Media mix: MC2 are no doughnuts; Smoking Gun lathers up & more

DOUGHNUT retailer Krispy Kreme has appointed Manchester agency MC2 to handle its national PR account.

MC2 won the account following a competitive pitch, and will now handle all aspects of Krispy Kreme’s corporate and consumer PR. 

Krispy Kreme is planning to double its number of UK stores over the next five years, and regional launch projects will be an additional part of MC2’s ongoing remit.

MC2 had previously handled the PR for stores in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, where they helped Krispy Kreme launch.

Martha Goodfellow, account director in the consumer team at MC2, said: “Krispy Kreme is a brand that consumers love, but it’s also a business with an ambitious and exciting growth strategy – it’s a fantastic time to be working with the company.

Katie de Souza, head of marketing at Krispy Kreme, said: “We wanted to get some fresh ideas for the brand as we embark on the next chapter of the Krispy Kreme story in the UK, and MC2 was more than able to come up with the goods.  We’ve built up a really strong relationship with the team, and we can’t wait to start working with them on a long-term basis.”

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MANCHESTER -based Smoking Gun PR has landed a new brief with Dr Kurt Wolff to raise the profile of its Alpecin men’s shampoo range to coincide with a new TV campaign.

The Germain caffeine-based shampoo, which claims to counteract premature hereditary hair loss, is being targeted at men in their 20s and 30s. OR activity will include targeting features in the national press, radio and online.

Smoking Gun PR managing director Rick Guttridge said: “Figures suggest that 50% of men are effected by premature hair loss, so it’s no wonder this product is flying off the shelves already.

“We’ll be looking into the wider issues around ageing and stress to engage with guys who might not know that they can do something very simple and cheap about their hair.”

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MORE than 60 businesspeople met in Lancaster last week to receive tips on digital marketing.

A seminar was held at the Storey Creative Industries Centre on July 28 giving attendees the opportunity to learn the more about the business aspects of Twitter and Facebook as well as how to use modern customer channels more effectively.

Guest speakers Nikki Hesford (Miss Fit UK) and Bruce Thomas (Modern English) also provided case studies of how they have used social media to expand their client bases.

The event was organised by Regenerate Pennine Lancashire.

Steve Hoyle, managing director of Regenerate, said: “Regenerate has previously supported thousands of businesses in Pennine Lancashire and we are looking forward to working with more companies in our new coverage area for our innovation service, which now includes Lancaster and Morecambe.”

The next seminar, which highlights the potential of LinkedIn as a business tool, takes place at the Woodlands Conference Centre in Chorley on August 25th.