Beattie strengthens crisis offering
Integrated agency Beattie has bolstered its rapidly expanding crisis and reputation management offering by hiring lawyer Rhiannon Evans (above left). Evans graduated with a first-class law degree and spent six years advising on some of the most high-profile regulatory, financial and corporate crime cases across England and Wales. Beattie’s specialist crisis practice – which includes its Only Crisis brand – has enjoyed its most successful year ever, picking up a number of high-profile accounts across the charity, legal, pharma, banking and finance sectors.
Ex-Kindred director joins Social & Local
Strategic comms firm Social & Local has appointed ex-Kindred client service director Jessica Duncanson as business director for external communications. Duncanson brings 14 years of experience leading campaigns for public, private and third sector clients. She will help strengthen Social & Local’s external communications offer, to compliment its other services. "The flexible, remote model means I can get my teeth into some brain-stretching work," said Duncanson.
Client wins pour in for Sauce
Sauce Communications has been appointed to handle the PR for sugar brand Billington’s, whose range now includes Barista Sugars, Muscovado, and Molasses. Sauce will be responsible for all UK comms activity, including launching two new single origin Canadian Maple Syrups to the UK market whilst promoting the wider consumer brand and building trade and influencer relationships. The agency has also been appointed to handle the PR for Brasserie Bar Co. and will be responsible for all UK comms activity for restaurants and pubs under the Brasserie Blanc and The White Brasserie Company umbrella.
Brands2Life to help Peakon reach new heights
Employee feedback platform Peakon has hired Brands2Life as its retained agency for PR and social media in the UK, following a competitive pitch. The brand converts employee feedback into predictive insights, to help managers make quantifiable improvements to employee engagement, retention, and team effectiveness. Using its Better Stories Bigger | Impact approach, Brands2Life will support Peakon’s growth with a fully integrated media relations and social programme.
Brandnation nets Slinger Bag win
Tennis ball launcher Slinger Bag has appointed Brandnation to handle its global brand communications ahead of its upcoming launch. The agency has been briefed to create awareness and desire for the Slinger Bag and 'capture the hearts and minds' of the international tennis community. Brandnation will be delivering a global, multi-channel campaign that will include an extensive influencer marketing programme and proactive international press office, as well as the amplification of sponsored talent and social media.
Meantime hires ex-journalist
Royal Greenwich-based Meantime Communications has hired ex-B2B trade journalist Justin Burns to help consult across the agency’s client portfolio in the logistics, transport and tech industries, across the globe. Burns worked for over six years in B2B trade publishing, mainly covering aviation and air freight. He said: "I am also pleased to be working with a company which shares my values on sustainability."
Milan-based designer draws on Purple expertise
Marcelo Burlon has appointed Purple London to handle its UK press office, brand profiling, seasonal shows, VIP and influencer programmes. Marcelo’s career organising events for major fashion houses and DJ-ing paved the way for the launch of his brand in 2012. Five years on, he draws on iconographic elements from different cultures, with boldly printed T-shirts,and contemporary, elevated streetwear. Burlon’s collections are known for clean lines, bold pattern and block colour.
Comms director leaps at chance to join Big Cat
Birmingham-based integrated marketing agency Big Cat has appointed Heather Hopkin to the role of communications director as interim maternity cover and to further strengthen its senior team. She joins the agency after an 11-year stretch in London at Road Communications where she led a team working on a number of health and behaviour change campaigns, including for Scope Healthcare, William Demant, and Unilever.
DRPG appoints new head of film
Senior video professional Carl Timms has joined creative comms group DRPG as its new head of film. With over 20 years’ experience in film and video, Timms is an award-winning director and producer, with a background in both large-scale corporate accounts and small, independent film. Timms brings a diverse skillset to DRPG where he will now be heading up a team of 30, managing creative output, strategic direction, processes and technology.
