Media mix: Democracy; Roland Dransfield on a roll & more

MANCHESTER-based Democracy has been appointed to manage PR surrounding the launch of the new Co-operative Travel Management brand identity as the business severs the final ties to its former parent group.

The new identity is a transformative step for Co-operative Travel management and is the culmination of a period of focus in technology, digital and customer service under the guidance of chief executive Pat McDonagh and investment from new owners, the Saudi-based Al Tayyar Group.

With more than 1,000 clients across the UK, in sectors as diverse as education, construction and charity, Democracy is briefed to help bring the client base on the journey of change.

Jennifer O’Grady, founder of Democracy, said: “We are an agency who manages messages around change well, having experience of successfully taking companies through periods of adjustment and re-establishment. We know how important it is for a new name to establish trust with its audience, even one with so much heritage as the Co-operative behind it.”

Democracy has supported the re-emergence of the TJ Hughes brand following administration and run successful trust and consideration campaigns for clients including CORGI HomePlan, webuyanycar.com and Knowsley Safari.

Pat McDonagh, chief executive of Co-operative Travel management, said: “The co-operative principles will always run deep in the business – but it takes more than heritage and a name everyone recognises to win new business.

“We have invested heavily to improve our proposition and be the best at what we do and it’s that, along with our new identity, that we need to communicate to clients.

“Democracy grasped that right from the start and have the right contacts across all sections of the media to get our message and new name out there straight away.”

Co-operative Travel Management was purchased by Thomas Cook in 2011 and run as a joint venture until the sale to Al Tayyar in 2014.

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MANCHESTER-based PR and content agency, Roland Dransfield, has announced a raft of new business wins.

It has been appointed to handle the PR and stakeholder engagement for the arrival of Nuffield Health into Manchester.

The not-for-profit health organisation has a gym and fitness centre at the Printworks, a Medical Centre at Salford Quays and is preparing a planning application for a flagship hospital and wellbeing centre on the former Elizabeth Gaskell campus.

Roland Dransfield has also been retained to handle PR, content and social campaigns for insurance specialists Jelf Manson, Urban and Civic’s new £30m leisure scheme in Darlington, online estate agents The House Giant,  structural insurance specialists CRL and Haughton Estates’ Cheshire Green Employment Park, which has planning consent for 1.5m sq ft of industrial space.

To help support the team, Chloe Kendall has joined as account executive from Stephensons Solicitors.

Managing director Lisa Morton said: “Chloe joins us at a really exciting time as we have picked up such a range of interesting and diverse accounts.

“We are looking forward to working on these campaigns throughout 2015 and, to support what we believe will be a year of continued growth, we also plan to expand the team and are looking for more talented people with strong PR and digital skills.”

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BRING Digital hase been handed the brief to handle digital marketing services for
social media software provider Felicitas Media.

The Bolton-based business currently supplies social nedia services some of the UK’s biggest brands including Asos, Mothercare, Missguided and Parcel2go.com.

Jack Barmby at Felicitas Media said: “We’re extremely pleased to be working to with Bring Digital and we are confident they will increase the number of leads coming through our website.”

The appointment adds to Bring Digital’s growing list of clients which includes DW Fitness Clubs, Love Energy Savings and British interiors brand Graham & Brown.

Bring Digital’s managing director, David Ingram is confident the brief is the start of a prosperous relationship between the two Bolton-based businesses.

“It’s great to be working with Felicitas Media and we’re confident we can make a big difference to their online business,” he said.

“This is one of a number of new clients we have taken on in this year which represents a fantastic start to 2015 for our business.”