Wyatt International

Wyatt PR named in PR Week Top 150 Consultancies 2011!

2011-05-06T16:59:00.001+01:00

In the midst of an agency make-over, whilst the team was knee deep in tins of fresh paint and Easter egg wrappers, the people over at PR Week were collating the table of 150 top consultancies. Needless to say, we were very pleased to see that we made the table, and even more excited to notice that we are one of only three Midland’s agencies listed! Please click here to view the complete table:

http://toppragencies.prweek.co.uk/Top150-leaguetable.aspx

There are going to be many changes at Wyatt over the coming weeks, and being listed in the top 150 consultancies is a great way to kick off what is shaping up to be a very successful year, not only for our agency, but for the industry in which we operate. PR Week tweeted yesterday: “Top 150 table reveals PR industry has bounced back from recession”, and with so much activity under way at Wyatt house the league, we are inclined to agree with them.

- The PR team

Twitter for B2B businesses

2011-03-11T11:52:00.003Z

With 175 million registered users sending 95 million tweets per day, there has never been a better time to be on Twitter. Each user is a potential customer, and each tweet a potential bite-size piece of market intelligence.

The 140 character micro-blogging site has gone from strength to strength in recent years. B2C brands have been utilising Twitter to deliver exclusive offers and competitions to their customers, offering customer service, and generally keeping abreast of the online buzz.

As more and more people sign up to answer the question ‘What’s happening?’, and as digital campaigns get bigger and more creative, the scope for B2B companies to benefit from Twitter has grown.

The key question for many B2B companies that have not yet taken the step to join the site, is why should they? What does Twitter really offer that cannot be found elsewhere?

The answer to that is a multi-faceted one. It is not necessarily what Twitter can offer you, and more what your company could offer others. Establishing your company as a thought leader is no longer something reserved only for articles in B2B magazines. In just 140 characters or less on Twitter, it is possible to demonstrate your expertise to users who are logging on solely to receive this kind of information. Along with this, Twitter is also offering the opportunity to give your brand a personality. This can be particularly beneficial when forging relationships with prospective customers on the site, along with your target journalists and publications.

Twitter is a fantastic means of observing what your competitors are doing, along with offering a live feed of what industry topics or issues are being discussed by big players in your arena at any given time.

It's important to remember that creating a Twitter profile for your business is not simply a case of a few clicks and you’re up and running. As with any campaign, it is integral to formulate a careful plan; no online presence is better than a poorly maintained one. It is important to gain an understanding of what you want from the platform before you launch yourself on to it.

If developing a Twitter plan is causing more confusion than breeding creativity for you, or if you’d like to look further at your online opportunities with a team who know how to maximise your potential, pop round to Wyatt HQ and we’ll see if we can help. And to those of you who are already grasping the benefits that this platform has to offer, please follow us @WyattIntl and be sure to say hello.

Three Wise Projects

2010-12-23T12:38:00.008Z

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

2010-12-02T11:39:00.005Z

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!

2010-11-10T11:44:00.002Z

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!

2010-11-10T11:19:00.003Z

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!

2010-09-01T14:22:00.002+01:00

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!

2010-07-27T12:33:00.006+01:00

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!

2010-07-27T12:00:00.012+01:00

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!

2010-03-24T12:08:00.004Z

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…

2010-03-24T11:51:00.003Z

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

2010-01-18T15:00:00.006Z

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.

Luke scores a hat-trick!

2009-12-08T14:55:00.002Z

Following our RoSPA contract renewal there were even more celebrations at 72 Francis Road as our PR division won a hat-trick of accounts with 3M, one of the world’s most innovative and enterprising companies.

We’ve handled media relations for 3M’s Construction Division since November 2008 and have a strong relationship stretching back some 25 years with 3M and, after a highly competitive pitch, we’ll now also represent the company’s Automotive Aftermarket, Industrial Tapes & Adhesives, and Abrasive Systems divisions.

