Category Archives: PR and SEO

Marketing, News, PR and SEO

East Midlands based businesses announce merger.

“We Believe We Can Add Rocket Fuel To The Business & Help Deliver Rapid Growth.”

Champions (Uk) Plc Announces Merger With Lowaire 

CHAMPIONS (UK) PLC is to merge with digital marketing and website development agency Lowaire, it can be announced today.

Staff from each of the companies enjoyed a celebratory breakfast as they marked the start of a new collaboration which is designed to “propel both organisations forward”.

The deal marks the latest chapter in a remarkable story as each business – both based in Loughborough – began as “bedroom start-ups”.

Champions’ (UK) Plc’s Managing Director, Matthew Hayes, spoke of the partnership and explained what he hopes the future holds.

He said: “The objective of the merger is to combine Lowaire’s local presence and ambitious attitude with Champions’ years of experience and extensive offering to provide a results-focused approach for our clients.” “Furthermore, it allows Champions to offer a full service to clients from start-up all the way to mid-tier and fast growth corporate organisations.”

Lowaire boasts an in-house team with expertise ranging from social marketing, paid media, SEO and website design and development.

Through this partnership, they provide a full range of digital marketing and website design services to meet clients’ ever-changing digital needs.

Just like Champions (UK) plc, Lowaire started out as a one-man team from a dining room table back in 2014.

Now it possesses a dedicated team of hard-working individuals who now provide services to over 100 clients locally, nationally, and globally.

Matthew added: “We understand how difficult and challenging the agency market can be and how lonely it can be from the point of view of starting from scratch.

“They have proved themselves over the first seven years of business, but what we believe we can do is help add rocket fuel to the business, taking the learnings and lessons of being a bedroom start-up agency ourselves. We know what is required to deliver rapid growth for the agency itself.”

Lowaire’s Managing Director, Adam Coley started the business because he believed there was a gap in the market for a digital marketing agency that provided a better, more transparent, and personalised service for clients.

He said: “This collaboration marks a significant milestone for us. As specialists in producing robust digital marketing solutions, Lowaire sees this partnership as an exciting opportunity to fuse with Champions’ established growth strategies.

“Having worked for various companies including the NHS, I was quick to learn how a more personalised and result-driven approach could lead to better results and client retention. “As an agile team at Lowaire, our nimbleness combined with Champions’ extensive experience will propel both our organisations forward.

“We truly believe our expertise coupled with Champions’ wide-reaching experience will uniquely position us in the marketplace and we look forward to sharing this exciting journey with our stakeholders.”

For more information on the exciting merger of Champions (UK) plc and Lowaire, please visit their websites.

Business Advice, L&D, Marketing, News, PR and SEO

How to Keep Digital Marketing Staff Up to Date With Skills

Your digital marketing team no doubt plays a pivotal role in your business. As with any member of your team, it’s in your interest to make sure they stay on top of their skillset, up to date with developments within their remit and have a chance to enhance their skills too. For areas where things might not change too frequently (perhaps something like bookkeeping or stock control), this may require courses or training on new software or even bringing in outside expertise to education on things like regulation changes.

But in an area that moves incredibly quickly, how do we keep employees up to date with skills and the wider industry knowledge?

There are, of course, training courses. According to recent statistics, there were over 18,000 Google searches for “SEO courses” in January last year alone, a 500% increase over 6 years. So demand is high for training around SEO, PPC, social media and other forms of digital marketing.

But the reality is that very often, something has changed in the time it might take someone to get a course prepared, approved and delivered. So courses are incredible for fundamentals, introductions to new big changes and technology changes. But for day to day changes, keeping up to speed with advancements, new features on ad platforms and so forth, what else can you offer your employees?

 

Time

Keeping up to speed with industry blogs, with webinars and announcements from social platforms, search engines and other key players in the digital marketing space takes time. Is it feasible for you to offer up an hour or two a week for them to dive into recent articles, studies or play with some new tech?

This could be massively valuable in such a fast paced marketing world.

 

Conferences

Conferences can be really valuable if you go to the right ones. Aside from the speakers (who can of course have a lot of knowledge and insight to share) you enable your employees to network with people doing similar jobs in other businesses.

