Newgate supports £1.27bn Samsonite deal

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Newgate Communications is supporting luggage brand Samsonite’s US$1.8 billion (£1.27bn) acquisition of North American luxury travel brand Tumi. The deal was announced last Friday.

The transaction sees Samsonite expanding into the premium travel luggage segment. Tumi, which was valued at US$26.74 per share by Samsonite in an all-cash transaction, will remain as a standalone brand under the Samsonite umbrella.

Ramesh Tainwala, Samsonite CEO, said: “We will expand Tumi’s presence in Asia and Europe, while strengthening its business in North America, by leveraging our expertise in global distribution, sourcing, product design and technical innovation, especially in the area of lightweight hardside luggage.”

Newgate is managing the European media relations around the deal and will continue working with Samsonite following the acquisition. Newgate’s Jonathan Clare, Clotilde Gros and Madeleine Palmstierna are managing the brief.

US-based ICR is managing Tumi’s media and investor relations.

Meet Shares’ editor Daniel Coatsworth

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Gorkana has a few final places available at Thursday’s exclusive breakfast briefing with weekly investment magazine Shares‘ editor Daniel Coatsworth.

Shares is a weekly personal finance magazine aimed at private UK Sharesinvestors and stock market professionals.

The title has an audited circulation of some 13,600 and its content often influences the market’s view of individual companies and, even, their underlying share price.

Gorkana‘s breakfast briefing with Shares will take place at Instinctif Partners, 65 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7NQ on Thursday 10 March at 8:30am (8am arrival).

There are still a few places available, so please email [email protected] if you would like to attend.

DMA appoints group PR head

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Diffusion’s Tim Bond has joined the Direct Marketing Association Group (DMA), a trade association for the marketing industry, as group head of PR.

In the role, Bond will take responsibility for developing the comms strategies for both the DMA and Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM) brands, which includes both bodies’ special councils and initiatives. The DMA and IDM merged early in May 2015.

Bond has some seven years’ experience working for PR agencies Diffusion and Hotwire, covering corporate PR within the marketing and retail sectors.

He said: “As someone working in the marketing industry, albeit with a focus on PR, I’ve long been a follower of the DMA’s great advice, guides and research. I’m tremendously excited to now be part of the team and continue focus on campaigning, sharing best practice and advocating an approach to marketing based on transparency and trust.”

Rachel Aldighieri, DMA MD and group marketing director, added: “The DMA Group wants to be the leading voice for responsible marketing best practice and training, with PR playing a key role in conveying that message.

“Tim brings with him a wealth of experience across different sectors and industries, but with the passion for the marketing industry that is integral to the role.”

FT hires Sacha Bunatyan to help boost audience reach

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The Financial Times has named Sacha Bunatyan as global B2C marketing director, with a brief to grow its subscriptions business and enhance audience development.

With more than 15 years’ experience, Bunatyan was COO at Amnet, Denstu Aegis’ group programmatic trading desk and has held senior roles at EMAP and AOL.

During her time with AOL, she introduced behavioural targeting for an audience segmentation and targeting solution.

More recently, at Aegis, she oversaw the roll-out of programmatic trading, data and tech-driven solutions for its global client-base.

In her new role at the FT, Bunatyan has been briefed to help the FT reach its strategic business goals of increased audience reach, reader engagement and growth in paid for readership.

She will report to Jon Slade, B2C MD at the FT.

Slade said: “I am delighted to welcome Sacha to the FT’s senior management team. Her extensive knowledge of digital media, passion for innovation and experience of performance marketing and monetisation will prove invaluable for us as we seek to grow our global subscriber base.”

Coffin on Cake PR promotes new Lee Cooper range

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Coffin on Cake PR has been appointed by British denim label Lee Cooper to manage the global launch of the brands’ premium selvedge denim range, ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’.

Produced only in England, the MADE IN ENGLAND collection is made up of three cuts for men and three styles for women, which is being offered to a limited number of leading denim retailers globally.

Coffin on Cake will provide a year-long campaign for Lee Cooper, working with denim influencers, stylists and fashion editors, with an aim to position key editorial content in the lead up to the product launch and associated brand events in October 2016.

The agency will lead on all fashion focused consumer and trade comms activity throughout the UK, whilst directing key territories globally, with launch events planned in London, New York and Paris.

Coffin on Cake will also launch and manage relevant social media channels for the brand.