John Klee, Corporate Communications Manager at 3M, commented: “The Wyatt team have met the high standards we set for our Construction business and we are now looking forward to working with them on the three new accounts.”

These three wins represent the strength of the relationship we’ve developed with 3M. To now be representing four of 3M’s divisions is a massive achievement for us and we’re relishing the opportunity to continue to deliver effective communications for leading blue chip companies.

As for Account Director Luke Bull, who handles all the accounts - he was just glad when the photoshoot was over! Never mind Luke, at least the pictures didn’t end up on the internet…

A decade of service for RoSPA

2009-12-03T11:19:00.001Z

Client retention is something we’re especially proud of at Wyatt. Many of our clients stay with us for five, ten and even twenty-plus years with our relationships continuing to flourish.

So we’re very proud to announce that yet another of our long-standing client partnerships, with The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), will soon move into a decade of continuous service. We’ve been reappointed on a two-year contract to continue to handle the design and production of three of its membership journals - The RoSPA Occupational Safety & Health Journal (OS&H), The RoSPA OS&H Bulletin and Safety express. All three journals are distributed to RoSPA members working across industry, commerce, the public sector, healthcare and government.

For nine years now, our own Dave Jones has overseen the design, production and print management of the in-depth monthly and bi-monthly journals in his role as project manager.

Dave has really enjoyed working on the RoSPA journals for over 12 years now, originally being based at RoSPA and then being part of the move over to the Wyatt creative operation nine years ago.

We’ve developed specialist knowledge over many years of working with RoSPA and have an excellent working relationship with the team. The RoSPA journals are vital in raising awareness of important and topical issues and we’re thrilled to have been entrusted with their delivery once again.

RoSPA is a registered charity, established over 90 years ago. It works to save lives and reduce injuries in the workplace, in the home, on the roads, and at leisure.

Social media – the issue of control

2009-10-16T13:09:00.007+01:00

Pootling around the BBC News website, I happened upon the interesting ‘Twitter and Facebook aid small firms’ which sparked a desire to blog. Not because of the main theme – who hasn’t heard of the baker who tweets when the bread’s fresh? – but because of the ‘expert’ opinion on the issue of control.

Online, the draconian moderation of blog, photo and video comments amounts to professional suicide. Simply put, if a disgruntled customer takes umbrage with your service online and you delete their comment, you validate it. The disgruntled customer remains un-placated and other visitors to your blog, twitter or profile will wonder where it went. “Could it have been deleted because it was true and Company X wants to sweep it under the carpet?” they’ll think.

The full quote from Professor Sundararajan could be dangerously misleading. "You are losing control of your message by inviting customers in to a dialogue and that could be problematic if they criticise you." Is he implying that criticisms must therefore be quickly quashed by removal? Some might make that inference. If they do, they’re doomed.

'Janet' responds to wall feedback on a Dell special offer - and will no doubt soon act to mollify Ms Corradin

Dell's Facebook page also allows new 'discussion' topics to be posted - whatever the subject

Many thought Dell was doomed when their Twitter feed was bombarded with complaints of non-delivery, missing parts, poor customer service. It would have been tempting to shut the feed down in an attempt to save face, but anyone can see that would have achieved the reverse. Instead of controlling the situation through censorship, they managed the situation through mediation.

Each customer was responded to personally; still today, Twitter and the sister Facebook company page are sounding boards for those unhappy with Dell’s service; but they’re responded to either individually or as a group where there is a common concern. Balanced with special offers, competitions, news and stunts, the page is not overrun with complaints – but they’re still visible. What’s even more important is that the measured, helpful and personal responses are also visible. Even with the negative posts, social media is enhancing Dell’s reputation – without the need for airbrushing and dictatorship.

Comments from followers are the lifeblood of social media. It shows your followers are truly engaged with your content and are sharing that content further afield. That they’re really listening, rather than just following.

