PR Week (UK) articles from September 2007

PR Week (UK) archives from September 2007

Facebook hunts UK agency..
September 7, 2007... A dozen UK PR agencies have been approached by social networking phenomenon Facebook as it sets out to challenge MySpace's dominance in Europe. Agencies including Mantra and Fishburn Hedges have been invited to present their credentials to...

Brunswick hires after Bradley loss.
September 7, 2007... City PR giant Brunswick has lost stalwart James Bradley to rival agency Tulchan Communications. But it has already plugged the gap in its senior team by appointing Rebecca Burrows, former group director of comms at Prudential. Bradley, who...

...as LinkedIn brings in Bite to safeguard its niche.(contracts with Bite Communications)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Business networking site LinkedIn has asked Bite to boost its UK profile as Facebook threatens its dominance in professional circles. Tech specialist Bite won a seven-way pitch against agencies including Lewis and Chameleon. The...

LDA brings in Futerra for carbon-reduction drive.(contracts of London Development Agency and Futerra Sustainability Communications )(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... The London Development Agency has called in agency backing for an initiative that it hopes will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of London's businesses. Futerra Sustainability Communications is to promote the pounds 1.5m 'Green...

Coke joins football clubs for recycling initiative.
September 7, 2007... Coca-Cola is to link up with 13 Football League clubs for a recycling drive and has charged Trimedia Harrison Cowley with promoting the initiative. 'Talent from Trash' is being carried out in conjunction with clubs ranging from Accrington...

Not Actual Size to promote NFL in UK.
September 7, 2007... The National Football League (NFL), the professional American football league, has called in a UK agency for a mass experiential campaign. Not Actual Size, recently set up by The Fish Can Sing co-founder Dan Holliday, is tasked with...

TUI Travel PROs face uncertain future after merger.
September 7, 2007... The fate of the comms team at Europe's biggest travel firm hung in the balance this week as the new TUI Travel unveiled its senior management line-up. TUI Travel, the result of a merger between holiday giants Thomson and First Choice,...

Mantra set to defend online gambling sites.
September 7, 2007... The body that represents online gambling websites has turned to Mantra PR ahead of a government study into gambling addiction due later this month. The Remote Gambling Association is steeling itself for the first detailed investigation...

Clarion replies to Guardian attack.
September 7, 2007... Clarion Communications has hit back against allegations of misrepresentation in last Saturday's Guardian newspaper. Clarion had approached Dr Ben Goldacre, author of The Guardian's Bad Science column, with a request to analyse findings of...

Shine lands eBay consumer brief.(Shine Communications)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Auction site eBay has ended an exhaustive three-month search for a new consumer agency with the appointment of Shine. Shine's priority will be to broaden the scope of eBay's PR activity Richard Kanareck, eBay head of PR and community, said:...

G.A.P Adventures hires Mulberry.
September 7, 2007... Global adventure Sustainable travel company G.A.P Adventures has hired Mulberry Marketing Communications for a wide-ranging international PR campaign. The six-figure brief includes print, broadcast and online tactics, with Mulberry promoting...

News Brief: BMW UK manager hunt.
September 7, 2007... CORPORATE: Automotive giant BMW UK is on the hunt for its first digital PR manager for its BMW and MINI brands. Corporate comms manager Mark Harrison said the hire would be 'a first for the UK automotive industry'

News Brief: Dignity in Dying appointment.
September 7, 2007... VOLUNTARY: Dignity in Dying, the assisted dying campaigner, has appointed Equal Opportunities Commission head of comms Sarah Wootton as CEO. Wootton will position the charity as UK leader in all end-of-life issues

News Brief: Fraggle Rock relaunch.
September 7, 2007... CONSUMER: Jackie Cooper PR and start-up EN PR have been appointed to promote the relaunch of classic children's programme Fraggle Rock on Cartoon Network sister-channel Boomerang, and for new Cartoon Network shows My Spy Family and The Latest...

