Two new hires for Ogilvy PR

Strategic wins and organic growth in client work sees agency expand

Sydney, November 17, 2011: Ogilvy Public Relations Australia, a joint venture between Ogilvy PR Worldwide and STW Group, continues its pattern of growth today announcing two new senior hires. Sarah Creelman has been appointed as Account Director to focus on a portfolio of consumer lifestyle brands including Canon. Ogilvy PR won the Canon consumer business in September following a highly competitive four-way pitch.

Creelman joins from CBS Interactive where she spent nearly four years working on its consumer and entertainment brands, such as GameSpot AU, CNET, TV.com and last.fm, driving PR, events and partnership activity. Prior to that, Creelman worked at network PR agencies, driving campaigns for global consumer brands including Samsung, Hitachi and 3 Mobile.

Ogilvy PR Practice Director, Amanda Kiddle, said: “Sarah joins at an exciting time for the agency, following some key strategic wins, and incremental growth in integrated brand communications work. She is a key hire to our expanding team and our vision to continue to drive great content-led, collaborative and conversational campaigns.”

In another senior hire, Emma Koubayssi joins Ogilvy PR’s consumer agency, Pulse Communications as Senior Account Manager. Koubayssi most recently worked at London’s Diffusion PR, working within the retail and consumer sector directing a number of client accounts including high street giants Mothercare and Early Learning Centre. Her role will see her working across the Nestle and Canon accounts.

“Emma brings a strong agency background and solid track record in developing and implementing successful campaigns,” said Pulse Managing Director, Matt Buchanan. “She also has great experience and proven results in building new business, and will be a wonderful asset to our business.”

Pulse wins TWO Sabre Awards

Pulse Communications, Ogilvy PR’s consumer public relations agency, received the very exciting news on Friday that they won two awards at the Holmes Report Asia Pacific Sabre Awards.

Carlton Draught ‘Wagyu Beef’ was named the winning Australian campaign of the year. The campaign saw Carlton Draught and Pulse Communications make a gastronomic breakthrough, combining two of Australia’s favourite ingredients – Beef and Beer – to create what many Aussies believed to be the greatest addition to BBQing since the invention of tongs – Carlton Draught Wagyu Beef, made from beer.

The second win was for the Engineers Australia – ‘Make It So Campaign’ in the Associations category. EA is the national body for the advancement of engineering and professional development, and the ‘Make It So Campaign’ successfully raised the profile of the profession.

The Sabre Awards returned to the APAC region this year after a three year break. They recognise excellence in reputation and branding in the public relations industry. For the first time ever, APAC winners, including both Pulse campaigns, will automatically be entered in to the global competition, which will identify the 25 best of the best PR programmes worldwide.

Congratulations Pulse!

Ogilvy PR wins at PRIA Golden Target Awards

Ogilvy PR’s leading consumer and brand agency, Pulse Communications, last night picked up the top award at the PRIA National Golden Target Awards in the special event/observance category for the creation of Malaysia Kitchen Australia.

Malaysia Kitchen Australia saw Sydney’s State Theatre Laneway transformed in to Australia’s first ever Malaysia Kitchen Food Market. Creating Sydney’s hottest culinary destination the market was a modern take on the Malaysian Hawker-style market, open for 4 days only. Over 1,300 Australians visited the food market.

The event was part of a broader campaign undertaken by Pulse in conjunction with MATRADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation). The campaign was aimed at raising awareness and consideration of Malaysian cuisine in Australia.

Ogilvy PR Melbourne was also recognised in the Health and Special Event categories. Kelly Ward received a Highly Commended in the Special event/observance category for Reigniting the Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show. The second award was received by Lelde McCoy together with the Organ and Tissue Authority, a Commended for the public relations campaign to support the To Donate Life, Discuss It Today – OK campaign in the Health Organisations category.

A big congratulations to Pulse and Ogilvy PR Melbourne!

Pulse Helps Engineers Australia Make it so

The team at Pulse launched Engineers Australia’s $2.5 million public relations campaign aimed at addressing a skills shortage in the engineering industry on Tuesday 16^th February.

A core component of the new PR initiative is a world first competition that calls on everyday Australians to submit an idea online. The competition will culminate with one lucky person having their idea ‘made so’ by an engineering team.

Since its launch, the Make it so public relations campaign has featured in the Australian media more than 30 times across broadcast, print and digital media outlets.

Highlight pieces of coverage include interviews with CEO Peter Taylor on key talkback radio stations which have high listenership figures including Alan Jones on 2GB and 5AA. Articles have also appeared on ABC News, Australian Geographic, Yahoo!7, B&T, iTWire and Gizmodo websites and print coverage in The Australian, The Australian Financial Review and the Adelaide Advertiser.

Pulse also secured a national radio partnership with DMG’s Nova Network which involves the public relations campaign being featured weekly on the “Ryan, Monty and Wippa” drive time program.

