Three Wise Projects

By Mark Fones - Client Strategy and Creative Director

As we approach this special time of year and look forward to the festive fun, I wanted to share with you a tasty selection box of our very best creative work. 2010 has seen our star rising, and here are three of our wisest projects - all of which offer something truly original in terms of quality and thinking.

First to appear over the horizon bearing gold is a brand repositioning project for AESSEAL.

A global player in the specialist mechanical seals sector, AESSEAL is a business with a passionate commitment to exceeding expectations. Offering world-class reliability and performance - plus high speed assembly - their unique modular component system supports a staggering 10 million permutations and can quickly deliver seal solutions for virtually any application. Above all, they have a passion for service excellence - their overriding objective being to exceed expectation and redefine the 'customer experience' within their sector. Our challenge was to capture this new 'experience' and repackage AES as a true global player that would ensure customers never need to source another seals partner. With 'Experience the Exceptional' as the brand's new strap line, AES boldly launched (October) a Web 2.0 based website supported by an on and offline advertising campaign, plus a whole new range of corporate and product focused literature. The design was professional and contemporary with a strong technological 'look and feel', and real customers, and real outcomes, were used to tell a powerful yet simple story. In the first week alone, AESSEAL's new site saw over 350 users (customers and prospects) register for industry and product specific content.

Next to dismount, is Legrand's launch campaign for its latest Salamandre cable
management system.
A revolution in trunking technology, the new Salamandre has been designed with ease of installation in mind. In recent 'speed tests', it has been independently proven to be 50% faster to fit than existing alternatives. Despite this impressive competitive advantage, getting loyal installers to switch to new products in this sector is a challenge. And that’s exactly how the Legrand Grand Prix speed challenge was born.

Utilising an integrated campaign approach that combined traditional advertising, direct mail and email marketing with the exciting possibilities offered by Facebook, YouTube and demonstration based roadshows, this product promotion launched in December. In early 2011, Legrand will run 100 events that encourage installers to engage with the product and rise to the challenge of becoming the UK's fastest fitter - after all, in this market we know demonstrations mean sales. Alongside this roadshow, social channels will play host to the times set, pictures taken and videos filmed whilst building product awareness, brand following and helping to drive sales. Vvvvrrroooom...

Watch this space….more on this project to come in the New Year!

Last, but not least of our three wise projects, is the rebranding we delivered for Lancaster University Management School.

Founded over 40 years ago, Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) is now ranked as one of the UK's top four management and business schools, and as one of the world’s best too – with its MBA being considered to be in the top 30 globally. Impressive, true. Yet, despite such world-class credentials, the extensive research we undertook revealed that there was little awareness of LUMS among the target audience and that, once prospective students had explored their 'offer' more deeply, the best applicants became disengaged. The reasons? Perceptions around location, 'employability' and the extent of its international culture were all highlighted as negatives. Our task was to address these misconceptions and focus on carving out a unique and more emotive positioning for LUMS in a sector that typically practices 'blanding' not branding. After working with key target audience groups (UK and overseas) our research led us to the following positioning statement: 'Partnering tomorrow's business minds'.

To capture the idea of a personal and professional journey in partnership (i.e. a collaboration between peers, teaching staff and business being key to their teaching approach) we developed – after exhaustive thinking and testing - the 'Today. Tomorrow. Together' brand platform. This positions LUMS as a place where people enter with an already successful track record and are helped to grow and realise their full potential. By using aspirational and thought-provoking 'before and after' photography, we were able to convey this creative message clearly, and with impact.

These are just three examples from a growing stable of clients. If you've got a great story to tell your customers just let us know and our team will set off from the West (Midlands) to greet you. In the meantime, from everyone at Wyatt, I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous New Year!

Right, I'm off to see if there's any room at my local inn.

Mine's a Harvey's Bristol Cream. Classic ;-)

Mark

Taking Pride

By Luke Bull - PR Account Director

As I write, we are keeping our fingers crossed that this Friday our shortlisted entry in the CIPR Midlands Pride awards will be announced as the winner of the internal communications category.

Apart from the industry kudos this would bring, it would be true independent recognition of a campaign that saw us create a powerful communications programme which has made a real difference to how employees of our client Saint-Gobain PAM UK view their role in delivering the vision of the business.