News Brief: Storm handed brief.
September 7, 2007... CONSUMER: Storm has been handed a consumer brief by dairy producer Yeo Valley Organics. The agency will raise awareness of the yoghurt company's support of UK farming and its ethical approach to business

News Brief: Nazerali joins BBC.
September 7, 2007... CORPORATE: Former MTV marketing boss Sanjay Nazerali has joined the BBC in the new role of controller of marketing, communications and audiences for the Global News Division. Nazerali was most recently MD of marketing consultancy The Depot

News Brief: BIG to promote Famous Grouse.
September 7, 2007... CONSUMER: The BIG Partnership is to promote whisky brand The Famous Grouse for Scottish spirits company The Edrington Group. BIG will focus on The Famous Grouse 'Feel Famous' campaign in the run-up to Christmas

News Brief: PagetBaker to promote Plymouth Gin.
September 7, 2007... CONSUMER: PagetBaker Associates has been appointed to promote premium brand Plymouth Gin by distributing Maxxium UK and importer V&S Absolut Spirits. PagetBaker already works with the two companies on Absolute Vodka

News Brief: Clarification.(Correction notice)
September 7, 2007... Lee Findell, who this week joined Fishburn Hedges' lobbying practice, was not previously an 'LLM director' as stated in a headline last week. He was, in fact, based at LLM's parent company FD

Surrey Cricket Club asks Four to broaden its appeal.(Four Sports, Arts and Sponsorship)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Surrey County Cricket Club is to use Four Sports, Arts and Sponsorship to raise awareness of its non-cricket activity. It is the first time the club has turned to an external agency to raise its profile outside of its core cricket activity....

Weber Shandwick lands AMT organic account.
September 7, 2007... Coffee chain AMT has selected Weber Shandwick to try to boost awareness of its Fairtrade and organic credentials. AMT is the only national coffee chain to have accreditation from the Fairtrade Foundation and is the first British coffee...

Consolidated Communications bags Tragus brief.
September 7, 2007... Consolidated Communications is to handle PR for restaurant chains Cafe Rouge, Bella Italia and Ortega after securing a brief from parent firm Tragus. 'We will be carrying out press office and brand-building work for Tragus,' said...

O2 internal work for Engage EnEngEngagecomms.(contract with Engage Group)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... O2 has handed a UK-wide internal comms brief to employee engagement specialist Engage Group. Engage Communications manager Linda Apeles said the London-based agency would 'help create a fresh new suite of communication channels to engage...

Hoppen switches agency to Outside.(contracts of Kelly Hoppen and The Outside Organisation)(Camron PR)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Interior designer Kelly Hoppen has hired The Outside Organisation for personal and consumer PR, parting company with ten-year incumbent Camron PR. Hoppen - who is well-known as Sienna Miller's stepmother - is currently designing the...

Pub quiz service signs up Shine Communications.
September 7, 2007... 'Pub quiz cheat' service AQA 63336 has appointed Shine Communications for a consumer PR account. Shine's brief is to promote the name and number of the service through a mixture of events and press work. 'We will use platforms that...

Public Sector: Golley Slater aids Lanarkshire tourism.
September 7, 2007... Lanarkshire Tourism Marketing Partnership is launching a PR campaign to promote the area - midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow - as a short stay and day trip destination. Golley Slater's Edinburgh office was brought in for the work and...

Public Sector: Band & Brown to stress head teacher shortfall.
September 7, 2007... The Government-funded body charged with improving school leadership has hired Band & Brown for a campaign aimed at averting an impending head teacher recruitment crisis. The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) is concerned that a...

Public Sector: National Lottery offers out sports brief.(contracts of National Lottery Promotions Unit and Fast Track)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... The National Lottery Promotions Unit is reviewing its sports PR agency account, which is worth around pounds 380,000 over the next two years. The account is currently held by Chime Communications' sports specialist agency Fast Track. The...

Public Sector: 'Tis the season for sensible comms.
September 7, 2007... The silly season is over and it's time for all local government communicators to tell their chief officers and leading politicians to raise their game. This summer, the media was full of stories of local authorities doing apparently daft...

