PR Week (UK) articles from April 2008

PR Week (UK) archives from April 2008

Henry's House to 'glamorise' QPR.(Henry's House Ltd. and Queens Park Rangers Football Club contracted)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Queens Park Rangers Football Club has signed up celebrity specialists Henry's House in an attempt to inject a dose of glamour into the resurgent west London club. New billionaire owners Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore want to draw on...

Number 10 ushers in web guru for revamp.(Mark Flanagan)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... The much-publicised shake-up of the Downing Street media operation entered phase two this week as a new digital communications guru was secretly ushered into Number 10. Former MD of London radio network LBC Mark Flanagan has been named...

Sarkozy fails to charm Brits.(Nicolas Sarkozy )
April 4, 2008... Last week's state visit of French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife Carla has failed to alter the British public's traditionally frosty view of the French, a PRWeek survey has found. Despite acres of breathless media coverage and...

Sexual harassment laws are threat to agencies.
April 4, 2008... A top employment lawyer is warning PR agencies that they could face unlimited damages if they fail to protect employees from sexual harassment, under new laws coming into force this week. Changes to existing employment laws mean employers...

Heathrow crisis: BBC correspondent: 'BA slammed door in my face'.
April 4, 2008... The BBC's transport correspondent has spoken out about his experience covering the Terminal 5 opening, including BA's now-infamous 'door slam' PR gaffe. Tom Symonds, who covers transport for BBC News, News 24 and BBC Radio, told PRWeek:...

Comms teams stand ground over T5 fiasco.
April 4, 2008... Senior PR people at British Airways and BAA are insisting their crisis response to problems at Terminal 5 was a success. BA press officer Anthony Cane said the ten BA PROs on the ground at Heathrow, and a further five at the airline's...

'I Was there': Lobbyist caught in the chaos.(United Kingdom. British Airports Authority)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... 'I was at Terminal 5 on opening day, on my way to Brussels. It was a shambles, no question. I do feel sorry for the staff. It is understandable that day one in a new building can be tough, and BA can be proud of how their staff handled an...

Report predicts takeover boom.(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Conditions are ripe for a record number of acquisitions in the UK PR industry, according to a new survey. UK agencies are 'awash with cash' and should use it to 'go on the offensive and buy up the opposition', says Plimsoll Publishing's...

Defra director to join Portland PR.
April 4, 2008... The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' director of comms is moving into public affairs. Steve Morris will start at Portland PR at the end of the month, taking the title of partner for client servicing. He will report to MD...

Green briefs for Biss Lancaster, Edelman.(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Two government-funded PR offensives focusing on climate change are set to take off later this year. Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster has been called in to oversee a campaign highlighting the impact of aviation on the environment. Meanwhile,...

EMI artist exodus.
April 4, 2008... EMI's most senior publicist will take some of the troubled record label's top PR clients when he starts his own agency next month Parlophone director of press Murray Chalmers will represent Radiohead (pictured), Coldplay and Yoko Ono, it has...

News Brief: OFT bolsters team.
April 4, 2008... IN-HOUSE: The Office of Fair Trading has bolstered its comms team with four hires. The most senior is Paul Latham, who joins as head of external relations. He is currently head of news at the CBI

News Brief: DuPont signs up Davies Associates.
April 4, 2008... CORPORATE: Multibillion-pound US chemical giant DuPont has signed up specialist London agency Davies Associates for a UK media relations brief. The agency will promote DuPont's green initiatives to national and select trade media

News Brief: BMA MD resigns.
April 4, 2008... AGENCY: The MD of Loewy-owned BMA Communications Sue Skeats has resigned without another job lined up. Her departure comes six weeks after Lexis founder Bill Jones was recruited to shake things up at Loewy's five PR agencies

News Brief: PricewaterhouseCoopers seek agency.
April 4, 2008... CORPORATE: The financial services arm of PricewaterhouseCoopers is seeking a new PR agency

