Category Archives: Marketing, PR and SEO

HR, HR News, Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Pioneering Orchard Team Takes Ownership of the Business

Award-winning communications agency the Orchard Media and Events Group is setting up an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), one of a small number of Welsh pioneers who are following well-known brands such as John Lewis Partnership, Aardman, and Riverford in putting the business in the hands of its 70 strong team to protect its future independence.

Orchard has been providing a range of creative communications services to clients in Wales and across the world for 14 years, from Welsh Government to Principality Building Society, Aston Martin and Qatar Airways to Nando’s, the AA and Netflix. The agency creates corporate and public events for NATO, UEFA, and Johnson & Johnson; produces film content for Visit Wales, TV programmes for BBC, S4C, Channel 4, and National Geographic; and advises on sponsorships and partnerships for the likes of the RFU, the International Chamber of Commerce, and Orbex.

With the original founders moving on, the ownership of the business will be transferred to Orchard’s staff from October 1st this year, when an employee-owned trust will own and manage the company, the latest Welsh business to take this increasingly popular corporate route.

Orchard co-founder and outgoing Operations Director Al Wilson said: “When we looked at the options for succession planning, the EOT model stood out for us as a way to repay the hard work and commitment of the team here, and give them this huge opportunity to take Orchard into an exciting future. The ethos behind EOTs aligns well with the values we’ve nurtured in the company, and we know that the leadership and wider team are the people best placed to benefit from its future success.

“We‘re grateful to Andrew Evans at Geldards and Paul Cantrill, a Corporate Advisor with Cwmpas for their specialist EOT knowledge and invaluable support in getting us to this point.”

EOTs are becoming an increasing popular way to keep corporate ownership within the country of origin, in this case Wales, to secure jobs and provide more opportunities for talent to build their careers here.

Andrew Evans, a Cardiff Partner with Geldards LLP is hugely experienced in taking companies through EOT across the UK. Andrew said: “Geldards is delighted to be trusted with advising on the transition of Orchard to employee ownership. The shareholders, management team and employees have been very receptive to the idea of employee ownership and a desire to adopt “best practice” in terms of employee engagement to make the transition a success and the basis for future growth in the business.”

While ownership changes, it’s very much business as usual for the agency, with the current senior management team keeping hold of the reins, and a new Group Board bringing the skills and experience of a number of senior corporate figures to drive the firm’s strategic direction.

Joint chief executive Jim Carpenter said: “We’ve had a great reaction to the news from the team that’s built the business – they recognise the EOT protects Orchard’s  independence, sustains our successful working practices and values that might have been compromised in a trade sale, and avoids businesses coming in from outside to asset-strip the company.”

The EOT transfers ownership of the company to a trust, whose trustees of senior figures within Orchard and independent specialists will look after the interests of all employees. Current shareholders will be re-imbursed over time, proportionate to the financial performance of the agency, which will also influence the level of bonuses available to employees. There is no cost or liability for individual workers, but instead a great incentive to ensure the business continues to thrive.

Welsh Government is looking to double the number of businesses in Wales that are employee-owned by 2026 (from 2022), and supports the Employee Ownership Wales service at the development agency Cwmpas to ensure Wales-based companies remain in Welsh hands.

Orchard is an RAR+ Top 100 agency, winner of both Drum and Drum Recommends awards and has been included in the Drum Top Independent Agencies. Last year Orchard’s ‘Cymru i’r Byd, Wales to the World’ integrated, multi-lingual, multi-platform campaign promoting the nation’s appearance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup scooped both the prestigious Grand Prix and the Travel & Tourism World Media Awards.

Awards, Marketing, PR and SEO, News

‘Promotional bodyguard’ receives royal award

PromoVeritas, the leading global prize promotion specialist, based in Pinner, North London, has been recognised with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade.

Powering promotions worldwide, PromoVeritas shapes and implements prize promotions for the world’s biggest brands, including Kellogg’s, Cadbury, Walkers crisps, Pepsi, Corona Beer, Amazon and Mastercard. The company conducts prize draws, judges competitions and oversees ‘instant wins’ in more than 90 countries, and this has resulted in it being awarded the King’s Award for Excellence in International Trade.