Voluntary Sector: Muscle disease charity in push to raise awareness.
September 7, 2007... The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign (MDC) is gearing up for a nationwide drive to raise awareness of muscle disease. The Big Push will take place during 15-22 September and aims to get better care and support for people living with muscle...

Voluntary Sector: Oxfam raids WWF to fill the top campaigns post.(appointments of Thomas Schultz-Jagow and Rob McNeil)(World Wide Fund)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Oxfam has appointed the former comms chief at WWF International to head its campaigns team amid a range of staff changes. Thomas Schultz-Jagow will start in October. He joins from WWF International, where he was director of communications,...

Voluntary Sector: Teenage Cancer Trust to expand.
September 7, 2007... The Teenage Cancer Trust plans to double its comms team to ensure it keeps up with the charity's growth. Director of communications Lucy Jackson is on the hunt for two new staff to protect and bolster the charity's reputation and to...

Voluntary Sector: Van Communications nabs Shackleton account.(Shackleton Foundation)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Van Communications will handle media relations for the soon-to-be launched Shackleton Foundation. The foundation is being set up by descendants of the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton and aims to give out 30 grants a year, of pounds...

Voluntary Sector: World Vision in local campaigns.(contracts of World Vision International and Trimedia Harrison Cowley)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Trimedia Harrison Cowley has begun regional media events to get more people signed up to World Vision's child sponsorship programme. The charity is holding local events in Scotland to encourage people to sponsor a child. It is using a...

Voluntary Sector: Event to focus on voluntary links.(Nestle S.A., Marks and Spencer PLC and Innocent Drinks )(conference)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Communications chiefs at Nestle, Innocent Drinks and Marks & Spencer have been lined up to speak at a conference next month. The conference on 'sustainable corporate and voluntary partnerships' is being run by PRWeek sister title Third...

Public Affairs: Agencies bow to APPC membership pressure.
September 7, 2007... Two agencies that have previously refused to join the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) this week softened their opposition to the industry body. Sovereign Strategy and Golden Arrow acted following mounting pressure...

Public Affairs: B-M promotion prompts revamp.(Burson-Marsteller)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... BRUSSELS: Burson-Marsteller has reshaped its EU lobbying arm following the recent promotion of Brussels office supremo Jeremy Galbraith. The agency has promoted Robert Mack, director at the Brussels office, to the role of Brussels CEO. ...

Public Affairs: Firms battle for Tube Lines brief.(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Six firms are fighting it out for a political monitoring brief with London Underground maintenance contractor Tube Lines, in the week the RMT went on a three-day strike, triggered by the collapse of Metronet. Burson-Marsteller, Chelgate, De...

Public Affairs: Now is the time to pull together and salvage our reputation.(Association of Professional Political Consultants)(Viewpoint essay)
September 7, 2007... Bell Pottinger's Peter Bingle argues that the recent rows over APPC membership have damaged the PA industry. Let's be honest. So far 2007 has been messy for the public affairs industry and things may get worse. Thanks to the APPC, the...

Healthcare: Sheldon moves from Resolute to Red Door.
September 7, 2007... Red Door Communications has poached rival healthcare practice Resolute's managing director. Phil Sheldon joins Red Door as director of international healthcare, and will be responsible for international accounts. Sheldon replaces...

Healthcare: Northbank wins life sciences brief.
September 7, 2007... Listed biopharma company BTG has awarded a UK PR brief to Northbank Communications after a competitive pitch. Northbank, which has 34 staff and specialises in PR for life science companies, will handle corporate, commercial and medical...

Healthcare: Binks in swift exit from Tonic.
September 7, 2007... An account director at Tonic Life Communications quit this summer after just weeks in the job, it has emerged. Sophie Binks joined Tonic Life from Schering Health Care in July as an account director. Her hire had been part of Tonic's drive...

Healthcare: Pfizer rules out new PR search.
September 7, 2007... Pfizer has denied that it is on the hunt for new PR support in the UK for its flagship Viagra brand. The statement comes after it was revealed that Pfizer was in talks with marcoms agencies to sell the erectile dysfunction brand over the...

