Creative/Digital: Wheel deal for Leeds agency; PR firm finds perfect fit with shopping centre; and more

DARLINGTON-headquartered Northgate Vehicle Hire has appointed Brand8 PR to provide integrated public relations and content marketing services to help deliver its strategic business development plan.

The Leeds agency is working with the £456.8m turnover company’s marketing team to devise and implement tactical campaigns across traditional, digital and social media focused on achieving Northgate’s commercial objectives.

Established in Darlington in 1981, the FTSE 250 company is the UK and Ireland’s largest van and commercial vehicle hire business employing around 2,000 people. Northgate has a growing network of more than 75 branches ranging from Aberdeen to Plymouth in Great Britain, and from Belfast to Cork in Ireland.

The company has a fleet of 50,000 vehicles comprising light commercial vehicles from leading manufacturers including Mercedes Benz, Ford, VW and Peugeot.

Northgate head of marketing, Jonathan Pearce, said: “Brand8 PR has a distinct approach to public relations which clearly differentiates the agency. They were an early adopter of content marketing and have intelligently integrated it into their media relations and social media offers.

“This provides us with an enhanced PR service which successfully raises awareness of Northgate’s proposition, further strengthens our reputation with target customers and improves our online visibility. In addition, the Brand8 PR team are straightforward to deal with, get things done and are commercially astute, making them an ideal agency partner.”

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APPROACH PR has won the PR and social media contract for Bradford retail destination Kirkgate Shopping Centre.

The team secured the two-year contract after a three-way pitch between local agencies and starts its online and offline media campaigns and events immediately.

Approach PR will also support communications around the centre’s repositioning and refurbishment programme.

Suzanne Watson, managing director at Approach PR, said: “This really is a dream account for us at a pivotal time in Bradford’s rebirth as a shopping destination. As passionate Bradfordians, we know our city and having grown up with Kirkgate Shopping, we recognise its potential, as an established part of our community, to lead the resurgence of the Darley Street area of the shopping district.

“The opening of Broadway is a fantastic opportunity not only for Bradford but for the future of Kirkgate Shopping which has been at the heart of the city’s shopping centre for four decades. As ‘loving local’ will be key to our communications, we’ll be amplifying its offering to attract footfall, not only into the shopping centre, but into this re-emerging part of Bradford.”

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LEEDS-based PR and social media specialist Wolfstar has been appointed by the central marketing organisation for UK fleece wool British Wool Marketing Board to deliver an integrated PR and digital campaign for its education website British Wool Learning.

Within the campaign, Wolfstar has been tasked with increasing awareness of British Wool Learning amongst teachers, parents and club organisers and drive traffic to the website via traditional outreach, blogging, SEO and PPC.

British Wool Marketing Board’s marketing manager, Tim Booth said: “Wolfstar has the experience and knowledge to raise awareness of British Wool Learning amongst key target audiences and drive traffic to the site. The site is an important asset and plays a vital role in telling the story of wool.  Wolfstar will be a great asset to the team and we’re looking forward to working with them.”

Marie Lees, director at Wolfstar, added: “Wolfstar has extensive experience at raising awareness of websites and most importantly increasing traffic, making the British Wool Learning brief a perfect fit for us.”

Wolfstar’s head of design, Caroline Ing was responsible for concept and design of The British Wool Learning website.