of the top agencies outside London Winning in a recession
WAR PR pick their favourite reads to mark World Book Day
You might have thought that settling down with a good book may not have been at the top of the agenda for the PR team at Ware Anthony Rust.
Reading a multitude of newspapers and magazines every day to keep on top of the news agenda for a plethora of clients can be a tiring business and you would forgive the team if they preferred to settle down in front of the television or plug in their iPlayer.
But, inspired by the occasion of World Book Day (March 4) a quick survey of the team revealed everyone has been glued to the pages of a wide range of fascinating reads.
PR assistant Mark Debenham has certainly been going that extra mile by swotting up on Microtrends by Mark Penn. "I can’t give too much away about it as I’m preparing a presentation to the whole agency on it soon!" joked Mark.
Meanwhile, account director Melanie Tuckwell has been engrossed in Stephanie Meyer’s Twighlight saga after watching the romantic vampire movie. "I never thought I would want to read about vampires but the love stories are great for a slush pot like me!" she laughed.
Rob Neal, PR senior account manager, is a massive fan of Philippe Auclair’s biography of Manchester United legend Eric Cantona. "This is a different kettle of fish from the usual gumph you get with football autobiographies. The Rebel Who Would Be King is as close as anyone will get to demystifying one of the greatest enigmas the game has ever seen."
Rachel Griffiths, PR account executive, says she has been kept very busy reading books for her one-year-old nephew Ryan. "He absolutely loves books and I bought him the Hungry Caterpillar for Christmas which was one of my favourites as a child!" she said.
Account Manager Nick Tapper is gripped by horror writer Dean Koontz and, in particular Dark Rivers of the Heart. "Dean is a phenomenal author who is able to very quickly capture the readers’ attention and never let go," he said. "If you like horror, Dean Koontz is a must read."
Head of PR Alison Taylor is quick to recommend The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, the untold story of those who survived the Great American Dust Bowl, and many who didn't.
"This is a fantastic, harrowing and truly mind-blowing read about one of the worst man-made environmental disasters ever which saw black dust storms reaching from New Mexico all the way to New York. I promise you won’t be able to put this book down," said Alison.
Big-hitter Appointed Head of PR at Ware Anthony Rust
Integrated agency Ware Anthony Rust (WAR) has appointed Alison Taylor as head of public relations.
Taylor’s career spans over twenty years in agency public relations, working for clients such as Procter and Gamble, Smirnoff, Atkins Nutritionals, The London Institute, UK Technology Week, Mexican Government Tourist Office, National Dairy Council and Weight Watchers. She was the original co-founder of Xchangeteam and, before joining WAR, ran her own freelance business, AT PR Ltd, providing consultancy services to clients including the British Nutrition Foundation.
Taylor will head an established team servicing a client portfolio which includes Bacs, MGA Entertainment, Clydesdale Bank, InSinkErator, and Hewitsons, and involves consumer, business-to-business, corporate public relations support and crisis management.
Alison Meadows, managing director of WAR said: "We’re thrilled with the appointment of Alison to this important position at WAR. PR is a fundamental and growing part of our offering and to secure such a high calibre operator is a real coup for us. The benefits can already be seen with the addition of several new clients since Alison’s been on board. We’re confident of attracting many more high profile brands to our Cambridge operation under Alison’s leadership".
Creative hard-hitter joins Ware Anthony Rust
Award-winning creative, Jack Melville, has joined Ware Anthony Rust, as Creative and New Business Director. Melville, whose creative prowess has earned him a string of shining accolades, including D&AD’s, the Cannes Film Festival – Gold Lion; Eurobest – The Grand Prix; Art Director of Europe Award – Silver; British Television Advertising Awards (Silver and Bronze); and the London International Advertising Awards, brings with him a wealth of big agency and blue chip client experience.
Melville will report into Dale Haste, Executive Creative Director at Ware Anthony Rust, who said: "Jack’s appointment is testament to the pulling-power of our agency and the high regard in which the whole of the industry holds our creative work. Without our history of delivering superb creative campaigns we would not attract talent like Jack. We’re delighted to have him on board".
