PR Week (UK) articles from June 2007

PR Week (UK) archives from June 2007

Christian Science enlists support.
June 1, 2007... Christian Science, the religious teaching based on the efficacy of spiritual healing, is taking action to ensure it is not confused with Scientology. It has tasked ethical agency Global Tolerance to raise awareness of its belief in healing...

Cision faces backlash over problematic product.(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Leading media monitoring firm Cision has been forced to defend itself after at least two clients discovered that an evaluation product they were still using had been removed from the market last December. One in-house PR department told...

Sheffield United drafts in WS for Tevez fight.(Weber Shandwick)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Sheffield United have called in Weber Shandwick for wide-ranging comms support as they step up their fight with Premier League. The relegated club are challenging the Premier League's decision not to dock points from West Ham at the end of...

Litigation guru creates agency.(Richard Elsen's The Byfield Consultancy)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The litigation PR specialist who advised Michael Jackson following the Martin Bashir documentary has set up his own legal PR shop. Richard Elsen's new venture, The Byfield Consultancy, will offer retained PR services for legal firms, as...

Injunction boosts PROs' right to protect client data.(public relations officers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Public relations professionals have increased powers to protect their clients' personal information after the latest development in McKennitt vs Ash - the legal case that has been closely watched by both the media and the PR industry. The...

DSG shakeup as media guru Thompson leaves.(DSG International Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... DSG International, owner of the Currys, PC World and Dixons brands, is revamping its in-house PR as the director of media relations departs. Hamish Thompson will leave at the end of June to set up his own agency called Twelve Thirty Eight....

FD helps to seal Newcastle deal.(Newcastle United)(Mike Ashley of Sports Direct )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Newcastle United's prospective buyer Mike Ashley used FD as he snapped up 41.6 per cent of the club last week. The City PR firm helped Ashley to smooth over a possible takeover of the Premiership club ahead of expected talks with Newcastle...

Asda shops at Tesco for new corporate policy boss.
June 1, 2007... Asda has raided rival Tesco to bolster its own corporate PR team. It has snapped up Tesco regional corporate affairs manager Julian Walker-Palin, who will join Asda on 30 August in the newly created role of corporate policy manager. ...

Home Office hires comms general.(Richard Cherry)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The Home Office has brought in a top communicator to deal with the fall-out from its controversial identity card scheme. Richard Cherry will take the newly created post of director of marketing and communications at the Identity and...

Florida looks for agency to help win tourism battle.
June 1, 2007... Florida's tourist board is looking for fresh PR support as it continues to lose ground to New York in the race to attract British tourists. The American state, the traditional home of Brits looking for summer sun, wants to combine its PR,...

Nottingham plays for forest cash.
June 1, 2007... Nottinghamshire County Council is on the hunt for an agency to plug the region's bid for pounds 50m of funding for Sherwood Forest. The council and its local partners want to persuade viewers to vote for Sherwood Forest in a national...

Public Sector: Woolas says new powers boost image of councils.
June 1, 2007... Powers being handed to local government will provide fresh opportunities to boost councils' reputations, according to local government minister Phil Woolas. The minister told the LGCommunications conference in Birmingham that the powers...

Public Sector: South Tyneside consults to gain.(Lynda Fothergill )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Communications and consultation policy areas are now intrinsically linked, South Tyneside Council head of corporate comms Lynda Fothergill told the LGCommunications conference. The authority has had record numbers of people attending its...

Public Sector: NHS seeks to build PR roster.
June 1, 2007... NHS Blood and Transplant is inviting agencies to tender for its first PR roster. The national organ donation agency is on the hunt for support to raise awareness of the ongoing need for donors and to secure donor loyalty. The roster...

Public Sector: Tell people what their council does.
June 1, 2007... The interesting and timely LGCommunications conference in Birmingham last week provided a useful backdrop to discussions about the new government buzz words of 'placemaking' and 'partnership'. The conference came as research from the Audit...

Voluntary Sector: Brown videos put pressure on G8.
June 1, 2007... Save the Children is targeting Gordon Browns around the country in a bid to drum up publicity for a campaign. It is producing a series of video clips that it hopes will put the issue of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa high on the agenda at...

Voluntary Sector: Party leaders make TV appeal.
June 1, 2007... Cafod's PR department last week succeeded in getting the leaders of all three political parties to record messages of support for the Darfur appeal - within two days. Video clips from all three political leaders were posted on YouTube as...

Voluntary Sector: Missing People relaunch supported by McCanns.
June 1, 2007... The UK's only charity that works with missing people and their families came close to postponing a major relaunch because it did not want to be seen as trying to capitalise on the Madeleine McCann story. But the charity went ahead with its...

