News and PR
Director of News and PR: Neil Martinson
Public Relations
Our focus is always on engaging and influencing audiences at the right time and in the right way, nationally, regionally and locally. We achieve this by taking a flexible approach to communications challenges and mixing in-house consultancy with agency expertise. From high profile public engagement campaigns to press office support, we find the right solution.
Our experienced in-house practitioners work on some of the biggest campaigns in Government and the public sector, from tackling perceptions of crime for the Home Office, to promoting fire safety for Communities and Local Government's long running Fire Kills campaign. Our solutions are both strategic and creative, getting people talking about issues that matter by understanding their motivations and capturing their imagination.
With a network of eight offices across the UK, we have unique local intelligence as well as long-standing relationships with regional media and stakeholders.
Our in-house expertise is coupled with a framework of PR agencies with experience targeting a wide range of audiences. With our experience in strategy development, agency recruitment, pitching, and evaluation, we ensure that we add real value to our clients at each stage of the tender process.
By holding a framework of media evaluation suppliers, we can also ensure that campaign effectiveness is judged objectively, and that public money is being spent wisely.
We also deliver a highly-acclaimed media training service across a range public organisations and for differing levels of ability, from chief executives to frontline workers. Whatever the issue, we'll help you and your team feel more confident about getting your messages across and making them 'stick'.
Expertise in crisis communications and issues management is key part of our offer. We've provided emergency communications support and management for high profile incidents and crises including the London bombings, foot and mouth outbreaks, the Buncefield explosion and the beaching of the Napoli.
Director of PR: Oliver Hickson
Cultural Diversity
Our work is focused on ensuring that government information and publicity campaigns are accessible to culturally diverse communities in the UK. We understand the challenges and barriers that can impact on effective communication with ethnic minorities, including differences in culture, religion or language. Our team has extensive experience in developing and managing bespoke campaigns tackling issues such as forced marriages, Stop and Search and illegal food imports. We also provide best practice advice across government and the public sector, ensuring mainstream campaigns are inclusive and reflect the cultural diversity of our modern society.
We work with a framework of specialist agencies covering a wide range of culturally diverse audiences and marketing disciplines. Our market knowledge and insights into these audiences enable us to add real value and meet our clients' requirements.
Head of Cultural Diversity: Patricia Macauley
The News Distribution Service (NDS)
NDS, partnered by the Press Association, delivers news and information directly to the media - in electronic form, around the clock, 365 days a year. It distributes more than 17,000 news releases each year, enabling over 30,000 journalists to receive the latest government information.
Clients are given access to the Press Release Distribution system through the Virtual Press Office. This allows them to securely upload their press releases, pictures and associated files for processing and distribution.
A subscription to NDS gives clients access to journalists who are interested in specific topics or localities, and enables them to create their own distribution lists.
Head of Monitoring and Content Delivery: David Gadd
Media Monitoring Unit (MMU)
The Media Monitoring Unit provides 24-hour coverage and in-depth news briefings for press officers, policy officials, special advisers and ministers across all government departments.
Our team of professionals monitor national and international media media outlets including print, terrestrial TV news bulletins, news channels, radio, websites, wire services and a selection of foreign language media.
The information gathered is then analysed, distilled and delivered to our clients in a format that is easy to understand and access - giving them a comprehensive view of how their stories fit into the wider government agenda.
MMU also keeps track of major breaking news, significant developments on running items and provides transcripts of all major broadcast news items. An in-depth knowledge of government enables structured comprehensive reports on relevant issues, while media briefings throughout the day keep clients up to date at all times.
Head of Monitoring and Content Delivery: David Gadd
Merchandising
Merchandising can extend a campaign's reach through a range of promotional items. The team has negotiated discounted buying rates with a framework of 25 manufacturers, trade suppliers and wholesalers and can advise on branding, propriety and licensing.
COI Merchandising also manages a number of staff reward and recognition schemes for public sector clients, as part of their wider internal communications and staff engagement strategies.
Head of Merchandising: Sarah Walsh