Melville’s career history includes roles at Saatchi and Saatchi, Delaney Fletcher Delaney, Lowes and The Johnson Agency, before he established his own agency, M&M, in 1995. Melville’s recent creative work has been for major clients such as Health Education Authority, Loot.com, Greene King, Harper Collins, Cable London and Lejaby.
Chamberlain Strengthens Agricultural Communications Team
Chamberlain has appointed Peter Crowe as an Account Director, to work across a range of high profile client business.
Crowe will report to senior consultant and agri-industry stalwart, Geoff Dodgson, who said: "Peter’s knowledge of the agricultural industry is exceptional and perfectly complements our existing team. His extensive experience of working with a wide range of issues including food, farming and renewable energy means that he’ll be hitting the ground running. We’re delighted to have yet another team member of this calibre, who will add value to our clients’ business from day one."
Crowe, who joins the agency from agri-food consultancy Ceres, is a communications professional with more than 30 years’ experience, including ten years in the dairy industry. He was a pioneer of public relations evaluation in the UK, as well as being the founding secretary of the Marketing Communications Group of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. Crowe’s recent work has included advising the Renewable Energy Association, and working with Imperial College London on a series of Science Bulletins for HGCA (formerly Home-Grown Cereals Authority).
MD swaps laptop for a shovel and helps to rebuild a school in Africa
Alison Meadows, the managing director of Cambridge comms agency Ware Anthony Rust, has returned from Namibia where, along with three of her friends, she helped to rebuild a derelict school.
The trip to southern Africa was the culmination of nearly two years of careful planning and fundraising for the PANTS (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Namibian Tour for School) project, which Alison created with her friends Fiona Fish, Helen Boothman and Karen Pryor.
The intrepid foursome raised a total of £21,000 for their chosen charities, the Parkinson’s Disease Society and The Alzheimer’s Society, as well as donating their time to rebuilding the A.Gariseb Primary School.
The school was located at the foot of Namibia’s highest mountain Brandberg in the heart of Damaraland, the north western Namib Desert. Every day, the team received their wake-up call at 6am and after some breakfast set off on the walk from camp to the school along the dry Ugab river bed.
The team’s challenge at the school, which caters for around 250 children aged between 4 and 16, was to rebuild the cookhouse. The existing structure was derelict so had to be completely dismantled before work could begin on a new water pipe, drains, foundations, roof and walls.
“After the work had been completed the school principal led a very moving hand over ceremony where he spoke to the children about the value of working as a team,” said Alison. “The children put us to shame singing English and African songs, in fact most of them are trilingual!
“It was such a rewarding experience to be involved in and the great bonus was that because of all our efforts to improve the school, the Namibian Government has now been pricked into action as well. The school had been ignored in previous years as the Government tends to only put money into towns where there are more votes to be won.
“What’s really important, however, is that we’ve left a lasting legacy of a fully functional cookhouse which will mean the children get a hot meal every day.”
The money PANTS raised for the Parkinson’s Disease Society will help support carers within Huntingdonshire who dedicate their lives to look after those with the disease, while the money raised for the Alzheimer’s Society will be used to undertake further research and support those with dementia.
Cambridge businesses urged not to cancel Christmas to ensure staff spirits stay high
A new survey has revealed the vast majority of businesses have scrapped plans for a Christmas party this year - but with some careful planning it is possible to organise an event on a budget and ensure staff feel rewarded for a year of hard graft.
Figures released this week by the Press Association show that a staggering 82% of firms have sacrificed the annual knees-up compared to only 11% in 2004. And almost two thirds of businesses warned they will not be holding the festive bash again.
Cambridge marcomms agency Ware Anthony Rust decided to organise a murder mystery evening this year and, food and drink aside, managed to fund the night at The Punter pub on Pound Hill, Cambridge for a grand total of £30.
Costumes and props were all ‘homemade’ with the DIY murder mystery kit purchased cheap online. The Punter hired out its oak panelled private dining room free of charge and there was no minimum spend.
