Key information for procurement professionals 2016

Beyond the PR pitch…

A Procurement Pocket Guide to Stir PR

STIR PR THINK BEYOND

At Stir, we look beyond the brief; think beyond the obvious; scratch beyond the surface; go beyond the ordinary; and, aim beyond the coverage; all to deliver beyond expectation.

We understand our clients’ commercial climate. We question what drives success, with each campaign grounded in insight and strategy.

We’re not just your traditional PR agency. So expect the unexpected.

We’re INTELLIGENT, INQUISITIVE, INNOVATORS.

DOERS, DRIVERS, DISRUPTERS.

*Expected to enter PR Week’s Top 120 Agencies (by turnover) in 2017

Established in 2011, Stir is a medium sized agency*

working on a mixture of corporate and lifestyle clients.

A SELECTION OF STIR PR CLIENTS

CLIENT RETENTION & GROWTH

We must be doing something right because our pillar clients have been working with Stir over a number of years. The scope of work continues to

grow (and, so too does our agency!)

* Now trading within Ball

2011 First campaign secured with single brand (£30k value)

2016 Working across five brands with year round campaigns (£250k value)

2012 First campaign secured with single brand (£40k value)

2016 Working across seven brands with year round campaigns (£350k value)

2013 Appointed as Rexam European Trade PR Agency (retained)

2014 Secured project work at global level in addition to a European retainer

2016 Appointed as retained European Communications agency by Ball (following acquisition of Rexam, June 2016)

FOCUSED ON BEST PRACTISE

ASSURANCE An audited member of PRCA, with our Client Services Director sat on the UK PRCA Council

Members of the International Association for Measurement in Communications (“AMEC”), recently presenting with CEO on the ‘Future of PR measurement’

£2million indemnity insurance

(Stir measurement guide available upon request)

VALUE Industry benchmarking and a regularly reviewed and price-compared supplier list, ensure that Stir’s prices remain competitive

(Rate card available on request and fixed term contracts can be negotiated)

QUALITY With each campaign grounded in strategic insight and activated with creative flair, Stir’s work is highly regarded by clients and throughout the PR industry

(Detailed case studies available upon request)

SERVICE Exemplary client service record with 26% organic growth YoY

Annual client review conducted to assess agency performance and client/ agency relationship

(References available upon request)

INNOVATIONNot satisfied with repackaging insight generated by others, Stir works with neuroscientists, psychologists and trend strategists to develop more effective ways of targeting audiences, influencing behaviour and measuring campaigns

(Examples of insight generated available on request)

01 02 04

03 05

CLIENT AREAS

FOOD

35%

LIFESTYLE

13%PARENTING

9%

TRADE PR / CORPORATE

33%CONSUMER

PR

67%

SALES

DRINKS

43%

EXPERTISE & RESOURCE

• Trade and consumer press office

• Influencer engagement

• Social & digital strategy, incl. community management

• On-trade support

• Brand partnerships

• Brand launches

• Events and experiential

• Content creation

• Advertorials / trade advertising

• SEO

• Copy writing

• Creative artwork and printed materials generation

Stir’s definition of PR

Communication (via varying channels) to a defined group of stakeholders (i.e. consumers, customers, internal stakeholders) to influence behaviour change, in order to illicit a desired outcome (purchase, brand loyalty, reputational awareness etc.)

Successful PR can be enacted in a number of ways. Here is a (not exhaustive) list of areas in which Stir has expertise:

Stir PR is a team of 22, including specialists beyond that which you would expect to find in an agency of our size:

Personnel by function:

14 Client staff

01 Creative

01 Production & styling

02 Planning & strategy

04 Other

OF OUR STAFF LOVE

WORKING AT STIR!

95%

STIR IN NUMBERS*

EMPLOYEES FINANCIAL YEAR

*(HAPPY TO PROVIDE STATEMENT OF TURNOVER, PROFIT & LOSS AND CASH FLOW FOR MOST RECENT TWO YEARS)

JAN01

DEC31

5 PROFITABLE YEARS IN A ROW

11 12 13 14 15

>£1.5 MILLION TURNOVER ANNUALLY

LOW COST BASE, PASSING SAVINGS

ONTO CLIENT

NO ONE CLIENT IS GREATER THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL BUSINESS

WORKING WITH CLIENTS ON RETAINED

AND PROJECT BASIS

EXPERIENCE IN MULTI-CURRENCY

ENVIRONMENT

BEST IN CLASS CAMPAIGNS

Developed and activated an ownable consumer experience, bringing to life the brand’s position as

the ‘water of fine dining’.

