PR Week (UK) articles from March 2003

PR Week (UK) archives from March 2003

Firms need to communicate on terror threat.(Gwyn Winfield, publisher, Defence Review )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Defence experts this week warned that businesses are just 30 minutes from reputational ruin in the face of terror attacks. Defence Review publisher Gwyn Winfield told a forum of in-house corporate communicators: 'It doesn't matter if you're...

Formula 1 breakaway group stages PR pitch.(Grand Prix World Championships, public relations )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... A group of car-makers threatening to form a breakaway Formula 1 motor racing series are pitching for PR advisers to handle communications in the UK and across Europe. The manufacturers - which are grouped under the banner Grand Prix World...

PRWeek launches search for British comms greatest.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... PRWeek has launched its hunt for the Greatest British Communicator of the 20th century. We are calling on readers to nominate online the one person, dead or alive, who captured the imagination of the news media in his or her time. The...

LogicaCMG to appoint in-house chief.(corporate public relations chief )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Tech giant LogicaCMG is set to appoint an in-house corporate PR chief for the group, created last year from the merger of CMG and Logica. News of the hire - believed to involve an external candidate - comes as the group prepares a series...

IPR and DTI reveal judging criteria for best practice in PR.(Institute of Public Relations, U.K. Department of Trade and Industry, public relations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Institute of Public Relations and the Department of Trade and Industry this week revealed how their joint initiative to boost British business will judge best practice in the PR industry. Twenty-six of 40 invited individuals from across...

Kelda Group hires Salmon to fill senior comms post.(Rob Salmon)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Kelda Group, the parent company of Yorkshire Water, has hired Weber Shandwick Manchester joint MD Rob Salmon in its top comms role. Salmon will join Kelda in mid-May as director of corporate affairs, replacing Richard Emmott, who left last...

ARM to pitch PR business as part of a global review.(Arm Ltd., pubilc relations )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Tech firm ARM - which designs chip microprocessors used in 85 per cent of the world's mobile phones - is pitching its PR business across Europe and the US as part of a global comms review. The group is reviewing its agency relationships in...

H&K appointed to shift emphasis for new Volvo release.(Hill and Knowlton Inc. hired to create consumer campaign for Volvo AB's XC90 sport utility vehicle)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Hill & Knowlton has been hired to conduct a consumer campaign worth an estimated six-figure sum for Volvo's new XC90 sports utility vehicle. The campaign will emphasise the 'exciting and energetic' aspects of the car rather than Volvo's...

McKinney joins Ruder Finn in PA position.(Ruder Finn UK hires Hugh McKinney as client services director)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Ruder Finn UK this week bolstered its lobbying capabilities with the appointment of Hugh McKinney to head a nascent public affairs practice. McKinney, who was founding director of Westminster PA firm Keyturn Solutions, has joined as client...

STOP PRESS: National Express appoints Harrison Cowley.(as its retained public relations agency)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... CONSUMER: National Express has appointed Harrison Cowley as its retained PR agency. HC, which was originally hired on a project basis four weeks ago, replaces The Piper Agency, which had provided a press office function for National Express for...

STOP PRESS: Appointment at JD Wetherspoon.(Mark Bunker has JD Wetherspoon as customer services and communications manager)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... APPOINTMENT: Burger King UK and Eire comms manager Mark Bunker has joined pub chain JD Wetherspoon as customer services and comms manager. BK said a search for a replacement is underway.

STOP PRESS: Promotion at Ashridge business school.(Chris Nichols named sales, marketing director)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... B2B: Ashridge business school has promoted Chris Nichols to sales and marketing director, a role that includes PR, replacing Laurence Williams. Williams quit to join Centrex, the Central Police Training and Development Authority, as director of...

STOP PRESS: Pirate Communications hired by ORMvision.(for public relations work)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... TECH: Pirate Communications has been hired to handle UK and European PR for Belgian telecoms software firm ORMvision, which is due to launch in the UK later this month. Account director Ged Carroll reports to ORMvision chief executive Phil...

STOP PRESS: Emberton Dale to promote the centre:mk.(public relations firm wins contract to promote shopping center)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... CONSUMER: Emberton Dale has won a PR brief to promote Milton Keynes shopping centre thecentre:mk. Client services director Sion Ashley Jones reports to thecentre:mk marketing manager Christina Rowe.

