. We don’t start with numbers, we start with people. We specialise in enriching messaging. Making your story more beautiful, colourful, inspiring or simply less complicated. We weave these rich, emotive messages into intelligent campaigns that deliver business value.

What challenges do you anticipate?
The first few months threw up a whole array of expected and unexpected challenges. I was ready for the frustrations of managing without tech support and the accounts department – thank goodness for YouTube and QuickBooks. I was prepared for the challenge of starting out as a party of one. What really surprised me was just how much support and encouragement I received.

PR is all about relationships and I’m blown away by just how wonderful my business network has been. Friends and colleagues from years back inviting me for coffees and offering projects to get the ball rolling. Ex-clients, business partners and industry friends making introductions, getting me on pitch lists and offering recommendations. This first month was quite a confidence boost.

The challenge now is more business as usual. Finding the right talent that aligns to our values of – bravery, energy, passion, respect, loyalty and collaboration; on-boarding new clients and sticking to the growth plans.

What are you most looking forward to?
Right now we have a wonderful office space in Battersea Studios where we can walk to work (we all live near Clapham, so far). As beautiful as the offices are, I am looking forward to getting our own space and creating something special. Warm, inviting, inspiring.

What, do you believe, is your strength as a team leader?
I’m incredibly lucky that over my 20-plus years in the industry, I have had the chance to see into lots of different sectors and lead different types of PR agencies – corporate, brand, financial, technology and full service.

This has taught me to appreciate and seek out different talents. I also grew up in an ISO9000 organisation, so as a leader I am structured. I hope this makes me clear in my expectations and empowering in the delivery.

What’s been the highlight of your career to date?
I adored my time at WE Communications. Every couple of years I was given a new challenge, which saw me manage technology, social innovation, digital, consumer, corporate and healthcare teams in Europe, then taking on a global role and travelling extensively. It was great fun.

I’ve always focused on growing businesses and building award-winning client campaigns. That is what I love, and I’m proud of all I’ve achieved on that front. The greatest highlight is probably the network of amazing PR people I have worked with over the years, seeing what they are achieving now. It makes me feel extremely proud – and quite old!

What career advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Relax, no-one expects you to know very much when you start-out in the industry. Get time with as many senior PRs as you can. Learn every day. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. This is a people and relationship business and we are providing a service. Attitude is king. You have great opportunities ahead of you. Always show commitment, progression and loyalty before you move.

MCG briefed by new tofu brand Tofoo Co

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The Tofoo Co has appointed MCG to handle its PR and social media launch with an integrated campaign of social advertising and organic engagement, influencer and media relations, content creation and experiential activity.

MCG will be targeting a wide range of consumer media channels and lifestyle influencers. The integrated PR and social campaign has been designed to educate and enthuse consumers to be adventurous with their meals.

Dave Knibbs, director of The Tofoo Co, said: “We have high hopes for our Tofoo. The current meat-free market is worth approximately £263m, 38% of which is chilled, and this is growing year-on-year. With the growing trend towards choosing healthy and sustainable protein as a key part of a balanced diet we believe that there is real demand for an ingredient that offers taste and quality.”

Katie Baldwin leaves Yorkshire Post for NHS comms role

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Katie Baldwin is leaving her position as a health reporter at the Yorkshire Evening Post/Yorkshire Post for a senior communications officer role at NHS Digital, the new name for the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Katie Baldwin

Part of the Department of Health, NHS Digital is the national provider of information, data and IT systems for commissioners, analysts and clinicians in health and social care.

Baldwin, who worked at the Yorkshire Post, for more than 10 years, will begin her new role on April 10.

BrewDog appoints Manifest as global communications agency

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Independent Scottish brewery BrewDog has appointed Manifest as its global communications agency responsible for the craft brewer’s PR strategy across the UK, the US and Sweden.

Manifest was approached by BrewDog to ‘dial up the comms strategy and creativity’. The new contract with BrewDog commences this month.

Manifest will be responsible for all PR communications for BrewDog, having previously managed the brand’s account between February 2010 and July 2015.

In addition to being the craft brewer’s UK agency, Manifest’s responsibilities will encompass the development of a new global communications structure, alongside delivery of creative campaigns in the US and Sweden through Manifest New York and Manifest Stockholm, respectively.

Manifest has won more than 20 industry accolades for its previous work with BrewDog, which saw the brand take on homophobic legislation in Russia with the world’s first protest beer: ‘Hello, My Name is Vladimir’.

James Watt, cofounder at BrewDog, said: “We are now at a pivotal point in our growth and development, and need to introduce a strategic plan that incorporates our biggest opportunities globally. To start with, we’ll be tasking Manifest with an all-out riot of a brief across our homeland in the UK, our new home-away-from-home in the US, and our longest standing international market, Sweden.”

Hallmark said: “Manifest and BrewDog have grown up together – and the work we have produced in partnership has shaken the dust from the beer industry. Since we last worked together, Manifest has opened offices in New York and Stockholm and BrewDog has continued its incredible international expansion, so when they approached us to get the band back together, we saw the potential to take our collaboration to another level.”

This week’s top people news on Gorkana News

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Your bitesize update on the latest people news and moves featured on Gorkana News this week:

Pagefield welcomes raft of senior advisors
Pagefield, which specialises in PR, reputation management, campaigning and public affairs, has made several additions to its team of senior advisors.

