Haslimann wins Bass eateries

Staff at Haslimann Taylor are celebrating at the salad cart after winning the consumer PR accounts for two restaurant chains: Harvester and Toby Carvery.

The Birmingham-based agency was appointed on the two brands by Bass Leisure Retail this week, after a four-way pitch involving agencies both inside and beyond the M25.

The team, led by Haslimann Taylor managing director Bron Eames, is charged with building the Harvester and Toby brands nationally.

Eames said previous PR campaigns had focused on individual site openings.

Although the agency will still look after this area, Bass had decided it was 'time to take PR seriously, and use it as a brand-building agent', she said.

Director of restaurants marketing Ian Dunstall backed this up, saying: 'We plan to use PR to drive brand equity. Given the competitive strength of our brands, we are up-lifting the role of PR.'

The team reports on a day-to-day basis to brand managers Becky Judd and Peter Harrison, for Harvester and Toby respectively.

The PR campaign will target a broad audience of 35 to 54-year-olds in the BC1 and 2 brackets.

Bass has big roll-out programmes for both brands this year. Both are strong in the South East and Midlands. The second-ever Welsh Harvester opened in Pontypool this week.

Harvester is a chain of 130 country farmhouse-style restaurants, appealing to families. Bass describes it as 'the home of the famous salad cart'. Toby is a chain of carving room restaurants, offering a menu of roasts and other traditional dishes.