The Make it so competition will run for 12 weeks, until 15^th May. Each week, a shortlist of the top 10 user-rated ideas will be compiled and one idea owner will be awarded an Eee PC, valued at $399.

Visit www.makeitso.org.au to submit, share and champion your ideas!

Pulse and Howorth go Bach to the future

Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division, travelled down-under in February in an Australian first to share the Microsoft consumer vision, how it will evolve over the next decade, and what we can expect to see here in the coming years.

Both Pulse and Howorth were charged with organising a series of media activities for Robbie during his three-day stay.

Howorth utilised Robbie as part of a press conference to announce the local commercial availability of Microsoft Surface. The launch was a great success with 32 media and analysts attending the event. To date, more than 40 pieces of coverage have been published across a variety of online, print and broadcast outlets.

Following the press conference, Robbie rushed off to an industry roundtable lunch at Quay Restaurant, organised by Pulse. Moderated by ABC television news journalist Kerry O’Brien, the discussion focused on how platforms and devices would evolve, media consumption habits, the way traditional media industries had to progress, content protection and monetisation.  A number of senior executives attended from leading organisations including Foxtel, Sydney Opera House, HP and Warner Bros. Both the media and technology editors from The Australian were invited to exclusively cover the event.

That evening, Robbie gave a talk at the Sydney University’s new Law School Building where he spoke in detail about the future of entertainment and Microsoft’s plans for the next decade. The event was a huge success with more than 300 industry influencers packing out the auditorium.

Pulse was lucky enough to secure some snippets of time in Robbie’s busy schedule to conduct one-on-one media interviews with journalists from top-tier media outlets including an in-studio interview with Lateline Business, The Australian Financial Review, The Sunday Herald Sun and New Zealand’s Sunday Star Times.

The print coverage that has appeared to date includes a full page spotlight feature in The Australian Financial Review’s Tuesday IT section, a double page spread in the Sunday Herald Sun’s Play lift-out, and a half-page article in The Australian.

Ogilvy PR NextGen Leaders 2010 – the next peak

The talent team at Ogilvy PR recently launched its 2010 leadership program, NextGen Leaders – the next peak, a rigorous 12-month program aimed at training, developing and supporting 20 of its future leaders across its six businesses, Cannings, Howorth, Impact Employee Communications, Ogilvy PR Health, Parker & Partners and Pulse.

NextGen Leaders is designed to provide senior team members best-in-class industry training. The curriculum focuses on enhancing core technical and behavioural communication skills and training Ogilvy-specific tools, products and services across practice areas such as digital influence, insights and strategy, research and sustainability.

NextGen Leaders first launched at the beginning of 2009 with 30 senior consultants.  This year, the training will focus on creativity, senior client management and advanced business skills.

NextGen Leaders also have the responsibility to train core skills back within each of their teams and businesses. In 2010, much of the curriculum will also be used as a foundation for training rolled out via Ogilvy PR School, a dedicated program targeted at consultants from graduate to account manager levels. This is to ensure that all the training that Ogilvy PR provides for its consultants are ultimately aligned with the company’s business strategy and its core values to Learn & Grow, be One Step Ahead and work in Partnership.

MC Hammer Inside Tour

Issue

Music icon and social media guru, MC Hammer was engaged to launch Twitter on the Xbox 360 online service, Xbox LIVE, and introduce the brand new “Lips: Number One Hits” game, which features the classic hit “U Can’t Touch This”.

Challenge

Ensure Xbox key messages in the coverage achieved were not overtaken by the “celebrity factor” of MC Hammer.

Insight

As the world’s 14th most influential person on Twitter, MC Hammer was credible and passionate brand ambassador, who could pull on nostalgic heart strings of media to secure incredible mainstream coverage, and then surprise them with his online savvy.

Creative Idea

An extensive media tour of Sydney and Melbourne was held, targeting every major television, radio and newspaper outlet. MC Hammer was clearly briefed to naturally communicate the key messages of the Xbox Twitter and Lips offerings,with Pulse attending each interview to ensure Xbox coverage.

Campaign

The activity took place over a 4 day period, with over 30 media outlets receiving one-on-one interviews with MC Hammer. Hammer was briefed on the key Xbox messages which he reiterated in all activity.

Outcome

Over 65 pieces of coverage have appeared to date on the MC Hammer media tour across high rating outlets like Rove, Sunrise, Channel 10 News, The Morning Show, Hamish and Andy show on 2DayFM, The Age, Daily Telegraph and Famous. Xbox key messages on Twitter and Lips featured in 100% of this coverage that Pulse placed.

Ogilvy PR Announced as Finalists in the APAC Sabre Awards

The Asia Pacific Sabre Awards has announced its finalists with 16 coming from Ogilvy Public Relations, 13 of these finalists come from Ogilvy PR Australia.