Stir developed the concept of an Italian style dining experience – Live In Italian, Live from London. Casual lunchtime streetfood-style dining during the day, gave

way to fine dining with Michelin starred chefs, Theo Randall and Phil Howard, during the evening.

brand growth in

12 months

consumers hosted across two days

Over 1 million consumers reached through social

platforms during campaign

Brand position defended in on trade and grown in off-trade

increase in sales in

100%

A PR led campaign, positioning Woodford Reserve as the leader in the bourbon category, in order to drive consumer

awareness and sales in the on and off trade.

Stir identified Woodford Reserve’s excellent reputation amongst bartender and mixology contacts and therefore

engaged these individuals as Brand Ambassadors to deliver a brand experience through the classic bourbon serve,

The Old Fashioned.

BEST IN CLASS CAMPAIGNS

Launch Purina Gourmet Soups (for cats) to pet owning consumers, driving a new category within the pet

food industry sector.

Stir focused on Purina’s position as an innovator in its category. Exclusive with hero title, The Grocer

was secured with wider trade press supporting listings in convenience and independent retail.

A consumer awareness programme delivered excellent results in national and lifestyle press, securing coverage for NPD on pages that probably wouldn’t have featured pet foodincrease in positive coverage

secured YoY across broadcast, print and online

New customer enquiries as a direct result of coverage secured

Ongoing thought leadership campaign to secure share of voice in the industry, driving sales and building value

for Rexam shareholders.

A highly focused trade press office focused on Rexam’s key business pillars, innovation and sustainability. Stir secured industry event sponsorship and speaker opportunities, and

drove Rexam awareness beyond print media into social, video and broadcast.

Sales exceeded expectation and listings secured in

all UK multiples

pieces of coverage in total in tier one media, including

three national titles3 1

REFERENCES

“We have worked closely with Stir over the past three years on campaigns that vary from large experiential activity right through to influencer engagement and a hard working press office. It is Stir’s enthusiasm, strategic way of thinking and little black book of contacts that keep us coming back for more - they always push the boundaries of what is expected, which

is why they are our lead agency.”

BARBARA D’AMICO, SENIOR BRAND MANAGER – S.PELLEGRINO & PERRIER (NESTLÉ WATERS (UK) LTD)

“I have worked with Stir for over four years, which has seen them grow their business across the whole American Whiskey portfolio in both trade and consumer.

Every year Stir come to Brand Planning with strategic direction and creative input helping us deliver against our business objectives year on year!”

FFION JONES, SENIOR BRAND MANAGER - JACK DANIEL’S & NAW SUPER PREMIUM WHISKEYS, UK

“Stir have run Rexam’s B2B European press office for over three years. Not only do they deliver

outstanding results, but they encourage best practice in our business.” ELISABETH TANGUY, SECTOR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER - REXAM BEVERAGE CAN EUROPE

FINALLY

Company registration details: 07438655 | Ownership: 18.75% WPP 81.25% Privately owned

Unit 7.02, Tea Building56 Shoreditch High Street

London E1 6JJ

STIR BLOGjo-s.t@stirpublicrelations.com

@STIRPRLONDON

Stir is part of Captivate, a collection of six creatively led agencies that are aligned by connected thinking,

but distinct through their specialist execution…

Current procurement partners work with Stir alone or cross discipline with the group… whatever makes sense from both a creative and commercial point of view.

But, the main benefit of Stir’s belonging to Captivate? Our entire team is well versed in interagency working.

Creating platforms that spark conversation between consumers and brands. Campaigns that live & breathe amongst the community.

Offering expertise in retail and brand design: retail environments,

brand communications, brand creation and visual identity.

Delivering the most inspiring creative concepts for events and experiential, focusing on brand,

consumer and culture.