Cancer care charity appoints Spirit
We're thrilled to have been appointed to support pioneering cancer charity Penny Brohn Cancer Care.
We'll be working with the team to promote their work offering life changing complementary cancer care to people affected by cancer and their families. Therapies and support are centred on the whole person - from nutritional advice to self help techniques, and designed to work alongside conventional medical treatment.
Spirit will also be working on the charity's 30th anniversary celebrations and promotion, looking to broaden awareness of the charity and its unique approach across the UK.
Spirit helps international charity ActionAid Make its Mark on the West Country
Spirit's recent regional campaign for international development charity ActionAid delivered "amazing results" that are hard to achieve locally for a national or international cause.
According to Patricia Lima, ActionAid's Head of PR Special Projects: "Spirit work just the way you would hope a PR agency would - getting really stuck in with a smile and delivering some amazing results. You can brief them and be confident that they will deliver - highly recommended."
Helped by celebrity involvement arranged by Spirit, the Make Your Mark campaign ran on two separate occasions on BBC TV and saw Bristol comedian Mark Watson on the sofa in the ITV West studio, talking through film footage from his trip for the charity to Senegal.
A giant artwork featuring 5 year old Enid from Uganda, and made up of over 800 self portraits from people across the West Country, hung from Bristol Cathedral for all to see, thanks to a unique opportunity secured by Spirit.
The campaign resulted in more than 80 pieces of coverage in 16 regional newspapers, 9 regional magazines and 6 local radio stations.
There was also huge success in online and social media - with over 50 per cent of bloggers contacted including mention of the campaign, resulting in well over 50 threads and discussions.
Spirit fuels publicity for local green fuel scheme
A new scheme that supplies wood fuel sourced from the West Country for use in local biomass boilers has asked Spirit PR to give it the oxygen of publicity.
An increasing number of local organisations using this renewable energy are being forced to source fuel from outside the region, from as far afield as Scandanvia.
Not-for-profit company Westwoods has been set up to make use of the fuel lying in local woodlands which until now has not been harvested because landowners did not have a ready market.
Spirit is raising the profile of Westwoods among business people and farmers and has already secured widespread press coverage including TV, radio, several major regional daily papers and the regional business press.
Spirit PR secures tasty new client
Commercial catering design company, Provincial Design Services, has appointed Spirit PR to devise and execute a marketing and communications strategy for the business to underpin its ambitious growth plans.
Based in Bristol, Provincial has an enviable national client list, having installed new catering facilities for Orange, Ministry of Defence, Royal Sun Alliance and Barclays to name a few.
Spirit will kick off by conducting research with existing and former customers to establish what marks PDS out from its competitors.
These insights will be used to underpin a wider marketing strategy including reviewing the website, marketing collateral and public relations.
Bristol's homeless choir sing out for TV
Members of Bristol's new homelessness choir, set up by Spirit client St Mungo's, were offered a taste of stardom this month when they featured on both regional TV news programmes in the run up to their debut concert at the Stokes Croft Festival.
The choir is just one of a number of groups and classes on offer to homeless people using St Mungo's Compass Centre on Jamaica Street, which can an important first step on the path to training, volunteering or employment.
After hearing a member of staff mention the choir, Spirit spotted an opportunity to promote their client and give the singers some well deserved publicity.
The story was covered by ITV West, BBC Points West, Heart FM, Gold (radio), BBC Radio Bristol, the Bristol Evening Post and Bristol 24-7.
The choir has helped boost members' self-confidence and make new friends. According to choir leader Jenny Riley;
"All the media coverage was the icing on the cake for us. For many of these people singing in the choir is a real achievement and to see themselves on TV and in the papers made them feel they were doing something important and worth noticing."
Award-winning Bristol architect have designs on Spirit
Alec French, one of Bristol's most established architectural practices, has taken on Spirit to advise on the company's PR and marketing.
The company has designed some of the most high profile and interesting buildings in the region, including the Quaker's Friars upmarket retail area of Cabot Circus, and Westmark's new headquarters for the Environment Agency, which has set new green standards for office buildings in the UK.
Fresh from the success of winning a South West RIBA award for Aardman's new headquarters, the architects have asked Spirit to review their current communications and help get the message out about the work they are doing.
Spirit will be working with the directors to develop and implement a marketing strategy over the coming year.
