The WONDERER Blog

MICRO SKATE APPOINTS WONDERER FOR UK LAUNCH

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 07:07:44 GMT

Micro Skate, the leading global inline skate brand, has appointed Wonderer PR to manage a comprehensive media relations, brand partnership and influencer relations strategy to increase product appeal and raise brand awareness.

The company, which has gained a substantial following among urban skaters worldwide, has made a significant investment in its operations, particularly within its Kids range, and is now offering its range of inline and urban skates to retailers, buyers and stockists in the UK.

Micro Skate UK offers high quality, beautifully engineered inline skates with intelligent safety features. The brand –which operates independently from Micro Scooter – has a ‘Kids’ range for children of all ages and skill levels, and an ‘Urban’ range for older, more experienced skaters, plus accessories such as helmets and safety equipment.

It is endorsed by some of the world’s leading urban skaters. Ricardo Lino, Oksana Pervenenok and Marta Skubis, for example, are among the award-winning professionals and world class athletes who are ambassadors.

In the UK, Micro Skate has already started to gain traction online among British youngsters through influencers such as Jack Tierney, a popular British inline skater with over 120,000 Instagram followers, and Nicola Torelli, who has created huge excitement ahead of the UK launch with his stylish, viral videos and signature skating style.

The launch comes at a time when roller skating and roller blading are having a huge resurgence, particularly among tweens. In recent weeks #rollerbladingisback has gained momentum and has been trending on Instagram, while the #rollerskateschallenge has really taken off on TikTok.

We don’t see the trend slowing down any time soon and are excited to launch some really creative campaigns as we support the growth of the brand here in the UK.

Micro Skate UK said: “Micro Skate has over 20 years’ experience manufacturing inline skates of exceptional quality that exceed all global design and safety standards. During this time, it has gained quite the following among urban skaters. We’re excited to be bringing Micro Skate to the UK; partnering with retailers to give children who love to skate, and those who are keen to learn, the chance to get their hands on this internationally recognised brand.”

The range of skates launching in the UK includes models for complete beginners through to pro level, suitable for children and adults of all ages.

Micro Skate UK also has a partnership with Zebra Skate London, a skate camp offering group and private lessons for adults and children who want to get involved with the sport. It plans to run public, media and influencer events to support retailers and stockists over the coming weeks.

HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL BRAND IDENTITY

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 08:06:21 GMT

"A brand isn't just visual or verbal, it permeates into the customer experience, your products and services, and your behaviour as a company..."

A huge thank you to Rajen Mistry, Founder and Creative Director Are & Be for taking part in our first interview for the Wonderer #verycreativepeople series!

It was fascinating talking to Rajen about how to build a successful brand identity - and why you need more than just a logo. Facebook, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca are among the brands Rajen has worked with. Here, he shares his advice for brands who want to clarify their positioning and messaging, plus his tips for fuelling creativity.

We hope it's useful for you - Enjoy!

CREATIVE PR: THE TROJAN HORSE OF MARKETING

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 11:30:41 GMT

Firstly, let’s be clear that by describing creative PR as a Trojan Horse, we’re not suggesting any sort of underhand tactics or trickery.

We believe that creative PR is the Trojan Horse of marketing because it provides a clever way to get your brand into the media; particularly useful for those that may otherwise have limited opportunities to do so.

If securing coverage for your brand is the metaphorical equivalent to gaining access to the City of Troy, then creative PR is the vehicle to get you in.

We’re not knocking traditional media relations. This is the foundation of a successful press office and ensures you’re taking advantage of every chance you have for coverage. But opportunities aren't infinite.

By thinking creatively, you can generate new ways to communicate your brand message, share your values, tell your story and secure additional press coverage as a result. It certainly pays to be inventive in your approach to storytelling.

Let us give you an example.

A TROJAN HORSE FOR BVEC: Belle the giant Belgian Draft

Keeping on the topic of horses - although the concept can applied to any industry - we were recently asked by Bourton Vale Equestrian Centre , one of the country’s leading riding schools, to support them with their sponsorship packages for 2020. The centre wanted to let more people, both locally and in the equestrian world, know about the opportunities for businesses to sponsor the venue.

That’s easy right? Simply draft a press release about the sponsorship opportunity and send it out to all local and horsey media.

Wrong.

A press release appealing for spons orship has little media appeal and would have been too promotional for most journalists.

