Agency round-up: University brief for Aberfield; Bumper year for Blueclaw; Client hat-trick at KC Comms; Raft of wins at Approach; and more
Leeds Beckett University has tasked Aberfield Communications with delivering a strategic campaign for the institution’s internationally renowned Carnegie School of Sport.
Aberfield, the Leeds-based PR, social media and brand communications agency, was successful following a competitive tender process.
Carnegie School of Sport is one of the largest providers of sport in UK higher education, boasting world-class experts and facilities, and welcoming around 1,300 students a year. It is set to open a £45m state-of-the-art Carnegie Teaching and Research Building at the university’s Headingley campus in early 2020, bringing its highly specialist teaching and research laboratories together.
The brief will see Aberfield positively position the School within the university and communicate the wider societal benefits it has to students, stakeholders and influencers. This will be done through a programme including communications proposition creation, campaign strategy and delivery, including media relations around the launch of the new facility.
Tim Downs, director at Aberfield, said: “Leeds Beckett University is a real ‘sporting powerhouse’, with a long history of delivering pioneering sport related research and is home to world-leading experts in this field.
“The work Leeds Beckett undertakes directly impacts performance, participation, governance and coaching on a global level but delivers benefits that are felt far beyond the world of sport locally, nationally and internationally.
“This significant campaign is the latest in a series of high-profile partnership wins for Aberfield since the start of 2019, all of which involve generating positive influence and promoting change.”
Dee Reid, director of external affairs at Leeds Beckett University, added: “Aberfield’s understanding of our objectives and its focus on delivering genuine outcome-based results stood out and both the School and wider university are delighted to be partnering with the agency on this important project.”
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Larrisa Green
Leeds digital marketing agency Blueclaw is celebrating a bumper 12 months with a range of new client wins and retainers.
The agency has picked up briefs for cloud computing supplier Iomart, group tour operator Tucan Travel, ski break specialist Skiline and holiday lettings agency Travel Chapter, which has 30 different brands including Holiday Cottages.
Blueclaw has also landed new contracts with bookmaker Mark Jarvis, igaming specialist Gaming Innovation Group and sports betting tips provider Online Betting Guide (OLBG).
The search marketing specialist has also been retained by cruise line Royal Caribbean, car leasing specialist AMT Leasing and global gaming firm Betway.
Blueclaw strategy director Larissa Green said: “This reflects how significant a specialist the agency now is in these sectors, and is proof of our skills in achieving results in those fields.
“It is an incredibly exciting time for us. We are very much looking forward to working with our new clients to deliver great campaigns and boost their business, and to continue the high standard of work for our newly retained clients.”
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Huddersfield marketing and PR agency KC Communications is celebrating a hat-trick of client wins having been appointed by organisations in the manufacturing and construction sectors.
Specialist Glass Products (SGP), Yorkshire Brickwork Contractors and Sabel Cosmetics have appointed KC Communications to develop and implement long-term marketing and PR strategies. All three will also have new websites developed as part of the process to increase their reach online.
Sabel Cosmetics, based in Halifax, is a leading formulator, manufacturer and packer of hair and body care products, with an impressive client roster including Unilever, Sally Salon Services, Boots and Alliance Disposables.
John Abel, CEO of Sabel Cosmetics, added: “Sabel has been established just over 20 years and during that time we have had great success. However, now is the time to step it up and we believe that a defined marketing approach can help us to achieve that.”
Yorkshire Brickwork Contractors is a specialist brickwork, stonework and blockwork sub-contractor that works for local and national contractors throughout the UK within the industrial, commercial and residential sectors. Founded in 2018, this Huddersfield-based construction company has experienced rapid growth, and is looking to KC Communications to support in building its online presence and brand reputation.
Based in Milnsbridge, Huddersfield, Specialist Glass Products is a leading glass manufacturer specialising in annealed, laminated and toughened bends, as well as producing and supplying all types of flat glass. The appointment comes at a time of significant expansion for SGP, including the build of a 40,000ft² purpose-built glass processing factory and the addition of high-spec machinery, which gives the company the capability to compete in every sector of the glass market.
