Heathrow appoints One Green Bean to its consumer roster

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Heathrow Airport has added One Green Bean to its consumer PR roster following its successful campaign work on the airport’s 70th anniversary in May.

Joanna Lumley celebrates Heathrow’s 70th anniversary

Joanna Lumley celebrates Heathrow’s 70th anniversary

One Green Bean will implement integrated campaigns working alongside its agency partners Havas London and Havas helia, which manages Heathrow’s advertising and customer engagement strategy.

Red, Cow and Hope & Glory are already on Heathrow’s consumer PR roster and One Green Bean will join them.

One Green Bean’s MD Matt Buchanan and executive creative director Kat Thomas will lead the account.

Julia Weir, head of PR for Heathrow, said: “We were extremely impressed by One Green Bean’s integration across our 70th birthday campaign and its expertise in social led campaigns. We’re very excited about the year ahead and look forward to working with One Green Bean to tell the Heathrow story, building on the brand and creating some great content together.”

Buchanan added: “We’re really enjoying working with the team at Heathrow. They share our belief that PR needs to integrate into their content and social strategy to generate strong results. We’re really looking forward to working on some exciting projects, during the airports biggest celebratory year to date.”

Earlier this week, TVC Group won a three-way pitch to lead a summer campaign for Heathrow Express, with the agency involving British Olympic track cyclist Victoria Pendleton to mark the 18th birthday of the service.

Flightworx Aviation appoints 80:20 Communications

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Travel PR specialist, 80:20 Communications, has been appointed by Flightworx Aviation, a provider of worldwide flight support solutions, from flight planning to fuel sourcing.

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Marc Cornelius

80:20 Communications, which specialises in travel, aviation and transport, will promote Flightworx to international corporate and consumer audiences.

Marc Cornelius, founder and managing director at 80:20 Communications, said: “Flightworx’s strong development strategy and unique approach to flight support and fuel sourcing sets them leagues apart. We are really excited about telling this story.”

Flightworx offers a range of services from commercial operations and management to flight planning, permit applications and other areas of aviation management.

Andy Shaw, managing director at Flightworx, added: “We’ve grown from a small company into a significant international operation and we’re very proud of the team we’ve assembled. Our challenge now is to heighten awareness of our unique offerings, including ATOL-protected Travelworx, our neutral fuel comparison service, Flightworx Fuel and our dedicated regulatory compliance solutions for private operators.

“We’re pleased to be working with 80:20 Communications, which understands our industry and will deliver the right messages to the right audience, supporting our ambitious development strategy.”

Clark Communications buys Golley Slater Scotland

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Scottish PR agency Clark Communications has acquired Golley Slater Scotland from parent company Golley Slater Group for an undisclosed sum.

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Lesley Brydon

Clark Communications was launched by Lesley Brydon in 2012. Its clients include the Institute of Directors and business advisers and accountants Scott-Moncrieff.

Golley Slater Scotland is a full-service marketing agency and has been established in Scotland since 2005.  Current clients include Paterson Arran and the People’s Postcode Lottery, alongside a number of public sector bodies.

The deal will see ownership of Golley Slater Scotland transfer to Clark Communications. The two teams will combine in offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

According to a statement from Clark Communications, Christina Kelly, former MD of Golley Slater Scotland, will leave the business, having given notice prior to the deal being initiated.

David Longden, chief executive of Golley Slater Group, said: “Following the news of Christina Kelly’s departure we considered a number of options in relation to the future of our Scottish business. We were inspired by Clark Communications’ ambition and vision and felt that Lesley was the right person to take the business in a new direction. We look forward to working with Clark Communications over the coming years.”

Angela Hughes, an account director at Golley Slater Scotland, will take on the role of associate director at Clark Communications, with responsibility for leading the Glasgow office.

Brydon said: “By merging two agencies with slightly different offerings, we benefit not only from scale, but also depth of experience. As the boundaries between the different creative disciplines continue to blur, the diverse mix of talent we have created will serve our combined clients as their needs develop and it will boost our engagement with their audiences.

“Whether we are grounded in advertising, design, social, marketing or PR, the team are all communicators at heart and that blend of backgrounds creates an exciting road ahead.”

Women aged 25 to 34 “most likely” to post customer reviews

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Female movie-lovers aged 25 to 34 are most likely to post a customer review about a brand, according to research from ratings and reviews platform Feefo, while men and women in the 18 to 24-year-old demographic are least likely to air their opinions online.

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Findings from Feefo

The research, which analysed more than 446,000 reviews to identify trends about the people most likely to share their thoughts on their experiences, found that women are more likely than men to leave reviews.