News Brief: Liz Matthews PR signs Oliver.
April 4, 2008... CELEBRITY: Publicity agency Liz Matthews PR has signed popular TV presenter Miquita Oliver to its books, starting this week. The agency will support Oliver's upcoming Channel 4 programme, to air in September

News Brief: Pegasus to publicise launch.
April 4, 2008... CONSUMER: Pharma firm Thornton & Ross has asked healthcare agency Pegasus PR to publicise the launch of two skin-burn treatment products

News Brief: E.ON consolidats agency.
April 4, 2008... CONSUMER/B2B: Power and gas company E.ON has consolidated its consumer and trade PR into one agency with the appointment of The Red Consultancy after a five-way pitch

News Brief: 3 Monkeys to launch framework.
April 4, 2008... PUBLIC SECTOR: 3 Monkeys Communications has been picked to launch a new competition framework for water services in Scotland. The Water Industry Commission for Scotland has hired the agency for the launch of a water initiative this month

News Brief: Burt Greener appointed.
April 4, 2008... CORPORATE: Open For Business, set up to promote businesses in Edinburgh during tram construction work in the city, has called in Burt Greener Communications. www.prweek.com/uk for the full versions of these stories

Johnson adviser joins Blue Rubicon.(Chris Norton and Alan Johnson's appointed in Blue Rubicon Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Blue Rubicon has bolstered its senior team, luring health secretary Alan Johnson's special adviser to a board level role. Chris Norton joined the agency this week, having been a special adviser since 2002. Blue Rubicon senior partner...

Amazon chooses Nelson Bostock.(Amazon.co.uk Ltd. and Nelson Bostock Comunications)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Online retailer Amazon has handed its six-figure account to Nelson Bostock, parting ways with incumbent Idea Generation after five years. Amazon head of PR for the UK and France Damian Peachey appointed the consumer tech agency on Tuesday,...

Ex-Hotwire man's agency will ape Obama tactics.
April 4, 2008... Ex-Hotwire head of digital and well-known blogger Daljit Bhurji this week launched his own agency, offering to replicate Barack Obama's shrewd web strategy for his own clients. Bhurji's co-founders at new agency Diffusion are former...

Four agencies to pitch for easyJet's Scotland brief.
April 4, 2008... Budget airline easyJet is looking for a PR agency to drive awareness of its flights in Scotland. Four agencies - including three based in Scotland - have been invited to pitch later this month. A decision is expected by May. UK...

Sharia-compliant fund hires agency.
April 4, 2008... A sharia-compliant investment fund has brought in Peregrine Communications for its launch later this year. Amiri Capital is one of a few companies operating in the arena, but wants to explain its benefits to investors and trumpet its sharia...

Agency needed for The Kitchen.(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Start-up 'meal creation' business The Kitchen is looking for a PR agency to support its first store launch later this year. The Kitchen has been founded by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Laborde and entrepreneur Natalie Richmond. The duo are...

Weber Shandwick bags United Biscuits account.
April 4, 2008... Weber Shandwick has landed a six-figure account to handle global consumer and trade for United Biscuits. The agency fought off Manning Selvage & Lee in a two-way scrap for the account from the biscuit giant's overseas arm United Biscuits...

Frank to promote new Kit Kat brand.
April 4, 2008... Consumer agency Frank PR has been hired to promote Kit Kat's newest brand, the low-calorie Kit Kat Senses, following this month's launch using Girls Aloud. The win follows Frank's appointment by Kit Kat parent company Nestle UK to launch...

Public Sector: Green, greener or just greenwash?(Column)
April 4, 2008... This column is ozone-friendly and CFC-free. Are you impressed? You shouldn't be. Ozone-friendly is meaningless and CFCs have been banned for more than two decades. There is a growing public backlash against hollow claims about corporate...

Public Sector: Defence chief hits back at criticism from media.(Conference notes)
April 4, 2008... The MoD (Ministry of Defence) has insisted recent media coverage of its PR tactics in schools has been misleading. The MoD's attempts to promote the armed forces in schools were highlighted by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) at its...