Alison Meadows, managing director, said: "We felt very strongly that we should have a Christmas Party this year. In tough economic times everyone needs something to lift their spirits and make them feel valued. It was important for us to hold an event that didn't break the bank, but still enabled us to show our recognition and appreciation of the team's hard work, as well as giving them the chance to get together and have some fun."
Ware Anthony Rust appointed as retained PR agency by Merial Animal Heath
Ware Anthony Rust’s specialist agriculture and food chain consultancy Chamberlain has been appointed by world-leading animal health company Merial as its retained PR agency for the UK and Ireland.
The appointment, which follows a competitive pitch process, will lead to Ware Anthony Rust’s involvement in all Merial’s livestock products, including Blue Tongue vaccine BTVPUR AlSap 8.
In addition to the retained account, Ware Anthony Rust will develop other PR support programmes. The agency has previously provided Merial with PR support on its CIRCOVAC® pig vaccine.
Alison Meadows, managing director Ware Anthony Rust, said: “This win builds further on our strong Chamberlain business which already includes brands such as Dow AgroSciences, the Agricultural Industries Confederation, GrowHow, RECO, HGCA and EBLEX.”
Brian Rice, Merial’s Technical & Marketing Manager, Production Animal added: “We are delighted to be working with Ware Anthony Rust across all our ruminants’ businesses. They impressed greatly in the pitch process and we were already well aware of their expertise having worked with them in the promotion on our CIRCOVAC® vaccine.”
High flyers join Ware Anthony Rust
Two significant new appointments at Ware Anthony Rust (WAR) signal continued growth for the Cambridge based integrated communications agency.
The agency, which prides itself on recruitment and retention of the best talent in the region, has appointed Kay Davis, previously at Saatchi and Saatchi, as senior account director within its account management team. Kay, who brings a wealth of FMCG and blue chip experience to WAR, will take on a senior strategic role, heading integrated accounts including Hewitsons and Linx Printing Technology. Kay’s previous experience includes global strategy development and delivery for Proctor & Gamble and strategic line, retail, direct and digital development for Sony.
The agency has also appointed Caroline Logan as junior account manager within its account management team. Caroline joins from a creative agency role and will be responsible for a busy portfolio of client work, including a range of projects for Bacs Payment Services Ltd. Caroline’s previous experience includes in-house marketing within the drinks industry, including Pernod Ricard and Scottish and Newcastle, and agency marketing communications.
Alison Meadows, managing director of WAR said: “The quality of our work and our reputation within the marketplace mean that we’re able to attract highly experienced and sought after team members. We maintain a fully integrated offering of digital, public relations, design and advertising, and our structure enables us to service all of our clients marketing needs effectively and seamlessly.”
Appetite for Business leaves delegates hungry for more
More than 80 people attended Appetite for Business ’09 at the Bedford Lodge Hotel in Newmarket for an insight into the future of the food industry and how to take full advantage of the opportunities it will offer.
Speakers included Judith kleine Holthaus, from think-tank the Future Foundation; business guru and author Gerard Burke; and Michael Barker, a leading editor at respected food and drink retail magazine The Grocer.
Judith explored major consumer trends including ‘healthy hedonism’, the tendency to eat healthy during the day before having a treat in the evening, while Gerard revealed the habits displayed by winners in a downturn and urged delegates to ‘stick to the knitting’ and make sure they invest in their own businesses.
Finally, Michael provided a fascinating run through of the current food landscape exploring amongst other topics, the difficulties currently experienced by the organic movement and likely price rises in eggs with the outlawing of battery farming by 2012.
The event, the first of its kind in the East of England, was organised by six host partners: Ware Anthony Rust, Bryt, Clydesdale Bank, Deloitte, Hewitsons and Redfox, which all have specific expertise in food and agriculture, and direct links into the region’s food chain.
Alison Meadows and Max MacGillivray, from leading partners Ware Anthony Rust and Redfox, agreed: "This really was an intriguing afternoon where we learnt a great deal about what the future holds for the food industry. Judging from the initial feedback this is an event which we will certainly look to repeat and hopefully grow further."