It found that 58% of reviews are left by women and women also spend four seconds longer on average on their contributions (two minutes, three seconds), longer than men (one minute 59 seconds).

The study also found that 25 to 34-years-olds are the most vocal when it comes to reviews – 23% of the reviews left by people in that age category. This group is followed by the 35 to 44-year-old age group, accounting for 20% of reviews, and 45 to 44-year-olds contribute 18%.

The youngest group measured, aged 18-24, were least likely to engage, offering just 10% of reviews.

In order to identify more about the personality traits of people most likely to leave reviews, the team split reviewers into the following “personality types”:

1. Movie lovers
2.Travel buffs
3. News junkies and avid readers
4. TV lovers
5. Technophiles

Movie lovers beat travel buffs and news junkies to the top spot as the most likely to air their opinions.

The research also discovered that desktop users (45%) far surpassed mobile (34%) or tablet (21%) users, suggesting that leaving reviews is still handled in a traditional way.

Andrew Mabbutt, CEO at Feefo, said: “This has certainly shed some light on who it is that responds to review requests, and these are the people who will be shaping the future of these businesses.

“By providing feedback, whether good or bad, businesses are able to understand what they are doing well, what needs improvement and what the market wants. The information this demographic is providing is crucial to the running of any successful business.”

Feefo is a ratings and reviews platform. It requests customer reviews  on behalf of clients, providing business insight to they can better understand their customers. Founded in 2010, it has offices in the UK, US, Asia and Australia.

Babel wins NETSCOUT PR brief

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NETSCOUT, a business assurance solutions company, has appointed Babel as its retained UK PR agency.

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Ian Hood

The service assurance and cyber security company aims to grow awareness of its brand in the UK, France and Germany with a multi-market B2B media relations campaign.

Beyond media relations, Babel’s brief is to build the profile of NETSCOUT in the UK through thought leadership, senior executive profiling and event support. It will also promote a joint NETSCOUT and Werner Herzog feature-length documentary, Lo & Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, which is due for cinema release later in the year.

Donna Candelori, director of corporate communications at NETSCOUT, said: “Babel is the ideal partner for us. Its extensive industry expertise and prior knowledge of several other companies that sit under the NETSCOUT umbrella will prove invaluable. Getting the right results in Europe is an important next step for NETSCOUT’s global growth, and we look forward to working with Babel to help tell our story within these markets.”

Babel will act as the hub for all of the company’s European PR activity.

Ian Hood, CEO and co-founder at Babel, added: “NETSCOUT is bucking the trend within the telecoms and enterprise space, taking a novel approach to global marketing and PR. The upcoming release of its feature-length consumer documentary is just one example.”

Celicourt adds two new clients

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Celicourt Communications has been appointed by oil and gas company, SDX Energy, and international law firm, Memery Crystal.

SDX energy 1SDX Energy, an Egypt-focused energy company, is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, and recently completed a London listing.

Celicourt will support Memery Crystal on its corporate positioning following a recent rebrand exercise and the appointment of  its new CEO, Nick Davis.

Mark Antelme, managing director at Celicourt, said: “Memery Crystal and SDX Energy are both leaders in their fields and we are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with them.

“With an ongoing work programme set to materially increase production, and an exploration programme about to get underway, it’s a very exciting time to be working alongside SDX.

“Equally, Memery Crystal is firmly at the heart of much of the current deal flow in the market, and has a great breadth of sector expertise within the partnership, from natural resources to sport, and often with an international dimension.”

Aspectus creates Brexit Unit to urge clients into action

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Aspectus is the latest agency to create a Brexit Unit, following Portland‘s announcement earlier this summer. Aspectus says its unit will help clients deal with communications during the uncertainty caused by the referendum outcome.

It has also published a guide entitled ‘The seven ages of Brexit’, which provides a communications blueprint for businesses from start-up to exit. Offering strategies for dealing with Brexit communications, it makes practical suggestions for where communications teams should concentrate their efforts.

Alastair Turner, global CEO at Aspectus, says that in a climate of uncertainty, its clients’ main worry is whether they should be saying anything at all, but this may be doing more harm than good.

He explains: “They risk adding to that uncertainty by steering clear of the post-Brexit debate altogether, timidly hedging their bets or being so vague on the topic that their real views are unfathomable. The thing is that people want to know.”

How Aspectus is addressing client need

Tim Focas, the agency’s account director of financial services, and its creative lead Dan George, will jointly lead the Brexit team with the aim to ensure comms is an enabler for overcoming challenges and making the most of opportunities caused by Brexit.

