Reeves Green Partners Limited

Garden of Eden

Why do kids have it so good?  The lucky ones aren’t vaguely interested in the credit crunch, have no worries or woes apart from general growing pains and the choice of the next toy they’re about to play with. Even better they have great television programmes like ‘In the night garden’.

As Pinky Ponk glides environmentally effortlessly by, and Iggle Piggle drags a red comfort blanket across the unreal green forest floor, the programme is as far from reality as anything can get. No Gordon Brown – just a clever Mackapacka with soap and sponge, usually accompanied by the delicious Upsy Daisy – no attitude or malice abounds this place.

Public transport is delightful, Ninky Nonk never stops, it’s clean as a whistle, no thugs and always on time. Weirdly, ‘In the night garden’ is so surreal, it defies virtual and becomes believable – total escapism.

Community spirit is defined at its highest level and family values magnificently displayed by the Pontipines family pod. A nicely detached bush acts as the non-repossessed home for the Tomliboos, who obviously have a sensible mortgage payment, as they’re so happy! Goodness knows what the clipping of the bush costs – I would think the local council would probably take care of that!

Of course in every world there’s a perceived threat and no different here as the enormous Haaa Hooos amble gently across the garden looking for all the world as though they’re going to cause trouble – are the softest characters you’ll ever come across – no ASBOS here – oh no. Harmonious living abounds, no racist mentality to colour, creed or shape, everything is perfect.

Let’s hope that as the generation of ‘In the night garden’ children grow up, they are wonderfully indoctrinated by such a passive environment which fulfils their world of reality.

EQUESTRIAN WIN FOR REEVES GREEN

Equine supplement specialist Immunall UK has called in Reeves Green PR to boost the profile of its flagship tonic, as it aims to establish itself as one of the strongest brands in the Equestrian world.  

With its strong record in healthcare and retail brands, the Lichfield-based agency has won the brief to provide an innovative consumer PR campaign for the firm’s unique Immunall and After-Ace tonics. Targeting the equestrian community, the national campaign will be extended to an international audience in 2009.

Reeves Green PR account manager Sati Parmar commented: “I’m very excited to be working with Jake Brandes, inventor and Director of Immunall, who has big plans for the brand. We’ll be working with him closely to maximise his profile in the consumer press as well as bringing attention to some of the remarkable feedback and results Immunall has achieved.

“Jake’s client list reads like the ‘who’s who’ of the elite horse racing and eventing world.  We’ll also be helping Jake strengthen his relationship in the Middle-East, as trainers there have already been using Immunall for Arabian horses, reporting stunning results.”

Jake Brandes added: “I’m delighted to working with such a passionate and imaginative team and I’m very confident we can work together to drive Immunall sales forward in the UK, Ireland and throughout Europe.  With this additional support, we’ll also be pushing the brand to new markets including distributors in South America, adding to our elite portfolio.”

Produced in Derbyshire, the 100% herbal tonic is formulated to boost the immune system of horses, using seven key herbs to help to maintain the health of the kidneys, liver and digestion.

Patented in 1999, Immunall is now used by top breeders and trainers for racing, eventing or recovering from stress or injury. 

Time to spend…

So, into a recession once more we go! Oh, how we love to dig holes for ourselves. This one, I suppose, has been borne from many influences but some have been devastatingly quick to take hold – the soaring oil and food prices are simply unprecedented at this speed.

But, from a marketing point of view, reducing your marketing budget at this point could be suicidal – losing you what little business you might still have. Recession may be new to many twenty, or even thirty-somethings, but we do know that the last place to cut budgets is in the marketing mix. We’ve consistently seen that the ‘winners’ in the recession (those that survive with reputation and balance sheet intact), in fact, expand their budget, rather than cut it.

We really do, do things backwards in the UK!

Yes of course it’s hard to swallow when tough times are ahead – but you really do need to spend money on your brand – if your customers are going to spend anything, make sure its with you!  Get the messages right and you’ll be one of the phoenix’s rising from the ashes.

Go on, try and survive in a different way by bucking the trend – Spend, Spend, Spend!

Making British Gas all warm and comfortable.

House prices are, quite literally, falling through the roof, food and petrol costs are on the up and Gordon Brown’s situation is as dire as a summer holiday on the East Coast.

But no one panic because, according to GMTV, British Gas’s announcement this week of extortionate price increases, simply means that the average 2.4 family will now have to switch off their PC when they’re not using it!

In a painful interview conducted by Kate Garraway, which must have been set up by someone doing work experience for the day, a mother sat with her child in her light and airy kitchen being asked leading questions about how rising bills will affect her family. Of course, the answer every single person tuned into the 8.15 interview expected was: ‘Well Kate, I’m really worried that we won’t have enough money to feed and clothe our children as well as keeping them warm this winter.”

But no, out of the thousands of families who could have spoken frankly about how this scenario is becoming a reality, this lady thought she’d just about avoid fuel poverty by switching off the lights when she leaves a room, and turning off her laptop after completing her weekly online shop at Waitrose.

British Gas PR’s must have been making mental notes to file this TV gem under ‘positive publicity’ when all around them every newspaper, radio and TV station across the UK was ripping the company to pieces from every news angle possible.

So, Gordon, I’ll dig out the number of the now very possibly unemployed GMTV researcher and send it your direction shall I? With that ability for spin, I think there’s a chance they’d make you the next David Cameron!

Vacancy

Fancy a job at Reeves Green?Are you an experienced PR account handler, looking for variety, responsibility and recognition in a supportive and friendly environment?Be a big fish in a rapidly growing pond by joining our small, dynamic and adventurous PR team. We’ll help you develop your own career while you become a key player in our ongoing success.

The ‘Genocide Olympics’ a PR gamble?

With just six weeks to go until the opening ceremony of the much anticipated Beijing Olympics, global brands associating themselves with the most controversial sporting event to date surely must be looking forward to the event with more than a little trepidation.

It’s estimated that the cost of top-level international sponsorship for brands such as Adidas, Coca-Cola and Mcdonalds tops £40million and this is probably conservative if the amount of marketing man-hours is taken into consideration.

And to say that the Beijing Olympics is a communication challenge, is putting it politely. On one hand brands have got to keep their Western consumers on side by avoiding any association with the ‘Genocide Olympics’ as dubbed by Darfur protestors or the human rights issues that plagued the torch relay. On the other hand they cannot actively dissociate themselves from it for fear of ostracising the Chinese Government and the world’s most promising market.

Getting the right message across on a global scale is a PR minefield. Brands will need to successfully reinforce three key messages: the Olympics are a non-political event that brings nations together, stress their charitable work across the globe and finally acknowledge the activists’ plight without directly associating it with the Olympics in any way.

It’ll certainly be interesting over the coming weeks to follow how these global brands react to the world’s media and see if they’re gamble will pay off.

Losing the battle…

Losing the battle?As the death toll of soldiers killed serving in Afghanistan rises to 100 and claims its first female victim, the media have rallied round with pages of support, anger and emotion.