Disallowing or censoring comments is seen as dishonest and deceitful in a social media landscape that strips companies bare, revealing their personalities and ‘true colours’. Losing a small amount of control over content could prove to be the most beneficial thing to your online reputation – you could even overtake Dell as the poster child for free speech on Facebook.

WIIFM?

2009-10-08T17:52:00.012+01:00

(What’s in it for me?)

It’s a phrase we hear more and more often in today’s society. Kids expect payment in sweets for emptying the dishwasher and the likes of Orange (RockCorps) and Disney (Give a Day. Get a Disney Day) even have to bribe people into volunteering.

Popular theory points the finger of blame at digital TV and the interwebz. We’ve less free time than ever, but a greater choice of ‘stuff’ to fill it with. If it doesn’t make an instant impact, we’re off.

But why am I telling you this? Indeed, what’s in it for you?

Social media, as discussed in our earlier pub analogy, is about joining conversations and speaking to people on their terms, in their language. It’s also about (and I loathe to use this phrase) ‘adding value’. But I do mean adding genuine value, value appropriate to the situation. To do this you have to put yourself in the place of your audiences and ask – what’s in it for them?

WIIFM isn’t corporate information style-guided to within an inch of its life. If someone genuinely wants to read page after page of your latest press releases, they’ll go to your website and look at your news section. Verbatim copying and pasting of releases, into a blog or other feed, is missing the point and (most likely) duplicating your website. What does that offer a visitor?

Think about when people use social media and what they’re hoping to get out of it. Most companies block Facebook, Twitter etc, so most employees only access these sites at home – in their own free time. What you do in your free time – do you watch funny YouTube clips you’ve been sent, strain your eyes playing Bejeweled Blitz and enter the odd competition?

Probably. You do those things because there’s something in it for you. They make you laugh, you enjoy doing them, you might get free stuff. There’s no hard-sell, no preaching, no pressure.

That’s how you engage people with your social media. Not every post has to be fluff, of course, and it’s perfectly OK to post more heavyweight items since they offer value to readers too. Balance it out. But by drawing potential customers in through offering them something of value for free (a proverbial carrot of clips, relevant articles or prizes and samples), or inviting them to interact with you (polls, competitions or surveys) then you open them up to the wider world of your business. Not just them but their friends – they share your funny clip with their mates; their mates now know who you are. They retweet your article; their followers are sent to your blog.

And we’re back in the Newt & Cucumber again – the couple you initially struck up a conversation with might have no need for your product, but since they like you so much they’ll introduce you to someone who does.

Measuring Social Media?

2009-09-30T17:05:00.009+01:00

I was forwarded a very interesting article this week by Gill. In it, Liana Evans of Search Engine Watch discussed “What is your ‘R’ for ROI in Social Media?”

Evans brings up an interesting problem, one which we as a B2B specialist agency are undoubtedly going to face when forming social media strategies for our clients…

If not for sales, then why do it?

“…defining the "return" on a social media activity doesn't always have to be a direct sale. It's actually very rare…This is why it's a difficult to sell senior leadership on the idea that attempting to tie your direct return to a sale will prove that social media works…”

When trying to explain the value of social media, you can’t fall back on “because everyone else is doing it” – that’s the wrong reason to do anything, as many of you will remember from the delightful cliff and jump cliché many of our parents treated us to.

You can’t even try “because social media just isn’t going to go away”. No, it isn’t and businesses need to be aware of that – however it doesn’t mean you have to do everything, tackle every network, set up fifty profiles. Not every social medium is right for every business.

My personal go-to analogy is as follows. Imagine…

A young couple are enjoying a Staropramen (other premium lagers are available) and a dry white wine in their local. Unannounced and uninvited, a salesman draws up a chair. They tolerate him for the first few seconds as he’s told them an amazing and slightly inappropriate joke, but after that he becomes tiresome. They’re not interested in any of his wares and, moreover, they’re in the pub. They’re trying to relax and are not looking, not buying. Cue a friendly yet firm "sod off, mate."

