Media mix: theEword; MC2 The Write Angle & more

MANCHESTER-based digital marketing agency theEword is celebrating a strong end to the year with its appointment by Manchester Metropolitan University Business School to handle its online presence over the next 12 months.
The university has appointed theEword to carry out a campaign for its Business School to promote the benefits of its MBA course, particularly within the European market.
It will be provided with a bespoke integrated marketing campaign developed with the intention of boosting its visibility to search engine users, driving online traffic and increasing bottom lines.
MMU executive programmes director Dr Sara Ward said: “Education is an extremely competitive sector and the MBA market is particularly saturated with a wealth of providers competing to attract prospective students. As such, it’s vital that we stand out from the crowd.
“We’re really looking forward to working alongside theEword. We’re confident the team’s proven expertise in producing high-quality content will help to make a difference in terms of our online presence and, hopefully, application numbers.”
Director at theEword and alumni of MMU Business School Kleon West commented: “We’re incredibly proud to be working with MMU and to be marketing their Executive MBA programme.”
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MC2, the Manchester-based integrated communications agency, has been appointed to handle a strategic media relations campaign for V12 Retail Finance, a specialist provider of retail point of sale credit.
Cardiff-headquartered V12 has a strong heritage in retail finance, providing finance to customers of its retail partners for more than 20 years. V12 deliver innovative omni-channel technology, which provides a seamless experience for both the retailer and their customers.
MC2’s Corporate Advisory team won the account on the back of a hugely successful integrated communications campaign for V12’s parent company Secure Trust Bank, growing the account from an initial brief to handle commercial finance, to support for its asset finance, real estate and motor finance divisions.
The team has been tasked with helping V12 to be recognised as the leading provider of retail finance, focusing on key messages including customer service, staff expertise, quality technology and bespoke solutions. The targeted national campaign will focus on brand awareness in the company’s target sectors.
MC2 account director Liam Buckley said: “It’s always rewarding to see an existing client develop on the back of the hard work we’ve already put into the account. Dealing with all aspects of the business means we can take a broad view on overall strategy as well as the unique specialisms of V12, and that puts us in a strong position to support the business going forward.”
Secure Trust’s group head of marketing Jonathan Wilson added: “Every piece of work MC2 has produced for us to date has demonstrated a clear understanding of our business and our goals, and so it made perfect sense to extend our working relationship with the team to include V12.”
MC2’s Corporate Advisory team works with a range of other clients including Deloitte, Palatine Private Equity and Zeus Capital.
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CHORLEY-based marketing communications agency The Write Angle is celebrating two new client wins.
High voltage engineering contractor EDS Group, which specialises in the offshore wind sector, has selected TWA to help promote the firm’s technical expertise and credentials on a regional and national scale.
TWA is tasked with creating thought-led and engaging content in relation to the sector, which is set to boom in 2016.
Haslingden-based EDS, which incorporates EDS HV Management and EDS HV Services, has been operating as an electrical engineering company for more than 20 years, providing low voltage (LV) and high voltage (HV) services for distribution network owners.
Director of EDS Group Ken Ritson commented: “The next two years are set to be transformational in the offshore wind sector and to ensure we capitalise on the opportunities we are focusing on improved communications to facilitate our growth. The Write Angle’s marketing strategy will help complement this plan with relevant and interesting content, and we’re looking forward to working with the team.”
The Write Angle has also been successful in securing a social media and content generation brief for family-owned balustrade manufacturer, Delta Balustrades.
The Sandbach-based firm appointed the agency to create and drive the company’s social media strategy as well as generating thought leadership editorial for trade media.
TWA managing director Angela Smith added: “Our team has proven experience in the energy, building products and construction sectors and we are looking forward to using our industry knowledge to create thought provoking and shareable content for both printed and online media.”
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ECLIPSE Creative Consultants, based in Vicars Cross, Chester, has been recognised for its Google best practices by achieving Google Partner status.
The continued growth of Google as an advertising tool has led the marketing agency to make this area a key focus.
Three members of the Eclipse team went to Google’s London headquarters earlier this year to complete the Advanced Google AdWords exams. Each member of the team passed the exams and earned the Google AdWords certification.
Eclipse has since been working closely with Google and has been accredited with Google Partner status. This highlights Eclipse’s expertise in helping their customers gain the best exposure for their business through Google’s digital product range.
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POLARIS Media the Merseyside based maritime and industry specialist PR firm has won its first clients in India.
Run by journalist brothers Sam and Ben Pinnington, Polaris has won two assignments with Mumbai-based ship management companies Pentagon Marine Services and MMS Maritime India.
For Pentagon, Polaris is being tasked with promoting a new $10million maritime training college to the global maritime press which Pentagon is building in the landlocked state of Bihar.