Now, as humans we can be a little guilty of tunnel vision in our work sometimes. When you’re focussed on your day to day tasks, looking at the wider picture isn’t a top priority. But getting the day out of office to listen to talks from industry leaders and network with peers can be really useful. You spend time listening to people share their own problems and the solutions they came up with and, if it’s the right kind of conference, come back inspired or armed with practical knowledge to apply to your own job.

 

Testing Playgrounds

Google will tell SEO practitioners that they made hundreds of tweaks to their algorithm annually. Ads formats and page layouts changes all the time. Cookie and privacy compliance laws seem to be being updated more often than we can keep up with. Something new happens in social media seemingly constantly.

And, let’s be honest, in marketing sometimes there isn’t one simple “right answer.” Take SEO, for example, we don’t simply have a list of Google rankings factors. So allowing your team the flexibility to hypothesise and test is really valuable.

Now, you may not want tests being run on your main business website. So consider giving marketing team members support, resources or time to run tests on sandbox type websites – either smaller and less important sites or yours, purpose built testing grounds or their own testing builds.

The lessons we learn from testing and trialling in marketing are often some of the most useful.

 

Why do you want to invest in keeping your staff skilled?

Keeping your staff knowledgeable and up to date within their own areas of expertise requires investment. But consistent development helps to ensure your staff are delivering the best for your business but also helps keep them motivated and content in their work.

Business Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships, Business News, Cardiff, Cardiff News, Environment, Environment News, Marketing & PR, Marketing and PR, Marketing, PR and SEO, News from Wales, PR and SEO, Sport, Wales, Wales News

Welsh Business MSS Group Partners With Cardiff Rugby

RSK, a global leader in the delivery of sustainable solutions, and its Cardiff-based environmental services company MSS Group are partnering with Cardiff Rugby to use their expertise to help the club achieve its sustainability goals. And the partnership already has players like utility forward Josh Turnbull and flanker Ellis Jenkins talking about their own sustainability goals.

RSK and MSS Group, both principal partners and shirt sponsors, and another RSK environmental business, Nature Positive, will work with Cardiff Rugby to help the club evaluate and reduce its environmental impact by examining a range of factors including team and supporter travel to matches, recycling and food and beverage packaging, waste management along with examining sustainable energy options such solar power.

RSK Chief Executive Officer Alan Ryder said: “RSK is an enthusiastic supporter of sport, and like MSS, which has been supporting the club for more than a decade, we’re looking forward to working together to take our relationship beyond the rugby pitch. We know how passionate Cardiff Rugby is about its commitment to its community. Through the Cardiff Blue Community Foundation, it uses the power and values of sport to inspire, engage and improve opportunities for communities. The environmental impact of all we do, and the choices that we make, affect all of us and we hope to work with the club and the foundation to talk about how we can all make a difference every day.”

Cardiff players Josh Turnbull and Ellis Jenkins prioritise sustainability in their own lives and said they hope to learn more from RSK.

Josh said: “I’m quite environmentally conscious and I’m very aware of things like single-use plastic, staying away from that wherever possible, and teaching my kids good habits around recycling, reusing, and reducing waste. It’s something I’ve become more and more aware of with the increasing exposure of the climate crisis, how much plastic there is in the oceans and things like that. Ultimately, we want this planet to be here for a very long time after us for our kids, their kids and so on. The more sustainable and responsible we can be in all areas of life the longer we will have this planet.

“We’ve had an environmental committee and as a playing group, we are very aware of the challenges and are always driving to be more sustainable in our environment. I was at Glastonbury recently and it was quite an eye opener in terms of how much recycling there is available, the way tents are recycled and turned into flags, sculptures made from recycled products.”

He added: “RSK is clearly driving the standards of sustainability and as a club, we want to be part of that. If they can help us drive those standards, collaborate and work with other partners to be more sustainable, then that is brilliant.”

Ellis agreed, saying: “I have always been passionate about the environment and sustainability, so it is great to see the club continue their partnership with MSS Group, and now their parent company RSK, who is such a major player within that space.