Public Sector: Wales boosts adult learning.(Freshwater Merlin and National Institute of Adult Continuing Education )(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... The Welsh Assembly Government's adult learning body has appointed Freshwater Merlin to promote Adult Learners' Week. The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) Dysgu Cymru has hired the agency to run a three-month...

Public Sector: Residents targeted in green initiative.
April 4, 2008... The East of England Development Agency is planning a media relations drive after launching a campaign to encourage sustainability. The agency is calling for community groups to provide ideas for innovative sustainability projects, such as...

Public Sector: Foreign Office goes live with pounds 20m integrated site.(United Kingdom. Foreign and Commonwealth Office)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has made a concerted effort to fully embrace digital communications by launching the most advanced website in Whitehall. The new site cost pounds 20m to develop and went live on Monday. It brings...

Public Sector: DfID continues comms shake-up.(Charlotte Morgan appointed by Department for International Development )(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... The Department for International Development (DfID) has appointed a temporary deputy head of news as part of its ongoing comms shake-up. Charlotte Morgan has been seconded from the Department for Communities and Local Government and will...

Public Sector: UK Border Agency lures Lewisham comms chief.(Robert Yeldham joins UK Border Agency )(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Lewisham Council's comms head is take the top PR role at a new government agency set up to bolster the UK's borders. Robert Yeldham is leaving local government in the summer to be director of communications at the UK Border Agency (UKBA)....

Public Sector: Surman in switch to Advantage West Midlands.(Jayne Surman as head of corporate comms of Dudley County Council)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Dudley County Council's head of comms is moving on to a new role as head of corporate comms at regeneration body Advantage West Midlands. Jayne Surman, who is also LGcommunications' current chairperson, will move on next month. Surman has...

Public Sector: Audio-visual body calls in help.
April 4, 2008... The body responsible for clamping down on discrimination in the audio-visual industry has brought in agency support. Colman Getty has won the brief with the Audio Visual Entrepreneurship Development Partnership (AVEDP), which is funded by...

Public Sector: Council flags up e-magazine.
April 4, 2008... East Renfrewshire Council claims to have produced Scotland's first council e-magazine. The existing magazine for residents, named ER Magazine, has now been turned into an e-magazine by Busby-based company Intelligent Brochures. The...

Voluntary Sector: Aquarius to push for RE in schools.
April 4, 2008... The Religious Education Council for England and Wales has handed an account to Aquarius PR. The not-for-profit body is a multi-faith forum where national organisations with an interest in supporting and promoting religious education (RE)...

Voluntary Sector: All change for disability outfit.(Grooms-Shaftesbury changing its name)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Disability charity Grooms-Shaftesbury is changing its name and embarking upon a major campaign to promote it as more dynamic. The charity, which was formed in a merger between John Grooms and the Shaftesbury Society last year, will now be...

Voluntary Sector: Young Enterprise drafts in Geronimo for two briefs.(Geronimo Marketing and Communications )(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Geronimo Communications has fought off rival agencies to land two major projects for business and enterprise charity Young Enterprise. More than 5,500 schools and colleges currently participate in the charity's programmes, but it is keen to...

Voluntary Sector: Charities rapidly losing the general public's trust.
April 4, 2008... Public trust in charities fell nine per cent between September 2006 and July 2007, according to new research by nfpSynergy. Charities were named as only the sixth most trusted British 'institution', with a 42 per cent trust rating. ...

Voluntary Sector: UNICEF in trawl for comms boss.(Angela Travis of United Nations. Children's Fund)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... UNICEF is on the hunt for a new comms director as current postholder Angela Travis steps down. Travis, the current part-time director, is leaving to take the top comms role at the children's charity in the Philippines. She leaves on 10...

Voluntary Sector: Desert adventure.(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Mencap is aiming to generate publicity for a team of six extreme runners raising money for the charity. The six have set off for the Sahara Desert to take part in the Marathon des Sables - dubbed 'the toughest race on earth'. Mencap will target...