We needed a Trojan Horse.

This came in the form of a rare breed Belgian Draft mare who weighs the same as a small family car and is as tall as the average person from ground to withers.

Belle, one of the strongest breeds in the world, had just been purchased by the centre as an alternative, more traditional way to harrow fields, replacing the old tractor.

We used Belle as our Trojan Horse to give the sponsorship story several strong, alternative hooks for the media:

Bringing traditional methods of agriculture back to the Cotswolds
A rare breed
The strongest horse in the world
A philanthropic angle
An opportunity to talk about sponsorship in a non-promotional way

The Results

The story was a huge hit, securing coverage for BVEC in several of the UK’s leading equestrian titles, including Horse & Hound magazine , Horse & Rider magazine, and Cotswold Life.

The nation's biggest countryside magazine, read by over 35,000 farmers nationwide, is due to feature it in the next issue. Several more niche horse driving and riding titles also covered the story; all mentioning the sponsorship packages at BVEC within the copy.

By using Belle as our Trojan Horse – quite literally – we were able to secure coverage in places that would otherwise not publish a story about local riding stable sponsorship.

PR Professionals: The Builders of the Trojan Horse

Creative PR is all about working with an expert who can help you build that powerful media story to get your brand through the gates of Troy.

Whether you’re an equestrian brand, a toy manufacturer, a travel company or an events organiser, a PR consultant worth their weight in salt will be able to come to the table with several bright ideas that have strong media appeal.

Talk to us about how we can help you tell your story to the people who matter through clever and creative PR.

DRIIVEME APPOINTS WONDERER TO FUEL UK BUSINESS GROWTH

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 08:43:39 GMT

We are delighted to announce that DriiveMe , the UK’s first £1 one-way car rental company, has appointed Wonderer PR to manage its communications strategy and support UK business growth in 2020.

Originally founded in 2012 by brothers Alexandre and Geoffroy Lambert, the European company has big plans to grow its UK operations in the year ahead by taking its marketing activity up a gear.

We have been appointed to manage the brand’s media relations programme; to raise awareness of its service among savvy British motorists and encourage drivers to register online for low-cost one-way car hire.

DriiveMe is a dynamic brand with plenty to offer all kinds of savvy motorists, from holidaymakers and house movers to UK explorers and city-to-city commuters. Campaigns that resonate with consumers are where our expertise lies, so we’re excited to be working with DriiveMe to boost its growth trajectory through a series of creative campaigns over the coming weeks and months.

The fact that DriiveMe was founded by a band of brothers and continues to maintain the strong sense of identity as a family business is an interesting prospect for us. Over the years, we’ve worked with several family businesses that have gone on to become multi-million-pound global companies.

Trevor Lambert, UK Country Manager at DriiveMe and cousin to the company’s founders, said:

“We work with several of the country’s leading car hire firms, such as Hertz and Avis, but have some exciting new partnerships in the pipeline that will significantly increase the number of routes available. While thousands of British motorists are already signed up to the service, we want to grow our network even further.

“With so many new routes on offer, now is the time to invest in our marketing strategy. We want to reach as many UK drivers as possible and encourage them to move cars along these routes, all while enjoying low-cost car hire.”

Since launching in Paris in 2012, DriiveMe has helped move over 200,000 vehicles across Europe and has achieved significant success, with over 1.6 million drivers registered in France, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

It's such a clever concept. How it works is explained in this short video:

To find out more, visit www.driiveme.co.uk

HOW TO GET YOUR BRAIN THINKING MORE CREATIVELY

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 17:10:32 GMT

This week, we read an interesting article by academics at Columbia University on how to unleash creative thinking and the importance of presence of mind when doing any form of brainstorming or lateral thinking.

It talked about one of the biggest stumbling blocks we come across when trying to solve a challenge or overcome an obstacle using creative thinking - the main one being 'excessive focus'.

The concept is actually talked about in more detail in one of our all-time favourite TED Talks by Tim Harford . In his presentation, he explains about how great innovators like Einstein and Darwin used a method of 'slow motion multi-tasking' when doing their deepest thinking. By giving your mind time to wander and explore other avenues of interest, you give your brain space and time to make its own connections.

Getting your brain into a state known as ‘presence of mind’ is a skill that can be learnt. Contrary to popular believe, creativity isn’t something you’re either born with or you aren’t. With a bit of time, focus and nurturing, everyone has the ability to be creative.

