PR News in Brief

This week’s PR news in brief (7 – 11 May)

Catch up on the week’s essential PR news, featuring Mongoose CEO Chris O’Donoghue, a trio of Cultural Comms wins and the ultimate media monitoring buyer’s guide.

2018 State of the Media webinar


Fake news, declining trust in social media, search engines bypassing traditional outlets and more have transformed the media over the past 12 months.

For Cision’s 2018 State of the Media survey, we wanted to discover what these changes mean for PR professionals. So, we polled 1,355 journalists from across the globe on the big issues shaping the industry.

This webinar will explore our key findings – with expert commentary from Jack White, celebrity content director, NowWomen’s OwnWomanWomen’s Weekly and W Communications account director Sean Allen-Moy along with Cheryl Douglas, Cision’s head of media research and jobs.

Douglas will summarise this year’s key takeaways, before passing over to White as he talks about how journalists and PRs can work together to tackle the biggest challenges facing the media today. Then, Allen-Moy will draw on his experience working at Sky News and the BBC to consider what this all means for comms professionals.

Register here to join this webinar

Thought leadership


With the digital transformation of the media industry, there is now an endless trail of content for comms professionals to monitor and report to their stakeholders.

Gathering metrics, analysing the data, tracking against competitors and measuring against business objectives can be more than a full-time job.

That’s where new media monitoring solutions can help – and this digest will provide you with an overview of what an effective media monitoring service should look like for your organisation.

Interviews


Jayna Rana, senior reporter at Investment Week, discusses winning her second AIC Trade Journalist of the Year award, what makes the title unique and how she likes to work with PRs.

Chris O’Donoghue, CEO of Mongoose, elaborates on the agency’s rapid expansion, how sponsorship and PR go together and how a sporting ethos runs throughout the agency.

60 Seconds with Mongoose CEO Chris O'Donoghue

Chris O’Donoghue

Account wins


KK Communications has been appointed to launch the Margarita Loves Cointreau campaign for Cointreau and handle the brand’s Christmas activities. It will also run the press office for fellow Rémy Cointreau brand METAXA.

Royal jewellers Garrard has appointed Cultural Comms to develop its position as a British heritage brand, with a renewed focus on its silverware and trophy expertise.

Cultural Comms has also been appointed to launch the Four Seasons Residences at 10 Trinity Square in London and launch an opera house in Leicestershire for the David Ross Foundation.

The CAN Group has signed influencer Phoenix Brown, the daughter of Spice Girl Mel B, to its roster. The agency will represent Brown on a number of upcoming projects.

Phoenix Brown

Hudson Healthcare, a family-owned group of care homes, has handed a combined media relations, digital marketing, and stakeholder engagement brief to The PR Office.

Premium organic baby and toddler brand Little Freddie has selected Aduro Communications as its strategic comms lead.

Skincare brand Jan Marini has appointed RKM Communications to manage its UK social media platforms and community management.

MS International Federation has appointed Spider to handle communications for its annual Kiss Goodbye to MS campaign.

Luxury womenswear designer Geoffrey Sas has appointed Kay Flawless PR to represent his fashion label ahead of its spring/summer 19 launch during London Fashion Week.

Fitness brand Slendertone has appointed Mongoose to handle its brand activations and launch its latest line of abdominal toning devices in the UK.

Hair care brand Virtue has appointed Kilpatrick PR to represent it in the UK.

Camron PR is now representing Biennal Interieur, an international design exhibition that will take place in Belgium in October.

People news


Edelman has hired Andrew Wilson as executive director, purpose and Mark McGinn as director, brand and social purpose.

Edelman enhances its brand purpose offer with two new hires

Edelman executive director, purpose, Andrew Wilson

Haggie Partners has appointed of Nick Ravenscroft, a former BBC, ITN and Sky correspondent, as a director in its PR division.

Allison+Partners has appointed Harry Ronaldson as vice president, with a brief to grow the agency’s B2B offering. Katie Rispin has also joined Allison+Partners as senior account director.

Health sector support body Medilink North of England has hired Mary Hickey as senior PR director.

Agency news


BECG, the UK’s largest Built Environment specialist communications agency, has launched in the East of England. BECG director Ally Kennedy will lead the new regional division.

Allison+Partners has entered a strategic partnership with UK-based talent and influencer agency Beyond to enhance its consumer capabilities.

LEWIS has launched a 3D animation service in the UK, enabling it to provide clients with VR and augmented reality-based marketing solutions.

PRCA news


The PRCA has entered into an agreement with the Marketing Agencies Action Group to share back office services including office space, IT services, event management, web development, social media support and accounting services.

It has also appointed Steve Dunne as its latest Fellow. Dunne is currently CEO of Digital Drums, a digital marketing strategy consultancy.

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