Healthcare: At a Glance - Tamiflu back in spotlight after pandemic estimate.
September 7, 2007... IS THIS THE GOVERNMENT'S PREDICTION OF A 'FLU PANDEMIC? Yes, it was widely reported last Friday that the Government has outlined plans for dealing with an outbreak, including cheery topics like mass burials and the possibility of storing...

City & Corporate: Brunswick retains pole place with chemical deal.
September 7, 2007... Brunswick has bagged the top spot in the Deal Watch rankings for the fourth month in a row after a quiet August. The agency took pounds 14.7bn of deal work last month. It was propelled to the top by its work on the month's biggest deal,...

City & Corporate: Pelham snaps up finance head.(appointment of Humphrey Lloyd at Pelham Public Relations)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Pelham Public Relations has signalled its intention to be a major league player in City PR by hiring its first financial director. Humphrey Lloyd takes the newly created post at the agency, having previously been chief financial officer at...

City & Corporate: Buchanan helps ROC Oil in UK.
September 7, 2007... Buchanan Communications is to handle UK financial PR and investor relations for the Australian oil firm ROC Oil. The agency won the brief following a four-way pitch, which is understood to have featured Weber Shandwick, College Hill and the...

City & Corporate: Can Rudd save BAA's reputation?(BAA PLC's Nigel Rudd)(ITV PLC's Michael Grade)
September 7, 2007... The theory that the reputation of a business is heavily dependent on the reputation of the top person is about to be put to rather a severe test. It is some years now since Burson-Marsteller did its first survey of the attitudes of journalists,...

Technology: Nintendo puts Cake on alert with agency review.
September 7, 2007... Nintendo is formally reviewing its UK PR account after eight years with digital specialist Cake in what the agency claims is 'an entirely commercial decision'. The video games giant is understood to have been interviewing hand-picked...

Technology: NEC enlists Hotwire to raise profile in IT industry.(contract with Hotwire Public Relations)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Technology giant NEC UK has signed up tech specialist Hotwire to boost its status in the digital entertainment sector. NEC UK considers itself 'one of the technology industry's best-kept secrets', according to general manager of marketing...

Technology: Buffalo to handle Luxoft UK launch.(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Specialist B2B agency Buffalo has been appointed to launch Russian software outfit Luxoft to the UK market, beating larger agencies Weber Shandwick and Lewis to the account. Luxoft has briefed London-based Buffalo to increase name...

Technology: Wag Ed to launch virtual trade site.(Waggener Edstrom's contract with GameXa)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Waggener Edstrom has won a brief to launch GameXa, a trading platform that allows online game players to buy and sell virtual currencies. The site currently caters to gamers playing the hugely popular World of Warcraft, which has more than...

Technology: Johnson King wins two web briefs.
September 7, 2007... B2B tech agency Johnson King has won two accounts in the web consultancy sector. Search specialist Recommind and French blog expert Digimind have both hired the London-based tech firm to increase their profiles in trade publications. ...

Technology: Inferno scrums down with Capgemini.(Capgemini UK PLC)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... IT consultancy Capgemini has hired Inferno as its new corporate PR agency for EMEA after a competitive pitch. The brief includes running Capgemini's press office and organising corporate events. Capgemini is a sponsor of this year's Rugby World...

Media Relations: What the Papers say - Prison staff get limited sympathy.(Gordon Brown )(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Another week, another challenge for Gordon Brown as pay staging rules, introduced when he was chancellor, brought prison officers out on strike for the first time in their union's 68-year history. Brown was applauded by most commentators...

Media Relations: 2 Minutes with... Will Scally, Founder, MusicnVision.tv.
September 7, 2007... - Online music channel MusicnVision.tv is set to launch in October What makes it different? Lots of IPTV channels buy library footage; this channel will be distinct because we are creating new content. We will have music news, exclusive...

Media Relations: Contact Book Update.
September 7, 2007... PRESS Patience Wheatcroft has resigned as editor of The Sunday Telegraph, to be replaced by Daily Telegraph deputy editor Ian MacGregor. Will Lewis, editor of the Daily Telegraph, becomes editor-in-chief of both titles. James Hall,...