Spirit hired to lift Balloon Fiesta to new heights
Bristol Balloon Fiesta, which has become an iconic event for the city, has hired Spirit to handle PR for this year's festival.
We will be handling media relations, online PR and social media for Bristol's biggest festival, which attracts upwards of half a million people over four days in August.
Managing director Caroline Harris is looking forward to introducing her team to the joys of hot air ballooning, having previously worked on the Fiesta's publicity for seven years during which time it became one of the top five outdoor events in the UK.
The whole Spirit team promises to leave the hot air to the balloons!
New appointment puts wind in Spirit PR's sails
Renewable energy company Wind Prospect has appointed Spirit PR to provide communications support for a proposed wind farm in Oldbury-on-Severn, South Gloucestershire.
Spirit is advising on local and regional media relations ahead of the submission of a planning application for Stoneyard Lane wind farm before the end of the year.
We will also be helping Wind Prospect identify other ways to tap into potential supporters, such as local green groups and events.
Results so far include positive front page press coverage and editorial comment in the Bristol Evening Post and positive coverage in the Thornbury Gazette and Western Daily Press.
International charity chooses Spirit
International development charity ActionAid has chosen Spirit to drive a new child sponsorship campaign in Bristol and the South West.
The London based charity say they selected Spirit because of our wealth of original ideas, our knowledge of the region and its media and quite simply because we "really get ActionAid."
We're looking forward to rolling out a series of events and PR activities to encourage people to Make their mark on the world - and sponsor a child.
Bristol businesses asked to give homeless people a chance
London-based charity and Spirit client St Mungo's held a successful corporate reception in Bristol earlier this month. The event marked their arrival in Bristol, having taken on the management of Bristol City Council's Compass Centre on Jamaica Street.
The drinks reception, held at Bristol's new Radisson Blu hotel and co-hosted by Rolls Royce, was attended by dozens of business leaders from some of Bristol's biggest companies including law firm Clark Wilmott and Rok Plc building contractors.
Guests were asked to support St Mungo's new Pathways to Employment programme, aimed at helping homeless and long-term unemployed people in Bristol back into work.
Bristol World Cup Bid Team's Fighting Spirit Pays Off
There was jubilation in the Spirit office today as we celebrated Bristol's triumph in becoming a potential host city for the 2018 World Cup.
Whilst managing director Caroline Harris, members of the bid team and local and national media attended an announcement event at the Watershed Media Centre, the rest of the Spirit team were listening intently as 2018 deputy chairman Lord Mawhinney announced a list of 16 venues in 12 cities at a press conference in London.
We have been advising the bid team on their communications strategy to build support and momentum around Bristol's bid and are proud to have played a small part in the city's success today.
Along with Bristol the other successful host cities are Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Sheffield, and Sunderland.
Spirit supports Bristol's World Cup Bid
Here at Spirit we've just reached a significant milestone in our work with Bristol City Council to help bring the World Cup to Bristol in 2018.
Last Thursday the bid team traveled down the M4 to Wembley Stadium, the national home of football, to officially submit Bristol's bid to become one of the host cities if England is chosen to host the World Cup in 2018.
This was followed by an event this Monday where businesses were given a chance to find out about the main strengths of the bid, and see how they could benefit from the impact of the World Cup.
In the last few months Spirit has worked on an integrated campaign to build support and momentum around Bristol's bid. Working closely with the bid team we've developed a viral game and a strong web presence through social networking to drive email registrations in support of Bristol's bid. We've also used radio, print and broadcast media to encourage locals to text their support for the bid.
In the coming weeks we will continue to build support across Bristol and the region for the bid before the FA make their decision on December 16th.
Spirit client lands top award
Champagne corks are popping in King Square for our client Lesley Freed, chief executive of serviced apartment company SACO, who has just been named as the first Female Entrepreneur of the West.
Congratulations to Lesley who has built up a hugely successful company over the past ten years. From humble beginnings with just a handful of apartments in Bristol, the company now has a turnover of £10 million and now offers 12,000 apartments across 35 countries worldwide.
We're particularly chuffed because we nominated her and put together the winning award entry (although it helped, of course, to have such great material to work with!)
Leading homeless charity appoints Spirit PR
London's biggest charity for homeless people, St Mungos, has selected Spirit to provide PR support for their work in Bristol, where they have taken over the running of the Compass Centre. The centre helps long-term homeless people to get their lives back on track by providing health care and advice, drug treatment and support, plus training, education and skills development.