“We already have many sponsors and suppliers who promote sustainability, whether someone like Octopus Energy or our waste management company, so it is great to bring all of this together and take it to a new level with RSK coming on board.

“Personally, I am also trying to make small changes like only buying locally sourced meat to ensure it is farmed responsibly and the food miles are as low as possible. I am really excited to see how this partnership develops in the coming years and how much difference we can all make. Having RSK on board will not only help make us more sustainable as a club but educate us in ways we can all improve our lifestyles to reduce our footprint on the planet.”

Jonathan James, MD at the MSS Group, added, “I am delighted that MSS and the RSK family are continuing our partnership with Cardiff Rugby. We know first-hand the positive influence that the team has on the Cardiff community and South Wales, and I am excited to see the wider effect our collaboration on this important sustainability project will have.”

Marketing, News, PR and SEO, Tech

Global technology consultancy Thoughtworks selects Fight or Flight as UK PR agency of record

Leading global technology consultancy Thoughtworks has appointed B2B comms agency Fight or Flight as its UK PR agency of record after a three-way competitive pitch process.

Thoughtworks has spent over 30 years helping clients which include the likes of the ITV, Mercedes-Benz and the NHS solve complex problems, navigate disruption and software, and prides itself on its ability to connect strategy to practical execution.

Fight or Flight’s brief is to help Thoughtworks write and communicate the next chapter of its story, following an IPO on the Nasdaq and subsequent evolution of its brand and category positioning. The agency will provide strategic comms, thought leadership and media relations services.

 

“Thoughtworks is trusted by some of the world’s biggest and most consequential organizations – AI, cloud, customer experience and data strategy,” said Andrew Soane, Head of Marketing, Thoughtworks UK. “In partnership with Fight or Flight, their assignment is to significantly increase our visibility and share of voice in the conversations that matter to our clients.

 

The Fight or Flight team will be led by managing partner Joe Walton, supported by senior account manager Libby Barnes and associate director and broadcast specialist Jamie McNicholas.

 

Commenting on the new partnership Joe Walton, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Fight or Flight said: “Thoughtworks has an impressive track record of innovation in the technology consulting space and a team of experts with a compelling perspective on the intersection of business and technology. We love the hunger and ambition of the company’s leadership, marketing and comms teams, and are excited to be on board as their storytelling partners”

 

Thoughtworks is the latest addition to Fight or Flight’s growing client roster, which includes leading B2B brands AMEX GBT, Expedia Group, GitHub, LinkedIn, Nokia and Trainline. PRWeek named the agency the fourth fastest growing in the UK in 2022, and the first firm born this decade to reach its Top 150 table.

 

 

AboutThoughtworks
Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering to drive digital innovation. We are 11,500 people strong across 51 offices in 18 countries. For 30 years, we’ve delivered extraordinary impact together with our clients by helping them solve complex business problems with technology as the differentiator.

 

About Fight or Flight
Founded in 2020, Fight or Flight specializes in creative B2B campaigns that deliver both emotional and commercial impact. The agency’s global team of PR, social and branded content experts are on a mission to rid the world of tedious whitepapers, building earned, owned and social campaigns that turn heads and make headlines. For more information, visit https://fightorflight.com.

4 Day Week, Marketing, News, PR and SEO

BE YELLOW : The New PR Agency That Puts Social Values First with 4 Day Week and Remote Working Job Opportunity

Today marks the official launch of BE YELLOW, a PR & Marketing agency that brings together the power of social values and innovative strategies to drive success for their clients, as well as promoting fulfilling and flexible working for employees.

Hayley Knight, BE YELLOW co-founder and previous owner of ‘Boxed Out PR’ said:

“After several successful years running Boxed Out PR, I have reached a pivotal moment where my approach to work and life has evolved. I felt we could be doing more to not only promote the values which we hold dear, but also to use our skills and experience to help companies with strong values achieve their goals. This is why we created BE YELLOW.”

As well as establishing themselves as a remote-only business, therefore giving employees the freedom and flexibility to work from wherever they wish, BE YELLOW also promotes a ‘4 day work week’ initiative, where full time employees are given one day a week to focus on professional and personal development.

