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PhixFlow, a data and workflow company, has appointed KISS PR to handle its communications.
Andy Humphries, PhixFlow
A PR agency specialising in advertising, branding, digital, and strategy, KISS will initially focus on Phixflow’s media relations, thought-leadership and customer testimonials.
Based in Cambridge, PhixFlow helps its clients automate and mobilise their business processes. It serves the media, energy and utilities, financial services and insurance, healthcare, government, and retail industries.
Tracy Postill, account director at KISS PR, will lead the account.
Justine Smith, managing director of KISS PR, said: “PhixFlow is an ambitious SME that has a clear set of business objectives and an interesting story to tell. We are rapidly expanding our technology portfolio across the board and we look forward to delivering some great results for the company.”
Professional accrediting body RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) has appointed comms consultancy Blue Rubicon to deliver a series of campaigns to highlight the value and role of surveyors in society.
RICS provides accreditation for professionals in the land, real estate, infrastructure and construction industries. Blue Rubicon will be tasked with explaining the general role of surveyors in society, while increasing RICS’ profile among national, trade and regional media stakeholders.
Charles Stewart-Smith, Blue Rubicon director, will lead the account, reporting to Roz Britton, head of media & PR at RICS.
Britton said: “While the work of surveyors is essential to all of our lives, few people really understand what these everyday heroes do. Blue Rubicon has a formidable reputation and we’re excited to be working with them to engage media and government alike to build appreciation of the contribution of the sector and showcase the achievements of our members.”
Blue Rubicon, a Teneo company, specialises in strategic consulting to chief executives, boards, and corporate affairs and marketing teams to build and transform reputations. Its client roster includes McDonalds, Coca Cola, Unilever, Facebook, and Samsung.
MHP Communications has unveiled Lisa Hunter, former special adviser to Iain Duncan Smith at the Department for Work and Pensions, as an associate director in its corporate affairs team.
Hunter will work on the PR firm’s political and corporate accounts, combining her experience in public affairs and media relations.
Her most recent position was head of media at Lloyd’s of London, where she worked for nearly two-and-a-half years.
Previously, she spent almost two years as special adviser to Iain Duncan Smith and was also special adviser to Jeremy Hunt between November 2011 and June 2012, during Hunt’s time as Culture, Media and Sport Secretary.
Hunter said: “I am really excited to be joining the Corporate Affairs team at MHP Communications. The company has a strong reputation for integrated work, combining expertise in both public affairs and media relations, and I look forward to applying my knowledge and experience in this new role.”
Jonathan Lomax, Head of Corporate Affairs at MHP Communications, added: “I am delighted to welcome Lisa to our team and, more widely, to MHP. Lisa’s considerable political and media skills are a perfect match for our agency offering, addressing briefs across the corporate and political spectrum.”
The Theo Paphitis Retail Group (TPRG) has brought in LIVING TV’s (now SKYLiving) former senior PR manager, Jess Littlewood, as head of PR, with a brief to consolidate comms activity for the group and its chairman, Theo Paphitis.
Littlewood will oversee the personal publicity for television personality, retail entrepreneur and businessman Theo Paphitis, as well as his retail brands, Robert Dyas, Ryman and, strategically, Boux Avenue.
In the last four years, Littlewood moved into the retail sector as head of PR for retail supply chain specialist iForce.
Littlewood has worked on brands including Classic FM and The Samaritans, as well as TV brands including former teen channel Trouble, games entertainment channel Challenge and, for the majority of her TV career, LIVING TV.
At LIVING TV, she worked on UK and US TV brands such as Extreme Makeover, Most Haunted, America’s Next Top Model, Britain’s Next Top Model,Boston Legal, Four Weddings and numerous series with Jade Goody, including the final series following her battle with cancer. She also managed US press visits including to the Grey’s Anatomy set and The Emmys.
Paphitis said: “Jess is a welcome addition to my team. Her diverse PR background will help her get her feet under the table quickly and her arrival is perfectly timed to support my personal PR requirements, and also help us shout about all the aspects that make our brands stand out from the crowd.”
Littlewood added: “My blend of retail and entertainment PR experience has enabled me to be a good fit for the Theo Paphitis Retail Group. Working closely with Theo and the brands is a very exciting opportunity and one that will use my complete skillset to create a consistent and joined up communications strategy for Theo and the group in a variety of areas.”