Voluntary Sector: Patel bags comms job at phone line watchdog.(ICSTIS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... ICSTIS, the premium rate phone line watchdog, has ushered in a new head of comms following the introduction of tougher regulations for TV quiz shows. The non-for-profit organisation is cracking down on premium phone services following...

Voluntary Sector: Orbis nets Cronin to take dual role.(Rebecca Cronin)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Orbis, the eye charity best known for its converted DC-10 Flying Eye Hospital, has a appointed a new director of fundraising and communications. Rebecca Cronin was formerly external relations director at sustainable development charity...

Voluntary Sector: Show Time.
June 1, 2007... Rare Communications is to promote Kids Week 2007. The annual initiative by The Society of London Theatre allows children to attend West End shows free, as well as offering workshops and events. The agency will target parents through media...

Public Affairs: Blueprint boosts Brussels staff.
June 1, 2007... Brussels-based lobbying shop Blueprint Partners has bolstered its ranks with two new appointments. The independent PA and strategic comms consultancy has brought in Matthew Willis and Monica Vicente Christina as senior consultants. ...

Public Affairs: Paczek quits WS for role at PPS.
June 1, 2007... The head of Weber Shandwick's UK property practice has quit the agency for a senior role at planning public affairs specialist PPS. Rebekah Paczek joins PPS as a director, reporting to MD Stephen Byfield. Paczek was a graduate trainee at...

Public Affairs: Conservative aide moves to Fleishman-Hillard.(Shaya Raymond )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Fleishman-Hillard has further strengthened its links with the Conservatives by hiring an aide to shadow cabinet member Theresa May. Shaya Raymond will join the agency as consultant. He is currently a political researcher to May, shadow...

Public Affairs: PM pledges lobbying will be carefully scrutinised.(Tony Blair)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The prime minister has weighed into the debate over transparency in lobbying, pledging that the Government will pay 'careful attention' to the issue. Tony Blair declined to criticise any individual lobbying firms, but revealed that he...

Public Affairs: Open Road lands 'carbon neutral' Silverjet account.(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Open Road will lobby MPs on behalf of the world's first 'carbon neutral' airline. The recently-formed agency has been briefed by Silverjet to develop and lead its public affairs activity in London, Brussels and Washington. The airline,...

Public Affairs: AS Biss wins out in fight for BMF.(British Marine Federation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... AS Biss has won a three-way tussle to land an account with the British Marine Federation (BMF). The trade body put the business out to pitch last month, having used Fishburn Hedges for the past six years (PRWeek, 11 May). Fishburn Hedges...

Healthcare: Sector gives support to drugs TV channel.
June 1, 2007... Healthcare communications experts have given their backing to a controversial proposal to launch a medical television channel run by pharmaceutical companies. The idea has been submitted as a 10-minute pilot to the EU Commission by four...

Healthcare: Roche push to integrate activity.
June 1, 2007... Roche has created a senior comms role in an attempt better to integrate UK PR activity within disease areas. The drugs firm has promoted its oncology PR manager Greg Page to the post. He will take the title of senior PR strategy manager and...

Healthcare: Nielen bags top post at Sante.
June 1, 2007... Sante Communications has appointed experienced healthcare PRO Gail Nielen to the recently created post of executive director. Neilen has more than 20 years experience in healthcare communications - most recently as director of external...

Healthcare: Kaizo handles Zimmer brief.
June 1, 2007... Kaizo is launching a campaign for Zimmer to promote the introduction of the UK's first knee implant designed specifically for women. The US-made implant includes a thinner profile and a less prominent kneecap and is being made available at...

Healthcare: At a Glance - Seasonal push begins to fight skin cancer.
June 1, 2007... - So PR for suncare products is hotting up, eh? Very good. As we move into June, it makes seasonal sense for companies and organisations to step up comms on skin cancer awareness and suncare brands. - Who's been doing what? The...

City & Corporate: Leasor brings emerging market expertise to PBN.
June 1, 2007... The PBN Company, which specialises in former Soviet bloc countries, has recruited emerging markets expert Stuart Leasor as part of a strengthening of its London office. Leasor joins as senior vice president and managing director. He has...

City & Corporate: Invensys passes brief to FD.(Invensys PLC's contract with Financial Dynamics)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... FTSE 250 stalwart Invensys has brought in FD to replace Maitland after three years. Invensys is a flagship British engineering firm that has emerged from a financially troubled past to become a strong FTSE presence. In spite of debt,...

