Shine

How would you sum up 2009 for your agency?

2009 was a record year for the agency. A tough year gives the need to be super responsive and flexible in how best to support clients, but one where the team really pulled together to deliver a great year in terms of company and financial performance.

What was the high point of 2009 for your agency?

Achieving the highest listing of any PR agency in the Sunday Times Best Small Companies to Work For. Also the agency really worked together from top to bottom to make sure that we all got through it together, without being forced to lose any of the team.

What was the low point of 2009 for your agency?

Losing long-standing agency director Greg Jones, albeit he left to travel and help kids in third world countries which softened the blow.

Please give an overview of your staffing through 2009, including significant hires and internal promotions.

Lawrence Collis was promoted to director, having worked through the agency from an AE, Richard Brett joined Shine as a board director, gained his MBA, and launched our new strategy and planning hub, Shine1. Misha Dhanak returned as an associate director following a period overseas. Zac Schwarz returned as creative director from a period at Freuds.

What was your best client/account win of 2009 and why?

Martini, charity V Inspired, lastminute.com, Indesit & Hotpoint, and Eristoff vodka.

What were your three best campaigns of 2009?

The eBay Profit Shopping report uncovered a new trend for online shopping and reinforced its position as the most visited online shopping destination in the UK, generating coverage across key broadcast, print and online media

The campaign for Paramount Home Entertainment in Q4 delivered targeted coverage to create mass awareness during their busiest sales period of the year and showed how creative we can be as an agency. It’s not every day you create a 13ft Transformer made out of a London bus and offer Star Trek fans the opportunity to get their hair cut like Spock!

The Vodafone Real Time Top 40 campaign put Vodafone at the heart of social media and gave them clear business results in terms of visits to their music site.

How did the recession affect your performance in 2009 and what trends did you notice throughout the year – e.g. clients taking longer to sign off budgets etc?

We definitely saw a longer lead to market – so long decision making processes, longer pitch lists and some work never actually coming to fruition.

Clients looking for client-based working teams – however in many instances this resulted in opportunities to strengthen relationship.

Uncertainty – the year ended being really positive but with so much income always in the balance this was stressful.

More call for re-pitch with clients wishing to suss out the market – although this happily, ultimately ended up not affecting us.

Of which achievement in 2009 are you most proud?

98% client retention rate and 16% organic growth.

Describe your agency in five words

Fierce, fun and family.

How have you embraced social media in 2009?

Massively, including a head of social media hire from Google.

What are your plans for 2010?

More of the same – hopefully.

If your agency were an animal, what animal would it be and why?

Tiger – we’re protective of our staff but fierce in our work.