The team will use the pool of strategic experts at Aspectus, including its engineering, technology, financial services, energy and oil and gas specialists, to aid the transition.

Turner notes that it is important that clients communicate clearly with stakeholders including customers, investors, employees, partners and distributors to help their businesses, at all stages of growth, stay engaged and connected with their target markets to create business opportunities as departure from the EU is defined.

“Customers want to know how you are going to operate in a post-Brexit economy because they need to feel confident about your strategy, your prospects for growth, your physical presence, your support and your services.”

He adds: “The business world is slowly getting over the shock of the Brexit vote and the mists are clearing around the commercial realities – one of these is that the risk of sitting back. Not engaging in two-way communications around Brexit with your key audiences would not be acceptable to any right thinking shareholder.”

Portland’s Brexit journey so far

Portland was the first agency to announce its Brexit Unit in July and Steven Morris, Portland’s managing partner, says the agency had built strong EU expertise prior to the referendum.

“The history of European referendums is usually that the anti-establishment side wins. Post-Brexit, the scale of the issues the level of demand from clients made it obvious that we would need to organise a permanent team who would focus almost exclusively on this topic,” he says.

Portland’s Brexit team consists of Sir Stephen Wall, who was Britain’s ambassador to the EU and advised four Prime Ministers on Europe. Former foreign minister Radek Sikorski and former treasury minister Kitty Ussher are also on the panel as well as Morris who is former adviser to Tony Blair on European issues.

Morris says so far the unit has been a success since launch: “We had a phenomenal response to our Brexit publication “Britain Votes Leave: What Happens Next?”, and enormous interest from both current and new clients in our Brexit expertise. We have signed up a number of new clients since June 23 specifically to advise on Brexit.”

Henman Communications to launch SPAshell

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Sports and lifestyle PR agency Henman Communications has been appointed by spa design consultancy Spa Creators to launch SPAshell, the UK’s “first pre-built spa using eco modular construction”, at Fishmore Hall in Shropshire in October.

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SPAshell treatment

SPAshell is designed to “help people to relax and unwind”. Henman will work closely with luxury hotels specialist PR agency Perception UK and beauty product house Elemis to launch the facility.

Activity will focus on inviting media to visit Fishmore Hall in October to review the new SPAshell, as well as beauty and wellness treatments and other offerings at the hotel.

Henman Communications will position SPAshell in consumer and trade press, raise awareness through spa and hotel reviews and drive social and digital engagement.

Alistair Johnson, founder and MD of SPAshell, said: “We are delighted to be working with the team at Henman Communications to launch our first SPAshell at Fishmore Hall in the UK this October. Henman Communications has a wealth of experience taking new products to market in the health, fitness and wellness sectors.

“We were looking for a partner agency to help establish our market credibility and build our profile in the national trade media and consumer media in the UK. SPAshell offers a brilliantly simple solution for any boutique hotel or corporate business looking to add spa and wellness treatments to their business mix and provide an additional revenue stream.”

Richard Henman, founder of Henman Communications, added: “We will be building awareness for SPAshell in the national spa, hotel, health and wellness and lifestyle media to drive awareness, engagement and create commercial opportunities for SPAshell across the UK.”

FCO’s Alicia Kearns joins Global Influence

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Global Influence has brought in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Alicia Kearns as client services director. She joins after two years at the FCO, where she led the UK Government’s comms campaigns on Syria and Iraq, as well as advising more than 70 international Governments on counter-terrorism.

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Alicia Kearns

Global Influence is focused specifically on government and defence influence solutions, with a particular focus on counter-terrorism, counter violent extremism, stabilisation and political campaigning.

It was officially launched last month by brand strategy and behaviour change agency Verbalisation, which has clients including The Sun, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Nuon Energy.

In her new role, Kearns will lead strategic comms campaigns and influence solutions for several international clients, with activity including initial target audience analysis, through strategy, cross-platform activation and effects-based measurement.

Before the FCO, she held comms roles at the Ministry of Defence, where she led the department’s contribution to the Scottish Referendum campaign. She also spent time at the Ministry of Justice, where she was press secretary to the Victims’ Minister.

Sven Hughes, founder of Global Influence, said: “Alicia has worked at the heart of some of the most important government departments and campaigns in recent years. Her track record and reputation are exceptional and her professionalism and energy perfectly match our culture and ambitions.

“I have every confidence that Global Influence’s clients on both sides of the pond will benefit significantly from Alicia’s considerable knowledge and talents.”