City & Corporate: Deal target D&G retains Hogarth.
June 1, 2007... Domestic & General has brought in the Hogarth Partnership as its retained agency in the same week it received a pounds 505m approach from home repairs and insurance provider Homeserve. The home appliance insurance firm has used Brian...

City & Corporate: Media must get back to business.
June 1, 2007... I attended a private dinner a short while ago, the purpose of which was to explore ways to improve the training of business journalists and hence the resulting press business coverage. Its starting point was that business got a rough deal...

Technology: Headbox taps online networks.
June 1, 2007... A youth marketing group is tapping into the growth of social networking by launching what it claims is 'the UK's first research and seeding community'. Headbox.com can help brands to access to up to 30,000 young people who will provide...

Technology: iLuv retains Naked Ape for consumer and trade.(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Naked Ape has been named as the retained consumer and trade PR agency for MP3 and iPod accessories brand iLuv. The agency has been brought in by the brand's UK distributors Noble Distribution on monthly fees of around pounds 3,000, without...

Technology: Evite hands UK brand launch to EdenCancan.
June 1, 2007... US Party planning website Evite.com has hired EdenCancan to handle the pounds 250,000 launch of the brand in the UK. Evite is looking to replicate its success in the US, where it has 11 million users, in the UK and opted to sign EdenCancan...

Technology: Mantra steps in to social media.(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Mantra PR has opened a stand-alone consultancy in response to the growing focus of traditional brands on social media. The new venture, Spider, is staffed by consultants with specific experience in social media. It will target big brands as...

Media Relations: What the Papers Say - Murdoch's deals invite criticism.(British Sky Broadcasting Group takeovers ITV PLC)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Apparently, Rupert Murdoch's media empire is to face tough scrutiny over the coming months, following Alastair Darling's referral of BSkyB's purchase of 17.9 per cent of ITV to the Competition Commission. With both the Office of Fair...

Media Relations: Contact Book Update.(Glamour)
June 1, 2007... PRINT Jim McLean has taken the reins as deputy news editor on the business desk of The Times. He was formerly assistant business editor on the Evening Standard. Victoria Heath is to move from the role of assistant editor to become the...

Media Relations: 2 Minutes with ... Julian Linley digital editor, Heat.
June 1, 2007... - Heatworld.com has just launched. What does it cover? Heatworld.com is an exciting new celebrity news site from the makers of Heat magazine that keeps you up to date with the day's breaking news stories and videos, as well as...

Media Analysis: Targeting the early morning listener.
June 1, 2007... The breakfast show is the main focus of any radio station, which is why top DJs such as Chris Moyles attract the best celebrity guests Harriet Marsh looks at the ups and downs of pitching a client to a morning show. When David Gest -...

News Analysis: The pros and cons of fighting back.
June 1, 2007... The right to reply to accusations in the media has come under the spotlight with both Tesco and the Church of Scientology hitting back at TV programmes recently. Hannah Marriott looks at the art of counter-attack. Right of reply is an...

News Analysis: Planning proposals divide opinion.
June 1, 2007... The recently published Planning White Paper has sparked a public affairs battle, with lobbyists arguing for and against the proposals aimed at speeding up the planning process. Robert Gray reviews the situation. Gordon Brown is still a few...

Profile: Growing up - Charles Lewington, Managing Director, Hanover.
June 1, 2007... Not many PR professionals can boast of having been the prime minister's press secretary. Charles Lewington served John Major in the role, but he insists he has moved on since those heady days in the Westminster village. '(PRWeek columnist)...

Opinion: Search for Maddie holds media attention.(Maddie McCann)(Viewpoint essay)
June 1, 2007... How is it that the story of the heart-rending disappearance of little Maddie McCann has dominated print and broadcast headlines for a month? It was an accepted media dictum, before Alastair Campbell claimed it, that no story had a natural front...

Opinion: A footnote for Alastair Campbell's diaries.(Viewpoint essay)
June 1, 2007... If you are wondering why there is such media frenzy over the Alastair Campbell diaries then you need to look no further than the spin master himself. It is a well-known fact that political books usually don't sell and it is newspaper...

Editorial: Airlines must act fast on climate change.(Editorial)
June 1, 2007... Is the airline industry reacting too slowly to the debate on climate change? It is now six months since the publication of the Stern report - which devastatingly announced that air travel was the 'fastest-growing cause' of global warming -...

Opinion: ViewPoint - PROs should always be wary of client integrity.
June 1, 2007... Simon Cohen, MD at 'values-driven' PR agency Global Tolerance, asks PROs not to 'clamber on the ethical bandwagon'. Instead, he recommends they embody the ethical values they are pushing for on behalf of their clients, and focus on their...