The news follows three years of exceptional growth for PromoVeritas, which saw the business double its revenue, and expand its global reach to the point that now almost 50% of their income comes from overseas projects. Its rapid expansion means it is now one of only a handful of marketing agencies ever to receive a King’s Award.

Having run over 18,000 campaigns worldwide, from Chile to China, Austria to Australia, PromoVeritas has given away more than £42 million worth of prizes to over 5 million lucky winners. From its unassuming office in Pinner, the company ensures that prize promotions are run safely, fairly and legally. This includes independently selecting winners of prize draws, verification of live TV voting and handling the integrity and security of Golden Ticket instant win promotions.

Following the announcement, Jeremy Stern, Founder and CEO of PromoVeritas, said: “20 years ago, I had the idea for a new type of service, one that would bridge the gap between law firms and creative agencies, and would ensure best practice promotional compliance and the delivery of effective and secure marketing campaigns.

“It is so rewarding for the whole team to have our pioneering efforts recognised with such an esteemed accolade. We now work with over half of the UK’s top brands and have been able to help many of them to expand their campaigns internationally. It might be Energizer with an on pack promotion in 60+ countries, Amazon with their cross border Small Business Prize Draw or Booking.com with a truly global Win a Year Off campaign. Credit goes to my wonderful team and a big thanks to our amazing clients, many of whom have worked with us for ten years or more.”

 Guy Parker, Chief Executive of the ASA, the UK’s advertising regulator, said: “Congratulations PromoVeritas on your ongoing commitment to help businesses keep their promotions on the right side of the rules.

“With the ever-changing media landscape and new technologies providing a multitude of innovative ways to reach consumers, PromoVeritas has kept pace and grown, providing reassurance to clients that they’re running promotions that meet the high standards in place to ensure participants are treated fairly.”

In recognition of the company’s work, the team have been invited to meet King Charles III at a ceremony at Windsor Castle in July, and His Majesty The King’s personal representative, the Lord-Lieutenant will visit the head office in Pinner later in the year to present the business with its award.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise programme, now in its 58th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

PR partnership to focus on engineering obsolescence campaign

Engineering PR agency Stone Junction is partnering with excitation control system specialist Excitation Engineering Services LTD (EES) to handle its public relations within the UK and Middle East. The PR firm will be launching an industry report into power control systems to draw attention to obsolescence in electrical excitation and synchronous and power control systems. A key focus will be on how managing obsolescence can result in better regulatory compliance, reduced cost and a better total cost of ownership.

One of the first of its kind, the industry report will focus entirely on trends in the power control systems industry. The report will discuss how businesses in the sector struggle with obsolescence management, particularly in mechanical aspects of electrical excitation such as aging rectifiers and active cooling system failures.

This will provide opportunity for businesses to understand how managing obsolescence in the plant can help achieve regulatory compliance, consume less power and reduce energy bills, especially at a time when energy prices are forecast to increase.

“A staggering 30 per cent of assets within the average industrial plant are already obsolete,” explained Dr. Patrick Ball, account manager at Stone Junction. “Our campaign with EES aims to confront this reality, by offering innovative solutions that not only modernise systems, but also streamline efficiency and significantly cut operation costs across the sector.”

Excitation Engineering Services is a specialist in power control systems, manufacturing and designing excitation control systems for businesses internationally. As well as this, the specialist engineering business offers maintenance and commissioning for new and existing equipment. The firm also provides tailored consultancy and training to clients, including fault-finding, desk studies, asset reviews, and training courses related to excitation systems.

Stone Junction has a track record of working with businesses across technology and engineering, with recent CIPR award wins with Brazilian electric equipment manufacturer WEG and metalworking tool manufacturer Sandvik Coromant. This marks 46 awards for the PR firm since its founding in 2006, showcasing its expertise in STEM marketing.