Social media is that local boozer, café or park bench. That young couple are your customers – you are that salesman. If that’s not how you’d behave in the real world (and it isn't, hopefully), why do it online?

Now picture the same young couple, same bar. You’re the salesman, and you’ve been listening to their conversation for a good few minutes. You know what they’re drinking, you know she prefers salted while he likes a dry roasted, you know what they do, where they holiday, what they drive. You have an idea of their aspirations and hobbies. Now you can go in with your killer joke, and strike up a friendly conversation instead of giving them the sales pitch. When mutual trust has been built up, and this may take a fair few sessions in the Newt and Cucumber, you might mention a product of yours – with no hard sell and no obligation on their part. Even if they don’t buy, you remain friends.

What have you gained – what’s your “return”? A friend, a receptive ear, a good reputation. Reputation. The cornerstone of PR which has somehow been lost online. You might have made a sale, you might not, but you’re engaging with your audiences.

Putting this into a social media scenario, your “friends” might forward your details to someone they know who does want your product. They might post your killer joke and funny clip to Facebook, ensuring more hits and aiding SEO. They’re helping get your name out there.

“…those can all be measured as a "return." …increase the number of subscribers to your blog, get people to your website to take a quiz of some sort… get people to participate in a contest that raises brand awareness. All of these can be measured…”

Work for us

2009-09-24T12:12:00.003+01:00

After recently welcoming two new additions to our creative team, it’s time for us to expand our marketing division too!

We’re looking for a Client Communications Manager to cover everything from marketing, branding, events, digital and internal comms for a major international B2B client – one of our biggest. A working knowledge of French will give you an advantage.

If you’re embarking on a new career in marketing communications after graduating, we have an opportunity for you too. Our team is in need of a Client Communications Administrator, to support our account handlers on clients in a variety of sectors and pitch in on projects from advertising production to brand development.

More information on these posts, including how to apply, can be found on our website.

We’d love to hear from you – please get in touch and find out what’s it like working behind the orange front door…

Wyatt raises £870 for Acorns...

2009-09-22T11:43:00.008+01:00

…but with your help we could still reach £1,000!

The conditions were perfect last Saturday night for the Acorns Midnight Walk– warm and clear with a slight and welcome breeze – as our eight intrepid volunteers traversed the city of Birmingham taking in well-known landmarks from the Jewellery Quarter to Victoria Square.

Gill set the pace to take an early lead but as everyone settled into their rhythms the pack was split with Nuala and Louise coming home in 1 hour 48 minutes and the chase group of Gill, Nicola, Emily, Lisa, Sarah and sister Michelle finishing in dead-on two hours to the dulcet tones of R Kelly’s “The World’s Greatest”. Prizes were awarded to the best dressed participants – sadly a late suggestion for a Wyatt ‘Spice Girls’ theme was vetoed although the ‘Wizard of Oz’ group were certainly worthy winners!

We were truly moved by the sight of so many women walking in memory of their own children – a sombre and timely reminder of just how sorely this charity is needed in the region and how much it means to those it has helped.

It’s never too late to lend some support to Acorns, who offer nursing care and support to children with life-limiting and life threatening conditions. Our secure JustGiving page is still open for donations and you can find out more about Acorns by visiting their website. Huge thanks to all those who have generously donated already.

Sore legs aside the general consensus was that we’d all happily do it again – roll on 2010!

The Lost Art of Conversation

2009-09-17T16:19:00.009+01:00

A lot of PR agencies sell themselves on their proactivity, editor contacts and the fact that they do not just simply undertake the ‘blanket’ issue of press releases. But as times goes on, my own dealings with journalists – mainly trade press editors and freelance writers – are forcing me to question how many agencies are actually true to their word - says Luke Bull, PR Account Director.

When I first started in PR 15 years ago, we didn’t have e-mail. The only way to contact an editor was to write them a letter (a bit formal, even then, if you just wanted a chat about the magazine and what they were seeking for a particular feature) or pick up the phone.