St Mungo's chose Spirit over two other local agencies, because of our understanding of the sensitive issues surrounding homelessness and the need to balance the individual circumstances of service users against wider communication goals.
Spirit bites back again
Spirit is co-ordinating the second phase of a press campaign on behalf of its client, the South West Regional Development Agency.
The Bites Back sponsorship campaign kicked off in September and runs until May 2010 and is running in titles across the Northcliffe Media Group, including Bristol Evening Post, Western Daily Press, Western Morning News and Plymouth Herald.
It follows the success of the campaign's first phase which ran for four months earlier this year.
The campaign includes commentary from the RDA on the region's economy, looking at subjects such as entrepreneurship, creative industries and developing a low carbon economy. It sheds light on what sets apart the South West's economy from other regions and showcases opportunities for businesses during the recession.
Spirit is working closely with the RDA to co-ordinate and deliver the campaign.
National charity appoints Spirit PR
A national charity has appointed Spirit PR to carry out media relations for an exciting new visitor attraction in London.
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust is opening a bat house at its London Wetland Centre in Barnes in September and Spirit has been brought on board to help publicise the launch.
The bat house is the realisation of a concept from Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller and shows how architects and developers can create space for wildlife in an artistic way.
Environmental company appoints Spirit PR
Sustain, an environmental company based in Bristol, has appointed Spirit PR to look after its media relations, helping to raise the company's profile across the UK.
Sustain advises clients on how to reduce their use of carbon to help improve efficiency and meet legislative requirements.
Spirit is working in partnership with marketing and design agency 375 to devise a comprehensive marketing and communications plan to build awareness of the Sustain brand in current markets and help break into new ones.
Teenage Cancer Trust appoints Spirit PR
Following on from the success of the launch of Teenage Cancer Trust's South West Appeal the charity has appointed Spirit PR to continue to promote the Appeal across the region.
The Teenage Cancer Trust South West Appeal launched earlier this year. Working with University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust and South West Specialised Commissioning Group, the aim is to raise £1 million in order to fund services and facilities solely for young people with cancer aged between 16 and 24 in the South West.
The charity, which currently has ten specialist teenage cancer units around the country, provides facilities that are designed to give teenagers the very best chance of a positive outcome, providing an environment where teenagers can meet others in a similar situation.
Spirit PR named top fifth creative company to watch
Spirit PR has been named in the top five creative companies to watch in the South West in a survey by Bristol Media, one of the biggest creative networks in the UK.
For details please visit www.swtop100.co.uk/top-10-to-watch
Teenage Cancer Trust appointed Spirit to support South West launch
Spirit PR has helped launch a £1 million fundraising appeal for national charity Teenage Cancer Trust to help young people in the South West affected by the disease.
With only two weeks to plan and implement the media campaign, widespread interest and coverage was secured, including ITV West news, all local radio stations, newspapers, local magazines and online.
Media attended the launch at Walton Castle in force, initiating relationships which can be built on as the fundraising campaign rolls out.
Teenage Cancer Trust will fund new services designed to give teenagers across the region the very best chance of a positive outcome, providing an environment where they can meet others in a similar situation.
Commenting after the event, charity Trustee Diane Freedman said: “I want to thank you for all the effort you put into making the launch such a huge success. No stone was left unturned, it was brilliant coverage.
“Teenage Cancer Trust is very dear to my heart and to see it have the profile you created for the launch was fabulous.”
University of the West of England appoints Spirit to consultation project
Spirit has been appointed by the University of the West of England (UWE) to create, manage and implement a communications programme to support the transformation of the University's Bristol campus at Frenchay.
UWE is consulting with its students, staff, stakeholders and general public about expanding and consolidating its Frenchay campus following the University's purchase of land at the neighbouring former Hewlett-Packard site.
Working closely with UWE's communications team, Spirit has set the strategy and is leading a full communications and consultation programme in partnership with Avril Baker Consultancy, which includes a new website with online forum, blog and videos, publicity materials, consultation events and media relations.
The consultation process runs from May until the autumn.
Spirit gets its teeth into 'Bites Back' press campaign
On behalf of its client, the South West Regional Development Agency, Spirit is co-ordinating a four-month press campaign across the South West region.
The 'Bites Back' sponsorship campaign is running across the Northcliffe Media group, which includes titles such as Bristol Evening Post, Western Daily Press, Western Morning News and Plymouth Herald.