“Stone Junction’s approach stood out to us, especially because of its successful work with leading global motor and generator specialist WEG,” explained Colin Cox, business development manager at EES. “The team’s pitch impressed us with solid examples of their previous successes, such as the ‘unbreakable’ guitar from Sandvik Coromant and national coverage in publications like the Financial Times. The entire campaign is tailored to our business goals, especially the agency’s strategies for raising our European and Middle Eastern presence through the creation of our industry report.”

Discover how Stone Junction’s PR campaigns can elevate your brand’s visibility and industry standing by exploring its portfolio, or get in touch at sayhello@stonejunction.co.uk to learn how its tailored PR strategies can drive results for your business.

Awards, Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Stafford PR firm dominates PRCA DARE Midlands shortlist

~ Stone Junction shortlisted for six PRCA DARE Midlands awards, including Large Consultancy of the Year ~

Stafford-based technical PR agency Stone Junction has been shortlisted for six categories in the PRCA DARE Midlands awards: B2B Award, Event/Launch of the Year, Integrated Campaign of the Year Award, Purpose Award, Rising Star of the Year and Large Consultancy of the Year. The shortlistings follow an impressive twelve months for Stone Junction, which saw it win new twelve new clients, generate over 7,000 pieces of media coverage and reward staff with a combined £75,714 in pay rises.

Stone Junction’s campaign, The lynchpin of British industry, which is shortlisted for Event/Launch of the Year and Integrated Campaign of the Year, saw the agency promote two industry-leading events; Advanced Engineering and Lab Innovations. Both shows, organised by Easyfairs, took place at the NEC, Birmingham, on November 1 and 2, 2023 and were co-located across three halls to drive cross-sector collaboration.

Stone Junction’s PR activity generated 302 pieces of UK trade media coverage, exceeding the target by 67 per cent, and the event saw a 5.6 per cent increase in visitor registrations compared with the previous year. 25 per cent of the campaign’s coverage referenced sustainability, which was a key theme across both shows.

“Stone Junction has been a valuable partner for the last few years in our Lab Innovations and Advanced Engineering campaign,” explained Charlie Taylor, marketing manager at Easyfairs. “Its integrated approach blending traditional PR with digital strategies has driven remarkable results.”

In the agency’s shortlisted B2B campaign, Driving sustainability and efficiency, Stone Junction helped Brazilian engineering company WEG communicate a significant EU regulatory change for electric motor efficiency, securing an impressive 480 pieces of coverage in global trade press. Furthermore, the team’s efforts resulted in a substantial growth of 4,774 new followers on WEG’s LinkedIn page.

Stone Junction was also shortlisted for the Purpose Award, for its client Katrick Technologies. Here, the team’s strategic campaign successfully positioned Katrick as a Greentech disruptor, achieving 211 pieces of trade media coverage, including a five minute segment on BBC Click in December, 2023. This helped Katrick win the Energy Innovation Award at the National Sustainability Awards, 2023, and be invited for a meeting at 10 Downing Street.

“A key objective for us is to change the ways business market themselves,” explained Richard Stone, managing director of Stone Junction. “The results the team achieved last year, especially on the shortlisted campaigns, shows our joined-up PR campaigns are delivering meaningful results for our clients in terms of media coverage, social media engagement and web traffic.”

Leah Elston-Thompson Chart.PR, account director at Stone Junction and a member of the agency’s management team, is shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year. Elston-Thompson became the agency’s fourth CIPR chartered practitioner in 2023 and leads a team of five PR consultants that manages a significant amount of annual business.

Finally, Stone Junction is nominated for Large Consultancy of the Year following a year that included moving into a new, larger Stafford-based headquarters and establishing its presence overseas.

To find out more about how Stone Junction can help your business establish an award-winning technical PR campaign, contact the team on sayhello@stonejunction.co.uk.

Appointments, Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Creative agency Fluid Ideas makes key hire to lead new team

Full-service creative agency Fluid Ideas has made a key strategic addition to its senior team with the appointment of Olivia Elliott as its head of performance and innovation.

Fluid has created the new P&I team to place greater focus on delivering impact for campaigns and projects undertaken for clients beyond traditional performance marketing tactics.

It is also focused on supporting continued innovation across Fluid’s 55-strong team to provide clients with forward-thinking solutions to their business and brand challenges.