BE YELLOW believes that this progressive concept will not only create a company culture of curiosity and growth, but it will also boost productivity, creativity, and innovation across both client’s campaigns and the organisation itself, creating a happier and more engaged work environment for all involved.

Co-founder and Marketing Director, Marcus Knight comments: “In recent years there have been far too many people suffering from burnout and poor mental health as a result of increasingly demanding work obligations and ‘the grind and hustle’ culture. We want to show that there are other ways to succeed, and that work can indeed be healthy and fulfilling.”

BE YELLOW forecasts a bright future and is offering an exciting opportunity for someone to join them on this amazing journey, as a remote PR Account Manager. The candidate should embody the company’s values, excel in a remote work environment, and possess strong project management, communication, and interpersonal skills. Applicants should have a PR background, understanding of the digital landscape, experience in cultivating media relationships, and be comfortable with AI tools. For the full job description please click here.

“We have a strong vision for the future!” continues Hayley. “There is increased sentiment for businesses that place social and environmental policies at the forefront of their operations. We’re looking for people who share our vision, and we hope our work will encourage other companies to invest in employee welfare and socially-led initiatives”

LAUNCH VIDEO

Founders Marcus and Hayley are passionate about providing value and sharing information to help educate. To that end, they have launched BE YELLOW with a short video titled ‘Unlock Your PR Potential: 5 Essential Tips for Success’.

Watch the video here

The video will also be accompanied by a follow up detailed webinar and Q&A in a few weeks. Details of the webinar will be sent out via our mailing list at a later date.

Subscribe here

Manchester, Marketing, News, PR and SEO

Digital marketing agency Dark Horse seizes new opportunities in the UAE

Manchester-based digital marketing agency Dark Horse has won three new clients in the UAE.

It’s bolstering ahead with its ethos of disrupting the traditional agency approach by doing digital marketing differently to ensure that every client that it works with are SEO winners.

The agency is now going global having secured contracts with several new brands that operate within the UAE including Grout King, Tile King and Reno King.

The brands have appointed the digital marketing agency to take over its PPC and SEO campaigns to boost growth online in the UAE.

In addition to those UAE clients, the agency has recently won a raft of new business in the UK including award-winning UK outdoor brand Khyam, as well as Career Navig8r, the first dedicated mentoring platform focussed on job-role specific career guidance and development. Plus, Talos360, a market leader in talent software as service solution and online recruitment media that offers businesses in the UK a better way to attract, engage and retain the best talent to grow.

 

Michael Widgery at Grout King, explains: “I knew from the initial audit phase that Dark Horse was the right agency for us as it took the time to understand our goals and needs.”

“The experience of both the PCC and SEO team was clear from the outset, and we like that it rose to our challenges.”

 

Dark Horse’s managing director, John Keating, said: “We’ve done our homework and we’re confident that our famous ‘Dark Horse Digital Difference’ will be as successful in the UAE as it has been in the UK.”

“Dubai is the perfect location to build our business in the region and capitalise on growth opportunities as all three businesses are really focused on super-charged growth through digital.”

 

Dark Horse is a growing Google Premier Partner based in Manchester and recently rebranded with a new website and brand identity as it bolsters its reputation for pushing boundaries in digital marketing. It works best with brands that are bold, willing to challenge the status quo and “looking for innovative ways to take on the giants in their market.”

 

 

Leisure, Marketing, Marketing & PR, News, PR and SEO, Social Media

Yonda appoints Zeal to support growth plans.

Yonda, a leading performance wet suit brand, has teamed up with Zeal to support its growth plans.

The Leeds-based digital marketing agency will drive sales through an integrated digital marketing campaign, including website development, social media, email marketing, SEO, and PPC.

Yonda manufactures premium quality wetsuits and tri suits. The family-run business is based in Huddersfield and exports to the US, Canada and Europe.

Commenting on the move, Angus Greenwood, founder of Yonda Wetsuits, said: “Zeal brings a real passion for our brand and understanding of our product to the campaign. They have a clear plan to increase our revenue and the flexibility to meet our ambitious growth targets.

