Midas Public Relations

Who’s in the hot seat?

Penny Clifton

Sum up your agency’s 2010 in less than 140 characters

It was a year of adapting to changing market conditions, spotting opportunities, innovating and always staying one step ahead.

Name your three best consumer clients or account wins

It’s always hard to choose the ‘best’ because we are proud of them all, but no overview would be complete without mentioning the consumer campaign we ran for The National Trust. We launched their premium food and drink range which included beer, vegetable and bakery products, and which all had a strong story to tell as they used ingredients from the Trust’s own properties.

In the digital sphere, we handled the UK consumer launch of the world’s first 3-D iPad App, The Elements – a dazzling representation of the periodic table.

We also started working with the prestigious urban artist Stephen Wiltshire on a fascinating brand-building exercise. The campaign is designed to introduce Stephen’s art to a new, younger and wider audience, promoting his international commissions. At the same time we are developing a major new licensing programme.

What was the most exciting consumer PR campaign you ran in 2010?

Without a doubt, it would have to be the launch of The Elements for iPad! This dazzling, interactive periodic table offers the 3-D sensation of touching and spinning real-world representations of elements, supplemented by live data (such as the market price for platinum.) Stephen Fry, one of the first independent reviewers to experience The Elements, described it as the ‘best App of all…everything is animated and gorgeous… alone worth the iPad’. We were thrilled to handle the launch of such a ground-breaking and inspiring product, and were delighted that the market and media alike shared our excitement and enthusiasm. The Elements has continued to be hugely successful, consistently appearing in the top ten of highest grossing iPad Apps.

What was the best piece of consumer PR work NOT done by you in 2010

The Conservative election victory was a textbook case of great consumer PR: it showed an excellent understanding of target voters, their concerns and issues; it had a clear, concise brand message which was used across multiple platforms; and was efficient and fleet of foot in its delivery.

Significant consumer hires in 2010

We were delighted to recruit Tracey Jennings from FMcM and Dani Freeman from Spreckley Partners.

Highlight of 2010

There were many, but our award-winning work for leading consumer brand and romance publisher Mills & Boon certainly springs to mind. We created ‘New Voices’ a global search for new writing talent, primarily using social media. It was launched with London’s Largest Love Letter, which invited members of the public to post their love notes in the windows of one of the capital’s iconic tea shops.

Plans for 2011

We are building on the strong foundations laid in 2010 to take the business into new client areas, and are growing our portfolio of arts and lifestyle clients. This sees us working for hotel groups, beer, coffee and food companies, as well as museums and galleries. In addition, we are embracing tactics and disciplines from outside the usual mix to ensure that our communications are more integrated and more holistic than ever.

One key prediction for consumer PR in 2011

As the impact of social media continues to grow, so the dialogue between an organisation and its publics will require ever-more vigilant monitoring. This will inevitably tighten the continuous process of planning, outreach, monitoring and evaluation as clients recognise that the landscape in which they operate is constantly evolving.

What can PR bring to consumer brands that no other marketing discipline can?

PR can do many things but above all, it is about nurturing relationships and building trust, something that other marketing disciplines can’t offer.