News Analysis: A product recall need not be a crisis.
September 7, 2007... A record number of faulty products were recalled in the UK last year, and even more are expected in 2007. Robert Gray looks at the steps that companies should take when they are handling high-profile recalls. August was a bumper month...

Media Analysis: Survive Today, rejoice tomorrow.(British Broadcasting Corp.)
September 7, 2007... The Today programme is feared and respected in equal measure Hannah Marriott looks at what PROs can do to ensure interviewees come out unscathed. BBC Radio 4's Today programme, arguably the most sought-after and feared media slot in the...

Profile: Mr Entertainment makes over London - Robert Gordon Clark - MD and chairman, London Communications Agency.
September 7, 2007... It feels appropriate that Robert Gordon Clark's shiny new office sits directly opposite the derelict shell of the old Middlesex Hospital. Boarded up and sporting graffiti, the hospital awaits its pounds 1bn makeover by development...

Opinion: Seat of power is still occupied by Diana.(acceptance of Camilla by the public as a successor to Princess Diana)(Viewpoint essay)
September 7, 2007... 'Let it end here' was the parting sentiment from the Diana memorial service. The careful messaging from Prince Harry and the Bishop of London was picked up and reported in print and broadcast headlines in the UK and globally. And yet the House...

Opinion: Centred Brown has Tories in a right spin.
September 7, 2007... It is interesting to see that Gordon Brown was keen to accept an invitation to attend church with the Queen recently, but wild horses wouldn't drag him to the Braemar Highland Games. It shows, again, how keen the PM is to appeal to Middle...

Editorial: Don't let this boom become a bubble.(Editorial)
September 7, 2007... Big money account reviews for a new wave of dotcoms (Facebook, LinkedIn and Bebo this week, MySpace last month). Twenty-four-year-olds worth billions of dollars on paper. A jittery US economy and global markets. For those of us who...

Opinion: Letters - Farrow's graduate views are misplaced.(Letter to the editor)
September 7, 2007... So why wasn't Gary Farrow of The Corporation inundated with applications from graduates (Opinion, 31 August)? Perhaps offering 'nominal' pay gets you a nominal response. Many graduates leave university with huge debts. The ones that can...

Opinion: Letters - ...although some people back his case.(Letter to the editor)
September 7, 2007... Well said, Gary Farrow. Your piece on the absurdities of many 'meedja'-type degrees was spot on; especially following recent stories about the extraordinary list of courses available to the young. My 'university' was four years of learning to...

Opinion: Letters - I would have replied to Farrow's advert.(Letter to the editor)
September 7, 2007... Gary Farrow's statements about graduate attitudes were far too sweeping. I am on a sandwich year placement, putting theory of PR into practice within an office environment. I am living in London while working on placement and barely cover my...

Opinion: Letters - Government rosters are too much trouble.(Letter to the editor)
September 7, 2007... Robert Gray's article on government rosters (Features, 31 August) was spot on. In 2005 we invested enormous time and effort to get on a government roster and in two years have only had three opportunities to bid for any work. We were...

Opinion: Letters - ViewPoint - PROs need to be better marketeers.(Letter to the editor)
September 7, 2007... Adrian Brady - managing director of Eulogy - uses his Viewpoint to encourage the industry to increase its influence within the marketing mix. In this week's podcast - available at www.prweek.com/uk - Brady warns the onus is on agencies:...

Campaigns: TfL pedals a grand tour around London - Public sector.(Transport for London)
September 7, 2007... Campaign: Le Grand Depart Client: Transport for London PR Team: Transport for London and Four Sports, Arts & Sponsorship Timescale: October 2006 - July 2007 Budget: pounds 100,000 OBJECTIVES To demonstrate London's ability to...

Campaigns: Congregational praises Lucre poster campaign - Consumer.(www.congregational.co.uk)(Congregational & General Insurance)
September 7, 2007... Name: Pulpit Puns & Saintly Slogans Client: Congregational & General Insurance PR Team: Lucre Timescale: March-July 2007 Budget: part of a retainer OBJECTIVES To raise Congregational's profile among the Christian community. To...