STOP PRESS: b2b Communications assumes PR for drinks portfolio.(Beverage Brands UK Ltd. hires public relations agency)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... TRADE PR: b2b Communications has assumed the trade PR remit for Beverage Brands UK's premium drinks portfolio. The Surrey-based agency replaces incumbent agency Field McNally Leathes.

STOP PRESS: Stewart-Muir Communications wins brief.(to handle public relations work for software brand Discreet)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... TECH: Stewart-Muir Communications has won a brief to handle PR across the UK, North Europe and Africa for software brand Discreet. Discreet is a division of Autodesk, which produces tools used in films, TV and video games.

STOP PRESS: Clarifications.(Correction Notice)
March 7, 2003... CLARIFICATIONS: In Campaigns (PRWeek, 28 February), The NewsMarket was incorrectly described as a sister company to Bulletin International. The two have no ownership link but Bulletin is a reseller of NewsMarket services. In the Broadcast...

MORI poll indicates public's distrust of intrusion by media.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Three quarters of the British public believe UK newspapers intrude too much into the lives of stars and public figures, according to a MORI survey conducted exclusively for PRWeek. The survey found that 75 per cent of those questioned...

Sodexho stages pitch but at reduced fee.(Sodexho seeks agency for public relations contract)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Catering and support services giant Sodexho is staging a pitch for a UK PR contract spanning corporate, consumer, B2B and trade work. Four agencies - Lexis PR, Nexus Communications, Counsel and Citigate Communications - pitched for the work...

Pizza Express bid sees GA join the Deal Watch top ten.(Pizza Express PLC, Gavin Anderson and Co.)
March 7, 2003... The rival bidder to Luke Johnson's agreed pounds 265m takeover offer for Pizza Express has drafted in Gavin Anderson for City PR support, helping catapult the agency into the Deal Watch top ten. Private equity groups TDR Capital and...

Humphreys quits Number 10 to run MA course in spin.(James Humphreys quits corporate communications job to teach course at Kingston University)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Downing Street head of corporate comms James Humphreys last week quit to run an MA course in 'PR and spin' at Kingston University. Humphreys, who worked at Downing Street for five years, has already begun preparing for the new course - an...

Fuel PR consumer push to promote Nicorette brand.(Pharmacia Consumer Healthcare hires public relations firm)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Fuel PR is to launch a consumer PR push to 'make smoking cessation more glamorous and fun' in a bid to promote Pharmacia Consumer Healthcare's flagship brand Nicorette. Fuel, which secured the business last week after a competitive pitch...

Interbrew hires FD to ease relations after court battle.(Financial Dynamics )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The world's third largest brewer Interbrew has hired Financial Dynamics to help rebuild relationships with City journalists following its high-profile court battle against four national newspapers last year. FD beat four other rivals to...

Eurotunnel brings in Brunswick for image work in UK.(Eurotunnel PLC awards public relations contract to Brunswick Public Relations Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Channel tunnel operator Eurotunnel is launching a public affairs offensive across the UK in a bid to address perceptions of the firm among government officials and opinion-formers. Eurotunnel has hired Brunswick after a six-way pitch to...

Health shop CPR wins UK remit for cholesterol drug.(CPR UK Healthcare wins UK account for Lipostat)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Health specialist CPR UK Healthcare has won the UK account for cholesterol-busting drug Lipostat after a three-way pitch. MD Richard Kenyon said the brief was to target the UK specialist press with the message that Lipostat, a medicine in...

MS&L staff changes signal consumer push.(Manning, Selvage and Lee Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Manning Selvage & Lee managing director Nicholas Walters has promoted JoEllen Zumberge to the newly created position of deputy MD. Kelly Walsh has been promoted to director and head of the consumer group, in place of Janice Williams, who...

ntl axes corporate comms director post after a year.(NTL PLC)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Cable group ntl has axed its director of corporate communications post just a year after it was created. ntl confirmed Tim Ryan's redundancy this week as PR director Alison Kirkwood took control of the PR and media relations function. ...

Starfish is picked to promote Grand Marnier in the UK.(Starfish Communications wins public relations contract from Marnier-Lapostolle)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Starfish Communications has landed a consumer and trade PR account for cognac-based spirit Grand Marnier. The contract - on fees of pounds 100,000 - will see Starfish promote the Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge brand and promote a range of...

