Wyatt International Blog

Wyatt ranks as one of PRWeek's top 150 agencies

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100

Wyatt International has ranked within the 150 top PR agencies in the UK according to PRWeek, a leading publication within the industry.

One of only five Birmingham agencies, our entry into the league table further serves to highlight our experience, creativity and expert offering within the PR industry.

We continue to grow in 2012 despite the challenging economic conditions, with our activity incorporating international media campaigns, social media channels and unique public relations initiatives across an ever-growing range of sectors.

For more information on how we can help provide a truly original public relations service, contact us on 0121 454 8181 or email hello@wyattinternational.com.

An inspirational visit to Naidex National 2012

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100

A brilliant day was had by all at Naidex National 2012, the UK’s largest disability, rehabilitation and homecare event in the UK. Taking place May 1 – 3, we attended the event at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre with AKW, a market leader in providing independent living solutions for the disabled.

With AKW receiving three new product nominations for its Luda® S electric shower, Larenco duo glass screen and Linear former, the event was already off to a fantastic start.

As part of AKW’s public relations campaign, we sourced and partnered the company with Paracycling athlete Jon-Allan Butterworth, who recently broke the world record in his category at the Paracycling World Championship in California. A promising contender for the London 2012 Paralymic Games, Jon-Allan helped champion AKW’s products by attending the first day of the event, as well as setting the ‘Beat Butterworth’ challenge, a virtual cycling game with the chance to win tickets to the Paralympics.

Visitors to the stand were able to read the new issue of Styleability, a unique newsletter we created detailing the company’s latest news, products and features, as well as the chance to pick up all the latest product literature.

Opened by Simon Weston OBE, who was onboard the Sir Galahad that was destroyed in 1982 in Bluff Cove in the Falkland Islands, Naidex National 2012 is a truly great exhibition that demonstrates the sheer range of products and services available to those living with a disability.

We were thrilled to support AKW at the event through a variety of creative initiatives, including regular social media updates on AKW’s Twitter and Facebook pages throughout the exhibition.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100

We are delighted to announce that the Midlands News Association (MNA), publisher of Britain’s best-selling regional newspaper the Express & Star and sister title the Shropshire Star, has chosen Wyatt International to develop a new brand and communications strategy.

We will help with the positive promotion of its brands, including weekly newspapers in the West Midlands, Shropshire and surrounding counties.

Following a successful pitching process, we will provide expertise and creative support in improving communications with the MNA’s four target groups: staff, advertisers, readers plus community and business leaders.

MNA managing director Phil Inman said: “The MNA is committed to working with Wyatt to enhance its brand identities and communications strategy. The MNA management team was impressed by the thoroughness that Wyatt showed in their approach to realising our initial brief. We believe that Wyatt can bring real value to the way the MNA reaches out to its key groups.

“We are confident that they will produce excellent research and first rate solutions to raise the standards of the MNA’s brand and communications work.”

Karen Bernie, managing director of Wyatt International, added: “This is an exciting era for media organisations to embrace change and align their businesses towards an ever-evolving generation of media engagement.

“As a true original on the agency scene and the Midlands' longest established independent, we're passionate about British heritage but closely allied to future focus and reinvention.

“These will be the cornerstones of a visionary new brand and communications strategy for MNA.”

Wyatt International attends PR Analytics conference

Fri, 19 May 4000 13:33:49 +0000

The PR industry has come a long way since the days of intricately dissecting coverage from a magazine and laboriously sticking these into a cuttings book. While the impact of this as it slams down upon a client’s desk is undoubtedly impressive, just what is the impact of this PR in communicating a message that remains with its audience long after they’ve finished reading an article? How effective is this in stimulating action? And finally, how can we measure this in a meaningful way? These are all considerations that were discussed at a recent conference – entitled PR Analytics – organised by online magazine PRmoment.com.

One spokesperson at the event stated: “It is important to think about re-calibrating our approach so we’re not just delivering vanity metrics.” Indeed, ‘metrics’ is a useful term when considering how the industry will progress in evaluating a PR campaign’s merits by using accurate statistical data to do so. Making use of tools such as Google Analytics will enable precise media monitoring to discover whether, for example, a company website has enjoyed increased visits following press activity. Other considerations include the journey that a visitor takes around a website, and whether this correlates with the expected route, and the success in securing key messages with publications. Indeed, which messages are generating media coverage? What type of conversations is this generating? Where is website traffic coming from?

PR practitioners must recognise that evaluation methods are developing. As Jim Desler, director of worldwide PR for Microsoft, added: “The question is, ‘how are we going to measure ourselves in a way that’s meaningful for what we do?’ We need to talk in numbers, the same language as our business stakeholders. The science of metrics and analytics will greatly aid PR. This richness of data is where we will derive value from our actions.”

What are your thoughts on measuring the impact of public relations? Join in the discussion with us on Twitter at @WyattIntl.

And the Higher Education Oscar goes to...

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100

Our creative work for Lancaster University’s Management School postgraduate prospectus has been shortlisted for a Heist award, a premier programme celebrating excellence in marketing within the education sector. The awards are commonly referred to as the ‘Higher Education Oscars’ within the industry, recognising the very best marketing campaigns from small regional colleges to large global institutions.

Nominated in the category of ‘Best Prospectus from a Specialist Institution’, it uses the strapline ‘Today. Tomorrow. Together’ to promote the university’s first class postgraduate programme for developing an individual’s potential and ambition, creating the business leaders of the future.