Danielle Brown, head of marketing at Lee Cooper, said; “We were very impressed with Coffin on Cake’s pitch and strategy concepts to launchMade In England. Their authenticity in this market will be key to the success of this campaign and we’re excited to begin working with them.”

Dean Bennett, Coffin on Cake co-founder and company director,  said: “It’s very encouraging to see a brand such as Lee Cooper, a British institution bringing its production of premium denim to the UK.  We’re delighted to begin rolling-out our 360 degree campaign for them and look forward to a compelling year ahead.”

State Street’s Botbol joins Legal & General IM

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Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), the financial services company’s asset management arm, has hired State Street Corporation’s Nicolette Botbol as a media relations manager.

Reporting to communications consultant Irene Valenkamp, LGIMshe will cover media relations for LGIM’s business lines including its institutional and retail business.

Botbol has some nine years’ experience working in asset management PR. Prior to her PR manager role at State Street, she worked with investment fund Fidelity International.

Costa recruits corporate comms manager

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Coffee chain Costa has appointed Thrive PR’s Esme Knight as corporate communications manager.

Knight takes responsibility for corporate communications, 223b9e4policy development, and crisis and issues management within Costa’s comms team. Reporting to Kerry Parkin, head of CSR and communications, Knight will work with Costa’s retained agencies Another Word, One Green Bean and Carmargue.

Parkin said: “We are delighted that Esme has chosen to join the Costa team, ahead of what is going to be a very exciting year. Esme’s breadth of skills, as well as her multi market experience will be invaluable as the brand grows overseas.”

She was most recently an account director at Thrive PR in Australia working for brands such as TwitterAU, Ubisoft and SquareAU. She has also held a senior management position at education academy sponsor E-ACT.

Knight added: “Costa is a UK success story and I am very proud to work for a company with such incredible brand DNA and heritage. I am looking forward to building my career at Costa and working on some fantastic projects this year.”

Richmond Towers to promote The Postal Museum

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New London heritage attraction The Postal Museum has appointed Richmond Towers to increase consumer awareness in the lead up to its 2017 opening.

When it officially opens in 2017, The Postal Museum will reveal stories from five centuries of Britain’s social history. Mail Rail, a mini underground railway formerly used by Royal Mail to transport letters under the streets of London, will be opened to the public for the first time in its 100 year history, alongside permanent exhibition galleries.

The campaign kicked off last month in February with an official ceremony hosted by historian and TV presenter Dan Snow to mark the beginning of work on Mail Rail and The Postal Museum’s new buildings.

Harry Huskisson, comms manager at The Postal Museum, said. “Our new museum, new name and the opening up of Mail Rail marks a brand new chapter in our history. When looking to appoint an agency, it was clear the Richmond Towers team understood our vision and ambition, and were passionate and excited about the opportunities this new attraction offers.

“Coupled with their highly creative approach and knowledge of the education, museum and lifestyle spaces, it felt like a natural fit. The results so far have been fantastic and we look forward to continuing to drive awareness of the museum through a strategic programme of activity rooted in a clear understanding of our goals.”

Matt de Leon, director at Richmond Towers, said: “This campaign will see us embark on a series of exciting events and initiatives over the coming year that will not only inspire and engage media and future visitors to this new heritage attraction, but also provide an education on the social influence the postal service has had on modern Britain. It’s an incredibly exciting project and we’re delighted to be spearheading this historical journey from the outset.”

Morrisons hands product PR brief to Cirkle

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Morrisons,  the UK’s fourth largest supermarket chain, has chosen Cirkle as its product PR agency as part of a planned review of its marketing agencies.

Cirkle will be responsible for publicising grocery products, with a particular focus on the fresh food made in Morrisons stores and factories, as well as beers, wines and its Nutmeg clothing range.

Andy Atkinson, group customer and marketing director at Morrisons, said: “We have been impressed by Cirkle’s creativity and understanding of our business. We look forward to working with them to showcase Morrisons products to the media and other influencers.”

Ruth Allchurch, MD of Cirkle, said: “We are delighted to be appointed by such a fantastic British brand as Morrisons.  We will work closely with their in-house team to drive fame across their product ranges and footfall in their stores.

“We believe that Morrisons is a fantastic fit for Cirkle both in terms of our expertise in the food and drink space but also the core values that we both share and we can’t wait to get stuck into supporting the business in the year ahead.”