Olivia, formerly head of digital marketing at BiGDUG and Davpack, has extensive experience in performance marketing and fast-paced e-commerce businesses, with a strong track record of expanding customer bases through an array of digital programmes and initiatives.

Her expertise spans SEO, PPC and paid media, email marketing, conversion rate optimisation, marketing automation, affiliate marketing and marketplace management on Amazon and eBay, as well as steering acquisition strategies.

Ed Bowler, joint managing director of Fluid, said: “Olivia is a strategically important addition to the senior team as we increase our focus on performance and innovation both internally and for our growing client base.

“The fact that we are investing in a team that’s dedicated to driving performance is rare for an independent regional agency, and it’s been extremely well-received by our clients. We’re passionate about helping to drive success for them as well as ourselves.”

He added: “Whenever we recruit, we assess whether the person can be a long-term addition to Fluid who wants to build something meaningful with us, brings something different yet complementary to their 50-plus colleagues, and will be a good fit in our long-standing client relationships. Olivia ticks all of these boxes and more.

“In terms of values and character she is an ideal fit, and her depth of expertise in performance marketing will take Fluid to a new level, as we focus on delivering creative strategies and impactful results across the board.”

Olivia said: “I’ve joined Fluid at an exciting time and I am thrilled to lead a dynamic team dedicated to pushing the boundaries and driving results in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

“I really like the ethos and culture at Fluid and being alongside like-minded people who are committed to making a positive impact through their work.”

Fluid is an award-winning agency based at Darley Abbey Mills, a World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Derby. It recently added to its operations with a six-figure investment to create a drive-in studio for filming, photography, recording and events.

Its global client base is focused on four sector specialisms – care and wellness, property and developments, manufacturing and distribution and education and training.

Marketing, PR and SEO, News, North of England, Waste and Recycling

Impact Environmental Group Appoints Zeus PR

IEG EMEA, a division of the Impact Environmental Group with operations situated strategically across the US and the UK, has appointed Cheshire-based Zeus PR following a group-wide tender process.

The agency will now support the entire organisation, including all four trading brands, working closely with the IEG EMEA board, including Managing Director David Williams who heads up the board, and Commercial Director Pete Dickson, to formulate and develop a reputation-building PR and content strategy.

The appointment follows hot on the heels of the IEG EMEA’s substantial expansion in 2023. Last year saw two further UK acquisitions cementing the group as a global waste industry category leader, as UK Container Maintenance (UKCM) and Capital Compactors and Balers (CCL), joined Container Components Europe (manufacturer of Duraflex lids), and Egbert H Taylor to sit within the IEG EMEA’s portfolio of aligned industry-leading brands.

 Anthea Fosti Managing Director of Zeus PR comments: “We will be showcasing IEG EMEA’s impressive service offering as the leading European operator in the provision of waste and recycling products and service solutions, and we are very much looking forward to working closely with the group and the four individual business centres on this far-reaching brief.

“We have already enjoyed a 10-year partnership as the retained PR provider for UKCM, and following their acquisition by IEG EMEA last year, we were very pleased to be invited to tender for, and subsequently be awarded, the group-wide brief.”

Pete Dickson, Commercial Director at IEG EMEA states: “‘As we develop the IEG EMEA brand and its recognition, a positive and creative PR partner is essential. On the back of its impressive work for UKCM over the last decade, we are pleased to have partnered with Zeus PR; and look forward to working with Anthea and her team.”

Founded in 1999, IEG as the parent organisation headquartered in Elgin, Illinois has rapidly grown into a global environmental products and services business, providing a comprehensive suite of new and replacement products for waste containers, collection and compaction equipment, and waste transportation equipment, and it is ambitious to expand IEG EMEA further where synergistic opportunities can enhance their customer value proposition.

The EMEA division, as with the wider global IEG organisation it resides within, plays an important role in the pursuit of a circular economy, providing products and services to the global waste and recycling industries. The business is a procurer of top-quality materials and a key advocate for sustainability, whilst maintaining competitive prices.

