corporate pr

About the client:
Unilever UK & Ireland is one of the country’s leading FMCG players, with a turnover of £2.5 billion. The company owns 28 brands, including the Colman’s Mustard brand which has a heritage shop based in the centre of Norwich.

Challenge:
The Norwich Evening News revealed Unilever’s plans to undertake a review of the Mustard Shop with the suggestion that the company planned to close it. The paper launched a campaign to save the shop which was gaining support from residents and the heritage and tourism sectors.

Solution:
We facilitated Unilever meeting with important and influential people in Norwich to discuss the shop's future and briefed the editor of Evening News to explain Unilever’s position and plans. We built a relationship with the journalist following the story and ensured she received updates and statements before other media.

Outcome:
The Evening News suspended the campaign to save the shop while negotiations about its future continued. A successful transfer of the shop to a local heritage organisation was concluded and resulting media coverage about Unilever was factual and balanced.

"Tribe helped us ensure we were talking to the right people throughout the process. Their local knowledge, insights and relationships with the local stakeholders were invaluable. I found Tribe extremely professional and would certainly use their expertise again regarding any Norwich based activity."

Client and background:
Bernard Matthews is Europe’s largest turkey producer. We provided crisis counsel and corporate public relations during 2005/6.

Challenge:
We were appointed just before avian flu hit the headlines in 2005 and were responsible for preparing the company’s responses for a range of scenarios and for managing the Bernard Matthews press office during this time.

One particular crisis involved a case of mistreatment of birds by third party contractors at one of the company’s farms which was caught on film by an undercover reporter.

Solution:
This crisis activity utilised our unique offering of a team drawn from the London and Norwich offices, blending local contact, knowledge and support with extensive resource and expertise.

Results:
This attracted national media attention and we were praised by several journalists for our sensible and prompt handling of the situation.

Client and background:
A national infrastructure services company, May Gurney delivers essential front-line services to the public and regulated sectors. It works in highways, rail, environmental services and utilities.

Challenge:
May Gurney wanted to shake off its image as just a construction company and to be positioned as a successful and growing company, working in long-term partnerships with customers, offering employees a great place to work and with the environment and sustainability at its heart.

Solution:
Tribe are an extension of the in-house communications team and have helped develop the company’s communications strategy and tactical PR plans for each of its business divisions. This is designed to generate regular media coverage in key trade media and to position senior managers as experts in their fields.

Results:
We generated media coverage worth, on average, £95,000 per month in 2008 in advertising value equivalent in key trade titles and regional media. We monitor and evaluate all May Gurney’s press coverage to demonstrate PR’s value in meeting business objectives.

In addition, we provide counsel for crisis and issues management and arrange media training. In 2005 we managed the staff, customer, stakeholder and media communications for the company’s re-brand.

“Tribe is always ready for a challenge no matter how big or small and everything is always done in a professional yet friendly way. They have provided excellent reactive press office support to our in-house team, as well as delivering proactive PR plans. And importantly, help us prove the value of PR to our senior management team.”

Client and background:
Jeyes manufactures, markets, sells and distributes household cleaning and hygiene products in more than 60 countries, generating sales of more than £200m. The Norfolk-based company is majority owned by venture capital company LGV.

Challenge:
Jeyes is a long-established ‘household name’ competing in a global market against some of the largest corporations in the world. Our brief is to ensure that the company secures ongoing positive corporate and product coverage of its business growth and product innovation.

Solution:
We provide corporate PR and crisis communications consultancy for the Group’s activities across the world, ensuring that the corporate brand is protected and enhanced. We work with regional, trade and online media to place image-supported stories that will secure online coverage and hence enduring visibility.

Results:
Projects including disposals and acquisitions, corporate profiling, crisis management, publicising Toilet City and the occasional Purple Poodle has ensured that Jeyes has appeared regularly in the local and regional media and that the trade media are kept informed of corporate issues as well.

“We have a very close working relationship with Tribe and value their advice and support. PR has come to mean more to us since we started working with Patrick and his team.”