Connectpoint PR acquires agency and plans rebrand.(Connectpoint Public Relations, Reputation Partnership)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Connectpoint PR has acquired The Reputation Partnership - the business set up last year by former Harrison Cowley Leeds office head Nigel Sarbutts - in a share-swap deal. Sarbutts - who last week joined the Manchester-based agency as MD, a...

McDonald's hires Blue Rubicon for PR.(United Kingdom public relations campaign to be launched)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Fast food giant McDonald's has hired Blue Rubicon to carry out a UK PR campaign aimed at changing perceptions of the company's employment practices and challenging the concept of the poorly-paid, untrained 'McJobber'. The campaign,...

Scardino to head Broadgate's new office for Europe.(John Scardino, Broadgate Consultants Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... John Scardino has been appointed to lead New York-based Broadgate Consultants' recently opened European headquarters in London. He has worked as an independent PR consultant in London for two years, after coming to the UK for family...

PUBLIC SECTOR: Missing persons organisations in awareness push.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Charities and organisations involved in missing persons issues are to launch a month-long awareness campaign. The campaign, during May, is the first time such a large number of bodies have come together to dedicate a month of campaigning to...

PUBLIC SECTOR: Glasgow City Council plans PR to recruit social workers.(public relations campaign for social work)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Glasgow City Council has launched a campaign to halt a social worker recruitment crisis in the city. The council's social services department has around 4,000 staff places, but some teams have a vacancy rate as high as 30 per cent. The...

PUBLIC SECTOR: DoH hands UK Transplant organ donor work.(Department of Health hands over public relations responsibility for organ donation )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Department of Health press office is to hand over responsibility for organ donation campaigning to UK Transplant in April. Ahead of the handover UK Transplant has appointed its first marketing and campaign manager, Angie Burton, whose...

PUBLIC SECTOR: Start-up Eloqui to run strategic brief for disability body.(Disability Rights Commission awards public relations contract)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Disability Rights Commission is set to develop its strategic comms capability by hiring PR start-up Eloqui after a six-way pitch. Eloqui, which was set up by ex-Weber Shandwick global director of strategy Chris Genasi and Shandwick...

PUBLIC SECTOR: RNID redundancies likely to save costs.(Royal National Institute for the Deaf plans layoffs to cut costs)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... PR staff at the Royal National Institute for the Deaf could face redundancies as the charity plans cuts of up to 20 staff in response to falling income. CEO Dr John Low has already informed a batch of staff that they are likely to lose...

PUBLIC SECTOR BRIEF: Pat O'Connor sponsors horserace.(jockey sponsors horserace for Rethink charity)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... MENTAL ILLNESS: Jockey Pat O'Connor, who suffers from manic depressive illness, is sponsoring a horserace in the name of mental health charity Rethink, the rebranded National Schizophrenia Fellowship. The event is the centrepiece of the...

PUBLIC SECTOR BRIEF: Wine and Spirit Association launches lobbying push.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... TRADE ASSOCIATION: The Wine and Spirit Association, the trade body for off-licences, drinks importers and distributors, has launched a lobbying push aimed at ensuring that legislation going through parliament allowing pubs and bars to stay open...

PUBLIC SECTOR BRIEF: The Communication Group hired for regeneration programme.(Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council hires The Communication Group )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... WALES: Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has hired The Communication Group to handle a marcoms programme in support of its regeneration plans. The account is led by TCG deputy chairman Michael Holmes and reports to the council's head of...

PUBLIC SECTOR BRIEF: Forest launches website.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... SMOKING: Pro-smoking lobby group Forest has launched a website, www.forestonline.org.uk. The site contains a magazine that has interviews with celebrity smokers such as Antony Worrall Thompson and Conservative MP and BAT deputy chairman Kenneth...

PUBLIC SECTOR BRIEF: Macmillan Cancer Relief to launch campaign.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... CHARITY: Macmillan Cancer Relief is to launch a campaign next month to increase awareness of the signs of bowel cancer. The campaign during April's Bowel Cancer Awareness Month will emphasise that the UK has one of the worst detection rates in...

PUBLIC SECTOR BRIEF: Crimestoppers launches fresh campaign.(handled by Connectpoint Public Relations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... CRIME: Crimestoppers has launched a fresh campaign to publicise its telephone line in the north-west of England. The campaign is being handled by Manchester agency Connectpoint PR and is aimed at reducing the fear of reporting crime by...

