Thursday 3 May 2012

Chester Arts Festival appoint Freer PR

 The Chester Arts Festival have appointed local PR Agency, Freer PR to help raise the profile of their forthcoming summer art event.

The first Chester Arts festival will take place in Chester and run 15-17th June at Chester’s Abode Hotel. Showcasing world renowned artists, the festival hopes to raise the profile of Art in the City and will show works from Artists including: Professor of Art, Pete Turnbull, whose work has been exhibited in London and New York; award winning photographer Eva-Erdi-Krausz whose work has been exhibited in the Tate Liverpool; World famous Sculptor, Nick Elphick, who was commissioned to the sculpt the Queens Head in 2011; local artist and member of the Wirral Society of Arts David Shiers; Kerry Darlington a recent finalist in the Best up and coming published artist award; Chloe Holt a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art and a special exhibition of the work of renowned (late) cartoonist Ronald Searle.
 
Festival Director, Laura O’Hare commented: “We’re pleased to have appointed Nicki Spindler and the team at Freer PR. As a leading local agency they came highly recommended to us and we’ve so far been delighted with their injection of ideas, planning and strategy which will all help to raise the profile of Chester’s newest festival.  Personally, I wanted to create an accessible arts festival that showcased some of the most talented artists in the Area. The festival will be a celebration of art across all persuasions – and we hope the event will become a permanent fixture in the City’s event calendar.”

Speaking about their appointment, Nicki Spindler commented: “It’s great to be involved with the Chester Arts Festival. The 3 day event will be a great visitor attraction offering something for everyone. The festival will also provide a great opportunity for the City’s budding junior artists who’ll have the opportunity to win a chance to exhibit their artwork at the festival. We’re really pleased to be on board with the festival and we’re looking forward to contributing to what looks set to be a great event for the City.”

Monday 30 April 2012

Daisy Chain links Freer PR to North West Charity


We’re delighted to announce that Freer PR will be working with Liverpool based charity, Daisy UK.

Daisy UK is a charity set up by Dave Kelly, a local man who sadly lost his vision 18 years ago. Dave Kelly, who runs the charity, decided to set up a community support organisation that helps disabled people reach their true potential in life. The charity offers their support services including sports development, education and employment opportunities in a bid to break down the barriers within society.

Nicki Spindler, Director at Freer PR said: “We've wanted to work with a Charity for some time, but it was important for us that we found a charity where we felt we could make a real contribution. DaisyUK have helped so many people across the North West and to know that in helping them raise their profile further they'll be able to help many more people means we'll be achieving our objective in helping a local Charity realise it's true potential.

DaisyUK have a wealth of experience combined with a fantastic sense of humour and we're really excited to be working with such a dedicated and passionate team."


Friday 27 April 2012

How important is local publicity to your business?


When we first talk to Companies about PR, we're often asked the same question: `Can you get us national publicity?' - It's a fair question- always met with the same answer `Will national publicity help you achieve your key business objectives?'

In the fast paced world of Online PR your message can be pushed far and wide very quickly. This can be a good thing - if your brand/company is ready for it. However, we always start with a few simple questions:

Who are your existing customers? and Who are your target customers?

Often we find that for many businesses their existing customers are located within the immediate local region, and as for the customers they want to target? - Well of course they want to attract more of the same.

Often focusing on local publicity can be overlooked or dismissed in preference of national press, sector specific publications or online PR. Don't get us wrong we work with all of these channels on a daily basis so we do understand the value and place they have in many PR strategies - but we've also helped many businesses to grow simply be starting with a local publicity campaign: reaffirming their position and raising their profile in their local marketplace.

A recent stat showed that 49%* of marketers believe localised marketing is essential to business growth (*Source BIA/Kelsey)

We've built strong working relationships with the local and regional media. We know what makes a great story and how to drive PR campaigns that gain you regular and consistent coverage.

Our advice: If you haven't used PR before or if you haven't yet got your local area all sewn up in terms of market-share then speak with us. We'll develop an innovative and creative PR campaign that will help you raise your profile and drive business growth.

For more advice about local PR strategies contact Amy on Amy@Freerpr.com

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Hillyer Mckeown Urges Local Businesses to Attend Networking Event


Our client, a leading Ellesmere Port law firm, are urging local businesses to take part in a business networking event this Friday.

Designed to support the business community, the event will help investigate potential opportunities for growth and innovation and offer the opportunity to meet new contacts.
It will also allow guests to share best practice and discuss ways to move businesses forward in the current economic climate.

Hillyer Mckeown has launched the campaign in a bid to bring together businesses and help develop growth.



Ellesmere Port Development Board chairman, Robert Mee, said: “Ellesmere Port is starting to reap the benefits from recent developments in education, retail and employment, which has increased positivity about the town’s future.

“This event will provide local businesses with a great opportunity to network with other local companies, create new contacts and build on existing ones.