Pagefield, the independent comms consultancy, has appointed columnist Philip Collins to the faculty of The Pagefield Academy, which offers clients tailored training courses covering subjects from negotiation skills to risk management.
Collins, former chief speech writer to Tony Blair, will run his first half-day workshop on how to develop and deliver an impactful presentation, or speech, in July at Pagefield’s offices in Soho, London.
Sara Price, founding partner at Pagefield, said: “We launched the Pagefield Academy to offer clients the kind of training and senior support they need to help them through those aspects of their professional lives that keep them awake at night. Some of the most iconic speeches of the Blairite era were crafted by Phil and I am sure that our clients’ confidence will soar after a few hours of his expert tutelage.”
Collins said: “I’m looking forward to giving Academy attendees a few tricks of the trade and, crucially, the confidence to make sure the next time they give a speech, a presentation or even just address a room it is a much better experience for all involved.”
James Clench, The Sun‘s former head of news, has joined PR firm PHA Media.
At PHA, Clench will work on many accounts across all of the company’s divisions with a particular view towards top-of-the-line clients and online reputation management.
As head of news, his most recent role at The Sun, Clench managed a team of more than 50 news editors and reporters and, along with the editor, decided on the newspaper’s news agenda, balancing the demands of various stakeholders.
Prior to that, he has worked at The Sun as associate news editor, royal correspondent, senior news reporter, assistant news editor and news reporter.
He said: “I am very excited to be joining such an accomplished and well-respected agency as PHA Media. I’ve been impressed by the culture of innovation and expertise at the firm, which has clearly been integral in attracting so many top clients in recent years.
“There is a strong thread of journalistic knowledge which runs through PHA, from Phil Hall (chairman and founder of PHA down, to the great benefit of those clients.”
Phil Hall, chairman and founder of PHA Media, added: “James’s vast and varied journalistic experience and knowledge of the media will be invaluable to our clients here at PHA Media. We’re delighted to welcome him on board.”
National charity Genetic Disorders UK (GDUK) has chosen Frank to promote its annual charity fundraising event, Jeans for Genes Day.
Now in its 21st year, the mass participation Jeans for Genes fundraising event has raised more than £40 million in total to help children with genetic disorders.
Kate Moss, Kylie, Warwick Davis, Tallia Storm, Charlotte De Carle, Louise Thompson, Nicola Roberts and Lorraine Kelly have confirmed they are supporting the initiative this year.
Frank will manage all consumer publicity in the lead up to Jean for Genes Day, which takes place on Friday September 23.
In addition to leading the celebrity campaign strategy, Frank’s brief includes co-ordinating the media launch and promoting its official limited edition T-shirt.
Claire Morrison, GM of Frank’s Scottish arm, McFrank will lead the account.
Laura Pattison, campaign director for Jeans for Genes Day, said: “Frank’s enthusiasm and creativity really stood out during the pitch process and we’re thrilled to have them on board.”
Morrison added: “Jeans for Genes Day is, hands down, one of the most established and engaging charitable fundraising days of the year and we are absolutely delighted to be on board.”
Formerly at Red Consultancy, Clay-Moore has worked with high-profile business portfolios delivering year-on-year revenue growth. She led campaigns for Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.
Pierce said: “Clay-Moore is a brand communications heavyweight and just the right person to grow the practice. She offers clients creativity, sage advice and extensive experience. A real asset.”
Clay-Moore added: “I am delighted to be joining Burson-Marsteller’s brand communications practice. It is full of super smart, super savvy individuals, and I look forward to us doing lots of brilliant work together.”
Prior to the Red Consultancy, Clay-Moore was at Cohn & Wolfe where she worked on campaigns for Unilever, Colgate, Palmolive, Ferrero Danone and Diageo.
Global start-up accelerator, MassChallenge, has appointed Red Lorry Yellow Lorry as its UK and US PR partner.
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry’s comms campaign, which will run from offices in London and Boston, is set to focus on building brand awareness of MassChallenge.
The campaign will also support the brand in recruiting more partners and sponsors, and to drive applications of start-ups to its programmes.
