Pace Micro Technology, Europe’s largest producer of satellite and
cable receivers, has appointed Kinross and Render as its first retained
agency to handle UK consumer and trade PR.
The appointment comes ahead of the UK launch of digital television in
April 1998. Pace is one of the launch partners for BSkyB’s UK digital
service and has digital partnerships in markets including Italy,
Australia and Brazil.
Consumer and trade work for digital products was previously handled
in-house. Marketing manager Gregory Thorpe considered expanding his
in-house team but instead handed the work to Kinross and Render.
The agency’s brief is to raise awareness of the Pace brand and to work
on highlighting the benefits of digital television. Pace uses Citigate
as its financial agency. It has suffered in the City since floating last
year due to slow sales of digital boxes in markets outside the UK.
Shares reached a peak of 241p in November 1996 but have since slumped to
51p. Analogue box sales were pounds 32 million for the second half of
1996, down from pounds 53 million. However, sales of digital boxes fared
better, with sales reaching pounds 70 million in the second half of
1996, pounds 5 million up on sales in the first half of the year.
As part of an attempt to revive fortunes the Yorkshire-based group has
recruited Malcolm Miller, head of Sega’s European operations, as its new
chief executive.