Public Affairs: McDonald's in hunt for 'leading-edge' lobbyists.
April 4, 2008... McDonald's is looking for 'leading-edge' lobbyists to handle its public affairs account, according to a confidential pitch document. PRWeek revealed last month that the fast-food chain was putting its public affairs account out to pitch...

Public Affairs: Battle for APPC chair begins.(Gill Morris new chairperson of Association of Professional Political Consultants )(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... A three-way fight to become the new chair of the Association of Professional Political Consultant (APPC) is on the cards as current chair Gill Morris prepares to stand down. Morris's two year-term as chair comes to an end next month and...

Public Affairs: Aspect Consulting set to branch out into France.
April 4, 2008... Brussels-based consultancy Aspect Consulting is to open a new office in Paris with four consultants. The consultancy, which specialises in corporate comms and political support, has made PR veteran Francois Ramaget head of the new office....

Public Affairs: Labour press man moves to F-H.(Tim Nuthall joined Fleishman-Hillard Inc.)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Fleishman-Hillard has further strengthened its public affairs firepower by hiring a senior Labour Party press officer, just weeks after snaring the BBC's Guto Harri. Tim Nuthall will join the agency's Brussels office after three years at...

Public Affairs: Ex-Blunkett aide joins think-tank.(Anna Turley joined New Local Government Network at a senior level)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... A former adviser to two Labour cabinet ministers, who recently worked for the Ledbury Group, is to take a senior role at the New Local Government Network. Anna Turley has been made deputy director of the independent think-tank. Turley...

Healthcare: Ketchum to promote women's drug portfolio.
April 4, 2008... Drugs firm Bayer Schering has taken on its first PR support for its women's healthcare portfolio. Ketchum will handle global PR activity for the pharma firm's women's healthcare products. The portfolio includes products for female...

Healthcare: Mental health coverage rises after Clegg's 'Prozac nation'.
April 4, 2008... Coverage of cardiovascular health and mental health issues more than doubled during January and February, according to the latest Health Watch rankings. Cancer has continued to hold on to the top spot, but cardiovascular health and mental...

Healthcare: Duo set to boost Cohn & Wolfe health arm.
April 4, 2008... Cohn & Wolfe has bolstered its healthcare division with two key appointments. Lisa Henry has joined as an associate director, while Stuart Mayell has been brought on board in the newly created role of associate media director. Henry...

Healthcare: At a Glance - Pharma companies react to Ezetrol result.
April 4, 2008... THE LOWDOWN PLEASE... Results from a trial involving Ezetrol, a cholesterol-lowering drug made by Merck Sharp & Dohme and Schering-Plough, have been presented. The drug was recommended last year by the National Institute for Health and...

City & Corporate: Gainsborough founder joins construction giant.
April 4, 2008... Gainsborough Communications co-founder Duncan Murray is set to take a senior role at UK construction firm Balfour Beatty. Murray joins as deputy director of corporate comms, working under Tim Sharp, the corporate comms director. The move is...

City & Corporate: Agency to help Abu Dhabi firm.(Gavin Anderson and Co. and Abu Dhabi Securities Market)(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... The Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM) has brought in Gavin Anderson as it looks to build its profile internationally. ADSM wants to develop its brand after announcing a 'co-operation agreement' with NYSE Euronext to jointly 'develop and...

City & Corporate: Ailing french bank gets comms boss.
April 4, 2008... PARIS: The largest retail banking group in France has brought in a new head of comms as it feels the effects of the credit crunch. Credit Agricole has promoted Alexandra Rocca from a similar role at its retail arm LLC. She joined in 2005...

City & Corporate: Beware the stories of 'doomed' CEOs.(chief executive officers)
April 4, 2008... Barely a week goes by without a story in the business section of at least one of the Sunday papers that some chief executive's days are numbered. The format is fairly standard - results in the company that he or she manages have not been...