“Jane and the team are great to work with and are taking the time to get close to our business. It’s a partnership approach that works for us.”

 

Zeal is a full-service digital marketing agency based in Leeds. It is focused on supporting startup and scale-up brands to develop their e-commerce offerings. The team of 35 experts span everything from branding and design to SEO, PPC and programmatic advertising.

 

Jane Slimming, CEO at Zeal, said: “As an amateur triathlete, I know that Yonda’s wetsuits are a step above the competition. They are renowned for their quality and inclusivity by offering female sizing. We love their brand and are fired up to be part of their growth journey.”

Marketing, News, PR and SEO

“The healthy levels of mid-market M&A activity that we experienced since late 2020 look likely to continue through 2023.”

EXPERT ALSO SHARES HIS ADVICE ON THE PROS AND CONS OF GOING PUBLIC

Written by Neil Doyle

THE UK can still look forward to “healthy” levels of mergers and acquisitions in the second half of 2023, according to a leading business growth expert.

Matthew Hayes, the MD of Champions UK Plc, said: “There’s no doubt the continuing uncertainty over the long-term effects of the global pandemic, changing consumer behaviours, inflation and the Russian-Ukraine conflict pose a significant challenge for businesses. Yet dealmakers have, so far, been relatively undeterred and M&A activity has maintained its momentum. And the healthy levels of mid-market M&A activity that we experienced since late 2020 look likely to continue through 2023.”

Mr Hayes, who specialises in supporting clients to develop the best strategies for growing their business, continued: “One of the key questions we are often asked to help advise on is, what are the main advantages and disadvantages of going public?

 

“The biggest advantage associated with an IPO is fundraising. Once investors start buying IPO stocks, the proceeds from an IPO can be substantial. The company then takes this capital and typically puts it toward internal investments and expansion. The company can use the funds it raises for research and development, to hire more staff, or expand its operations in other states or countries. There are a variety of ways this new capital can be deployed to benefit the company.

“IPOs generate a lot of publicity. This, in turn, can drive more attention to the company and make investors interested in purchasing shares of its stock. IPOs are frequently covered in business news, which adds to the IPO buzz.

“Many companies that go public can end up having higher valuations. Because the public company has access to more capital and steadily grows its business, the shares of the company can increase in price over time.”

 

Setting out the drawbacks, he added: “The first factor a company must consider is cost. The company needs to work with an investment bank, which will charge underwriting fees — one of the largest costs associated with an IPO. Underwriting is mandatory to review the company’s business, management, and overall operations. Legal counsel is also required to help guide the company through the IPO. There are also costs associated with account and financial reporting. Companies will also accrue fees for applying to be listed on the exchange.

“From an investor’s perspective, investing in an IPO can also be a challenge. In many cases, individual investors don’t have enough information or historical data on the company’s performance to make a determination on whether an IPO is a sound investment.

 

Mr Hayes added: “Once a company goes public, it is now part of the public market. This means it is subject to scrutiny, market volatility, and investor sentiment. Every move and decision the company makes, such as a corporate restructuring, merger and acquisition, change in leadership, or release of earnings reports, will be reviewed closely by industry analysts and investors, who will provide their own opinions on whether the company is operating well or not. While the company’s leadership may not have had to worry about these aspects when it was private, a public company needs to keep these market pressures top of mind.”

Matthew Hayes is the Managing Director of Champions, a strategy-led growth and implementation partner for businesses with market leading expertise across strategy, digital, communications, creative and talent. It works with businesses in a state of transition, enabling them to achieve their strategic vision and increase EBITDA. For support in growing your business visit: championsukplc.com

 

Appointments, Marketing, News, PR and SEO

Cheetham Bell appoint New Senior Creative Team

Manchester’s big ideas Creative Agency, Cheetham Bell – part of EssenceMediacom North– today announced the appointment of two new senior hires.

Following the company’s move to the new WPP Manchester Campus at the start of the summer, the brand has continued to grow in strength and now report on a marque signing.

The creative Manchester duo – Hayley Platt and Amy Berriman – have been working together for some 12 years and are well versed in elevating a brand through creativity and design having worked at agencies including McCann Manchester and Forever Beta.