PUBLIC SECTOR BRIEF: Meredith Thomas appointed for PR drive.(Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council appoints Meredith Thomas Public Relations )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... TAMESIDE: A campaign to promote inward investment will form the core of a PR and marketing drive by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. The PR drive, for which local PR agency Meredith Thomas has been appointed, will focus on bringing...

INTERNATIONAL: EC holds a megapitch for education through sport.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... BRUSSELS: More than a dozen agencies are pitching for a pounds 1.2m PR and advertising campaign to promote the use of sport in education across Europe. The campaign - led by the European Commission - is set to start in late April to raise...

INTERNATIONAL: Clement to head BoA corp comms.(Mike Clement named head of corporate communications at Bank of America)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: Bank of America (BoA), the US's third largest bank, has named Mike Clement as its new head of corporate communications. Clement will report to corporate marketing and communications executive Catherine Bessant....

INTERNATIONAL: Letter From America - Bush faces uphill struggle over the war no one wants.
March 7, 2003... The US government's attempts to gain public support for military action against Iraq smack of desperate attempts to market a war no one wants, writes US commentator Paul Holmes. When New Yorkers were advised last week to go out and buy duct...

INTERNATIONAL: H&K appointed to assist Vietnamese planning ministry.(Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment has picked Hill & Knowlton to handle public relations)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... HANOI: Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment has picked Hill & Knowlton to handle a strategic effort to attract US-led foreign direct investment, in the wake of the 2001 bilateral trade agreement with the US and as the country ramps up...

INTERNATIONAL: A Comunicar set to run Diageo PR across Portugal.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... LISBON: UK spirits giant Diageo - which owns brands including Smirnoff Ice, Guinness, Baileys and Jose Cuervo - has chosen Portuguese agency A Comunicar to handle PR across Portugal. A Comunicar won the account in a pitch against a number...

INTERNATIONAL BRIEF: Interpublic CEO to head flagship ad unit.(John Dooner is to head the company's flagship McCann-Erickson ad unit)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... NEW YORK: Interpublic CEO John Dooner is to head the company's flagship McCann-Erickson ad unit. David Bell, who was head of True North Communications when IPG acquired it in 2001, will replace Dooner as CEO. Under Dooner's tenure as CEO, IPG...

INTERNATIONAL BRIEF: Appointment at French defence ministry.(Jean Panie as international relations director of its strategic subsidiary)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... PARIS: The French defence ministry has appointed Jean Panie as international relations director of its strategic subsidiary charged with the sale of French armaments around the world. The armament unit employs 37,000 people and last year had...

INTERNATIONAL BRIEF: Golin/Harris Int'l to close two German offices.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... FRANKFURT: Golin/Harris International is to close two of its German offices. The network is shutting down its Hamburg and Dusseldorf operations in order to focus on the Frankfurt site. The closures will affect four staff, but Golin/Harris...

INTERNATIONAL BRIEF: Euro RSCG aligns companies under single management team.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... NEW YORK: Euro RSCG Worldwide has aligned its 44 health-focused companies under a single executive management team and financial-reporting structure. The new network, Euro RSCG Life, will offer PR, advertising and medical education. CEO Ron...

INTERNATIONAL BRIEF: Appointment at Fine Gael.(hired Ciaran Conlon as communications director)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... DUBLIN: Irish political party Fine Gael has hired Ciaran Conlon as comms director. He joins from Irish agency MRPA Consultants and replaces interim director Rachel Dalton, who will remain as a consultant. Dalton took over from head of press and...

INTERNATIONAL BRIEF: Fleishman-Hillard Link launches office in China.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... GUANGZHOU: Fleishman-Hillard Link has launched an office in Guangzhou, China. The consultancy will share office space with Omnicom advertising sister DDB. MD Li Hong said: 'We see Guangzhou as a strategic market for FMCG products by not only...

INTERNATIONAL BRIEF: Appointment at JTI Germany.(Christoph Ehrhart named director of corporate affairs and PA)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... KOLN: JTI Germany, the Koln-based subsidiary of Japan Tobacco International, has appointed Christoph Ehrhart as director of corporate affairs and PA. Ehrhart reports to JTI managing director Pascal Chevailler, who previously handled corporate...

