Kier has reappointed Acceleris Marketing Communications as the retained national PR and communications agency for its maintenance arm, which holds one of the largest social housing repair and maintenance portfolios in the UK.
Acceleris was originally appointed by the company in April 2010 to raise its profile with local, national and trade media, help forge new commercial relations and improve communications channels across its 3,500 strong workforce.
(from L to R) Louise Vaughan, director and head of PR at Acceleris, Keeley Harris, national marketing communication coordinator for maintenance at Kier, Emma Campbell, senior account manager at Acceleris, Rachael Hunter, account executive at Acceleris, Ellie Smith, account executive at Acceleris, Helena Royle, national marketing communication manager for maintenance at Kier
Over the last year the agency has worked with Kier’s internal marketing communications team to create a bespoke PR toolkit designed to increase the flow of information from within the business and grow the company’s media profile. During the first year Acceleris generated over 550 positive press stories for Kier, reaching an audience of over 17 million and providing it with the largest share of voice on issues within the social housing maintenance sector.
In addition to ‘traditional’ PR, Acceleris provides added value support and access to its knowledge and contacts within the social housing sector through additional projects including lobbying, event management, relationship building, corporate intelligence understanding, networking and sponsorship opportunities. The agency also manages internal newsletter Kiertalk, which is delivered tri-annually to the 3,500 employee base.
The reappointment continues a successful twelve months for the agency, based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire after being named the region’s ‘Most Outstanding PR Consultancy’ in the Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRide Awards 2010/11.
Dan Maher, Kier national partnership and business development director for maintenance, said:
As the UK’s leading social housing communications agency, Acceleris has a detailed understanding of our sector and its issues. The team has an impressive record of delivering highly effective integrated communications campaigns at local, regional and national level.
Acceleris has delivered on its promise and generated a great number of valuable opportunities for us including high level networking dinners, relationship building with national housing bodies and key media titles such as Construction News and Inside Housing, corporate intelligence on market developments and award and sponsorship opportunities. We are looking forward to seeing what the agency’s team can deliver in the coming twelve months.
The win adds another major organisation to Acceleris’ portfolio of national public and private sector clients which includes The Fuelcard Company, the UK arm of the American-owned world’s largest fuelcard provider, Walker Morris, the national law firm, Rixonway, the market leading kitchen manufacturer, the National Federation of ALMOs (arm’s length management organisations), whose 62 members manage nearly one million council houses around England, Southend based ALMO, South Essex Homes and BBC Worldwide, supporting the launch of its consumer Kirstie and Phil’s House Hunter App.
Acceleris managing director Peter Davenport said:
Through our expertise and extensive network of contacts within the social housing sector, we have been able to deliver a successful and innovative campaign for Kier’s maintenance business. Kier is a significant name in our growing portfolio of national clients and it is a credit to the team’s hard work over the past twelve months that we have been reappointed.