And so I did pick up the phone, and it actually started to work. Because I could communicate to editors – far more effectively – why my client was the best person to speak to on a particular issue and why they should take a day out of their hard-pressed schedules to come and visit my client and see for themselves how wonderful they were.

A visit invariably results in a major feature article written by the journalist (no work for me, and a delighted client), a major feature article that I have to write (a bit more work for me, but then I came into PR because I like writing and the result’s the same as far as the client is concerned) and usually the prospect of more opportunities down the line. One meeting I arranged earlier this year resulted in requests for four separate feature articles from a busy editor who wasn’t allowed freelance support but still had a sizeable publication to fill each month. Need I say more?

Put simply, one face-to-face meeting with a journalist does more than a thousand e-mails ever could. And if you throw in lunch, you’ve made a friend for life.

Of course, if I’m dealing with several clients with an interest in that publication, they get the benefit too. Because from what many journalists tell me, I’m among a minority of PR people who make the effort to speak to them direct rather than just stuffing their inbox with stories which might or might not be relevant. Amazing, really, given that we’re supposed to be professional communicators.

The results

Nowadays, the phone rarely leaves my ear. I spend up to a day a week on the phone to journalists trying to drum up opportunities, and it’s without doubt the most effective time I spend. They don’t all come off, but I’ve still never been tempted to hide behind e-mail just because one editor tells me that a particular feature isn’t covering an issue my client can comment on. Ultimately, it’s a selling job, and if one editor isn’t interested in something then it’s just a case of moving on to the next one who might be.

Even now I pick up the phone to journalists who I met perhaps once more than a decade ago and they still remember me – usually for the right reasons. And as a result they are far more receptive to whatever it is I’m trying to get them to buy into this time.

But I question how many of them would do so if I’d never taken the time to call them or meet them in the first place.

We're heroes for Villa

2009-09-15T11:46:00.004+01:00

After our recent appointment by Aston Villa FC to transform and redevelop its junior members club JV-Life, our redesigned club mascots have made their home debut against Fulham – plus one new addition!

Aston Villa felt it was time to revamp their junior membership programme with the aim of appealing to a broader audience across the city of Birmingham. So, we developed a concept around the positioning ‘Where Heroes Are Made’, which encapsulates the idea that in this club children can become something special and achieve great things. From beating mates in an online game to charting football skills development, JV-Life is a fun and inclusive place where normal kids turn into heroes.

To bring this idea to life, we redesigned long term club mascots Hercules and Bella to ensure they embodied the new superhero personality of ‘JV-Life’ with their own unique superpowers and a new third mascot character, cheeky scamp Chip, was introduced.

Ravinder Masih from Aston Villa FC, pictured above with Wyatt's Mario Morby and the Mascots, said: “We’re extremely pleased with the new positioning of JV-Life and the terrific transformation of Hercules and Bella as well as the new surprise addition of Chip. The Mascots made a triumphant return to Villa Park at the recent home game against Fulham and were well received by all fans.”

To complete the redesign, we oversaw the development of various communications initiatives from the brand logo to animated character footage, and also redesigned the Trinity Road Family Area with giant murals of the new characters.

Limber up for creative brainstorming

2009-09-10T17:33:00.005+01:00

Snap! Crackle! Pop!

We all want great ideas to fizz into our minds on cue. But let's face it: you're not always going to be blessed with mental effervescence. The next creative epiphany may not come bubbling into your head just when you feel you need it most.

Whether it's Monday morning, Wednesday afternoon, or Friday lunchtime - there's no good or bad time to gather round with your colleagues and blitz your brains for the next big idea. The important thing is to be ready, to be mentally open.

There are few things more irksome than having a bout of creative lethargy during a brainstorm. I say a few things - there are probably millions. It’s still irritating, nevertheless. So, the question is: how do you make sure you’re ready to fire off a string of technicolour gems quicker than your colleague can scribble them down on the flip chart?

