Off-licence group First Quench - the little-known name behind
Thresher Wine Shops, Victoria Wine and Bottoms Up - has hired Financial
Dynamics and Cohn & Wolfe after a total communications rethink.
One-year incumbent Communique PR lost out in the review, which saw
lengthy pitches staged for both consumer and corporate briefs,
previously combined into one remit.
First Quench made the hires following a group-wide overhaul, sparked off
by its acquisition last year by Nomura International and appointment of
CEO David Williams in January this year.
FD will work on the corporate remit, advising First Quench's management
on communicating the group's business strategy to the drinks trade,
employees and the business community. The FD team, led by partner Jon
Aarons, will also handle day-to-day press enquiries.
Cohn & Wolfe takes on the consumer PR remit, with a brief to tackle
recent competition from supermarkets encroaching on the off-licence
market. C&W director Jill Rennie heads the account.
First Quench is also rebranding its Victoria Wine outlets as Thresher
Wine Shops.