MEDIA: New emphasis for T3 mag.(consumer technology magazine to put new emphasis on practical applications for products)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Consumer tech magazine T3 is to put new emphasis on practical applications for products under its new editor, James Beechinor-Collins. Although the Future Publishing title's strapline, 'tomorrow's technology today', will remain,...

MEDIA: Elle revamps its fashion team and unveils sections.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Elle magazine has revamped its fashion team and introduced two new sections. Mouchette Bell, former fashion director of New York's now-defunct Mademoiselle magazine, has joined in the new position of fashion editor-at-large, working...

MEDIA: Sports Newspapers to offer Ladsmag.(new magazine for men ages 18-30)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... A new lads mag - called Ladsmag - is to hit the newsstands on 21 March. 'It will be in the traditional style a la Loaded and FHM but a bit more risque,' according to features editor John Warburton. The monthly title, aimed squarely at...

MEDIA BRIEF: Financial Times announces changes.(Financial Times Ltd. adds lifestyle supplement, appoints editors)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... FINANCIAL TIMES: The Financial Times has announced a raft of changes to its Saturday offering. An additional lifestyle supplement, called The Financial Times Magazine ,will be edited by John Lloyd, and will launch in April. John-Paul Fintoff is...

MEDIA BRIEF: New official mag for Formula 1 launched.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... FORMULA 1: The new official magazine for Formula 1 has launched. Edited by Matthew Franey, Formula 1 Magazine is backed by motorsport supremo Bernie Ecclestone and will have direct access to drivers and teams in this year's championship....

MEDIA BRIEF: Dave Stanford to edit new current affairs programme.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... BBC: Dave Stanford is to edit Real Story, the BBC's new current affairs programme, which launches on 10 March. A rival to ITV's Tonight With Trevor McDonald, it is presented by Fiona Bruce. The programme, which will carry three stories on a...

MEDIA BRIEF: TIME to launch biannual supplement.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... TIME: Global news magazine TIME is launching a biannual supplement called Style & Design next week. Edited by Belinda Luscombe, the standalone issue builds on TIME's existing biannual Fashion Issue, and will focus on personalities and products...

MEDIA BRIEF: Period Living & Traditional Homes gets revamp.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... EMAP: Period Living & Traditional Homes, the Emap Consumer Media glossy, is relaunching with a redesign this week. The 70,500-circulation title, edited by Sharon Parsons, is aimed at people who are thinking of buying, or who live in, period...

MEDIA BRIEF: Promotion at Loaded.(Duncan Baizley, new managing editor)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... LOADED: IPC Media lads mag Loaded has promoted Duncan Baizley to managing editor. He joined the title a year ago as chief sub-editor and is replaced by Stephen Worthy. The latter worked on several of Loaded's one-shot publications as well as...

MEDIA BRIEF: BBC Wildlife Magazine launches travel supplement.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... BBC MAGAZINES: BBC Wildlife Magazine has launched a travel supplement on wilderness destinations with the April issue to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Rosamund Kidman Cox has edited the magazine for more than 20 years. Originally called...

MEDIA BRIEF: The Western Mail to relaunch.(daily newspaper)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... WESTERN MAIL: The national daily newspaper of Wales, The Western Mail, is to relaunch on 20 March. The Trinity Mirror-owned paper plans to appeal to a wider audience with a broader age range.

OPINION: Catch 22 for IDS as he continues to back the war.
March 7, 2003... The Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith not only has a problem with his own Party at the moment - he has difficulty in making himself seem relevant to the rest of us over the war. Supporting Tony Blair may be the last thing that Tories want to do...

Editorial: Corp comms has terror role to play.(Editorial)
March 7, 2003... As the Government finally announces plans to cope with detailed preparation for potential terrorist attacks - prompting predictably alarmist headlines - defence experts have also delivered a chilling warning to corporate communicators about...

ANALYSIS: PRWeek in search for comms great.(PRWeek asks readers to vote on greatest British communicator of the 20th century)
March 7, 2003... PRWeek opens its online ballot today in a bid to find the greatest British communicator of the 20th century. Joe Lepper talks to leading PR industry figures about the reasons behind their sometimes controversial choices. Who was the...

