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Ahead by a nose
Nottinghamshire farming entrepreneurs Colin
and Jo Bower found success in diversification after developing
a unique high fibre feed and bedding range for world class
equestrians.
They secured a £360,000 DEFRA grant for
a new plant and engaged AURA PR to promote their high quality
brand regionally and to the equestrian world.
Said Jo: "Our brief to AURA was to work
with equestrian titles and to regional newspapers but they
went much further, spotting the high profile news potential
of our success. Through initiative and perseverance they won
us national television exposure with a 10 minute spot on BBC
2's Working Lunch programme."
AURA PR has
advised the Countryside Agency in the East Midlands
and its predecessor, the Rural Development Commission, for
more than five years.. The Agency is the government's adviser
on countryside issues and as regional press adviser, the AURA
team works closely with a national network reporting not just
to its regional base but also to the national Press and Parliamentary
Affairs hub in Cheltenham. East Midlands Regional Director
Peter Stovey says: "Through its skills, knowledge and understanding
of our work and aims, AURA PR is an effective and dynamic
resource for promoting the Countryside Agency to partners,
public and the media in a way that balances coverage across
the vast breadth of our activities."
HSM UK,
one of the country's leading waste machinery specialists,
commissioned AURA PR to promote its innovative range of baling
and shredding equipment. A key message was their eminent suitability
to meet the 21st century demands of both industry and environment.
Ian Pearson, sales manager at HSM, says: "AURA PR works closely
with HSM to develop relationships with editors and to publish
'readable' technical articles that promote our products effectively
to a diverse group of buyers. "AURA's strengths lie not just
in the skill and experience of the team but in their commitment,
reliability and ability to listen to and advise."
SHEDA
is the the UK storage and handling distributors' association,
with a commitment to best practice, installation standards
and health and safety on site. In July 2000, when SHEDA took
ownership of new HSE regulations on fire in relation to mezzanine
floors, AURA secured major coverage across the three leading
media. Total cost was just 19 per cent of the advertising
equivalent. Past president Ray Phelan comments: "AURA PR is
invaluable at identifying the news potential in our work and
the issues that govern it, translating these into seriously
good technical articles and placing them in key trade titles.
"The AURA team offers a valuable PR resource to members who
have no in-house PR personnel, as well as realising a succession
of informed ideas to help ensure the SHEDA name is recognised
as the definitive voice on HSE matters."
Nottinghamshire
County Council's Economic Development Group provides
a welter of business support and economic development initiatives
across the county, from marketing support services to business
advice, funding and strategies. AURA PR won the contract to
promote its work more than five years ago. Since then the
AURA team has achieved widespread exposure of its work, thanks
to a pro-active policing of researching and disseminating
lively and interesting news stories about the group's many
initiatives. Success stories have been as diverse as the launch
of the Mansfield i-centre and the impressive marketing achievements
of supported businesses including celeriac sausage manufacturers
and water recycling innovators.
AURA PR was
commissioned by leading roofing products innovators
Hambleside Danelaw to promote the launch and marketing of
two new products across target market sectors. Through a steady
flow of releases and seven tailored editorial features, AURA
was able to sustain a seven-month momentum with exposure in
titles read by the construction, roofing, public sector and
architectural decision makers. Paul Wilkinson, Hambleside
Danelaw's sales and marketing director, said: "Thanks to AURA
PR's experience and understanding of the needs of building
product manufacturers they achieved outstanding results in
helping to build the brand, creating unprecedented levels
of sales leads."
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