Smarts Illuminate secures invoice finance client

PR and digital services agency, Smarts Illuminate has secured a contract to provide integrated PR services to a branch of Hitachi Capital UK that specialises in invoice finance.
 
The contract includes a national and trade media relations programme combined with content marketing support and will focus on educating SMEs and corporates about the benefits of using invoice finance to boost their cash position and release money to invest in growth.
 
Rebecca Scully, managing director at Smarts Illuminate, said: “This is an exciting contract win for us, which underlines our excellent credentials in professional and financial services. We are particularly proud to be working with such a well-respected brand in the marketplace.”
 
Simon Dodd, marketing manager at Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance, said: “We are delighted to be working with Smarts Illuminate to develop and implement a PR-led campaign that aims to raise awareness of our expertise in helping SMEs to grow.

“The growth of a significant number of the UK’s SMEs has been stifled by lack of available finance and businesses need to be more creative and explore innovative finance solutions such as invoice finance.”

Applecore recognised for sales success

BIRMINGHAM-based Applecore Designs has been recognised by an international panel for its growth in sales over the past 12 months.

Applecore, which specialises in the implementation of integrated software solutions and services for the construction industry, has been awarded the Worldwide Graphisoft Sales Excellence Award for significantly increasing the number of UK users of ArchiCAD in 2014.

The firm saw its sales of ArchiCAD, specialist 3D model based design software, increase by 39% last year and was commended by software developers Graphisoft for its unprecedented achievements.
 
Scott Berry, managing director of Applecore Designs (pictured), said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been awarded this prestigious accolade, which is the result of incredibly hard work and commitment by the whole Applecore team.  

“Over the past 12 months we have placed strong emphasis on evolving our services to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients, and to see our user base grow by such a huge amount in one year alone is testament to this.”  
 
The company has now embarked on its next expansion phase and is already well ahead of its anticipated growth for 2015.  

InterDirect secures Grand Central contract

INTERDIRECT has been appointed by Grand Central Birmingham to be its digital development partner for the launch of the new shopping and dining destination.
 
The agency secured the contract after demonstrating its digital content management system, SiteMachine.
 
InterDirect will develop the functionality behind a bespoke website and touch screen system for the shopping centre, working with lead creative agency RBH, which devised the brand guidelines, and Fran Raybould Associates, which has designed the overall look and feel of the digital elements.
 
SiteMachine will enable features of the responsive website to be displayed on numerous touch screen installations throughout the concourse, allowing visitors to explore not just the shopping centre but also neighbouring attractions.

Danny Herbert, marketing & brand manager at Grand Central said: “I’ve worked with the team at InterDirect on previous projects, and I am confident that the agency is able to offer us a great combination of technical expertise and project management, with a desire to achieve our vision in terms of the website’s functionality.
 
“In particular we believe InterDirect’s proprietary CMS, SiteMachine, suits the needs of a busy centre marketing team very well.  We expect the finished product to be a real asset to Grand Central and its potential 50 million customers a year.”