Each week, the campaign looks at an issue affecting the economy and includes an opinion piece by the South West RDA accompanied by practical advice for businesses and case studies of local businesses. Its aim is to promote the South West RDA's role in leading the region's economic recovery in partnership with Business Link.
Caroline Harris, Spirit’s managing director, said: “Spirit initially advised on the strategy and is now working closely with the Agency to co-ordinate and deliver the campaign.”
The campaign runs until the middle of June.
Spirit wins business in Wales
After working with the Savills Bristol team for six years, Spirit has now been appointed to look after media relations for the Cardiff office.
Spirit is supporting the residential, development and planning teams, helping to continue raising the profile of this highly rated international property adviser.
Activity includes publicising new instructions and planning consents as well as commenting on industry issues and legislation.
Caroline Harris, Spirit PR's managing director, said: “We were brought on board by Savills in Bristol to help them raise their profile when they first opened here and it is testament to the quality of our work that we have been asked to support the company in Cardiff.”
Spirit campaign featured in PR Week
Spirit PR's recent fundraising and awareness campaign for regional charity Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal is featured in the current issue of industry bible PR Week.
Bristol's Big Give was a radio fundraising initiative run on GWR Bristol in December to raise funds for Bristol Children's Hospital.
True to its title, the campaign raised over £80,000, despite the difficult economic climate. This includes more than 270 people who signed up to become regular donors, raising further long-term funds for the charity.
Spirit generated widespread awareness of the campaign before the radio broadcast, reaching an estimated audience in Bristol and the region of 750,000.
Nine full pages of coverage were received in the Bristol Evening Post and Western Daily Press, and the campaign was also featured on ITV West news, third sector press and online media. To generate excitement before the event, Spirit also set up a hospital radio broadcast with GWR Breakfast presenter Paris Troy which was also broadcast online.
Spirit managing director Caroline Harris says: “The campaign was a huge success raising so much money in the teeth of the economic downturn and all involved are now hoping to make it an annual event.”
Spirit PR works on major radio fundraising campaign for Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal
Spirit PR is working on a ground-breaking radio fundraising initiative launched by Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal to raise funds for Bristol Children's Hospital. The first of its kind to be held in England, the three-day radio broadcast on GWR Bristol is designed to give a unique insight into life behind the scenes at the hospital, and raise thousands of pounds to improve the lives of sick children.
Called "Bristol's Big Give", the GWR Bristol radio team will set up a temporary studio in the hospital for their broadcast marathon which runs on the 11th, 12th and 13th December and will feature personal stories from patients, families, staff and volunteers at the hospital.
Spirit will be working on an integrated marketing campaign to support the radio appeal, including posters, leaflets and online PR, with viral campaigns and seeding social networking sites. Spirit has enlisted support from the Bristol Evening Post which is running a series of articles about life at the hospital ahead of the radio broadcast.
Spirit PR team members will also be volunteering in the Grand Appeal's call centre throughout the radio appeal, taking donations from the public.
Managing director Caroline Harris said: "This is a cause to which we are all very committed and it's fantastic to be working on a new campaign like this which has the potential to raise thousands of pounds and huge awareness of the work that goes on at the hospital."
Spirit PR secures place on The Central Office of Information roster
Spirit Public Relations has secured a place on the new roster of preferred agencies for The Central Office of Information (COI).
The COI oversees the outsourcing of more than 100 PR campaigns worth approximately £15 million a year on behalf of Government departments, communicating issues that affect the lives of every citizen - from health and education to benefits, rights and welfare.
Spirit PR is now one of seven agencies across the region eligible to pitch for PR contracts from the COI covering the South West.
The PR framework starts at the beginning of December and will be in place for up to four years.
Caroline Harris, Spirit PR's managing director said: "We were selected on the basis of our proven expertise and experience in the South West and we are delighted to have been given the opportunity to tender for some of the most interesting work in PR."
Neil Martinson, COI's Director of News and PR commented: "Government and public sector campaigns are diverse and challenging and the role of PR is growing. The review was rigorous, very competitive and had the highest standard of submissions we have ever seen."
"We're now looking forward to working with our agencies to deliver some really innovative, successful campaigns that can demonstrate significant returns on investment for our clients."