 

Charity & CSR, Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Dragon’s Den-style initiative launches offering Shropshire charities the chance to win free marketing worth £10,000

Midlands-based marketing agency, Reech, has announced the launch of its ‘Reech & Reward’ initiative for 2024, offering Shropshire charities the chance to win free marketing support worth £10,000.

The scheme, first created in 2022, sees local charitable organisations participate in a Dragon’s Den-style pitch to a panel of marketing experts, with one deserving winner chosen to benefit from Reech’s full-service marketing offering.

Support for the winning charity can include anything from strategy and branding advice to website and digital marketing consultancy, as well as creating video and photography content. Three shortlisted charities will also have the opportunity to secure up to £5,000 of support through 50/50 match funding*.

The launch of Reech & Award 2024 will be marked with a dedicated event on 18th April at Refresh Café at Severn Hospice, from 2pm until 3:30pm. Interested charities will have the opportunity to learn more about the application process, hear directly from past winners about how Reech & Reward has impacted their organisation and network with other charities.

In 2022, local food waste charity, Shrewsbury Food Hub, was chosen as the first winner of the scheme, receiving Reech’s support for its branding, email marketing, video and photography. Reech also helped the charity create its ‘Taste Not Waste’ campaign, which was recently shortlisted for a coveted marketing and advertising industry award.

Last year, local boxing charity, Brightstar, was crowned winner of the competition, utilising Reech’s support to refresh its visual identity, with plans to launch a video campaign later this year capturing Brightstar’s mission for nationwide impact.

Amelia Redge, growth director at Reech, said: “We are extremely proud and excited to launch our Reech & Reward initiative for 2024.

“This is an opportunity for us to give back to the local community and celebrate the amazing work charities are doing across Shropshire. The competition has already had a tremendous impact locally since being unveiled in 2022, and we can’t wait to see the proposals for this year.”

Once the winning charity for 2024 has been selected, they will be invited to participate in a ‘discovery workshop’ with the Reech team, to identify their key challenges and determine the marketing support they will benefit from the most. Reech will then devise a bespoke roadmap to achieve their goals.

For more information, visit: www.reech.agency/reech-and-reward-2024

* Additional benefits for the main winner will be disclosed at the launch event. Reech will match fund up to £10,000, allowing a total of £5,000 of support to be secured for shortlisted charities.

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Key Strategic Appointment at Orchard Media and Events Group  

Senior strategist Sarah Mason has joined the Cardiff-based, award-winning communications agency Orchard in the new role of Group Strategy Director to help take the £15 million turnover company onto the next level.

Orchard has been providing a range of creative communications services to clients in Wales and across the world for 14 years, from Welsh Government to Principality Building Society, Aston Martin and Qatar Airways to Nando’s, the AA and Netflix. They create corporate and public events for NATO, UEFA, and Johnson & Johnson; produce film content for Visit Wales; TV programmes for BBC, S4C, Channel 4, and National Geographic; and advise on sponsorships and partnerships for the likes of the RFU, the International Chamber of Commerce, and Orbex.

Sarah has already got stuck into her new role, drawing on her previous experience at VCCP, The & Partnership (now T&Pm), Publicis and Wunderman (now VML), as well as her freelance stints at Havas London, Accenture Song and Oliver Agency. Sarah has also worked with some impressive clients including Compare The Market, ASDA, Barclays, L’Oreal and The Prince’s Trust, and has co-authored a winning IPA Effectiveness paper.

Orchard co-chief executive Jim Carpenter said: “We’re a well established leading independent regional agency and work with big brands, offering an integrated range of marketing communications solutions. We’ve been looking for some time to appoint someone of Sarah’s calibre into this significant new strategic role at Orchard, and we’re really excited to work with Sarah to take us onto the next level.”

Orchard is an RAR+ Top 100 agency, winner of both Drum and Drum Recommends awards and has been included in the Drum Top Independent Agencies. Last year Orchard’s ‘Cymru i’r Byd, Wales to the World’ integrated,  multi-lingual, multi-platform campaign promoting the nation’s appearance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup scooped both the prestigious Grand Prix and the Travel & Tourism World Media Awards.