Get a taste of what the future holds for the food industry
Appetite for Business Â’09 is the first event of its kind in the East of England where leading players in the food chain will come together to provide real insight into the future of the industry and the new opportunities that are currently unfolding.
The event, which will be held at Bedford Lodge Hotel in Newmarket on Thursday October 29, will look specifically at the importance of the supply chain to consumers, trends in green attitudes versus green behaviour, and economic factors surrounding the food sector.
Speakers include business guru and author Gerard Burke; Judith kleine Holthaus, from the think-tank the Future Foundation; and Michael Barker, a leading editor at respected food and drink retail magazine The Grocer.
Gerard, who is director of the Business Growth and Development Programme - the UK’s leading programme for ambitious owner managers of SMEs, said: “As we see more tentative signs of economic recovery, this promises to be an exciting event where we help more businesses in the food sector emerge as winners.”
The event is being organised by six host partners: Ware Anthony Rust, Bryt, Clydesdale Bank, Deloitte, Hewitsons and Redfox, which all have specific expertise in food and agriculture, and direct links into the regionÂ’s food chain.
Alison Meadows, managing director of leading partner Ware Anthony Rust, said: “This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity for business leaders in the food chain to get a real feel for what consumers are currently thinking and, even more importantly, to make sure they are ready to respond to the challenges ahead.”
To confirm your place at the event which will run from 4pm-6.30pm, please email rsvp@app4biz.com
Ware Anthony Rust helps to promote regionÂ’s first dedicated centre for teenage cancer patients
The Oasis centre was officially opened at AddenbrookeÂ’s Hospital today (Sept 25) by McFly drummer Harry Judd with its brand new website, designed and built by Ware Anthony Rust, also going live.
The C-Forward www.cforward.org.uk website is designed to provide the teenagers and young adults who use The Oasis a forum for sharing all their experiences, from social events and photos to songs they have written and performed!
Designed as a quiet haven from the hustle of the rest of the hospital, The Oasis even comes with its own iPod jukebox and table football game. The new facility which is run by the Teenage Cancer Trust, is a temporary measure until a permanent 10-bed unit is completed next year.
James Bailey, web developer Ware Anthony Rust, said: "This has been a really rewarding project for the digital team to be involved in. We wanted to design a website which teenagers could really connect with and I think we have achieved that by creating a truly interactive experience."
MemoryBits hires Ware Anthony Rust in £1million PR onslaught
Jersey-based online retailer MemoryBits International has made its first foray into PR in spectacular style by hiring Ware Anthony Rust as one of four leading agencies.
The computer accessories business, which has grown dramatically in the last two years, is preparing for the launch of two new retail sites in October. Following a highly competitive pitch process Ware Anthony Rust has been appointed to handle the launch and ongoing PR campaign for one of the new sites.
Alison Meadows, managing director of Ware Anthony Rust said: “Ware Anthony Rust has been selected for its in-depth lifestyle and consumer health PR experience and for its integrated digital, advertising and design services. Our team is developing the strategy and creative plans for the consumer launch of MemoryBits’ new on-line retail offering, which will take the company into a completely new sector. Our company culture fits perfectly with the entrepreneurial drive of MemoryBits and we’re thrilled to have been tasked with such an exciting challenge.”
Other agencies included in the newly appointed roster are Richmond Towers Communications which will handle central co-ordination, The Media Foundry which will look after public relations for the other internet site and 1000 Heads which will handle social media and word of mouth.
Agencies pitched for the work and were appointed and attending first meetings in Jersey within two days. “That is a reflection of the dynamism and energy in the business,” said head of marketing Martin Hutchins who managed the pitch process. “We are delighted with the team we have created and are looking forward to long-term partnerships built on success.”
Jonathan Ruff, founder and managing director of MemoryBits said: “We are wholly committed to PR as the best way to grow the company and its increasingly strong presence in online retail. That doesn’t mean that we won’t use other tactics in the future, but the lead is coming from PR. We intend to spend over a million pounds on PR in the next year.”