In addition to the creative copywriting, we directed a bespoke portfolio of photography for the brochure and created the layout and design.

Winners of the 2012 Heist Awards will be announced on May 31 at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds.

Feeling the warm glow of radiator business win

Fri, 19 May 0800 13:32:46 +0000

Market leading radiator manufacturer Quinn Radiators has chosen Wyatt to develop a new marketing communications strategy to take the business forward to its next level of development.

Part of the Quinn Group, one of Ireland’s top-performing companies and a multinational organisation with substantial interests in a diverse range of industry sectors, Quinn operates its radiator business from a state-of-the-art plant in Newport in South Wales. It acquired the plant in a £135 million investment in 2005 with the intention of creating the most modern and efficient radiator plant in the world with an output capacity of 4 million units per annum.

Our role is to develop an integrated marketing communications strategy based around delivering Quinn’s key message of “More Heat, Less Cost”, focusing on design-led, energy saving products. The programme will comprise both above and below the line communications including PR and will be rolled out across Europe.

Quinn Marketing Manager Tara Brady said: “We selected Wyatt to work with us on our marketing communications programme because they demonstrated a full understanding of our objectives and core brand values. Wyatt has extensive experience of working with world-class brand leaders and they demonstrated an understanding of our marketplace. We wanted an agency capable of helping to take us forward whilst building upon our heritage and we feel we have found that in Wyatt.”

We are very excited to be working with Quinn within a sector in which we have extensive experience. Quinn builds on our portfolio of building and construction industry clients and we look forward to helping the company achieve success in the future.

Socially conscious

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100

It's surprising to think Twitter will soon be celebrating the sixth anniversary of its launch. Six years since the world was whipped up into a hashtag frenzy and the infamous 'Fail Whale' maddeningly graced our screens, as the social media platform became overloaded with users eager to communicate with a whole web of possibilities.

From the humble days of Myspace to the new kid on the block that is Pinterest, there has never before been such a variety of channels through which we can communicate our thoughts, opinions and actions. As our business effectively comes down to communication, it is an exhilerating time to be a part of the PR and marketing landscape that is shaping brands and public opinion in the UK and around the world.

So whether it's sharing a post on Facebook, engaging with a topical discussion on LinkedIn or creating a video to be uploaded to YouTube, you can be sure we’ll be ready to join in with the conversation. And the best thing about conversations? You never know what’s going to be said next.

Join in with our conversations on Twitter at @WyattIntl.

Wyatt International comes highly recommended in 2012 RAR awards

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100

We are thrilled to announce Wyatt International has been nominated for the 2012 Recommended Agency Register (RAR) awards, in the category of Public Relations with less than 30 staff.

Karen Bernie, Managing Director of Wyatt International, commented: “This is a nomination we can all feel very proud about because it’s based on recommendations from the most important individuals who are best-placed to judge us – our clients themselves. Our PR consultancy has enjoyed considerable success in the past 12 months, with exciting initiatives such as a pan-European campaign with Brammer Europe, a series of important new account wins and the complete integration of social media within our PR activity.

“As a specialist boutique agency, we are delighted with the nomination. It is a testament to the unique achievements our PR team have accomplished.”

Only eight agencies have been nominated in this Public Relations category in the UK, with Wyatt being only one of two based in the Midlands.

Work experience(d)?

Fri, 19 May 7200 13:30:38 +0000

How is my work experience going? So far, so good!

Working in Wyatt’s PR consultancy is an interesting and surprising experience for me. Meetings, press releases to write, clients to update, cups of tea to drink: the busy life of the department is fascinating! I have been given really different tasks so far, including research, writing press releases, drawing strategic diagrams (Kirsty did all the drawing actually, she really likes drawing!) and providing administrative support to the team. I have also had to translate some press releases into French too – the easy part!

But what I really appreciate at Wyatt is the fact that I really feel involved in the company. The PR team makes me feel resourceful and it is really rewarding. I am also learning a lot just by listening to all of my colleagues talking about ‘white papers’, ‘bullet points’, ‘PPC’ and ‘colour seps’. This PR jargon, though delightful, makes me realise I still have a lot to learn.

Everyone is very kind to me and the occasional visits by members of the marketing and creative team is always very illuminating. This British atmosphere has helped me discover the joy of tea (and milk) breaks. I have also witnessed debates on the lyrics of numerous famous English songs…and I am now a fan of Philpotts!

What I like about the work is that it is quite varied and stimulating. As I said, so far so good! Thanks Wyatt!

Match.comms?

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:00:00 +0100

An article in a recent issue of Marketing Magazine has questioned the nature of agency relationships, asking if the current crop of marketeers are just too fickle when it comes to building lasting partnerships with clients. The most successful brands are undoubtedly a marriage of mind and matter between the agency and client, so why is there such a trend within the industry of moving on once the honeymoon period is over?

We believe any relationship worth its salt has to undergo constant innovation to ensure it doesn't stagnate - an on-going investment of time, energy and creativity on both sides. Complete transparency is important, from the inception of a new idea right through to its rollout, to guarantee consistent communication from one party to another. Furthermore, by constantly re-evaluating the direction of the relationship, celebrating its successes and learning from mistakes, a stronger bond is achieved.

The most enduring partnerships can surely be identified as those which focus on offering that personal touch, something which we try to achieve with all our clients.

If you're interested in reading the full article in Marketing Magazine, you'll find it here.