Paratus helps Costa Coffee to stand out

The coffee chain has briefed the agency to handle a number of profile-raising consumer communications projects over the next three months. It did not previously have a retained PR agency.

Costa Coffee is keen to stand out from its rivals at a time when many consumers see take-away coffee as an expendable part of their budget.

Paratus is expected to use a number of creative campaigns to differentiate the brand. One of the ideas is believed to involve promoting cappuccino as the nation's favourite coffee.

Costa Coffee PR manager Nevina Holland declined to reveal how the brand would differentiate itself, but said a key element of the projects would be to integrate external and internal relations: 'We're trying to explain the campaigns to internal Costa staff and working with baristas to educate them in PR.'

Paratus will use its regional network of PR agencies for the work.

The agency has previously worked with Starbucks. It has also been appointed to provide regional media relations support for a number of Orange stores opening in the UK.