Opinion: Letter - PRWeek columnist faces some criticism.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Charlie Whelan's round-up of Labour deputy leadership elections (25 May), was an entertaining, if rather inaccurate account of the campaigns. Alan Johnson's campaign is indeed being run from Leeds, although not by 'some old pals'. In fact,...

Opinion: Letter - Networking feature leads the spotlight.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Your 'How to win friends... ' feature (25 May) is a welcome effort to highlight the significance of networking for successful practitioners. It should however go further in advocating PR professionals should take lead roles for...

Opinion: Letter - Facebook can't be all fun and games.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Your article 'Linking up to the ultimate network' (25 May) is right to highlight the pitfalls of using a consumer social networking solution for professional social networking amongst PR professionals. Anyone using such sites for industry...

Opinion: Letter - Paper is no friend to Durrants readers.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Peter Smith clearly hasn't done his research (Letters, 25 May) Our clients tell us online services have revolutionised how they work so thousands of Durrants users most certainly do not 'prefer paper'. Research we conducted says that most...

Campaign: Squeezy Marmite launch shows class - Consumer.
June 1, 2007... Client: Marmite Campaign: Launch of Squeezy Marmite PR team: Splendid Communications Timescale: Ten months Budget: Undisclosed Objectives To increase frequency of purchase from 2.2 to 2.3 jars per year. To attract younger,...

Campaign: King of Shaves recruits 'Young Blades' for 2012 - Consumer.(contract with Threepipe )
June 1, 2007... Campaign: Young Blades Client: King of Shaves PR team: Threepipe and in-house Timescale: January - April 2007 Budget: Undisclosed Objectives To relaunch the Young Blades programme for 2007, attracting entries from top young...

Campaign: Phone security helps to fight off muggers - Consumer.(Remote XT's contract with Primal PR)
June 1, 2007... Campaign: The 'Screaming' Phone Client: Remote XT PR team: Primal PR Timescale: August - October 2006 Budget: Undisclosed Objectives To launch the Remote XT brand to mobile phone users worldwide. To alert business and trade...

View From the Top: Michel Roux - All the right ingredients.
June 1, 2007... Michel Roux junior's classic eatery Le Gavroche has been the venue for many a big PR deal. So Adam Hill pops in for lunch. With its traditional decor, Mayfair location and slightly stuffy image, Le Gavroche is one of the eateries of choice...

Financial PR League Tables: Financial PR Strikes Gold.
June 1, 2007... The past year brought major deals for the big financial agencies. Alex Black looks at a thriving sector. The last 12 months have been an exciting time to be in financial PR. The deals - be they global or local - keep coming, and the war...

Diary: Chivalry survives at Brands2Life.(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... If Brands2Life challenges you to a football match, be warned: it is a force to be reckoned with. Diary hears that its team, Goals2Life, were knocking back a few post-match pints in a pub in Belgravia last Thursday when they heard female screams...

Diary: Ken Bates dossier trips up Brunswick.
June 1, 2007... Dodgy dossiers have long been the bane of politicians. Now, it appears that they are also catching out PROs. Earlier this year, a Wired journalist somehow got hold of a dossier Waggener Edstrom had produced on him for its client Microsoft....

Diary: Whose cover is that in the window?
June 1, 2007... Ah, lunchtime. One of the best parts of the day for most people Not so for Pitch PR's senior account manager Tim Kelly, who has to walk past the window of sponsorship agency Karen Earl every day in order to grab his lunchtime sarni. There,...

Diary: Techies will flaunt their creative side.
June 1, 2007... Thirty-eight years old, living at home, and with no new Star Trek series on the horizon, times are tough for the embattled IT wizard. Not only does he probably still mourn the demise of the ZX Spectrum, but he is constantly ridiculed for not...

Diary: Hit or Miss... Hopping on the BB bandwagon.(192.com Ltd.'s contract with Chameleon PR )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... As the Big Brother juggernaut comes rolling back into town, agencies are toiling to link their brands to the gossip-creating Channel 4 show. Making use of client 192.com's satellite imagery, Chameleon PR set up a You Tube video displaying shots...

Diary: Let's Meet at... The Cross at Kenilworth.
June 1, 2007... Reviewed by Chris Woodcock, MD, Razor. If you're looking for a great summer eating venue within striking distance of Birmingham but with a feel of the rural heart of England and its resonant Civil War history, then I recommend The Cross at...