Technology: Firefly to back Zattoo launch.(IPTV channel Zattoo )(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... A digital TV start-up has turned to agency backing in an attempt to differentiate itself from established competitors including Joost and Vuze. IPTV channel Zattoo has called in Firefly after a competitive pitch. The agency will...

Technology: WS nabs Nelson Bostock stalwart for top account.
April 4, 2008... Weber Shandwick (WS) has poached Nelson Bostock's head of tech to lead its flagship Microsoft account. George Coleman joins as a director with joint responsibility for WS' global Microsoft account, working in tandem with his US...

Technology: Kelkoo ropes in Brands2Life to broaden appeal.(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Kelkoo, one of the most successful websites to emerge from the dotcom era, has hired Brands2Life for a UK consumer, corporate and trade retainer. The shopping comparison site was launched in 2000 and acquired by Yahoo in 2004. It attracts...

Technology: Bondy to advise digital venture.
April 4, 2008... The former marketing director of Sky has brought in an agency to launch his new digital venture. Charlie Ponsonby has hired recent start-up Bondy Consulting for a consumer and corporate brief, following a three-way pitch. Bondy will...

Technology: Bite secures hi-tech Mitel brief.
April 4, 2008... Billion-dollar hi-tech outfit Mitel has called in Bite after a three-way shootout. Bite secured the business with the voice-over internet programmes (VOIP) provider after pitching against GolinHarris and Hotwire. It has been briefed to...

Technology: Green light.
April 4, 2008... Consumer agency Red Signal has been brought in by manufacturer Polycomp to promote the green benefits and cost-effectiveness of LED technology. Polycomp's latest projects include the LED lighting at chef Tom Aiken's new upmarket fish and chip...

Media Relations: What the Papers say - Bank code looks set to bounce.
April 4, 2008... The long-awaited new voluntary code for high street banks, promising a 'sympathetic and positive' approach to dealing with debtors, was launched by the British Banking Association (BBA) and mixed coverage in the press. The changes had already...

Media Relations: Contact book update.
April 4, 2008... PRESS Giles Hattersley, editor of men's magazine Arena, is moving back to The Sunday Times, where he was chief interviewer until last year. Arena executive editor Mat Smith will be responsible for the editorial team until a replacement has...

Media Relations: 2 Minutes with... Annabel Meggeson, Editor, Shape.
April 4, 2008... SHAPE LAUNCHED THIS WEEK. TELL US ABOUT THE TITLE. Shape is the new monthly glossy for women who want a read that is as intelligent, insightful and inspiring as it is glossy, indulgent and lovely. Our aim is to offer readers something that...

Media Analysis: The one to beat in the ratings war.
April 4, 2008... The One Show might have a fluffy exterior but it is a serious option for PROs, finds Matt Cartmell. Despite mixed early responses, The One Show now seems to have earned its stripes as BBC1's flagship magazine show - it recently announced...

News Analysis: Carla puts the ooh la la into UK media.(media coverage of Carla Bruni)
April 4, 2008... French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his glamorous wife Carla Bruni caused a media furore last week during their state visit. Clare O'Connor finds out why. Last week's state visit by French president Nicolas Sarkozy and first lady Carla...

Profile: Sex, scandal and selling clothes.
April 4, 2008... Tom Lennox - Vice president of corporate communications, Abercrombie & Fitch It is hard to believe that Tom Lennox was once a member of the suit-encased investment banking fraternity. Today he sits swinging on his chair in an office...

Opinion: Media turn T5 crisis into a soap opera.(Viewpoint essay)
April 4, 2008... Many of the scathing headlines on the chaotic opening of Heathrow's Terminal Five were deserved. Proverbial bucketloads were tipped over senior heads by a gloating media wreaking incalculable long-term reputational damage. However, the...

Opinion: Lobby plays catch-up after missing scoop.
April 4, 2008... The series of scoops in PRWeek detailing the changes in the Prime Minister's office have left the lobby struggling to catch up and - not for the first time - looking stupid. You would expect the hundreds of political scribes based in...