Brain lunges!

Simples.

Your brain is like an athlete – it needs regular exercise to stay in peak condition. Therefore, to continue the analogy, before your brain engages on a record-breaking sprint for ideas, it needs to limber up. Otherwise, you may find yourself slow from the blocks, off the pace and, dare I say it, pulling a metaphorical muscle.

As all good boy scouts say – be prepared. Making careful preparation is akin to putting your brain through a trial run. Have a good look into your subject at least the day before. Then, while you sleep, your brain will try to solve all those problems you were unable to during your waking hours. The following morning, your brain will have come up with some of the answers – often without you even realising it. That’s the reason why you get some of your best ideas while you’re in the shower or eating toast. (Or is that just me? Crumbs!)

picture - bobpitch.com

If you ever watch an athletics tournament on the telly – or any sporting event for that matter – you’ll see the athletes stretching and twisting, touching their toes and wiggling their arms around. That’s exactly what your brain needs to do. Have a mental stretch. Get rid of all those psychological aches and pains. What I like to do – and you may or may not wish to follow my lead on this – is read the paper.

Not much help, you might think. Actually, you don’t want the news. Or the sport. Or the personal ads. At the back of the Metro and in the middle pages of some of the papers, you’ll find all the cartoons and puzzles. Rather than indulging in some navel-gazing, reading your horoscopes – have a look across the page and see if you can find the brain teasers. Dingbats is a great starter but simple quizzes and riddles can get your brain thinking off on a tangent and, crucially, away from work for five minutes before the real competition begins.

picture - sciencebuddies.org
Take five minutes before your brainstorm to do some brain lunges and you might be surprised at how quick off the mark you are.

Combining your trial runs with some brain lunges will work. You might not turn into Usain Bolt overnight but you may start to win a few races and perhaps a few gold stars along the way.

We're walking for Acorns!

2009-09-03T16:51:00.010+01:00

At midnight on Saturday 19th September, as you climb into bed, spare a thought for six of our ladies. For, as your night is ending, theirs will be just beginning as they embark upon the 10km Acorns Midnight Walk.

Pounding the pavements of Birmingham are Louise, Nicola, Gill, Lisa, Sarah and Nuala in support of Midlands-based children’s charity Acorns – Wyatt’s chosen charity.

The ladies-only Midnight Walk begins with an 11.30pm warm-up at Millennium Point and the course will take in Brum’s most famous city centre landmarks including the Bullring and Brindleyplace before returning to the start/finish line within (hopefully!) around two hours.

Nuala (left) and Louise show off their official Midnight Walk t-shirts

In their own words…Acorns Children's Hospice has been offering nursing care and support to children who have life limiting and life threatening conditions, and their families, living in the West Midlands for 21 years. Acorns offers specialist nursing care, psychosocial support, complementary therapies, end-of-life care and bereavement support, at its three children’s hospices located in Selly Oak, Walsall and Worcester, and through its Community Team.

Our training so far has consisted of…well, not a great deal, but it’s the fundraising that counts! Each walker has their own individual sponsor form, but we’ve also created a secure JustGiving page which we hope you’ll take a look at and consider sponsoring our girls. Or for more information on the walk and the charity, visit the official Acorns Midnight Walk website.

It costs £7million each year to keep the Acorns hospices operating. The charity is hoping the walk will raise £30,000 in sponsorship so please support us and this local and very worthy cause if you can.

Full report plus pictures coming on Monday 21st!

Two new recruits!

2009-09-01T10:57:00.005+01:00

We’re pleased to announce that, over the summer, we’ve been able to expand our creative operations by appointing two new recruits!

Sarah Poole (left) and Emily Shaw

Emily Shaw is our new Junior Art Director who graduated from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. While there, she received a commendation from the prestigious D&AD student awards for her integrated advertising campaign. Emily then spent four years as creative at Golley Slater where her role involved directing and contributing to the design and development of brands such as Heart FM, Marston’s Inn and Taverns, the Army and Sandwell Council which was awarded a Gold PRide Award.

