This Week in PR – 1 Nov 2013

‘This week in PR’ is a look at all the big stories in public relations as reported by the UK media over the past seven days. The week’s top stories include questions over RBS’ privatisation communications, the best of the Digital Impact Awards 2013 and of course the biggest story of the week, Rebekah Brooks affair with Andy Coulson, the former PR and communications director of prime minister David Cameron.
To have your PR News featured here next week, please email me at [email protected]. 

Leading the news this week:

Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson had affair, phone-hacking trial hears via The BBC
‘Former News of the World editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson were having an affair for at least six years from the late 1990s, the phone-hacking trial has heard.
Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said he was disclosing the affair because it showed how much the pair trusted each other.’

RBS Internal ‘Bad Bank’ Just PR Spin to Help Privatisation? by @LiannaBrinded via IBTimes UK 
‘UK Chancellor George Osborne said it is unlikely the Royal Bank of Scotland will be privatised before the next general election in 2015, despite the state-backed institution hiving off assets into an internal ‘bad bank’.
The International Business Times questions if this is just merely a public relations strategy to show the public that the group is trying to cleanse itself of its ills?’

Fast Track to handle marketing program for The EurAsia Cup via FastTrack
‘International sports and entertainment marketing agency Fast Track has been appointed by the European Tour to develop and execute the marketing communications programme for The EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM, a new team match play golf tournament that pits Europe’s leading golfers against the best players Asia has to offer.  The event will be managed by three of Fast Track’s offices in Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi and London.’

Digital Impact Awards 2013 via CisionUK
Nike (AKQA) took home the prize for the ‘digital campaign of the year’ while AMVBBDO was named the ‘digital agency of the year’ at the 2013 Digital Impact Awards that took place on Wednesday at The Brewery in central London.

Charities slash spending on PR agency help by @John Owens86 via PRWeek
‘PR agencies have been allocated just three per cent of the voluntary sector’s PR budgets this year, down from 10.4 per cent last year, a study by new business research company Pearlfinders finds.’

Lauren Hales launches Halestorm PR via TheMediaEye
‘After 10 years at Mercury/Virgin EMI publicist, Lauren Hales has announced she’s leaving to set up her own independent PR company, Halestorm PR. Hales continues to work with Chase & Status, Pixie Lott and Fall Out Boy.’

Sarah Pinch named CIPR President 2014 via CIPR
‘Sarah Pinch (founder of Pinch Point Communications), is confirmed as CIPR president-elect for 2014 and will be joined on the board by Dave Sanders who has been returned as Treasurer for a third year. Both stood unopposed, so no ballot was held, but following the conclusion of the election they can now be confirmed in their roles, which will commence on 1 January 2014.’

Account wins and movements:

HTC appoints Hope & Glory for UK PR by @Ishbel_Macleod via The Drum
‘HTC has appointed Hope&Glory to handle its UK PR following a pitch process. The team will look after HTC UK’s press office duties, helping manage the UK launch of new handsets, the reviews, product placement and its lifestyle media programme.’

Aspectus PR wins RES Software via CisionUK
Aspectus PR has won the UK account for workspace virtualisation company RES Software. Aspectus has been coordinating RES Software’s corporate PR campaign through its New York office for the last year.

Hill+Knowlton Strategies UK hires Andrew Stafford via The Holmes Report
‘Hill+Knowlton Strategies UK has bolstered its growing technology team with the appointment of Andrew Stafford as a senior account director. He joins H+K from Firebox.com and brings more than 11 years in both in-house and agency roles.’

Dominos Pizza appoints LightBrigade PR via LightBridage Media
‘Domino’s Pizza has appointed LightBrigade to handle its proactive consumer press office work on the back of the launch of its “Greatness” brand positioning campaign, spearheaded last month by a new 30 second TV spot featuring a Domino’s moped driver riding to the music of 50s TV show Champion the Wonder Horse.’

The Beauty Shortlist appoints Amazing PR via CisionUK
Amazing PR has been appointed to handle all the UK press and publicity for top beauty blog, The Beauty Shortlist.
The Beauty Shortlist was founded in 2009 by beauty journalist Fiona Klonarides and ranked second on Cision’s Top 10 UK beauty blogs list in February this year. 

The Big Pitch

Samsung Electronics calls BTL pitch by @LouiseRidley via Campaignlive.co.uk
‘Samsung Electronics UK has called a pitch to appoint an agency or agencies for its below-the-line work.The review is being handled by The Observatory and is at an early stage. It follows a restructure of Samsung’s IT and mobile division, which will now handle all elements of its business for devices such as mobiles, tablets, and its mini Note PC laptops.’

PRspective

Kyly Bird of Make Architects via CisionUK
In an interview with Cision, Kyly Bird, digital marketer and partner at Make discusses the pressures of urban development today and the resulting effect it has had on communications and PR in the architecture and design sectors.