Soaring Communications

Posts Tagged ‘Managing Director’

Communications and PR specialist, Soaring Worldwide has recently been selected by the Harrogate International Centre to take on the management and planning of its PR activities and reputation management.

The PR campaign is aimed at raising the profile of HIC across the business events industry using both traditional PR and social media marketing techniques.

Soaring Worldwide has extensive knowledge of the business events industry and will be helping HIC focus on its core market. HIC is about to undertake a multi-million pound development of its facilities, adding two new flexible event spaces.

HIC, brand manager, Lynne Farrow: “We have chosen to work with Soaring Worldwide to benefit from their extensive industry knowledge and understanding of our market.  HIC is growing rapidly and the launch of the new event spaces will mark a new phase in our expansion plans.  It is the perfect time to start raising our profile and we were keen to work with a team that combines expertise with a love of the destination and venue.”

Soaring Worldwide’s, managing director, Adam Baggs: “Working with HIC is already proving to be an incredibly rewarding experience.  Both HIC and Harrogate have so much to offer and we are truly excited at the prospect and challenge of increasing their profile across a range of media and markets.”

In a recent survey undertaken by Nexus Collections, 23 percent of respondents identified Conference / Exhibition Bags to be the most effective branding opportunity available.

Nexus Collections, managing director, Nick Jones: “Naturally we were overjoyed to see that conference bags, our primary product, are still considered the most effective by conference and exhibition organisers.  When encouraged to provide more information, most individuals feel that it is the bag’s longevity that makes them such good branding opportunities – particularly on the higher quality bags, which you frequently see at subsequent events, meetings or even just used by individuals as everyday briefcases!”

Pens, notepads and lanyards were all popular as well, with around 10% of the vote each.

Jones continues: “Like the conference bags both the pens and notepads have longevity with many delegates taking them away and using them on into the future.  I can also appreciate the popularity of lanyards as they are so visible at events, every delegate and member of the team sees not just their own, but the hundreds around them as well.”

Full results :

Which branding opportunities do you find most effective at events?

* Conference bags                22.6%
* Badge Lanyards                10.4%
* Advertising                7.8%
* Conference Notepads            11.5%
* Pens                12.6%
* Posters                6.7%
* Sponsorship of Catering Events            3.7%
* Sponsorship of Educational Sessions        6.7%
* Sponsorship of Guide / Programme            5.6%
* Sponsorship of Signage            7.8%
* Other                4.8%

50% of respondents did not consider accreditation to be ‘important’ when using the services of security specialists in Magenta Security Services’ recent survey.

Magenta, managing director, Abbey Petkar:  “Accreditation demonstrates our ability and our trustworthiness – it is the benchmark of professionals and this statistic is surprising in the light of the overall survey results.  The accreditation question was particularly revealing when compared to the fact that that 53% of respondents cited ‘fear of theft’ to be the prime security threat to their businesses in a separate question. Clearly, employing the services of a properly qualified security company has got to be the sensible option when it comes to protecting valuable property, yet it seems that some organisations have still not grasped this crucial point.”

The results of the survey clearly show that whilst theft is a real concern and guarding is clearly the most effective protection against attack, the importance of accreditation is still under-appreciated.

How important is accreditation:

• Very unimportant – 0%
• Unimportant – 25%
• Average – 24%
• Important – 50%
• Very Important – 0%

With more than 12% of respondents confirming that between 50 and 75% of their facilities budget is spent on manned guarding it is vital such a budget is spent on professionals who are properly qualified to do the job?

Petkar continues: “These statistics are a strong argument for educating business on the importance of hiring properly qualified security experts rather than taking a risk with non-qualified organisations. At Magenta we believe accreditation is critically important as there are a lot of ‘cowboy’ firms purporting to be security experts. Facilities managers must learn to check the credentials of any firm they are considering using for security purposes.”

“In my view it is essential that individuals working in the private security industry undergo a structured SIA training programme that results in a recognised qualification. This will in turn result in a more competent and professional workforce and also improve the public image of the private security industry. Indeed, hiring unqualified security staff to protect your business and assets is a risk in itself.”

Businesses surveyed included retailers, public authorities, recreational facilities and commercial buildings.

Soaring Worldwide (formerly Soaring PR) has been appointed by the Kyoto Convention Bureau to plan and manage its PR activity in Europe and North America. 

