This week’s PR news in brief (27 November – 1 December)
Here’s our round-up of essential PR news stories and features from the past week, including an interview with New Scientist’s Rowan Hooper, Remarkable Group’s rebrand and new hires for WATATAWA and Cognito.
Opinion
Philip Smith, Cision’s head of content marketing and communications, EMEA, discusses the results of the 2017 Global Comms Report, published by Cision and PR Week.
Interviews
Rowan Hooper, New Scientist’s managing editor, talks about modernising the title for a digital age, its close relationship with PRs and the state of UK science reporting.
Account wins
Furniture and interiors retailer Heal’s has appointed Rewired to deliver national press office support alongside its in-house PR and marketing team.
Mongoose Sports & Entertainment has been appointed to publicise the UK launch of National Geographic Food magazine. APL Media Limited selected the agency to provide ongoing media outreach and comms support for the title because of its heritage in food PR.
Exhibitions specialist Upper Street Events has appointed Hills Balfour to manage PR for its portfolio of travel shows taking place in January, February and September next year.
BMW has appointed Issa PR to manage launch the automotive giant’s Art Guide Social Experience. The agency will produce a campaign to raise awareness of the BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors, including sending influencers to view art collections featured in the guide.
Winchester City Council has selected PR MEDIACO to run media relations activity for Visit Winchester. The agency will promote the city as a vibrant, ancient and cultured destination to the media and public.
Spread and jams firm Jim Jams has selected Piracy Corporation to handle its consumer PR. The agency will work alongside Purple Pilchard, which manages Jim Jams’ trade PR and marketing, to promote the company’s reduced sugar products.
Fashion brand London Rebel X has appointed Bright Light PR to handle its comms. The agency will help to promote the brand’s collection of shoes.
Agency news
Remarkable Group has rebranded and will now be known as Built Environment Communications Group (becg) following its acquisition of specialist property comms agency HardHat. The company celebrated its new brand with a launch event featuring Lord Digby Jones.
Ibiza publicity experts Claire Norrish and Pandora George have launched new travel PR agency Authentic IBIZA PR. The agency will work with a select list of travel and lifestyle clients, with Atzaro Hotel and Spa one of its launch accounts.
Chanel Communications Ltd is set to rebrand to Elevate Public Relations. The name change reflects the agency’s rim to raise its clients’ profile, products and services in the media.
Allison+Partners has expanded its Asia-Pacific operations by opening new offices in Australia and India. Pranav Kumar will serve as managing director in India, while Michelle Rovere will fulfil the same role in Australia.
People news
Ketchum’s Barri Rafferty will take the helm as the agency’s CEO in 2018, making her the first woman to lead a top five global PR firm.
Financial PR consultancy Cognito has appointed Thea Parnell as a director in its London office.Parnell’s knowledge of leading integrated campaigns across a variety of sectors will complement the experience of the agency’s senior team.
WATATAWA Consulting has appointed Tim Williamson as managing director for its new FinTech and Financial Services Sector Practice. He will be based at the consultancy’s headquarters in Singapore.
Cognito has hired Darrell Wright as its regional managing director for Asia Pacific. He joins in early December and is tasked with building relationships with the agency’s client base, and looking to add clients from financial institutions, technology and professional services.
Consumer comms consultancy Aisle 8 has appointed Myfanwy Kramer as senior lifestyle PR executive. She will work across the agency’s growing portfolio of lifestyle brands and report to Vicky McPhail, director of lifestyle and beauty divisions.
Awards news
The University of Sheffield, The Right Agency and Acceleris were among the winners at last night’s CIPR Yorkshire and Lincolnshire PRide Awards.
The university won three golds, including the coveted Outstanding In-House Public Relations Team award, while its media relations officer Amy Pullan was named as Outstanding Young Communicator.
Acceleris took home two golds and three silvers and The Right Agency won three golds and two silvers, including the silver for Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy.
A full list of winners can be found here.
The University of Sheffield team. Credit: ©Steve Pope – Fotowales
Welsh comms agencies Equinox and jamjar PR each took home four golds at the CIPR Wales PRide Awards ceremony in Cardiff’s City Hall last week. A full list of winners can be found here.
PR events
Time is running out for you to sign up to Cision’s final two events of 2017.
On Wednesday 6 December CNBC International’s Noelle Murbach-Lami, head of news and programming, and Cristy Garratt, head of social media and digital video, will reveal how the team likes to work with PRs, the best ways to pitch them ideas and exactly what stories their audience loves to hear about at Cision’s final exclusive media briefing of the year. You can reserve your place here.
Cision’s final webinar before Christmas will see Stephen Waddington, Ketchum’s chief engagement officer, make five PR predictions for 2018 and share practical tips on how you can prepare and take advantage of the opportunities. Sign up here and join Stephen and Philip Smith, Cision’s head of content marketing and communications, at 3pm on Tuesday 12 December to gain valuable PR insights for 2018.