UK's top journalists heading for Bristol
Spirit Public Relations has been working closely with the South West RDA, Bristol City Council and Destination Bristol to promote the city and raise the profile of the Society of Editors conference 2008, which is being held in Bristol next week (9-11 November).
The BBC's Robert Peston and Andrew Marr, Channel 4's Jon Snow, Daily Mirror boss Sly Bailey, Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre are among the 400 editors from the nation's print and broadcast media that will be heading to Bristol next week.
Spirit PR has co-ordinated a digital media display at the conference's annual dinner on Monday November 10, where Bristol companies will be able to showcase their innovative technologies on a national stage.
Delegates will also be given a sneak preview of the 0117 Made in Bristol directory - a new directory of creative companies in the city - ahead of its official launch on December 4. As a conference sponsor and major funder of the directory, the South West RDA has arranged for copies of the directory to be placed in the delegates' hotel rooms, providing an excellent opportunity to promote the city's creative companies to editors and influencers from across the country.
National figures addressing the assembled editors will include Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, Press Complaints Commission chairman, former UK Ambassador to the USA Sir Christopher Meyer and Chief of Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup.
The conference will be held at the Marriott Royal Hotel in the heart of Bristol between 9 and 11 November, with events held at the SS Great Britain and Explore-At-Bristol.
Tree Aid chosen as 2008/09 Community Spirit Partner
Spirit PR has chosen Bristol-based environmental and social charity Tree Aid as its first Community Spirit partner.
Every year Spirit plans to donate services free of charge to a local charity or community organisation which lacks either the resources or expertise to run PR campaigns in-house.
For its first partnership, it is working on Tree Aid's Christmas Cake Bake, a national campaign to raise funds and increase awareness of the charity's work in Africa.
Caroline Harris, managing director of Spirit Public Relations, said: "We are very pleased to be working with Tree Aid as our first Community Spirit partner.
From their base in Bristol they are making a real long term difference to people living in very difficult circumstances in drought and famine affected parts of Africa and we are proud to be able to support them in that work."
Tree Aid helps people in Africa's drylands secure a more sustainable future by growing trees, which provide protection against desertification and are a valuable source of foods, fuels, building materials, medicines and cattle feed.
The charity was founded in 1987 by a group of foresters in response to the famine in Africa which was brought to public attention by Band Aid and Live Aid. They wanted to provide a long term, sustainable solution once crisis relief efforts ended.
Spirit is providing a significant amount of time for free and the rest at a substantially reduced rate on its Tree Aid work.
For more information visit www.treeaidcakebake.org.
Spirit help build audience for major eco-home show
Spirit PR arranged for the cream of Bristol media to take a trip around the harbour in a historic tall ship at the launch of this year’s EDF Energy Bristol Harbour Festival.
The event, which was conceived by Spirit three years ago to improve awareness of EDF Energy’s community activities in the area and has become one of the must-have tickets on the Bristol media social calendar.
Fifty media professionals from station directors and editors to reporters and feature writers, gathered together on Friday 1st August to swap industry gossip and enjoy a boat trip with a difference.
They also got the chance to find out more about what the energy giant is doing in the region and enjoy its hospitality, whilst soaking up the atmosphere of one of Bristol’s biggest free public events.
Company launch brings new spirit to Bristol's PR scene - July 2008
Movers and shakers from Bristol's business and media community got into the party spirit at the launch of the city's newest public relations consultancy.
Spirit Public Relations Ltd represents an impressive range of clients across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors including some of the South West's leading property developers, the South West of England Regional Development Agency and Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal.
Managing director Caroline Harris has set up Spirit following the recent rapid expansion of her successful and well-respected independent PR consultancy CHPR, which she has run for 10 years with the help of several associates.
She has now built up a tight-knit team of public relations professionals from backgrounds in both PR and journalism to provide a full range of high level services and advice to Spirit's growing client list.
She said: "I've spent time finding the right team who are totally committed to providing the best advice and service for our clients. I firmly believe that doing a good job for clients helps to create a happy team and a successful business and this philosophy is right at the heart of Spirit Public Relations.
While this launch signals an important milestone, our focus and personal commitment remains unchanged and I will continue to be involved in all client work.
Many of our clients are based in and around Bristol and we are passionate about the city and its success. It is a diverse place, which is full of ideas and we enjoy bringing a spirited and creative approach to the work we do here."
The company was officially launched at a party at the Riverstation on July 3 where a caricaturist was on hand to capture the spirit of the occasion.
