“PR and communications are more important than ever during a crisis,” says PR Director Jessica Pilkington, whose Northampton-based company has seen record enquiries, requests for support and new clients since COVID-19 struck.
Pilkington Communications, which includes Teamwork Trust (featured here on page 26) as one of its many clients, has responded to the increased demand by investing, expanding its team, unveiling a new collaboration and launching a new website. Bringing marketing expertise to the company is the newly recruited Cassia House, a skilled marketeer who specialises in corporate communications, direct marketing, campaign management and social media.
Jessica said: “Bringing Cassia on board is a milestone for our business, adding marketing to our PR and social media mix. Other highlights include our new-look website and our new partnership with Northamptonshire firm Poppy Design Studio. This partnership means we are now a full-service agency, able to offer our clients everything from press releases and support with social media to a new website, brand refresh or help with award applications.”
Another exciting development has been the company’s decision to invest in a professional media monitoring and press release distribution service. This gives the company access to a database of 40,000-plus UK journalists and bloggers and ensures all print and online coverage is collated for clients.
Kim Hughes, Head of PR, said: “This level of investment is usual for a large agency but unusual for smaller companies and is a sign of our commitment to growth. Several of our new clients want national PR coverage and the only way to capture, share and measure this is to have this type of monitoring service in place.”
One of these clients is PrimarySite, the UK’s largest supplier of educational websites. This is a company which works with more than 4,700 schools and multi-academy trusts across the UK, so national publicity and PR is essential. Another such client is Clearhead, a film and animation production company based in Luton.
Cassia, the new Head of Marketing, said: “Our first job has been to enter this talented team into the Luton and Bedfordshire Business Awards and we are now pulling a marketing and PR plan together to secure national coverage and promote the company’s expertise in everything from e-learning to virtual campus tours.”
Another new client and highlight for the team
‘This level of investment is unusual for smaller companies and is a sign of our commitment to growth’
during COVID-19 has been supporting Delapré Abbey with its Wedding with Thanks competition, which will see one couple (carers, key and essential workers in Northamptonshire) win a free wedding. Find out more about the team, its services and request a free PR Toolkit by visiting www.pilkington-comms.co.uk