On her appointment, Sarah said: “Orchard is an agency I’ve long admired from afar, so I’m thrilled to now be part of the team, bolstering their strategic offering as they embark on this exciting next chapter.”

Home Improvements, Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Nolte Küchen turns up the Heat with Zeus PR

Nolte Kitchens UK, the UK arm of leading German Kitchen Brand Nolte Küchen has appointed NW based specialist home interest PR agency  Zeus PR to support its ambitious growth plans.

Following a competitive tender, the PR agency will be establishing the UK press office for the brand, and undertaking an energetic content-led PR campaign.

Zeus PR is tasked with building the brand’s reputation with a far-reaching national consumer press and influencer strategy. This will be twinned with trade media outreach to promote Nolte Kitchens UK dedicated contract kitchens division that serves both boutique housing projects and large-scale developments.

Nolte Kitchens UK, headquartered in Wilmslow, Cheshire has 15 showrooms nationally in premium high street locations including a flagship store in Westminster, London, and further UK expansion is imminent.

Its parent company Nolte Küchen has a rich history dating back to 1958 and has been voted Germany’s favourite kitchen brand for five years running. The company manufactures at their plant in Germany over 900 kitchens a day and exports to over 60 countries.

Nadine Rowley, Digital Marketing Manager states: “It’s a hugely exciting time for Nolte Kitchens UK. We have big plans for the next 12 months that will allow us to further enhance the presence of Germany’s favourite kitchen brand in the UK retail market, and I’m confident Zeus PR will play a critical role in that growth.”

Anthea Fosti, MD of Zeus PR comments: “The sheer quality, innovation, exacting detail and stylised lines that Nolte Küchen has introduced is totally unique to the UK market. This coupled with the unrivalled design service and the standout, luxury showrooms in the landmark locations across the country, gives us a compelling brand story, and one which we are excited to tell.”

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Superfi Chosen For Inaugural Communications Accelerator Programme

Cherish PR, a Wilful Group company, announces it has chosen to support social impact app, SuperFi with its inaugural Communications Accelerator Programme, an initiative to help young innovators scale their businesses through powerful communications.

As one of the UK’s most respected tech and innovation communications firms, Cherish PR will provide SuperFi with communications counsel and advisory services, PR and publicity, content and campaign creation in 2024. Cherish PR has helped many of the world’s leading digital businesses and brands on their path to success, and SuperFi will join the Cherish client portfolio including global giants such as Airtasker, Wix.com, Vimeo, Kobo and Indiegogo.

SuperFi, is a social impact Fintech app that helps people to stay on top of their bills and out of problem debt, which will also help during the Cost-of-Living crisis. It was chosen for the programme after a powerful presentation and interviews with co-founder, Tom Barltrop.

Mr Barltrop, says, “We were really impressed with the calibre of work that Cherish has done over the past 20 years and we know how important good communications is in cutting through to investors, customers and partners. As we build SuperFi, we want PR to be at the heart of the business and we couldn’t be more delighted to have the power of the Cherish PR team supporting our journey.”

Lisa Wlodyka, Director at Cherish PR and Group Head of Digital & Innovation for Wilful comments, “SuperFi impressed our team with their innovative solution to those struggling financially and real focus on social mobility. When considering personal finance, managing money and changing behaviour, awareness and credibility are critical to generate trust and that’s where PR comes into its own. We were excited by the prospect of what we can do with SuperFi and how our work can act as a catalyst for the growth of a business that will have such a positive impact on society. It’s a win, win, win and we’re looking forward to partnering with SuperFi to make this a reality”.

Cherish PR launched its Communications Accelerator Programme in August 2023 to help young startups grow through effective communications. To mark its 20th anniversary and as part of its mission to “make change happen”, Cherish PR will dedicate a minimum of 150 hours of consultancy time each year to a young startup that is ripe to evolve and change the status quo. Thirty young companies applied in October with applications from across the globe, and as far afield as South Africa and Australia. Applications for 2024 will open in August this year and until then the team will be working closely with SuperFi to help them make change for good.

 

You can find out more about SuperFi and the Communications Accelerator Programme here Communications Accelerator | Cherish PR