The creation of the campaign followed a brand review which was seen as an opportunity to transform Saint-Gobain PAM UK from a manufacturer to a customer service-led organisation with the ultimate goal of achieving world class customer satisfaction.

The management of the company – a leading manufacturer of iron water, sewer and drainage pipes and access covers and a long-standing Wyatt client – realised that commitment and support from employees was vital to achieving this goal.

Our response to the client’s brief was an extensive programme around the theme of a journey from ‘Good to Great’.

The campaign gave our creative team free rein to display their talents, through a range of posters, mugs, folders, entry forms and post boxes for the ‘1st Choice’ awards scheme.

This scheme encourages employees to nominate colleagues who have gone the ‘extra mile’ to receive an award. In fact by this reckoning they have done the equivalent of around 20 marathons – with 500 nominations received in the first year. Not bad for a company with only 400 employees!

Both the company’s MD and HR advisor were delighted with how well Good to Great has been received – and so were we! So keep your fingers crossed for us on Friday – and watch this space to find out how we got on...

Wyatt flies the flag for the Midlands!

Everyone here at Wyatt is celebrating the news that we have been ranked as the top B2B agency in the Midlands by B2B Marketing magazine!

The national agency league table shows Wyatt in 16th place nationally, up two places on last year. As the only Midlands based company on the 40 strong list, Wyatt is clearly positioned as the leading B2B agency in the region.

We strive to obtain consistently high results for our clients and this success has been reflected in the continued top 20 placement in the league table.

Along with this exciting development, we can also announce that we have been nominated for a CIPR internal communications and employee engagement award for our work with Saint-Gobain PAM UK.

We hope to bring you news from the awards set to take place on Friday, 3rd December, but in the mean time, follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date with what's happening behind our big orange door and beyond!

Mel's back!

After a decade away, former Account Manager Melanie Chaplain-Spence has returned to Wyatt as its New Business Development Manager.

In this role, Melanie will focus on developing business relationships, fostering the agency’s future potential as it strategically moves into a new era of creativity and growth.

Melanie previously worked on key B2B and B2C accounts for Wyatt some years ago, and later combined a career in business development with continuing study in psychology and a BA in design.

We are delighted that Mel's back, and we are looking forward to a future made all the more bright with her on board.

WELCOME BACK, MEL!

Wyatt’s ‘Vision’ secures further PR account win!

More great news!

Wyatt has been appointed to handle media relations for Loughborough-based Phase Vision, a highly innovative manufacturer of three-dimensional measurement systems.

Wyatt will seek to raise Phase Vision’s profile in key markets including CAD, engineering, automotive, aerospace, marine and rail.

Wyatt won the business based on its business-to-business expertise, media contacts, and team members’ specific experience in PR for metrology products and across these specific industry sectors.

Ralph Weir, Chief Executive Officer of Phase Vision, commented: “We were highly impressed by Wyatt’s knowledge of the sector and editor contacts list, and believe they have the right experience to build our profile among both existing and potential customers.”

Wyatt Managing Director Karen-Anne Bernie added: “This latest win maintains our run of success this year and demonstrates our versatility and ability to meet the needs of clients in highly technical as well as mainstream sectors.”

Wyatt take the advantage with new account win!

We are delighted to announce that Advantage West Midlands has appointed Wyatt International to deliver creative and communications support for the region’s European Regional Development Fund Programme (ERDF).

The West Midlands has been awarded €400 million ERDF under the current programme until 2013 to create more jobs and boost the region’s competitiveness. The programme is called ‘Investing in your Future’ and Wyatt has been appointed to bring the strap line to life through a series of communications materials to attract potential bidders and raise awareness of the benefits of the funding.

Commenting on Wyatt’s appointment, Sarah Duggan, Communications Executive, Partnerships and Communications Directorate, Advantage West Midlands, comments:

“The communications strategy is critical in delivering the ERDF programme in the region because it helps us not only to attract potential bidders but also to communicate important messages about the impact of the funding and delivery of projects. We were really impressed by Wyatt’s understanding of the brief and their creative treatment which will give the ‘Investing in your Success’ programme a strong visual identity through newsletters, an annual report and bidding round announcements.”

Bosley's blogging!