The campaign, which will initially run for six months is a first for Kyoto CVB, who have previously focused on exhibitions, direct marketing and advertising to raise their profile in overseas markets.

Kyoto Convention Bureau’s, international marketing coordinator, James Kent, is managing the project: “Despite being Japan’s second most significant city for meetings and events (and world famous for our bullet train), Kyoto’s cultural heritage and excellent conference and incentive offering is far less well known.  Our infrastructure and superb international access are perfect for groups of all types, including events for thousands in our larger venues.

“2010 is Japan’s MICE year, an initiative Kyoto is firmly supporting and promoting through our own external marketing activity.  To enhance this we have chosen to work with Soaring Worldwide, benefiting from their extensive industry knowledge and understanding of our country and culture.”

Soaring Worldwide’s, managing director, Adam Baggs: “Working with Kyoto Convention Bureau is already proving to be an incredibly rewarding experience.  The city has so much to offer and we are truly excited at the prospect and challenge of increasing their profile worldwide.”

“We have an opportunity, there is a gap in the market: until now, no other agency has been working at the highest echelon, building top level partnerships with Visit London and the city’s venues.  We intend to change that and capitalise on the results.” Gerry Manser, event director, Travel Places Events.

Gerry Manser, co-founder and ex-managing director of Lynton Cooper (sold to W&O Events in 2006) is heading-up a London based division of Travel Places, providing both incoming and outgoing events for companies, organisations and associations across all sectors.

Whilst the new division, called Travel Places Events, will have a strong incoming focus, particularly in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, clients of Travel Places Events will benefit from the team’s heritage and experience of international event organisation.

Gerry Manser, event director, Travel Places Events:  “Our team are passionate advocates and experts when it comes to events.  From conferences to exhibitions, incentives to experiential marketing – we know the business of events, we know the best destinations around the globe, we know the best venues and the people involved.  Now we are looking forward to delivering our skills at the highest level to clients across all sectors.”

In particular, Travel Places Events’ clients will benefit from the team’s many years of experience within the industry.  Manser is joined by Mark Nevill as operations manager and a variety of industry talent.  In all, the whole team boasts an unrivalled wealth of event organising knowledge in almost every country, and across both poles.

A key differentiator and benefit to Travel Places Events’ clients is their platinum partner status with Visit London, providing credibility and links at the most influential level across the capital.  As the only agency working as a platinum partner, they have a unique insight and perspective on the city – which is reflected in the creativity and complexity of the events they are already planning.

Tracy Halliwell, Visit London’s director of business tourism said: “We are delighted that Travel Places Events has joined Visit London’s platinum partnership.  We are looking forward to supporting their new London office and supporting the valuable work they will be creating for London’s business and events offering.”

Manser views the mid to long term as a time of unrivalled opportunity, supporting the objectives of companies and organisations looking to London as the host city for their event, be it in the sporting arena, or across the private and public sector:  “There are already more than 60 major corporate and sporting events coming to London between now and the 2012 Olympic Games, and many others are at the advanced planning stage.  We intend to be a dominant player in that market as well as the actual games and the untold number of events that will be part of its legacy.”

“We will have a range of unique product offerings for London 2012, and our relationship with American Express Europe provides the credibility and security our clients require as we develop exciting, intriguing and unusual events for the years to come both in the UK and abroad.”

Notes to editors:

• Travel Places Events is a new operation recently opened by Travel Places, a division of American Express Europe Limited.
• Travel Places Events was opened in December 2009.
• Travel Places Events is a Platinum Partner of Visit London.
• In addition to incoming business, Travel Places Events will draw on the directors’ knowledge to operate outgoing and international events.
• Buyers and press will be invited to see Travel Places Events in action in the near future.

As part of Magenta Security Services survey into client, prospect and contact security buying trends, spend on Manned Guarding as a percentage of facilities management  budgets were measured…

The greatest number of respondents (42%) confirmed that their guarding costs represented a modest 10% or less of their overall facilities budget.  However, a surprisingly large number (12%) confirmed that between 50 and 75% of their facilities budget goes into guarding – making it their single largest and most important piece of expenditure.

Magenta Security Services, managing director, Abbey Petkar:  “This is great news for the guarding industry.  After the results of our last survey showed that 74% of businesses were most fearful of physical attacks on their business (51% theft and 23% vandalism) we were not surprised to see reasonable expenditure on guarding but the fact that over a third of our respondents spend more than 25% of their budgets on guarding is great news.”