Byrne exit leaves Boots in the lurch.(Emma Byrne)(Alliance Boots)(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... Alliance Boots' director of corporate affairs Emma Byrne has quit after just six months, leaving the communications team reporting to HR. The company was recently acquired by private equity firm KKR and is currently embroiled in the...

Barrow leaves PRCA to run Ketchum division.(Patrick Barrow)(Public Relations Consultants Association)(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... Ketchum's London CEO David Gallagher has lured the PRCA's managing director Patrick Barrow to take charge of the agency's corporate practice. The job has been vacant since Paul Baverstock left in September 2005, but an increase in business...

Holborn opens sports wing with Sky Sports editor.
June 8, 2007... Holborn PR, famous for its work on high-profile football takeovers, is launching a sports division under the stewardship of a Sky Sports news editor. Holborn MD Trevor Phillips said the opportunities for PR agencies, particularly in...

Locog stays quiet on Olympics logo.
June 8, 2007... The organisers of the London 2012 Olympics stood by their new logo this week, but were unable to stem the tide of negative publicity or communicate the reasoning behind the choice. But the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games...

BPAS targets students in morning-after pill push.
June 8, 2007... Sexual healthcare charity BPAS is set to provoke controversy with a new campaign encouraging female university students to keep a morning-after pill at home 'just in case'. The charity, formerly known as the British Pregnancy Advisory...

Diamond exits Defra for top post at Home Office.(Yasmin Diamond)(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... The Home Office has turned to the top communicator at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to fill its high-profile director of communications post. Yasmin Diamond has clinched the job coordinating the...

UK Athletics nabs Vero's Furlong.(Claire Furlong)(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... UK Athletics has mined its retainer agency to find a new head of communications, poaching Claire Furlong from Vero Communications. Furlong quits in July after a year at Vero, where she worked on the recently won UK Athletics account...

Ailling Citigate Public Affairs to merge with Grayling.(Grayling Group)(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... Struggling lobbying shop Citigate Public Affairs is to be merged into Grayling Political Strategy. Huntsworth-owned Citigate has been decimated by an exodus of senior staff in the past two years and Luther Pendragon founder George Pitcher...

PRWeek repeats new media event.(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... PRWeek is repeating its PR and New Media conference in October, after the June event sold out in just seven weeks. The popularity of the conferences highlights the need for PR professionals to manage the messaging potential, and incumbent...

Tulchan snaps up Brunswick chief.(Tulchan Communications)(John Sunnucks )(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... Tulchan has poached an 18-year stalwart from top financial agency Brunswick. John Sunnucks was made Brunswick partner back in 1993 and is a key member of the senior management team. He will join rival firm Tulchan in September to bolster...

Electoral Commission in trawl for agency.(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... The Electoral Commission is on the hunt for agency support in Scotland - weeks after the fiasco that led to 100,000 spoilt ballot papers. Voters are believed to have been confused by the system introduced in last month's parliamentary and...

Machu piccap.(Hills Balfour Synergy)(tourism promotion)(Brief article)
June 8, 2007... Peru is stepping up its PR activity as it attempts to deflect attention away from its cocaine trade. The South American country wants to capitalise on burgeoning travel to the continent and has brought in Hills Balfour Synergy as its first...

News Brief: Diana inquest.
June 8, 2007... ISSSUE: MGT Former Sky News royal correspondent Katherine Witty has started as director of press and public affairs for Mohamed Al Fayed in preparation for October's inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Al Fayed

News Brief: R3 agency hunt.
June 8, 2007... CORPORATE: R3 - the professional association for the debt recovery industry - is on the hunt for agencies to raise its profile in Scotland and other British regions

News Brief: Brave PR appointed.
June 8, 2007... CONSUMER: Brown-Forman has appointed Brave PR to promote black raspberry liqueur Chambord to women's press. The agency has also been awarded a retained contract for B-F bourbon Woodford Reserve, which it was working on a project basis

News Brief: Ray Ban campaign.
June 8, 2007... CONSUMER: Ray Ban has contracted Capitalize to handle an experiential campaign through the summer. The campaign will feature events at summer music festivals. Feature, p20

News Brief: Lucre appointed.
June 8, 2007... TRAVEL: Spanish holiday resort La Manga Club has hired Leeds-based Lucre as its first PR agency. Lucre will handle publicity around the re-launch of the Hyatt Regency Hotel within the resort, later this year

News Brief: Cision appointment.
June 8, 2007... CORPORATE: Cision has appointed former managing director of Echo Research Giselle Bodie as consultancy services director. The hire follows changes in management and the global re-branding of Cision last year