Campaigns: Lawton uses waste laws to aid NetRegs - Public sector.
September 7, 2007... Campaign: Site Waste - It's Criminal Client: NetRegs PR Team: Lawton Timescale : January to March 2007 Budget: Undisclosed OBJECTIVES To raise awareness of changes to site waste management legislation for construction...

29 under 29: Bright young things.
September 7, 2007... Many of the biggest talents in the PR industry are still in their twenties. Alex Black profiles some of them. Recruitment may be an increasingly fraught issue in the PR industry, but judging by the number of excellent PR professionals under...

Diary: Firebrand journo is hot media property.(Neil Boorman)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Diary has always been known as a bit of a twisted fire-starter, so news of journalist and author Neil Boorman's book, Bonfire of the Brands, published earlier this week, was received with some interest. It recounts the tale of Boorman's...

Diary: The PR Office... in a league of its own.
September 7, 2007... There is now a UK football team sponsored by a PR agency. The South Mancunians A, currently in the good half of the Maccabi Southern Football League, is now proudly supported by The PR Office. As well as funds for training, the arrangement...

Diary: In the running for fittest boss award.(Caroline Kinsey)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... At the risk of throwing down a lycra-clad gauntlet, we have unearthed the UK's fittest PR boss. Step forward the marathon-running MD of Cirkle, Caroline Kinsey. Kinsey has made the shortlist of The Daily Telegraph's search for 'Britain's...

Diary: Mischief boss is at home at awards.(Mitchell Kaye)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Mischief managing director Mitchell Kaye was full of beans last week after seeing his agency listed in the final few vying for the New Consultancy of the Year award in the PRWeek Awards. Kaye booked tables at the event for staff and...

Diary: Hit or Miss... Many unhappy returns for HM Revenue.(United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs)(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Tax need not be taxing but it has been for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It was forced to admit to the latest in a string of major errors over tax credits. Having already blundered by asking cash-strapped families to return overpayments, it...

Diary: Let's Meet at - Clavelshay Barn, Somerset.(Brief article)
September 7, 2007... Reviewed by Tim Gay, owner, Morgan Communications For those of us who practise PR outside of the major centres, finding good places to entertain clients can be tricky. This is certainly the case in Somerset. Clavelshay Barn is located...

Whitehorn takes new direction.(Will Whitehorn )(Brief article)
September 14, 2007... Richard Branson's right-hand man Will Whitehorn is to step down from day-to-day PR support in order to concentrate on promoting Virgin Galactic. Whitehorn is currently brand development and corporate affairs director at Virgin Group, as...

Key Blair aide heads back to Bell Pottinger.
September 14, 2007... Tony Blair's former director of comms David Hill is to take a top role at Lord Bell's PR empire. It is understood he rejected various job offers from FTSE 100 companies. Hill is to join the Bell Pottinger Group as a director based in The...

Israel promotes its 'safe airline'.
September 14, 2007... Israeli national airline and long-term terrorist target El Al is embarking on a PR drive that will try to turn what was once seen as a negative into a marketing advantage. El Al will promote itself as the safest carrier in the sky. El Al...

Speedo and Sputnik Communications part company.(Brief article)
September 14, 2007... Iconic swimwear brand Speedo is on the hunt for a consumer PR consultancy, parting company with its retained agency of almost six years Sputnik Communications. Sputnik declined to re-pitch for the account, which is believed to include the...

Nexus in unclaimed fees row with BBQ Association.
September 14, 2007... Nexus Communications has claimed it is owed thousands of pounds by BBQ Promotions, the now-defunct company that funded former client the National BBQ Association. Storm Communications also claims to have been short changed by BBQ...

Starwood briefs Luchford APM.(Starwood Hotels & Resorts Inc.)(Brief article)
September 14, 2007... Starwood, one of the world's largest hotel and leisure groups, has briefed Luchford APM to bolster its European PR efforts. Luchford APM will now concentrate on boosting the profile of brands such as Sheraton, Westin and Le Meridien in...