MemoryBits currently operates three online retail sites in the UK, France and Germany. The October launches will extend its operations into new retail sectors. Added Ruff: “This is just the beginning. We have serious ambitions to grow, reflected in our approach to PR.”
Ware Anthony Rust in the news
Cambridge Business Excellence A-WAR-ds
Ware Anthony Rust joined forces with the Cambridge News to support its 2009 awards scheme, which provides much-deserved recognition for the region’s businesses.
The multi-disciplinary communications company sponsored the Businesswoman of the Year award, which was won jointly by Christine Thornton- Bowen and Gillian Green, founders of City Care Services; the category choice reflects WAR’s strong female contingent - led by MD Alison Meadows, the agency’s board boasts more women than men.
And the agency was out in force to applaud the efforts of the area’s leading businesses. Meadows said: “These awards help to raise awareness of the achievements of businesses quite simply ‘getting on with it’- we’re very fortunate to be part of a business community which has so many very dedicated and driven individuals, determined to push forward despite the challenging economic times.”
Cereal effort
Agency staff will swap sharp suits for green wellies when the nation’s biggest technical arable event hits Cambridgeshire in June - Ware Anthony Rust and Chamberlain will be joining a host of clients for Cereals in early June.
More than 400 businesses are expected to take over more than 60 hectares of prime Wendy land for the event, including Dow AgroSciences, GrowHow, HGCA, EEDA, Fengrain and Rustons Engineering - all of which work with the agency.
As WAR and Chamberlain are committed to staff support and development, agri specialist and industry PR guru, Geoff Dodgson - Chamberlain’s senior consultant - also plans to use the Cereals as a rich training opportunity for some of the agency’s more junior members.
People and pitches
A feature in a top industry mag netted Ware Anthony Rust two pitch opportunities and a new member of staff.
PR Week’s regional supplement focused on the value and expertise of agencies found outside the M25, and the tone of WAR’s piece struck a chord with former journalist Mark Debenham, who was quick to get in touch.
Mark, who spent several years in the States, first on a sports scholarship and later writing for a series of print and broadcast media, was looking to break into PR - and the agency was so impressed by his attitude, he was offered a job on the spot.
He said: “The article really resonated with me and, when I met the team, it became apparent that this is a great place to start a career. It has so many elements and is such a great learning opportunity, in terms of the integration and also the specialist areas, like agriculture, healthcare and finance. Given how difficult it is for many people to find any sort of job right now, finding the one I really wanted is a huge boost for me personally.”
Kerris Macauley, Head of PR, said: “Mark’s approach and his enthusiasm was impressive right from the off. We really didn’t have any choice but to hire him!”
The Great Kilimangogmagog Challenge!
Not content with letting Cole, Barlow, Moyles and co hog all the Red Nose limelight, Cambridge’s top communications agency has successfully scaled Cambridge’s top peak!
A team of intrepid charity climbers from Ware Anthony Rust spent all of three-and-a-half minutes preparing for their assault on the Gog Magog Hills, which cast their mighty shadow over a tiny bit of Cambridge's Babraham Road.
“Some see Wandlebury as a gently undulating picnic area or a place to take Tina from accounts for a spot of lunch-time loving,” explained team leader Gareth Brookman. “But having assumed the Gary Barlow role in this great adventure because we share the same initials, I like to think of it as our nemesis, our Everest, our Kilimangogmagog!”
It’s still not too late to make a donation to the Great Kilimangogmagog Challenge. Simply send a pledge to members of your WAR team and they'll rattle the bucket at your next meeting. All funds will go to Red Nose Day (unless we need to buy a bit of embrocation for Gareth’s hamstrings!)
Ware Anthony Rust recognised as one of the top agencies outside London
Ware Anthony Rust has been named in The Drum magazine’s Top 100 agency list for the first time.
The Top 100 agency list is the only study to identify the top performing marketing services companies based outside London.
Alison Meadows, managing director of Ware Anthony Rust, said: “We are obviously delighted to be featured for the first time in the list. Despite the many challenges involved in managing the business through these increasingly tricky times, and the competition within the industry, we have attracted a number of exciting new clients over the last 12 months.”