Whilst many of you were watching the world cup, the cogs behind Wyatt’s big orange door have been whirring…

Allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Kirsty Bosley and I’m one of Wyatt’s newest recruits. A few months ago I was sitting on a train listening to my iPod when a gentleman sat opposite me and started a conversation. Never one to shy away from a good chat (no doubt you’ll pick up on this as time goes on!) I unplucked Morrissey from my ears and engrossed myself in a bit of talk about the weather.

In 2009 I graduated from Staffordshire University with a BA (Hons) degree in Journalism. It transpired that the gentleman opposite me himself worked at that very same University. We had a moan about the state of the economy, about careers and about how difficult it could be to break into an industry as big as PR. The time (and three stations) passed and the gentleman alighted, wishing me all the very best in my struggle to find my break, and I popped my earphones back in with the intention of not resurfacing until my stop.

It was with that that another person took the seat opposite me. With no intention of breaking off from my favourite album, I sat leaving my company in silence. However, this lady was not going to give up – she worked in PR herself and had overheard my conversation.

Sliding a piece of paper across the table in front of me, she smiled and indicated I unplug my earphones once again. She asked that I have a look at a list of agencies she’d compiled since hearing my conversation, and at the very top in letters as big and bold as our front door, was written ‘WYATT’.

The list sat in my handbag amidst old sweet wrappers and receipts for a few days whilst I applied for jobs and placements like a mad person. After unearthing it by chance, I decided to have a quick look at the Wyatt website. Shining white and orange like the beacon I’d been looking for over months was an opportunity to join the team as a PR Graduate. Perfect.

I joined Wyatt in June on an unpaid placement with the intention of absorbing everything. I relished flicking through B2B magazines I had never seen before. Earwigging in on sell-ins and putting together press releases. I loved every part of it.

I was asked by PR Director (and my personal guru for all things public relations) Gill Holtom if I would like to join the company on July 1st as PR Account Co-ordinator and I haven’t looked back since! Filling my hours supporting the team has been brilliant and I’m learning so much.

There are so many exciting new account wins for Wyatt that you will have the chance to read about very soon. You’ll also hear from my co-blogger and another new member of the Wyatt team, Senior Account Executive Vicky Kesteron too. So keep checking back with us, as there’s going to be a lot to read in these coming months!

Kirsty.

WIN… WIN… WIN… WIN!

Great week for Wyatt PR last week with two big account wins for the team. Valeo Services sells a wide range of products and services to car dealerships, spare parts distributors and garages. The second win came from Meguiars a leading manufacturer of automotive surface care products. The team is over the moon and will be celebrating with a well deserved curry!

Click on the video link below to watch the team testing out Meguiars products on the chairman’s Jag!

OUR NEW CREATIVE CORNER…

The creative room has undergone a few changes in the past few weeks, as you may have noticed from the smell of paint and white spirit! However the room is now finished and being used for brainstorming and creative idea session by teams throughout Wyatt.



Creativity is often generated when people interact with one another and a brainstorm can be the best way to get started on a new client's brief, and instill enthusiasm in the project team. The comfy sofa’s, bright pillows, multicolored chairs and the use of natural light are all elements that have been incorporated into the design of the room in order boost and encourage creative conversations.

University of Birmingham student wins Wyatt award

We’ve been heavily involved with the University of Birmingham’s MSc Marketing Comms programme since 2007 when it was introduced – from helping plan the content to assisting in delivery by providing guest speakers, leading lectures, and supplying student projects. But we’re also the sponsors of the annual Outstanding Student Award, which our own CEO Brian Barrett was delighted to present to this year’s winner, Emma Kearsley.

Emma with Brian (centre) and Malcolm

The award recognises the highest-achieving student on the programme and went to Nottingham-born Emma for her consistent excellent performance.

Malcolm Kirkup, director of full-time MBA programmes, told us; “Emma performed to a consistently high level across both theoretical and practical modules. Her work impressed not only lecturers and course staff but also our business partners – for example the ideas presented in a social media project for Cadbury have now been put in place by the manufacturer.

A final word from Brian – We’re so proud to be part of this initiative from the University of Birmingham. As the city’s longest established agency it’s great for us to put something back into the community by offering this marketing award – the quality of the students achieving it has been truly outstanding.