“It will also provide a way for businesses to keep up-to-date with progress in their area and find about new developments.”


Richard Burnett, client development manager for Hillyer McKeown, said: “We chose Ellesmere Port as the location for our first event in order to show our support to the Ellesmere Port Development Board in regenerating the Ellesmere Port area.

“The area is transforming and our vision is to bring together the local business community in order to encourage key collaborations and strategic partnerships that will help local businesses to grow.”

The networking event will take place from 1.30pm on Friday, April 27, at The Saffron Restaurant, Whitby Road, Ellesmere Port.

For further details on the event contact Amy at Amy@FreerPR.com

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Is Your Business 'App'y?

At Freer PR we’re always looking for ways to build and promote your business reputation both B2B and B2C. We search for opportunities to maximise exposure, and today we ask the question; Can App’s help raise your business profile?

An App (or Application) is another word for a computer program. But what does an App do? Consider your computer. Chances are, when you purchased it, the machine came preloaded with programs and perhaps some additional applications. It’s a good bet that you have more than those original programs on your computer now. Perhaps you bought other software programs that you wanted or needed and installed them to help you get the most out of your computer.

Now imagine your mobile, an App is a program you can add to your phone. It’s as simple as that.

So can an App really benefit your business profile? Figures show that more and more of us our finding out the importance of the internet and it turn, we don’t want to be without it. Welcome the smart phone (or the internet-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-phone) allowing you to do more, see more and read more, daily!

For businesses across the globe, Apps are being developed as a platform to communicate with consumers in a more direct way, and there’s good reason! Apps have the ability to transform your business to an audience that you may not have approached before. Here are our top reasons for how Apps can benefit your business profile:
  • An App, linked with social media sites will give consumers the need to know information direct to the palm of their hand.
  • Apps are developed for convenience for the users. Of course, if you have a great app, the word will spread.
  • Apps can bring traffic to your store whether than be online or in bricks and mortar.
  • Apps are able to sync with other online websites including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. So it’s great when offering a discount or special service, or promoting an event.
  • The mobile internet market is growing much faster than fixed internet.
  • It will differentiate you from your competition.
  • You create deeper engagement.
  • You can offer you’re branding on your customers phones.
  • You drive more loyalty.
  • For businesses, having an App for your company will create an innovative, professional and engaging appeal to your brand. In turn, your business will be subjected to a newer audience, and consumer’s figures will increase.
If your company is currently developing an App, it’s important your public relations around this process are strategically planned.

For further information on how to promote your App contact Amy@freerpr.com.
 

Thursday 19 April 2012

Interactive Marketing at Coachella


As the world’s media forms around the Coachella festival this year, sponsors are looking for innovative ways to promote their brands to the fashionista festival goers. The festival that is held on two weekends in April has already wowed crowds with the hologram performance from rapping legend Tu-Pac. 

Sponsors including Heineken, Hyundai and H&M are taking advantage of the crowds and their social media traffic to experiment with new types of brand advertising. Compared to the standard concert sponsorships of the recent years  now marketers are able to offer experiences to their consumers and encourage interactivity with their brand. 



Heineken, one of nine companies sponsoring the event, has attracted a buzz for its Cold Storage Room, wherein Coachella attendees can store up to two cases of the Dutch beer in a cooler accessible only with the owner’s scanned thumbprint. Since the festival goers can’t bring outside drinks into the venue, Heineken provides a service and becomes the beer of choice for thousands camping and partying at the event. 


At a drive-in theatre on the campgrounds, carmaker Hyundai is screening its music documentary “Re:Generation,” in which DJs and other young artists collaborate with older musicians. Hyundai Veloster presents the film. Hyundai is reaching out to an audience of content creators.  Interactive experiences with fans might be more memorable, but of course, If the experience is poorly executed fans will be able to express their negativity on social media sites across the globe. 

UK festival goers have been warned that if these ‘trial experiences’ gain the buzz the sponsors require both online and offline, their next festival experience may be a difference experience altogether.

What do you think about interactive marketing?  

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Totally British Branding, Ma'am!


As we draw closer to the years most patriotic event: The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, our UK brands are jumping on the band wagon and promoting their products with totally British branding.

They overload our shopping trolleys every week, these British brands including Heinz, Pimms, Hovis and McVities are embracing the patriotism towards this celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubliee.

McVities are promoting the 'Proud to be British' positioning, whilst Heinz are launching limited edition vintage packaging. The Hovis food company aims to spend £3.5m on TV, press and PR campaigns aimed at promoting the premium British Farmer Loaf from May to September. Dedicated Marmite have even changed their name to Ma'amite in homage to the Queen's reign. 

Consumers have been asked the question today, will the red, white and blue, 'British' packaging be jumping off the shelves and into your shopping trolley? We've source the previews of these British brands to find out, from you, the British public, what you'll be purchasing this summer?