Meanwhile for MMS, Polaris is promoting a crew expansion drive from the company in part to support the delivery of four 28,000 DWT medium range (MR) vessels for its Japanese parent company Meiji Shipping.
Polaris director Ben Pinnington said the company is developing a track record of supporting overseas companies having undertaken work for clients in Oman, Switzerland, Italy and Norway this year.
“It is fantastic to work with our first clients in India and generate positive publicity worldwide for them,” he said. “This is the potential Polaris has as an engineering and maritime specialist PR firm, our service is very exportable.”
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THE Bootlegger, London’s newest prohibition inspired drinking den, appointed Manchester communications consultancy Mason Williams, the PR agency previously used by Levy Restaurants and Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar, to handle its launch.
Celebrating the glamour of the Prohibition era, the basement space in Lime Street, Monument, has been completely transformed to offer an enticing Speakeasy experience in the heart of the financial district.
Mason Williams, which already represents morfe than 250 hospitality venues in the UK and internationally, is working closely with the team behind The Bootlegger to support the launch within UK media and position the new bar as a premier drinking destination in the city. With further launches planned, The Bootlegger concept is expected to grow into an internationally established brand over the next few years.
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THE Merseyside Special Investment Fund has provided funding to support the expansion of a business that has developed digital advertising boards on the Liverpool’s black taxis.
Open Messenger has been developed by local entrepreneur Mike Smith who is based at the Baltic Triangle.
The digital messenger boards allow advertisers to tailor their promotional messages on Hackney taxis to real-time conditions, such as local weather, location and time.
Open Messenger invested £200,000 to fund the research and development phase and has now raised a further £245,000. MSIF has provided £80k as the first tranche of a £160k package and the rest is the director’s own investment.
Managing director Mike Smith said: “Content can be uploaded within 15 seconds so we can react easily to external circumstance and adapt the content accordingly.
“We also act as a mouthpiece for the city, giving regular traffic and weather updates, providing emergency notifications or sharing/appealing for information about missing persons or crime.
“There are currently 20 taxis on the road with our screens installed and we hope there will be around 40 before the end of the year.”
MSIF investment director Paul Humphray said: “Open Messenger has developed a much smarter way to advertise. The medium is constantly moving giving it the potential to reach thousands of consumers each day.”
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CREATIVE agency IF, based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, has developed and launched a new brand proposition for Route Organisation – a specialist supplier of procurement services to the licensed leisure and hospitality sectors.
IF was appointed to help position the firm as the UK’s go-to provider for procurement services and to promote its new energy brokerage arm – Route Energy.
Warrington-based Route Organisation helps businesses make savings by negotiating better deals with existing suppliers – or sourcing new ones – for products or services including food and drink, utilities and telecoms. Its clients include hotels, golf clubs, sports clubs, leisure clubs, pubs, restaurants and social clubs.
The project saw IF refresh the company’s brand identity including an updated logo, brand positioning and brand guidelines. The creative output was based around the core idea of Professional Purchasing Power.
Christian James, managing director at IF, said: “Route Organisation is a growing business whose purpose is to put power into the hands of its customers. We are excited to be working with an ambitious team and such a clear and compelling proposition.
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THE AWARD winning sound engineer behind Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has selected Liverpool to launch his advanced post production sound and editing facility.
Based on Hardman Street, ‘Onomatopoeia’ will bring North West first technology to the city, helping to enable Liverpool to offer a more comprehensive film production service.
Sam Auguste, winner of an MPSE award, is launching his first business after a successful film sound and editing career spanning 20 years, in which he has worked on films including the Oscar nominated Elizabeth the Golden Age and Channel 4’s Top Boy.
He said: “Liverpool just made sense, the city’s reputation as film location is global and its post-production facilities are catching up. There’s a real momentum in Liverpool right now. I really believe the city has the potential to be the film centre of the UK and I want to be part of that journey.
“Good sound engages viewers, it’s incredibly important and Onomatopoeia offers the kind of sophisticated tech, that film companies previously would have had to travel to London for, now they don’t have to.”
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BRING Digital has been awarded the brief to deliver digital marketing services for Mobility Specialists retailer Millercare.
The Bolton-based agency will work to promote Millercare across the internet through a mixture of paid advertising and securing coverage for the business within relevant publishers online.
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.
Millercare provide a wide range of mobility and healthcare products, and in addition to their website have 11 showrooms across the North West. Nick Buchanan, Managing Director at Millercare, said: “I am excited to start working with Bring, they impressed us with their passion for digital marketing. I’m confident Bring will help us expand our online presence.”
Bring Digital commercial director Lee Frame said: “It’s fantastic for us to be working with such a great business like Millercare. We are confident we will build on the great work already done and grow their online sales over the coming months and beyond.
“We’ve had a great year here at Bring, during which we have seen some really strong growth both in terms of staff numbers and revenue. Myself and the rest of the board are very excited for 2016, which we hope will be just as successful.”