The Meat and Livestock Commission is reviewing its external PR
support in the UK in a bid to cut costs, and intends to consolidate its
public affairs, crisis and corporate PR into a single pounds 200,000
account.
Bell Pottinger currently handles the commission’s corporate strategy and
crisis PR. Shandwick is the commission’s public affairs consultancy.
The commission has invited The Communication Group, Ketchum and its two
incumbent agencies to pitch for the new account.
Corporate communications head Nicky O’Reilly said the review was sparked
by a cost-cutting drive and new PR issues linked to Scottish and Welsh
devolution. With devolution gathering pace, new campaigning groups are
being formed in the regions which the commission wants to appeal to.
O’Reilly has also doubled the in-house press team from two to four,
reducing the need for external support.
She said: ’It’s a total review process. We need to make sure the markets
in Scotland and Wales understand us. We see there is sense in having an
overarching consultancy that can provide a service across our
organisation.’
The selected agency will report to O’Reilly, corporate strategy head Bob
Bansback and marketing director Gwynn Howells.
The commission is a government agency. Recent issues on its agenda
include encouraging consumers to buy British beef following the lifting
of the export ban on British beef by EUagriculture ministers this week.
