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What We Do...

B2B

Business-to-business PR has always had an intimate relationship with business development and customer relations. Carefully crafted and well-timed news stories will always inform, educate and provide new opportunities. Yet too often the frustration is that for all the effort expended, stories have very short shelf lives and do not easily yield the critical conversations that deepen client relations or open new doors. This is why we are turning more and more to social media for results.

Bell Pottinger Business & Brand specialises in conceiving and delivering PR and social media campaigns that engage businesses on an emotional as well as rational level. Whether launching a new service, promoting thought leadership or battling against a hostile media, our focus is always the same – to enhance or protect a business’ reputation and ensure future growth.

Recent successes include:

  • Managing the global launch of HSBC’s Future of Retirement report
  • Reinforcing Berwin Leighton Paisner’s reputation as the leading Real Estate lawyers in London
  • Helping Unilever influence NGOs through its sustainability pledge

CASE STUDIES

Berwin Leighton Paisner

Bell Pottinger Business & Brand has been working with the real estate team at City law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner since 2009 to demonstrate and reinforce its position as the best for commercial real estate, planning, construction and development issues, in the UK and internationally.

The practice is the largest in the City and our challenge has been to demonstrate BLP’s expertise and insights, rather than announce commercial successes, deals or appointments. We must also work flexibly with the partners and the unique demands of a high-powered professional services partnership.

To meet this objective we have developed and executed a strategic campaign based on highlighting the partners’ expertise in issues that matter to their existing and prospective client base. We deliver media briefings, articles and proactive commentary on issues including the state of the UK real estate market, changes in planning legislation, development of nuclear power planning policies and sustainability in real estate as well as market insights.

As a result we have generated significant coverage in media outlets including the FT, The Times, the BBC, CNBC and core specialist press including Property Week and Estates Gazette as well as more niche areas like Private Equity Real Estate.

As well as the reputational value of being continually positioned as experts and leaders in the field, and the strong journalist relationships we have developed, the coverage we generate has been in excess of £1m worth of AVE (advertising value equivalent). Now, for many journalists, BLP is the go-to source for insight and comment real estate issues, as it is in the eyes of its competitors when it comes to market reach.

Our thought leadership campaigns have reinforced BLP’s position as experts with in-depth market knowledge and been featured on the BBC and in the FT, as well as international media such as in the Middle East, where we have supported the Abu Dhabi office. We have implemented campaigns to raise awareness at major industry events such as MAPIC and MIPIM, securing comment and media briefings for BLP spokespeople. Our flexible approach to working has helped build strong relationships with the partners, strengthening our understanding of the sector and the ability to maximise media opportunities.

Monitise

Bell Pottinger Business & Brand has worked with Monitise since 2009 to help raise awareness of the fast-growing and highly innovative B2B2C business. Our focus is to promote the company’s corporate reputation, drive investor interest and help increase the share price - all of which have increased significantly since our appointment.

The communications strategy involves highlighting the company’s thought-leadership, innovation in services, new deals and partnerships, corporate growth and international activities to promote corporate and consumer awareness and interest.

The strategic strands of the campaign have focused on:

  • Profiling Monitise as a rapidly-growing British company which has created the best mobile banking and payments service in the world and has partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands – driving share price and corporate interest
  • Positioning mobile money as a great way to manage your finances easily and safely, growing Monitise’s potential consumer base as well as promoting the advantages of mobile money around the world

Highlights of our work include melding classic PR with digital and social media activity to earn outstanding coverage for Monitise’s launch of a new joint venture in India with Visa Inc; helping shape and launch several significant thought leadership reports undertaken by Monitise with The Future Foundation think tank; plus ongoing media relations and strategic counsel on company positioning, and support for Monitise’s international activities in the USA, Africa, and Hong Kong.

Coverage has included articles in the Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, Guardian, Independent, Daily Mail and the Sun plus broadcast items on The BBC 6 O’Clock News and The BBC News at Ten, CNBC and Bloomberg, as well as regular international exposure in trade, specialist and online media.