Diane Perlman, CMO at MassChallenge, said: “As the most start-up friendly accelerator in the world, we need the best partners to realise our vision to support high-impact innovation globally and in each local ecosystem. We chose the lorries, not only because of their media and content expertise, but mostly because they understand our vision, share our passion and can play a key, strategic role for our growing network.”
Rob Ettridge, partner at Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, added: “MassChallenge is a vibrant innovation community. It invests huge amounts of time, support and money, bringing entrepreneurial ideas and businesses to life and realising the dreams of their founders. We’re really looking forward to telling the stories of this unique network, with its start-ups, entrepreneurs and high-profile partners.”
When IHG-owned Hotel Indigo wanted to highlight the influence of the surroundings of each of its hotels, its PR team got TV and radio presenter Edith Bowman to help launch a series of #SundaySocials at three of its top locations, with the help of The Zutons’ Dave McCabe, DJ Mylo and Soul II Soul’s Jazzie B, creating “Sounds of the Neighbourhood”.
Campaign: Sounds of the Neighbourhood by Hotel Indigo PR Team: IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) Timing: October – December 2015
Overview
Every Hotel Indigo is influenced by the culture, character and history of its surrounding neighbourhood; from the design of the building to the music guests hear as they enter the hotel.
This campaign saw Hotel Indigo bring the ‘Sounds of the Neighbourhood’ into its hotels by curating locally-inspired music playlists. It launched with a series of events – The #SundaySocials – at the Hotel Indigo in London, Liverpool and Glasgow, hosted by TV and radio presenter Edith Bowman and a local music legend from each location: frontman of The Zutons Dave McCabe (Liverpool); Scottish DJ Mylo (Glasgow) and founding member of British band Soul II Soul Jazzie B (London).
Objectives
Launch a collection of locally inspired music playlists in hotels.
Drive brand awareness and consideration through targeted high-impact coverage and story-telling
Communicate message to target audience, which will allow Hotel Indigo guests to feel connected with the local neighbourhood.
Develop multi-media content for owned and earned media channels (website, editorial, social).
Strategy
Borrow credentials of relevant music experts to connect with/tell our brand story in a compelling and authentic way.
Drive target audience (media, guests and locals) into hotels to engage with our brand.
Implementation
Hotel Indigo teamed up with TV and radio presenter Edith Bowman and three local music artists (frontman of The Zutons Dave McCabe for Liverpool; British DJ, music producer and founding member of Soul II Soul Jazzie B OBE for London, and Scottish electronic musician and record producer Mylo for Glasgow) to curate a collection of locally-inspired playlists from their neighbourhoods.
(NB. These locations represent three of the 19 European Hotel Indigo properties in the portfolio.)
A series of videos were filmed with Edith, together with each musician as they described their own musical journey and playlist inspiration ahead of the Sunday Social events. These videos provided rich content for media and also offered an opportunity to promote the Sunday Social events where Edith, Dave, Mylo and Jazzie B performed live DJ sets.
Brunch and Bloody Marys were served at the events, which were attended by a mix of hotel guests, local residents, media and bloggers.
The events were filmed and photographed to provide content for editorial/PR outreach.
Interviews were also given by Edith, Jazzie, Mylo and Dave to drive awareness for the campaign and to promote the Sunday Social events in the lead-up.
A bespoke music hub was built to house all campaign collateral, including music playlists, videos and images and event information. It continues to be available at: www.hotelindigo/music
A partnership with Spotify helped to engage the audience. Playlists were hosted on Spotify and accessed via the Hotel Indigo hub.
Results
Feedback from the media was positive, as each artist was able to tell a very personal and insightful story about their local neighbourhood and the role it had played in their life and work.
This provided compelling content for media but also perfectly linked back to the brand values. The Sunday Social events provided a great opportunity to engage our target audience and drive them into the hotels, to really experience the brand first-hand. Stats
141 pieces of high-impact PR coverage across print, online, broadcast media (TV and radio) and social over 3 months
100% editorial contained at least 1 key brand/campaign message
Five videos were produced and multiple music playlists for the hotel’s content hub were created.
A successful partnership with Spotify to engage our target audience.
Got a cracking campaign – with impressive results – that you’d like to showcase? If so, please email [email protected].