The Gorkana Weekly Industry News Brief: 27 February to 4 March 2016

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Missed out on this week’s PR News? Get your handy round-up of the essential highlights of PR and media stories, features and events content over the last seven days on Gorkana News. 

Pitch Wins

frank 2

Mattessons

Lidl appointed W as its UK PR agency as the supermarket looks to increase the brand’s engagement with ‘aspirational’ shoppers in the UK.

Morrisons, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket chain, chose Cirkle as its product PR agency as part of a planned review of its marketing agencies.

Frank was appointed by Kerry Foods-owned Mattessons to promote the brand’s new ‘Snackarchist’ advertising campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment was chosen to provide a consumer and lifestyle PR campaign for the Silverstone Classic, the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival.

Hired, a tech recruitment specialist headquartered in San Francisco, has brought in Harvard as it looks to boost its UK profile following a competitive pitch process.

Mercia Technologies, a business which invests in “disruptive” tech companies such as virtual reality enterprise nDreams, has hired Buchanan as its retained financial PR and business comms adviser.

Wild Card was appointed to handle the public relations for The Big Lunch, the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours – an idea from the Eden Project made possible by the Big Lottery Fund.

People News

Beattie

Bilsborough

Creative comms group Beattie recruited the former PR chief from Mondelez International and Cadbury, Tony Bilsborough, to head up  its team in Birmingham.

CNC appointed Tulchan’s Tom Buchanan as joint managing partner. He will work alongside the comms firm’s Richard Campbell and Roland Klein.

London Luton Airport appointed BBC correspondent Neil Bradford as stakeholder comms manager, as the airport embarks on a £110 million redevelopment.

Citigate Dewe Rogerson appointed CNC’s James Madsen as associate director in its corporate team.

Ogilvy PR London enhanced its social and content offer with the appointment of Edelman UK’s Chris Wall as head of content.

News Analysis

New Day main

The New Day

How to pitch in to new titles 

The launch of media titles is high on the mind of PR and comms professionals this week as Trinity Mirror debuted its national newspaper The New Day with a £5m advertising push. Three comms experts tell Gorkana which key PR rules remain important when pitching to journalists working on launches and new titles.

Fairtrade Fortnight cuts through with a simple message

Launched in 1997 by the Fairtrade Foundation, Fairtrade Fortnight is at the heart of the brand’s mission to promote fair pay for farmers in the Third World and it explains to Gorkana how it is using a simple message to make the most of a mix of channels to stand-out in an overcrowded market.

Features

Ella Eyre will feature on a new recording of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot alongside a number of crowd sourced fans, which will be the official England Rugby single in 2015. People can still be part of the single by visiting facebook.com/OfficialEnglandRugby and clicking on the Every Voice Counts.Ella pictured with Jack Nowell, Danny Care and Anthony Watson.

Ella Eyre

Case Study: #carrythemhome

When KINC was approached by England Rugby last year to create social media excitement around the Rugby World Cup, the agency teamed up with Brit Award winning artist Ella Eyre to create a new rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”. The results? Six million online film views, the song reaching number two on iTunes video charts and a  40% increase of England Rugby’s page likes.

Behind the Headlines with MB Communications’ Maria Boyle

Maria Boyle, founder and director of MB Communications, on gaining a sixth sense for what will and won’t work, why PRs shouldn’t hide behind emails and get on the phone, and why she’s keen to mentor more business women.

60 seconds with Claire Maugham, Smart Energy GB

Claire Maugham, director of policy and communications at Smart Energy GB, on effecting national behaviour change around the government’s complete rollout of smart meters by 2020, how to avoid “24/7 workaholism” and how she persuaded the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to play instruments made from old energy meters.

Awards

Hope&Glory, MHP, Dynamo and Capella were among the winners for this year’s PR Moment Awards.

Journalist News

The New Day’s editorial team has been revealed as it launched this week. Alison Phillips leads the team as editor and Dawn Alford is deputy editor.

Peter Campbell was appointed Motor Industry Reporter at the Financial Times. Prior to this he was the FT’s early companies and technology reporter.

Lawrence White has relocated to London from Reuters in Hong Kong, where he was Asia investment banking correspondent.

Simon Jack has now started in his new role as business editor at BBC News, leaving his former role as business and economic correspondent on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Jamie Ross is now Scotland Correspondent at Buzzfeed UK, leaving his former role as political reporter at Buzzfeed.