The firm welcomes Dr Gerard Lyons, Debbie Wosskow OBE, Nikki Page and Sian Jarvis CB.

 

Daily Mail executive news editor joins MHP Communications
Keith Gladdis, the Daily Mail’s executive news editor, is to join MHP Communications as a director. He will join the agency’s Media Unit in May, with a brief to provide senior counsel to clients on media strategy, crisis comms and effective campaigning.

 

Weber Shandwick enhances creative team
Weber Shandwick London has brought in award-winning creative Janelle Feliciano from digital and social agency Deep Focus.

 

 

Ketchum grows UK healthcare team
Ketchum has added Kate Paxton and Neil McLelland to its healthcare team in London.

 

 

 

60 Seconds with CIPR’s Jason MacKenzie

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Gorkana caught up with Jason MacKenzie, the president of the CIPR, to find out about his goals for the association, his career highlight to date and the advice he’d give to PR professionals starting out. 

Jason MacKenzie

What are the CIPR’s primary goals for this year, and how do you plan to meet them?
We’re on a mission to professionalise public relations. Our Royal Charter mandates us to promote professional standards for the benefit of the industry and the general public – that’s our passion and our motivation.

We’re committed to increasing the number of people investing in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), along with the number of Chartered PR Practitioners (Chart.PR). The skilled practitioner of today will become the dinosaur of tomorrow if he or she doesn’t commit to ongoing learning and development.

Too often, public relations is undervalued or misrepresented. We’re building a community of ethically competent, strategic professionals, with the judgement to positively influence organisations at the highest level. It’s our aim to become a predominantly chartered profession within 10 years.

I also plan to grow the Institute and to engage meaningfully with our members across the UK and internationally.

What are the PR industry’s biggest challenges at present?
According to the CIPR’s annual State of the Profession survey, our biggest challenge is under-representation at board level. Damage to a company’s reputation can have a tangible impact on share price, sales and the ability to recruit the best staff. Boards increasingly recognise the importance of reputation, but not enough reputation experts have a permanent seat at the table to steer companies away from trouble.

To achieve that we must improve the reputation of our own industry. That’s one reason that the CIPR is working to professionalise PR and is speaking out against unqualified people taking senior roles.

We operate in a changing industry where our members know they need new skills, particularly in the areas of digital and social media. This area of practice continues to develop and change rapidly and underlines the need for practitioners to continually learn, adapt and innovate.

In addition, our industry – like most others – is struggling to become fully diverse and fair. We will continue to campaign to close the gender pay gap and to encourage employers to recruit and reward team members based solely on merit.

What do you like best about the industry?
The enthusiasm and dedication of the professionals I meet. Since becoming president of the CIPR, I’ve developed a greater appreciation of our huge community of volunteers across the UK. Their commitment to driving public relations forward is inspiring.

What advice would you give to young PRs starting out?
Invest in yourself by committing to life-long learning. Focus on continually developing and honing the skills you need to get to the next stage of your career.

Networking is also hugely important – attend events held by the CIPR, a community of more than 10,000 practitioners. This will expand your knowledge and your personal confidence, as well as your contact list.

What has been the highlight of your career to date?
Being elected president of the Institute. Leading the chartered professional body for public relations in the UK and the largest membership organisation for PR professionals in Europe is both a responsibility and a privilege.

Are there any upcoming events in the CIPR calendar that you think our readers should know about?
The CIPR has 23 national, regional and sectoral groups, hosting hundreds of events every year. Here are three that I’m particularly excited about.

CIPR International hosts its prestigious Maggie Nally Lecture in Parliament on 4 May. This year’s speaker is Robyn de Villiers, CEO and chairman of Burson-Marsteller, Africa. The next day’s CIPR International Global PRactice Conference also looks great. Lastly, we’ll stage our second national conference in October, which promises to be truly excellent. I’d love to see you there.

  • Jason MacKenzie is an executive board director and council member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and serves as chairman of its Professional Practices Committee. Jason is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the CIPR and the British-American Project. He is a Chartered Public Relations Practitioner and a Chartered Marketer.

The One Brand appoints Houston PR

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Ethical drinks company The One Brand has appointed Houston PR as its retained communications consultancy.

Houston PR is working closely with The One Brand’s founder, Duncan Goose, and the One team on an ongoing campaign to alert UK consumers to the poor water conditions experienced by an estimated 663 million people worldwide.

The campaign kicked off for World Water Day (22nd March 2017) which saw the brand launch the trial of alternative packaging for One Water, developing a sleeve for its bottles to make the clean Welsh spring water they contain look dirty. Trial versions of the new bottles are being market tested and The One Brand hopes that through the project the company will secure a major listing with a leading supermarket.

Kate Hoare, associate director at Houston PR, said: “The One Brand is a small team, doing great things. Its work is incredibly inspiring and we are very proud to be working with Duncan and the team at what looks to be an exciting time in the brand’s development.”

Ian Spooner, marketing director at The One Brand, said: “Houston has a history of developing high impact, highly shareable brand campaigns. We were very impressed by its work for growing – and established brands alike – and we are delighted to have them on board.”