Over the last year Ware Anthony Rust has added the world’s eighth largest architectural firm RMJM; up-market garden centre chain Van Hage; world leading animal health company Merial; leading toy brands Bratz and Little Tikes; and the North Cyprus Tourist Board, to its client roster.
This is in addition to existing clients such as Bacs, Acushnet, Dow Agrosciences,EBLEX, InSinkErator and Hewitsons.
To be considered for inclusion in the Top 100 list, agencies must be on the Recommended Agency Register, which every year polls more than 2,000 client companies to find out which are the best in terms of quality of client service, quality of creative and overall value for money.
Earlier this year Ware Anthony Rust was named as the leading PR agency in the East of England by PR Week. Entering the publication’s prestigious annual top 150 PR Consultancies Report for the first time, Ware Anthony Rust was the only East of England agency to secure a place in the top 100. It was also ranked among the Top 50 PR agencies outside London and within the Top 50 independent PR consultancies.
Winning in a recession
Alison Meadows is Managing Director of Ware Anthony Rust, and successfully helped top clients to market through the last recession in the 90s, and the economic problems experienced in 2001. Based on that experience, she has strong views on how best to weather the current economic storms.
With Mr Darling predicting tough times ahead in his pre-budget report, we’re about to see who has the nerve not just to survive this situation, but to come out ahead.
Unfortunately, sometimes those not fully versed in marketing are the ones responsible for finding ways to save cash, hence external – and internal communications – can be among the first to bite the dust.
But statistics show that’s a costly mistake; those who have the steely resolve to keep their profile high not only fare better short term but they’re also likely to soar ahead of the competition when the country emerges from these challenging economic times.
According to the IPA, it takes three years to recover sales levels when you halve a budget and five years to recover from cutting a budget altogether. On top of that, 60% of brands which “go dark” decline on at least one key measurable – their relationship with their customer base suffers.
So, is ditching marketing a false economy? The data would certainly seem to support that.
Instead, take stock and evaluate how you’re spending your remaining marketing budget – now is not the time to panic.
One of the most cost effective ways to target large audiences during a recession is through PR, which remains a crucial method of getting your business message out to the rest of the world. Having a comprehensive strategy in place, and sticking to it, will benefit you tremendously in the long-run.
For close targeting, digital could give you a far superior return on investment than other, more traditional, forms of media. The ability to test and measure as you go is now as important as ever with online banner ads for example becoming more and more popular.
When implemented correctly, the return on investment from eMarketing can far exceed that of traditional marketing strategies. The digital nature of the internet allows you to offer specific and customised content to each individual and enables you to tweak your campaign as you go to maximise impact and results.
For those who do have marketing balls, now is the best time to buck the trend and launch a media campaign. As your competitors will be cutting their budget spend and reducing activity, you can steal a march by punching yours up and gaining a larger market share - probably for a fraction of the cost as media prices continue to fall.
But the greatest protection of all against recession is a strong brand. As consumers become cautious they want to know and understand more about who they are buying from. Loyalty is key as spending falls, so it is crucial that your brand is clearly defined and well communicated.
Take full advantage by keeping your nerve while others around you lose theirs. There’s no better time to focus on getting your message out there, and standing out from the crowd.
International architects build regional profile with WAR
RMJM, the world’s eighth largest architectural firm, has appointed communication specialists WAR to design and deliver a regional PR programme promoting the work of its architects across the East of England.
The main aim of the campaign is to raise the profile of RMJM’s Cambridge office – one of fourteen company sites worldwide. Home to a 50 strong team of architects and administrative staff, RMJM Cambridge is also the base for the firm’s Global Education Studio – a group of specialist architects with over 50 years combined experience designing campuses and facilities for some of the world’s largest universities.
Claire Schiltz, communications manager for RMJM in Europe, said: “With a solid programme of news already in flow to national newspapers and architectural trade publications, we knew what we wanted to achieve in the East of England. We just needed to find the right partner on the ground; a company that knows the regional landscape inside out and can deliver an exceptionally high standard of work.”
