With spring around the corner positive energy exudes from the office. That, and the addition to two new staff members and another household homes and interiors brand to the client list. Collective enthusiasm abounds.
First up we’re delighted to announce Smoking Gun PR will now be representing Paint By Conran, Terence Conran’s new line of luxurious matt and gloss pots, conceived from 120 years of design experience. From handling press office duties to expanding social media reach it should go without saying that after successes with Outdoor Chic, Silentnight, Taskers, Victoria Plumb and more we’re well placed to deliver stand out results in this sector.
That’s not our only new arrival, either. Kerry Aldcroft joins as Office Manager following a successful career working within legal administration for Pannone Solicitors here in Manchester. Meanwhile, Katie Sumner has taken up post as our latest Social Media Apprentice, calling on knowledge gleaned from time spent in-house at Tangerine PR, and representing our continued commitment as one of the first agencies involved in this national training scheme.
Elsewhere and in addition to day to day professional duties our team is offering helping hands to more than a few worthwhile causes. MD Rick Guttridge is currently curating entries to the National Blog Awards, with the final shortlist due for publication imminently (click here for full details). Meanwhile, closer to home and our sporting hearts, Wythenshawe F.C., Manchester’s most unsung football team, is in the midst of a campaign to raise awareness and funds that also involves local giants City, United, Manchester Airport Group, Squad and ourselves; a meeting of minds that doesn’t happen every day.
All of this is before we come to mention impending guest lectures at The University of Chester in early March, Smoking Gun’s current candidacy in the Prolific North and Golden Hedgehog awards, and Eva Rey Del Rio, who joins us for an internship whilst studying an MA in PR at MMU. Nor have we found the space to talk about recent figures from SocialBakers, which ranked our client Silentnight’s Facebook Page as having the second highest public engagement of any UK brand on the network during December. Still, it’s probably better we focus on all the tasks at hand instead, given we have that reputation for public relations innovation and ingeniousness to maintain.