 

Leighton Horsley, Partner at Cheetham Bell commented: “We’re thrilled to welcome such an amazing team to Cheetham Bell. It means we can continue to put high quality creative ideas at the heart of our business, which is something we’ve been doing for over 30 years.

“We are known for our creative solutions and have significantly grown our client base this year, which is why we felt it was the right time to add to our talented team. Having worked with Amy and Hayley previously on a freelance basis, we knew they would be the perfect fit for Cheetham Bell.”

 

The creative duo have known each other since high school and are often referred to as the female version of Ant and Dec – you never see one without the other and you’re never quite sure which one is which – but they assure everyone that they do answer to both!

 

H & A said: “Cheetham Bell have some really exciting clients on board and a great team around them, which we’re delighted to now be a part of. They have made a strong and impressive start to the year so we’re looking forward to this new chapter and what’s to follow.”   

Cheetham Bell already work for some high-profile brands such as; United Utilities, Studio, Soreen and Boots, and with the heightened skillset and expertise of this creative team, they hope to excel even further.

 

Appointments, Marketing, News, PR and SEO

New Hires, Promotions and New Departments at Creative Events Company, Meet & Potato

Creative events company Meet & Potato (M&P) has today revealed its expansion plans that sees three new hires to the business and the creation of a new videography department as well as senior promotions.

With an increasing client need for visual content, M&P has hired Tom Guerrier, a videographer who has worked with all major UK broadcasters, such as the BBC and ITV.  This will enable the business to offer more than purely events to clients and facilitate ongoing content projects.

The agency has also appointed a further two new hires including Laura Williams, Event Producer and Niki Toth, Content Coordinator. The new structure of M&P has also seen Jo Prosser promoted to Creative Director from Head of Creative Experience.

Offering a dedicated videography resource will enable M&P  to create seamlessly produced events with tailored  content inline with event themes and also stand alone client brand videography. Leading this new department, Tom has over 15 years filming experience, previously holding the role of Senior Producer at Zut Media supporting clients such as Hasbro and Liverpool FC, as well as roles at the BBC, ITV and Comedy Central.

Event Producer Laura Williams has huge industry experience, most recently holding the position of Senior Conference & Event Coordinator at the prestigious Titanic Hotel in Liverpool. Laura has also worked at Vitaflo International as Global Conference & Exhibition Organiser and at AMS as Events and Marketing Coordinator.  Niki Toth has also joined M&P to bolster the creative team to support the seamless delivery of events. Having worked in events and production in Hungary, before moving to Liverpool to study, Niki will work on the creative design of projects.

Overseeing the whole creative output of M&P will be Jo Prosser as the agency’s new Creative Director. Jo has up to 30 years of global experience in the creative industry, working in production, photography, film and advertising. This collective experience made Jo the natural choice for the role that will develop the creativity at the agency.

Talking about the news, M&P Founder Jon Kelly, said: “The team at M&P are the most agile and hardworking in the business. We make producing clients’ events look effortless. However the creativity,  hard work and preparation that goes on behind the scenes is essential for success. We have bolstered our team by bringing onboard Tom to establish our inhouse videography department projects, which will maintain the overarching theme of a client’s communication campaigns. Laura’s event expertise will be a valuable asset for us to continue to produce successful events, supported by Niki who is already proving to be an essential part of our creative team. The promotion of Jo Prosser from Head of Experience to Creative Director reflects how much we appreciate Jo’s creative input and global experience. With Jo overseeing the creative process at M&P our clients really do have a best in class events team.I am very excited that our new team will be able to deliver our best events yet for our wonderful clients, both new and long term.”

Meet and Potato (M&P) create events and produce content to showcase their clients’ unique voice and vision. Whether it’s a conference, gala dinner or awards ceremony, a product launch or experiential brand roadshow, a creative presentation deck or full video production, M&P makes emotional connections between brands and their audiences with immersive experiences and stories designed to entertain, educate and inspire. The agency works across all sectors with amazing clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Poundland, Holland & Barrett, Hotel Chocolat, Beauty Bay, Dunelm, Magnet and BASF.

For more information visit www.mandp.agency

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