Creative Artworker, Sarah Poole joins us from McCann Erickson, and brings with her over eight years experience working on creative executions for a wide range of household names, including Alliance & Leicester, Harley Davidson and the Open University. Having graduated from Solihull College in 2001 with a HND in Graphic Design, Sarah was keen to take on a new challenge.

Emily has already been tasked with refreshing the Wyatt brand image which we’ll be launching in the not-too-distant future.

We’re delighted to have two such strong additions to the creative team, and Sarah and Emily will no doubt continue the Wyatt tradition of providing clients with innovative, creative and successful communication campaigns.

In the meantime, both ladies are in training for the sponsored Acorns Midnight Walk on Saturday 19th September along with five colleagues from PR, marketing and central services. Further information coming soon!

What's happened to our local news?

2009-08-28T14:43:00.005+01:00

Britain’s regional newspapers are in crisis thanks to the credit crunch and changes in the way people want to consume news. - by Nicola Pledger, Account Manager

A 40%* drop in advertising revenues has meant that Midlands’ newspapers have been among the worst hit in the country. At Trinity Mirror, the region’s main local newspaper group, a massive restructuring programme has been announced with 70 journalist positions lost and nine regional weeklies shut down. Rumours regarding a plans to turn the Birmingham Mail to an overnight paper (with the Post as a weekly insert), are also doing the rounds, and thelondonpaper has folded.

Does it really matter if some regional newspapers close down?
John Lamb, Birmingham Press Club chairman thinks it does: This poses a serious threat to the credibility of the whole region’s news media…The Birmingham Post has been in daily print since 1857, and is an indispensable part of Birmingham’s heritage and in particular its business life.

Local papers are the glue that holds together towns and cities. Regional papers report stories from their communities – including coverage of local sports teams, court cases and local government issues – which are ignored by the national media. But, there’s also an argument that some free papers are just notice boards for advertisers, carrying no news of worth.

The Newspaper Society’s research shows consumers find local newspapers most helpful in deciding where to shop and be entertained. Even though people are communicating with friends on a worldwide, real-time basis, we still care about what’s happening in our local area.

"Your local paper is not just a commercial animal. It's a vital leg in democracy," Kelvin MacKenzie told readers of his column in The Sun. "Who will tell you what local councils are up to in the future? Not Google. Who will cover magistrates’ courts, inquests, local crime, the speech days? Not Google."

What about citizen journalism?
Blogging, camera phones and other new technologies have turned every eyewitness into a ‘citizen journalist’, challenging the ‘professionals’ to reinvent themselves to remain relevant. These advances also allow stories to be assembled and published ‘as-it-happens’ online, putting new pressures on old editorial structures.

New technologies shouldn’t replace the old, but rather alter the ecosystem in which both can co-exist successfully. One example of this was when citizen journalists contributed their own film and footage to the BBC Midlands Today report on a freak wave of mini tornadoes last summer.

These citizen journalists weren’t interested in managing and editing the news but they wanted to contribute in a way that added value – they could be there when the BBC was not. The BBC was able to package the story with context and expert comment – giving it credibility and tackling the subject in an even-handed way.

How will this effect PR professionals?
PR professionals realise that although the roles of local newspapers may be changing, they should not be underestimated.

Relevance is king when targeting local journalists, with convenience a close second. Gone are the days of wooing a journalist over a liquid lunch so we need to make their lives more pleasant in other ways by giving them news that is well-targeted, supplying relevant third party quotes, photography and in some cases film.

A final word from Gill Holtom, our own PR group account director and former journalist from the Express and Star: It’s clear that the regional reporter’s job has changed dramatically over the past decade. The pressure’s on to produce more content than ever before…but with shrinking resources. We in PR can help by making sure we supply the kind of high quality material that will keep the readers reading, and the advertisers spending.

*Birmingham Press Club