drpgroup strengthens creative team

THE drpgroup has strengthened its creative team with the appointment of Gordon Roberts as senior creative director.

Roberts brings to the team a wealth of knowledge and industry experience working with a variety of brands. His past credentials include periods of work with Jack Morton Worldwide NY and Caribiner International in NY and Detroit, alongside brands such as Ford and Diageo.

In what is fast becoming a record year, the drpcreative team have taken on six new team members.

The group has also announced two promotions with Nick Ruffles taking over the role of head of project management. He will be heading up the department and taking over the reins from Gemma Downing. With the development of dedicated account management team under the direction of Paul Nicholls, a further new role has been created with Downing being promoted to account manager, solely focused on the Lloyds Banking Group account.

Luck of the Irish for Liquid

COMMUNICATIONS consultancy Liquid has been appointed by Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, to run its PR campaign to promote Irish food, drinks and horticulture and support the Bord Bia Origin Green sustainability development programme.
 
Liquid’s brief is to raise awareness of the world-class credentials of Irish food and drink within the UK consumer and retail sectors, including a strong focus on the promotion of Irish beef.
 
The two-year contract will see Liquid build on the reputation of Ireland’s export produce, highlighting the high quality, provenance and sustainability of Irish food.
 
The appointment follows the announcement that Liquid is to run the national PR brief for Marketing Birmingham, which also features a strong food emphasis.
 
Liquid PR director Rhona Templer, who will oversee the Bord Bia campaign for the UK, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a prestigious client and promoting Bord Bia’s work across food and drink products and horticulture.
 
“We look forward to raising awareness of the premium credentials of Irish beef. We will be working with some of Britain’s best chefs to demonstrate the wonderful taste and versatility of this superb product as well as the range and quality of other Irish brands.”
 

Property consultancy win for Ian Strachan

INDEPENDENT commercial property consultancy GJS Dillon has appointed Lichfield-based Ian Strachan Communications to handle its press relations.

GJS Dillon, which has offices in Worcester and Bromsgrove, provides property consultancy services throughout Worcestershire and surrounding areas, and along the M5 and A38 corridors.

Director John Dillon said the firm was achieving growth and success in the region and was expanding as the property market begins to show signs of recovery.

“We have been fortunate enough to have built a good profile in the region since we established in 2010. We want to continue that, and build on our reputation.  We chose Ian Strachan Communications on recommendation, and its capabilities, experience and no-nonsense approach to PR fit well with our business.”

Ian Strachan Communications was set up 13 years ago by Ian Strachan, pictured, formerly corporate affairs director at Birmingham commercial vehicle manufacturer LDV and corporate communications director at Rover Group. An ex-journalist, he also handled PR for West Midlands Police.

It is the firm’s second contract win in less than a month. In October the consultancy was signed up by SERS Energy Solutions Group.