Kearns added: “Global Influence uses ground-breaking applied psychology to decode target audiences.  Their rigorous methodology is also underpinned by a genuine desire to deliver meaningful behaviour change to support and protect communities at home and abroad.  I’m proud to be part of a company driven by the need to make a difference.”

Behind the Headlines with Time Inc. UK’s Holly McNally

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Holly McNally, PR manager at Time Inc. UK, on breaking the habit of checking emails before getting out of bed, what marks out campaign success, why there needs to be a shift in PR value and her secret penchant for Pot Noodles.

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Holly McNally

Before I reach the office in the morning, I’ve already…
Had my caffeine fix, watched a vlog, read a blog, listened to a podcast, checked my emails, obsessively searched for press coverage, read the headlines, scanned social and not necessarily all in that order – I’ve just managed to break the habit of checking emails before I’m out of bed.

I work across both trade and consumer PR, so I make sure I consume a breadth of news across different platforms. I basically use my commute to get a head start on the day, consider any problems that need solving and to come up with ideas for projects.

You’ll mostly find emails about…in my inbox.
Current or upcoming campaigns, feedback on press releases or feature ideas, along with a healthy volume of industry newsletters covering off the latest in media, advertising, marketing, publishing and music.

Time Inc. UK has over 50 brands, including events and e-commerce businesses, so I could be reading about anything from cycling and equestrianism through to celebrity, music or politics and on a trade perspective, commercial deals, new launches and industry trends.

I know I’ve had a good day if…
I’ve done something new. I like to push myself outside of my comfort zone – even if it feels nerve-wracking at the time – because that means I’m stretching my knowledge, building my expertise and, in turn, becoming more dynamic in my work.

Working at a media company that is growing its portfolio of events and e-commerce businesses and has a broad range of brands has certainly offered up plenty of opportunities for me to do this. Last year, one week I was announcing Time Inc. UK’s acquisition of UKCE – the UK’s leading provider of premium cycling events – and within two weeks I was on the red carpet at the annual NME Awards. I was also lucky enough to be handling the PR for NME’s brand transformation last year, where the magazine relaunched as a free print product and it has been the greatest privilege of my career so far.

My first job was…
A newspaper-round when I was 14. I couldn’t wait to start earning my own money so took on two rounds and earned about £5 for each one.

I can tell a campaign is succeeding when…
Journalists start approaching me for the story and the coverage has all the key messaging. It can be really exciting when you know a story is getting pick-up, especially when requests come in and the day becomes fast-paced.

I eat….when nobody is watching.
Pot Noodles. The Sweet and Sour variety. It’s a rare occurrence, but there is something comforting about it.

The first time I pitched to a journalist…
I was really nervous and was conscious that my new manager and team were sat next to me, probably listening to how I was doing. I was keen to impress though so I pretty much just went for it and my Drama A-level came in handy to conceal my nerves. I was sat with my press release, a script I’d written so I didn’t forget key points and a spreadsheet to keep track of who I’d spoken to and what actions came out of the phone call. I think the first call went to voicemail which was a massive anti-climax when you have just built up the courage to pick up the phone.  I heard ‘send me the press release’ quite a few times – which for the most part was code for ‘not interested’ – and ‘no’, but that meant I learnt to just keep on picking up the phone, taking on board feedback and changing tack.

The worst thing anyone has said to me is…
I shouldn’t take the 11-plus. It made me feel stupid and affected my confidence, but it equally motivated me to prove to myself that my teacher was wrong. I went on to get three As at A-Level and study science at a Russel Group university. To this day I have a fierce determination to work hard and do the very best I can, so in hindsight, maybe it was the best thing someone ever said to me.

The last book I read was…
The Secret History by Donna Tartt, which I highly recommend. The plot moves more quickly than the author’s Pulitzer prize-winning The Goldfinch, but I would still say the latter is better, even if it is a slow read.

I’ve never really understood why…
PR value is so often weighted with more importance over other factors such as whether the coverage appeared in outlets reaching the target audience, level of branding, quality, key messaging and OTS. It’s a problem we need to solve as an industry as AVE just isn’t an accurate measurement of how successful a PR campaign is. Coverage in trade outlets is so targeted that a PR value often isn’t calculated as it isn’t representative of the value of the coverage, and a similar shift needs to happen with consumer PR.

If I could go back and talk to my 10-year-old self, I’d say…
Stop worrying, you are 10!

This time next year, I’ll be…
Looking back at how much I have learnt in the last 12 months and working out what skills I want to crack in the next.

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