“The team at WAR built on some original thoughts we already had and came armed to our first meeting with an array of ideas, which all hit the mark. And just three weeks into the campaign we’ve already seen some very good results in print and with broadcast media.”
Kerris Macauley, head of PR at WAR, said: “A key part of what RMJM does is about designing sustainable buildings; which sits nicely with our own ethos of providing sustainable communication campaigns that build the profile and reputation of our clients, long term. We are delighted to be working with a company of the calibre of RMJM and look forward to securing more coverage on their behalf in the months ahead.”
RMJM’s projects in the East of England include the University of Cambridge William Gates and Microsoft Research Buildings; University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich; Buckinghamshire New University in High Wycombe; Cranfield Technology Park in Milton Keynes; the De Havilland Campus and the School of Film & Media at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield.
MD Alison Meadows charity ‘PANTS’ inspired by auction success
A bumper auction turnout put a charity fundraising target way ahead of schedule at the weekend - PANTS, which supports The Parkinson's Disease Society and The Alzheimer's Society, was aiming to hit £12,000 over 12 months; six months in, they're already there after supporters boosted the charity coffers by a generous £5,600 at the Houghton-staged event, adding to the £6,000 they had in the kitty.
TV auctioneer David Palmer and local professional Tony Pryor drummed up enthusiasm for an eclectic mix of lots, with bidders snapping up a week in a Cyprus villa, a local guided bird walk, dog walking, baby sitting and much much more. Along with a home-cooked dinner, the guests also faced a unique quiz - ‘Whose pants are these anyway?’ featured ‘undies’ from local celebrities and the organisers.
PANTS is a fundraising initiative set up by Ware Anthony Rust MD Alison Meadows and three friends from Houghton, Cambridgeshire; the money they raise will help send the four for a week’s work in a run down Namibian school and provide much needed donations for their two chosen charities.
Alison said: "The generosity of people, particularly in these trying economic times, has been phenomenal. To be so close to our target so early on is more than we could've expected - still, we've now decided to aim even higher, so we've set a new one!"
Next on the blocks for the keen fundraisers is a Charity Ball which will take place at the Marriott Hotel in Huntingdon on 7th February 2009 - now they've reached that original target, they're hoping the posh frocks and black tie do will help them hit their brand new total: £20,000!
To help PANTS raise much needed funds and for a good night out, please visit the website at: www.charitypants.org.uk
For press enquiries, please contact Becky Lamont on 07817 335890, becky.lamont@war.uk.com
Agency flying high with global conservation charity
A top conservation charity has set its sights high – BirdLife International aims to raise £19m over the next five years to secure the future of the globe’s most threatened bird species. And the organisation has brought in top flight communications agency, Ware Anthony Rust (WAR), to help it on its way.
The agency’s work was used to support the launch of BirdLife’s Preventing Extinctions Programme to a global audience in South America. The programme encourages organisations and individuals to become Species Champions for a named endangered species, and supports conservation experts in their role as Species Guardians - Sir David Attenborough has already thrown his hat in the ring to become champion one of those on the critically endangered list, the Brazilian Araripe Manakin.
WAR’s creative team rose to the challenge of taking highly complex scientific material and presenting it in a compelling and easily accessible way; the result, a vivid and striking brochure hammering home the threats faced by many of the world’s bird species, was first aired at a huge global event in Buenos Aires with guests like environmental campaigner and actress Isabella Rosellini, and author and BirdLife patron Margaret Atwood. They were among the 1000-plus people who attended the BirdLife International World Conservation Conference.
Another creative piece designed and produced by WAR was used to raise awareness and encourage donations from birdwatchers at the UK’s heavily attended Birdfair.
Jim Lawrence, BirdLife’s Programme Development Manager, said: “ We are benefiting from WAR’s sound marketing advice and creative flair – they’ve really helped breathe life into this crucial initiative.”
Account lead, Shelby Haslam, is WAR’s Head of Account Management. She said: “BirdLife is a complex organisation with Partners in more than a hundred countries and territories worldwide. It was vital that we came to understand all of the different audiences and their needs, and the materials we produced reflect the effort we put in to doing so.”
