First PR account for Purple Ronnie heads to Mantra

Mantra PR has been taken on to launch PurpleRonnie.com, the

official website of greetings card character and merchandise spin-off

Purple Ronnie.

The cartoon, created by Giles Andreae, shot to cult prominence after

being adopted as the mascot of the Vimto drinks line, owned by the

Nichols Group.

The vast array of associated products now stretches from books and mugs

to mobile phone covers, all bearing the character's rhyming

couplets.

The account was won following a non-competitive pitch, which Mantra's

head of consumer PR Edward Waldron-Davies claimed was as a result of the

agency's reputation.

Waldron-Davies, who leads the account team, reports to web developer

Monkey Island, which has been commissioned to create the site.

The account will operate on a retained basis, and sees Mantra dealing

exclusively with the website, not the offline product.

The site features the famed poems and games based on the character, as

well as opportunities to advertise and sell merchandise via the web.

The brief, which is the first PR appointment for the character itself,

will see the agency undertake media-oriented stunts throughout the

summer to increase the site's awareness.

Manchester-based agency Communique Public Relations currently handles

all PR for the Vimto brand.