Marlin PR

How would you sum up 2009 for your agency?

2009 was exhilarating. For every client, we succeeded in our vision to deliver innovative campaigns with intelligence and integrity and I was really proud of our consistently strong results. We also won three new retained accounts in competitive pitches and recruited four fantastic new members to our team, so as a result we have grown.

What was the high point of 2009 for your agency?

In September, we celebrated our first year birthday with a party and it was an incredible feeling to host so many clients, journalists, suppliers and friends as well as pause for one night to reflect on our journey, mark a major milestone and look forward to a very exciting future indeed.

What was the low point of 2009 for your agency?

I’m pleased to say that we haven’t actually had one!

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

We entered 2009 with a team of four so it’s fair to say that every hire since has been significant! Holly Lynn joined in April, Toby Walsh came on board in September, pure digital PR specialist Lucy Watts moved here in October and we recruited our second graduate, Mike Ruppert, in December.

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

Winning Sage UK was undoubtedly the best win of 2009 as it was the dream brief from a dream brand!

What were your three best campaigns of 2009?

• Sage’s Train Your Business Brain Campaign fused the best of digital, traditional and experiential PR on a nationwide scale
• Blinkx’s high-impact thought leadership and brand awareness campaign has set the agenda for online video consumption in the UK
• Sony’s Home Cinema Projectors campaign established a new benchmark for product launches through an exclusive and highly effective online engagement strategy that generated unprecedented results.

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?

At Marlin PR, we value working in partnership with our clients and invite a transparent, proactive and collaborative relationship. All of our clients have commented that our energy, focus on results, commitment to client service and enthusiasm for excellence have been really important to them in these uncertain conditions.

Of which achievement in 2009 are you most proud?

From quality client counsel and delivering ambitious campaigns to generating hero coverage and consistently high results, there a far too many highlights to detail here but making the Top 150 is certainly the icing on the cake!

Describe your agency in five words

Passionate, considered, creative, confident & trusted

How have you embraced social media in 2009?

It’s in our DNA and naturally fused within all of our campaigns.

What are your plans for 2010?

To build our clients’ brands, win some of our dream five prospects and continue to enjoy our work at Marlin PR.

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

A Marlin clearly! They are prized catches, who are agile, fast, deep divers, adaptable and intelligent.