Opinion: Has BA learned from its biggest crisis yet?
April 4, 2008... It is easy to jump on the BA-bashing bandwagon (or should that be carousel?) but what does anyone - particularly British Airways - learn from the T5 debacle? After all, the airline has had its fair share of 'PR crises' over the past...

Opinion: Letters - BA should have seen T5 disaster coming ..(Letter to the editor)
April 4, 2008... Just over a week ago T5 looked set for a glittering launch. The PR teams at BAA and BA had stage managed a neatly hyped run-up featuring the Queen, the architect and the state-of-the-art passenger experience. In just 24 hours all of this...

Opinion: Letters - ... and must learn a few crisis basics.(Letter to the editor)
April 4, 2008... BA showed us exactly how not to manage a crisis and the media on 27 March at the opening of T5. It was not only slow to react to the mounting catastrophe, but members of staff were seen to behave badly in front of the media. They knew the...

Opinion: Letters - Use spokespeople to keep control.(Letter to the editor)
April 4, 2008... Witnessing the fiasco of the first day of T5, most PR people will feel some sympathy, knowing the real pressures of a breaking negative story. Stories such as this remind us about the importance of spokespeople, access to them and the...

Opinion: Letters - Businesses are not here to be ethical.(Letter to the editor)
April 4, 2008... Danny Rogers' leader on the credit crisis and the apportioning of blame (PRWeek, 28 March) was prescient. There are too many people in public relations bouncing around on the edge of business who have seldom carried the responsibilities of...

Opinion: Letters - Brawn still beats brains in rugby.(Letter to the editor)
April 4, 2008... So rugby players are the latest brand ambassadors of choice (Features, 21 March). What a laugh! I can't be alone in picturing the rugby player as a slightly different animal to this image of articulate, responsible saintliness. Rewind...

Campaign: Great British bangers back on the menu - Food and drink.
April 4, 2008... Campaign: British Sausage Week Client: Meat and Livestock Commission PR Team: Good Relations Timescale: May to November 2007 Budget: pounds 100,000 Objectives To drive sales of pork sausages. To position sausages as a fun,...

Campaign: Singapore festival pulls in thirsty London punters - Event.
April 4, 2008... Campaign: The Tiger Beer Singapore Chilli Crab Festival Client: Tiger Beer PR Team: Bite Communications Timescale: July to September 2007 Budget: under pounds 20,000 Objectives To reach more than 10 million people through press...

Campaign: British Library holds key to conserving UK books - Tourism.(Brief article)
April 4, 2008... Campaign: Making the British Library Centre for Conservation a Best Seller Client: British Library PR Team: Communique PR Timescale: September to October 2007 Budget: under pounds 10,000 Its Centre for Conservation (bottom right)...

Careers: Me and my mentor.(Nick Porter and Nik Done)(Interview)
April 4, 2008... Nick Porter & Nik Done. Some of the people you meet when you start out in PR will be the ones you rely on for the rest of your career. Caroline Dickinson finds out why everyone needs a mentor. Nick Porter (far left), director of PR at...

Media coverage: Making the most of monitoring.
April 4, 2008... A brand's success can be judged on press coverage. Alex Black talks to three monitoring firms to see how they gather results. Comms teams constantly need to assess how their brand is perceived by customers and stakeholders. The collection...

Diary: Bubbly flows at the Power Book launch.
April 4, 2008... The champagne, conversation and plaudits were flowing last week as the elite echelons of the PR world gathered to celebrate the launch of the PRWeek Power Book 2008. The book could be the most important single publication since the signing...

Diary: Lib Dem MP heeds Diary's advice.
April 4, 2008... Lib Dem MP and minor celebrity Lembit Opik, he of the crooked phizog and Cheeky bedfellow, has been paying particular attention to PRWeek recently. Recent readers of Diary will be aware that Opik has, on occasion, advised public affairs...