Media Buzz: Citypress; DARE Awards, BYPY

Citypress celebrates Birmingham’s second anniversary with can-do attitude

PR consultancy, Citypress, has celebrated its two year anniversary in Birmingham by securing a new high-profile client, Beverage Can Makers Europe (BCME), the non-profit-making trade body that represents Europe’s leading drinks can manufacturers.

Following a competitive pitch process, Citypress secured the PR contract to create and deliver campaigns to support two of the industry partnership programmes that BCME funds – Every Can Counts and MetalMatters – which are focused on driving up recycling rates for metal packaging, and drinks cans in particular.

Citypress will kick off PR activity with a campaign targeted at employees in the emergency services sector.  Projects will also include supporting drinks can recycling activities at major music festivals and ongoing business development.

The PR brief will be managed by Citypress’ Birmingham team which is looking to grow its portfolio of clients, who are based in the food and drink, retail, manufacturing and professional and financial services sectors.

The contract win comes during a period of growth for Citypress, which has enjoyed a spate of new client wins in the last 12 months including the UK’s leading water cooler supplier Angel Springs, manufacturer Bromford Industries and accountancy firm Smith Cooper, and follows the consultancy’s move into new offices on Newhall Street in the city centre at the end of last year.

Holly Jones, senior account manager at Citypress Birmingham, said: “This is a great win for us at a time when we are focussing on driving ahead-of market growth in the business. The BCME programme fits perfectly with our expertise in food and drink as we already work with one of the biggest food and drink manufacturers in the UK so are fully immersed in the industry.”

Chadlington praises regional PR

HUNTSWORTH CEO Lord Chadlington has praised the ‘skilled generalists’ of regional PR as he prepares to co-chair the PRCA DARE Awards judging panel.

The DARE Awards are five new day-long events being held across the UK including the Midlands, which aim to bring a more senior level of appraisal than previously seen at regional PR Awards.

Chadlington said that regional PR should be taken more seriously.

“People think that because you’re working in Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester or Scotland, your standards can’t be as high as they are in London – and that is absolute arrant nonsense.

“Very often the skills are greater, because you have to go across all of the methods of communication and PR and not concentrate on one, which makes you a skilled generalist, and I think that is a unique and very special advantage in the modern world,” he said.

The DARE Awards Midlands takes place in Birmingham on June 28.

Sky’s the limit for BYPY

Sarah-Jane MeeSKY News and Sky Sports presenter Sarah-Jane Mee, left, is to compere for this year’s Birmingham Young Professional of the Year awards.

Ian Cooke, member networks manager at ACCA and chair of the BYPY committee, said:  “I’m thrilled that Sarah-Jane has agreed to host this year’s awards.

“Having begun her career in the city, she has gone on to make her mark on a national stage and, as a former city-centre resident, has a real empathy for the city, as well as a strong understanding of what makes young professionals tick.”

The presenter began her career presenting sports news for ITV Central, before going on to co-host Heart FM’s breakfast show and also fronting Central Soccer Night.

This year’s BYPY awards take place at the ICC on Thursday May 2.

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