Tetra Strategy

Describe your agency in five words

Powerful, rapid, clear and surprising

How would you sum up 2010 for your agency?

2010 was our best ever year, Tetra Strategy grew its team, and increased its fee revenue significantly, we added a number of clients from the US onto our client list, an area we had been looking to expand into for some time.

What was your agency’s high point of 2010?

Named in the ‘One’s to Watch’ in PR Week, inclusion in the PR Week Top 150 after only three years and the celebration of Tetra Strategy’s 3rd Birthday Party at the RSA with some of our fantastic supporters. Of course we cannot ignore the excitement in the run up to the general election.

What was the low point of 2010?

The uncertainty around what a coalition government would look like and what its policies would mean for our clients occupied much of our strategic thinking. Whilst the uncertainty may have been a necessity, it meant we had to do some serious waiting around!

Please give an overview of your staffing through 2010, including significant hires and internal promotions.

Expansion was key to Tetra Strategy in 2010. Hires included former Conservative MP and former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Julie Kirkbride, as a consultant and Thomas Nemes as an Account Executive. Internal promotions included Catherine Nicholls to Senior Account Manager and Charli Collins to Account Manager. Tetra Strategy also made further appointments to our Advisory Board including Sir Peter Heap KCMG, former Ambassador to Brazil and the renowned restaurateur Richard Corrigan.

What were your three best campaigns of 2010?

Whilst we have been highly engaged in some notable media successes, some of our public affairs work has seen us also score some notable hits:

With a tight squeeze on public spending after the election, we can take substantial credit for persuading ministers to keep funding for the Plugged In Places grant, to encourage the growth of low carbon vehicles - a programme which was very important to a number of our automotive clients.

Following significant changes to the business since acquiring hospital bedside entertainment provider Patientline, Hospedia secured welcome videos from the former Health Secretary Andy Burnham and current Health Secretary Andrew Lansley. The videos are seen by up to 10 million patients a year in over 150 hospitals, allowing the Health Secretary to speak directly to patients in the UK. 

Our on-going work for AMEC plc has developed over time into a sustained campaign which ensures that political stakeholders are well-informed of the FTSE 100’s worldwide company’s capabilities and experience.  Our preparation for the General Election and subsequent change of Government led to a cross-party programme which communicated AMEC’s messages and increased understanding of their wide-ranging expertise in the energy sector.

What were your most exciting client wins of 2010?

To start the year on a high Tetra Strategy won work for Genting the UK largest casino operator, Ultralase the UK’s first laser eye specialists followed by work with Jewish Funds for Justice, David Block LLC and Red Motor schools.

Of which achievement in 2010 are you most proud?

Being named one the ‘One’s to Watch’ in PR Week and our inclusion in the PR Week Top 150 after only three years of trading made us very proud.

What trends did you notice throughout the year in the industry i.e. Clients taking longer to sign off budgets?

We have noticed that our clients are keener to get started and to test the waters. We like this fast approach as it is something that we feel plays to our core strengths of doing high level work, quickly which garners results, it gives an opportunity to show how we can deliver. Our work continues its journey from being pure advice on media and public affairs elements to one that is more clearly defined as advice on managing brand reputation. 

How has digital changed the agency landscape in 2010?

Without a doubt, the digital phenomena has changed the way in which all of us work. The rapidity in which reputations can be made and broken means that digital engagement is now a crucial element for any communications strategy. It is here to stay, and those clients who do not have a strategy in place will need to develop one and fast. It is truly exciting to be around at this period of so much change. 

What are your plans for 2011?

We have some exciting plans for 2011, clearly we want to maintain our growth, and work for fantastic clients. We are ambitious and are working on some truly innovative developments which could shake up some commonly held views about how the pr industry operates. We hope to launch these new areas in the back end of 2011.