“Guarding represents the most effective means of protecting businesses against physical attack and the fact that businesses are still investing in such services is a great sign for the future of the industry.”

The data used to compile these statistics was collected by Magenta Security Services in the final quarter of 2009.  Businesses surveyed included retailers, public authorities, recreational facilities and commercial buildings.

Nexus Collections, the world’s largest provider of environmentally friendly conference bags, has continued to evolve their business model, offering further savings to both customers and the environment on purchases of their lanyard ranges.

Due to freight charges and order volume it has previously been impossible for companies to ship container loads of lanyards from their point of origin. Instead they are flown, costing both money and environmental damage.  Nexus has once again challenged the “usual” way of doing business and used their regular shipments of conference bags as a means to simultaneously ship lanyards – saving purchasers up to 30%.

Nick Jones, managing director, Nexus Collections:  “An increase in cost is generally the perceived downside to doing anything green or environmentally friendly.  This is not however the case and those businesses looking for opportunities can always find ways to help save cost whilst having a lesser impact on the world around us.  It is simply a case of thinking differently and considering every possible approach.”

“Our fair-trade factory in China is another great example.  Whilst there were initial cost and investment implications by thinking differently and setting up the factory we now have total control of the products we produce.  This allows us to make stronger guarantees to clients and reduces our running costs as we know mistakes are unlikely to happen.  Similarly, our extensive environmentally friendly ranges of bags contain styles that fall into the same price bracket as the less CSR conscious products we have manufactured in the past.”

In a recent survey. Magenta Security Services clients, contacts and prospects identified Theft to be their number one security risk and fear.  In all, 53%* of the people surveyed cited Theft as “the greatest security threat to their business”.  In most cases the fear related to property theft rather than IP (intellectual property) theft, which was only mentioned by 2% of respondents.

The following shows the full breakdown of the responses:

•    Theft – 51%
•    Vandalism – 23%
•    Anti Social Behaviour – 12%
•    Terrorism – 9%
•    IT – 3%
•    IP Theft – 2%

Magenta Security Services, managing director, Abbey Petkar:  “These results clearly show that the greatest fears faced by modern businesses revolve around physical attacks on property and premises.  Guards remain the most successful deterrent to such crimes as businesses seek different ways to reduce their risks and protect themselves.  However, whilst IT and IP theft remain low in this particular survey they are ongoing risks, requiring complex solutions, which is why businesses should have an integrated comprehensive strategy for their security management.”

The data used to compile these statistics was collected by Magenta Security Services in the final quarter of 2009.  Businesses surveyed included retailers, public authorities, recreational facilities and commercial buildings.

*53% is the total of the Theft value (51%) and the IP Theft value (2%)

Hot on the heels of its success at the Security Excellence Awards, Magenta Security Services has been highly commended in the Green Business Category of the Green Guardian Awards run by Newsquest.

The awards are a prestigious regional accolade for the firm which received the Environmental Initiative of the Year Award at the Security Excellence Awards in late 2009.

Magenta Security Services, managing director, Abbey Petkar said:  “This award demonstrates that our environmental and CSR policies go beyond the levels expected in the security industry and place us firmly in the vanguard of ethical companies across all sectors.”

“As a company we continually strive to improve our environmental impact.  These awards are testimony to the hard work and effort put in across the whole company.  However, they are just a starting point and we are already implementing new initiatives to improve our global impact over the course of the next 12 months.”

Magenta’s extensive environmental policies and successes have been championed and driven forward by the company’s managing director, Abbey Petkar.  This has ensured board level support for all new policies and buy-in across the whole company.

www.planetplanit.biz, the event planners oracle, has launched a series of TV channels, providing web based educational video content.  This new venture and content has the support and backing of the Barbican.

The first videos went live yesterday – 27 October , 2009

Planet Planit and Clarity Event Insurance managing director, Paul Cook: “The addition of video content is a great leap forward for Planet Planit.  Our regular users, although satisfied with the content we were already providing, want to access the content in a variety of accessible formats.  Video content was the obvious next step.  Contributions and topics will continue to cover a wide spectrum  of industry issues meeting the needs of event planners and suppliers.”

Barbican’s Anthony Hyde: “As head of corporate sales at the Barbican and President, MPI UK  and Ireland, I am a believer in the power of education and our industry’s need to grow through professional development and shared knowledge.  Planet Planit already provides the tools to learn, the addition of the video content will simply take it to the next level.”