KC Communications managing director, Katrina Cliffe, said: “These recent account wins are testament to our experience in the manufacturing and construction sectors. I’m delighted to welcome our new clients on board, and to KC Communications playing a vital role in their growth.”
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Ilkley-based public relations agency, Approach PR, has won a series of recent new business appointments, achieving 12 new accounts in just six months.
The team’s significantly increased client base is comprised of both project wins and retained clients, adding names such as Airedale International Air Conditioning, The Works Recruitment, Eatons Solicitors, Hotel du Vin and Cavalier Marketing to its client portfolio.
In a strategic move to further strengthen its offering, Approach PR has also announced it is working in partnership with Leeds-based digital creative marketing agency, Favoured, to deliver performance related digital & content marketing.
Approach PR was established in 2001 by managing director Suzanne Watson and today delivers traditional, social and digital communications campaigns to strengthen brand awareness for clients in the business to business and business to consumer markets.
The Ilkley based agency has also worked on local not-for-profit events such as Ilkley Carnival, this year attended by 10,000 people and generating £14,900 for the community.
Darren Farrer, marketing manager from Airedale International Air Conditioning, said: “We were excited by Approach’s creativity and they have a proven track record with manufacturing clients that was really impressive. They made a huge effort to understand our business and its objectives which made a real difference and we’re looking forward to them becoming an extension of the Airedale International team.”
Approach PR is the company behind award-nominated Bradford Manufacturing Week, which last year generated 3,000 workplace experiences for students across the district, and Sparkling Bradford, helping to rebuild the city’s image throughout the festive and summer seasons.
As well as delivering award-winning transformational brand building campaigns for clients, it also delivers traditional and social media workshops under its training arm Approachability.
Managing director Suzanne Watson added: “This has been a transformative six months for Approach in which we’ve taken on new team members, doubled our office space and increased significantly our client portfolio. The entire team is involved in securing new business – it’s something we approach with an immense amount of passion and pride. I’m delighted with all we have achieved this year and we’re all looking forward to the coming months of delivering what we do best for even more local, national and international clients.”
The agency has also been shortlisted for two industry accolades within the Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRide (CIPR) Awards for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is in the running for ‘Regional Campaign of the Year’ and ‘Best Use of Media Relations’ for the inaugural Bradford Manufacturing Week 2018 campaign.
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PR and events agency Pink Gorilla and Hairy Lemon has secured a raft of new clients in recent months.
The Leeds-based firm has secured PR client wins including Harvey Nichols 4th Floor Bar in Leeds, Zaap Thai, Roxy Leisure, Camerons Brewery, Blackhouse, Merrion Centre and Arc Inspirations.
The firm has also landed its first property PR client, working with Mayfair Group investments on the launch of new developments.
Jordan Odu, director, said: “Over the past few years we’ve focused on the events and promotional sector working with national brands such as LNER, Mulberry, Hunters Belstaff and Topshop.
“We also worked on some of the best launches across Leeds for a number of years. Launching a fully serviced PR arm to the business was the natural progression to push the brand across the UK. I’m really excited for the projects we have coming up as we’re just getting started.”
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A creative communications agency’s rapid growth has been recognised with two national awards nominations.
Pace, based in the Fruit Market, Hull, has been shortlisted in two categories in the UK Agency Awards. The company is a finalist in the Most Impressive Small Agency Growth category and its Senior Digital Executive, Tom Holgate, is in the running for the title of Rising Agency Star.
Pace is a strategic insight-led creative communications agency, which was launched by MD Anita Pace as a team of three in 2015. It now employs a multidisciplinary team of 20 with skills across insight and analytics, brand and creative, marketing and comms and digital.
Recent client wins include international plastic roads company, MacRebur, global healthcare and home giant RB, two day music festival, Humber Street Sesh and hospice charity, Dove House.
Pace MD, Anita Pace, said: “In just four years, Pace has created 20 new jobs as our reputation for excellence continues to grow.
“It’s this commitment to quality that has seen us continue to win new clients, as well as develop trusted and embedded relationships with existing ones – some of which have been with us since the start.
“I’m really proud that our hard work has been recognised in this way both for us as an agency and for Tom as a young individual at the start of his career who has a bright future ahead of him.”
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