ANALYSIS: B2B exhibitions leader bucks marketing trend.
March 7, 2003... Research published last week suggests that exhibitions are of declining importance in B2B profile-raising. It didn't feel like that at industry leader Confex, says Simon Ellery. Exhibitions have long been thought of by marketers as a...

MEDIA TRAINING: Fly on the wall.(television documentaries; celebrities can be trained to survive experience)
March 7, 2003... Can you be media trained to survive the intrusive cameras? Mary Cowlett asks specialist media trainers for their views. If Michael Jackson's recent experience is anything to go by, those tempted by the attractions of participating in a...

CAMPAIGNS: Lobbying - Haemophilia Society wins vital support.
March 7, 2003... Client: The Haemophilia Society PR Team: In-house and Weber Shandwick Campaign: Raising the profile of haemophilia Timescale: February 2001 - January 2003 Budget: pounds 130,000 (approx) Recombinant is a genetically modified blood...

CAMPAIGNS: Consumer PR - Gallery gains exposure for Hip Hop work.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... Client: Proud Galleries PR Team: Idea Generation Campaign: Hip Hop Immortals Timescale: November 2002 to present Budget: pounds 3,000 Idea Generation has a longstanding relationship with Proud, and was engaged to promote the...

CAMPAIGNS: Media Relations - Government advises over web dangers.(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... Client: The Home Office PR Team: In-house and August. One Communications Campaign: Child protection on the internet Timescale: December 2000 - February 2003 Budget: Undisclosed At the same time, the Task Force on Child Protection...

PROFILE: Jenny Halpern, Halpern - Diversification is key to Halpern's growth.(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... Jenny Halpern's rebranded agency makes a firm move into event territory. There are few PR agencies in robust enough health to host fortnightly lunchtime networking events at top West End restaurant Nobu, or that can boast frequent phone...

DIARY: The gloves are off as dreaming spires look set to become battleground.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The battle for the Chancellorship of Oxford University is set to be a bloody one, and also largely PR-led, it would seem, as the candidates' election campaigns begin to hot up. While comedian Sandi Toksvig and European Commissioner Chris...

DIARY: Newlyweds' double joy as TIME judges concur with Hooper's favourite.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... A happy ending to TIME magazine's Person of the Year competition, the title's flagship annual PR device. The first class flights to anywhere in the world go to Manchester newlyweds Julian Massell and Sue Hooper. It was the explanation for...

DIARY: Byrne shows soft side as he thanks his friend and mentor MacNally.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Weber Shandwick joint CEO Colin Byrne gave the vote of thanks last week to the 60th birthday party for industry veteran Lord Tom MacNally. He spoke of how they started working together a decade ago. At Byrne's first wedding, he told best...

DIARY: Brewer comes armed with formidable guest list.(Book Review)
March 7, 2003... After 25-years of boozing and schmoozing with the stars, publicist (and self-publicist) extraordinaire Liz Brewer is to share her tricks of the trade. The renowned hostess, celebrity PRO, TV regular and former debutante is this month...

DIARY: Aiken tries to break the ice with Mongolian trip.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Westminster City Council head of comms Alex Aiken - no stranger to deploying PR advice in geo-political hot-spots - last month excelled with a week-long working visit to Mongolia. He spent four days in Ulan Bator and two days in a remote...

Firms need to communicate on terror threat.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Defence experts this week warned that businesses are just 30 minutes from reputational ruin in the face of terror attacks. Defence Review publisher Gwyn Winfield told a forum of in-house corporate communicators: 'It doesn't matter if you're...

Formula 1 breakaway group stages PR pitch.(Grand Prix World Championships (GPWC) include Fiat, Ford and DaimlerChrysler )(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... A group of car-makers threatening to form a breakaway Formula 1 motor racing series are pitching for PR advisers to handle communications in the UK and across Europe. The manufacturers - which are grouped under the banner Grand Prix World...

IPR and DTI reveal judging criteria for best practice in PR.(Institute of Public Relations; Department of Trade and Industry)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... The Institute of Public Relations and the Department of Trade and Industry this week revealed how their joint initiative to boost British business will judge best practice in the PR industry. Twenty-six of 40 invited individuals from across...

LogicaCMG to appoint in-house chief.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Tech giant LogicaCMG is set to appoint an in-house corporate PR chief for the group, created last year from the merger of CMG and Logica. News of the hire - believed to involve an external candidate - comes as the group prepares a series...