Pulse Communications BlueScope Steel Tank a Day Challenge is the finalist in the Australia and Industrial/Manufacturing categories.  The PR and Rosemount O campaign for Foster’s Group is also a finalist for the Australia category.  Pulse is also a finalist in the Marketing To Consumers category with its Milo B-Smart campaign, and in the Consumer Products/Services category with Vodafone’s Decisive Moments campaign.  The Cascade Green Launch is announced finalist in the Food and Beverage category, Flora Pro-Active- Lowering The Nation’s Cholesterol in the Healthcare category, and Tourism Australia in the Travel and Leisure category for the See The Movie: See The Country campaign.

Impact Employee Communications has been announced the finalist in the Australia category for its work with Nestlé, Personal Best: Achieving an Olympic Sized Sales Effort.  Impact’s Woolworth’s Eco Ambassador Program is the finalist in the Employee Communications category, and also in the Digital & Social Media category with Ernst & Young’s New Face of Graduate Recruitment.

Howorth’s work with Microsoft has been announced as best program in the technology sector in the Technology category.  Ogilvy PR Australia is the finalist in the Business-To-Business Marketing category for Hudson’s 20:20 Vision: Identifying Key Motivators Of Australian Job Seekers.

Congratulations to Ogilvy PR China for its three finalist entries in the Greater China, and Employee Communications categories.

The winners of the APAC Sabre Awards will be announced in two week’s time and the awards dinner will be held in 2010.

Victoria Bitter Raise A Glass Appeal

Challenge

Building on a long, informal association between VB and the Armed Forces, VB wanted to raise more than a million dollars to support the vital welfare programs of the RSL and Legacy, to support and pay tribute to Australia’s serving and ex-serving men and women, fallen veterans and their families. VB contributed $1 from specially marked cases of stubbies and donated more than 1,500 kegs throughout April, encouraging Australians to raise a glass on ANZAC Day and pay tribute to a fallen mate.

With strong media attention on any perceived commercialisation of ANZAC Day, alongside the sensitive issue of veterans and alcoholism, Pulse worked to ensure that both community and media stakeholders understood the genuine intention of the Appeal, ensuring every communication was highly respectful to the RSL, Legacy and wider defence force communities.

Insight

Every Australian has an ANZAC story that is close to their hearts. A special someone they think of and pay tribute to every year. And there are few more quintessentially Australian rituals than sharing stories, over a beer, with a mate.

Creative Idea

Pulse created bespoke tribute beer glasses, etched with the words Today, I raise a glass to, space to hand write the name of the person being honoured on ANZAC Day and the Raise A Glass Appeal URL.  As part of a national launch event attended by the leaders of the ex-service community, including General Peter Cosgrove, and a national regional tour, Australians were invited to dedicate their own glasses as well as share their personal ANZAC stories on the Raise A Glass website.

Outcome

186 pieces of coverage appeared across TV, print, radio and online creating a reach giving over 40 million opportunities to see.

Pulse hoses down competition and wins “Creme de la Crème” in international WPP award

Pulse Communications and BlueScope Steel have received international recognition, after being awarded the prestigious “Creme de la Crème” award and ‘Best Consumer Public Relations Campaign’ for the Tank a Day Challenge in the WPP – WPPed Cream Awards.

This achievement makes the BlueScope Tank a Day Challenge the most awarded consumer marketing PR campaign in Australia, bringing the total number of award wins to ten!

The WPPed Cream Awards recognise the very best work produced by WPP companies globally, across all its marketing disciplines.

Campaign winners are those which have already garnered awards at the best shows in the world, and participation is invite only.

Conceived by Pulse Communications in 2007, the BlueScope Tank a Day Challenge aims to kick-start primary schools’ water conservation programs by giving away a 27,000 litre rainwater tank, every school day of the year.

The campaign was based around the creative insight that part of the wider solution in tackling Australia’s water problem is to inspire sustainability through the younger generation.

The Tank a Day Challenge had a strong educational component, designed to empower the next generation with the message that they too, can help Australia manage water better.

The campaign has also helped to increase BlueScope’s corporate reputation ranking – which has jumped

from 10^th place (in 2008) to 8^th place (in 2009) in AMR’s analysis of Australia’s top 50 companies.

To date, over one third (33%) of all Australian primary schools have taken up the Tank a Day Challenge and well over half a million students have completed the online educational water saving quiz.

Samantha Allen, Managing Director of Pulse Communications said, “We are incredibly proud of the success of the Tank a Day Challenge and the nine global and national awards we have achieved to date. The BlueScope campaign demonstrates how PR can significantly assist in building corporate reputation in a measurable and meaningful way.”

Examples of work from the BlueScope Tank a day Challenge will be published in the WPPED Cream book and appear on the WPP website, which showcases the Group’s talents.

To find out more about the BlueScope Tank a Day Challenge visit: www.tankaday.com.au.

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