We have some top tips to get the ball rolling:

Music credit: www.bensound.com

1. KEEP A CREATIVITY JOURNAL

Do you ever find that you have your best ideas last thing at night, or when you’re out walking the dog or driving along in the car? Often, by the time we’ve woken up or got to our destination that great idea has floated off out of our brains, gone forever.

Keep a creativity journal where you can write down EVERY crazy idea, wonderful innovation or even just clever press cuttings, photos, signs – anything you’ve seen that may bring you inspiration further down the line.

2. MAKE TIME TO RELAX

When we’re stressed, our bodies produce cortisol, which blocks our memory recall. It stops any creative thinking in its tracks. If you’re trying to solve a challenge or problem but are finding you’re constantly coming up against a mental block, step away from your desk, make yourself a cup of tea and take on another task for half an hour.

If you can, go for a walk and totally clear your mind. Play sports. Do yoga. Read a chapter of a book. Do whatever you need to do to reset the brain and release any negative energy.

3. PUT DOWN TECHNOLOGY

Don’t get me wrong, the internet is an incredible tool for connecting with others, learning about clever solutions and doing online research. I actually have a whole tab of creative websites pinned to my browser that I dip into on a daily basis.

That said, when it’s time for a brainstorm or to start thinking about how to solve a problem, you need to put down your phone. It is one of the biggest killers of ‘presence of mind’ – the high level of information you take in when you’re on it just isn’t conducive to helping you give your brain the time and space it needs to think.

4. ALLOW YOUR BRAIN TO GO DOWN A RABBIT HOLE

From the days back at school when we were told off for daydreaming in lessons, we have been taught that it’s a bad thing to let our minds wonder.

In fact, mental meandering can actually be hugely fruitful, not only for creative ideas, but also for overall mental health. The Germans have a great saying for the benefits of keeping an idle mind: ‘die Seele baumeln lassen’, meaning ‘let the soul dangle.’

The latest research in developmental psychology by the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado has shown that people who let their minds wonder have better cognitive flexibility and are better at problem-solving, planning, and managing their own thoughts and feelings.

5. INVEST IN ART

Now I’m not talking about going down Sotherby’s to stock up on paintings for your living room wall; I’m talking about taking the time out of your day, week or month to truly engage with art – whether that’s painting, crafting, visiting a museum, going to a concert, playing the piano - whatever it might be.

Engaging with works of art has been shown to trigger daydreaming and prime our bodies to start thinking creatively. That’s why, it’s often a good idea to start brainstorms by asking your team to draw a picture or even make a sculpture from LEGO.

6. UPSET YOUR ROUTINE

When we get into familiar patterns of behaviour – like a regular morning routine – this can set our brains into ‘auto pilot’ mode. By disrupting the routine, maybe something as simple as taking a different route to work, getting dressed in a different room of the house, listening to a radio station we wouldn’t usually tune into, we can jolt our brains into being creatively engaged.

If you're hoping to inject some creativity into your PR and marketing plans in the future, do get in touch . We'd love to collaborate with you.

THE POWER OF A STRIKING PR PHOTOGRAPH

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 08:51:01 GMT

A picture says a thousand words, as the saying goes, and a striking image can also be PR gold.

We put this theory to the test and set ourselves the challenge of getting Bourton Vale Equestrian Centre into the national press. It was time to call in the expertise of Paul Nicholls, a multi-award winning PR photographer, who came up with the idea of photographing the horses from the centre riding through the scenic forge at Lower Slaughter, a quintessential Cotswold village.

The only catch was that the weather had to be cold. Very cold. Paul wanted all the drama of steam coming off the River Windrush as the horses ploughed through, plus the sprinkling of frost on top of the houses in the distance.

So, on the first freezing day of the year, we set up a photo shoot with three riders in the river. The images were pitched out to all the national photo-desks along with credit to Bourton Vale.

The Results

A hack-trick of national coverage (excuse the horsey pun). The Daily Mail , The Telegraph and The Times all used the images, with credit to Bourton Vale. The Times even featured a half page piece in print. Needless to say, the owners of the equestrian centre were over the moon with the coverage and now have masses of professional photographs to use across their website and social channels. We were also beyond happy to prove the point about the power of a great PR photograph.

Full credit to Paul Nicholls for all these incredible images. Thank you for giving us permission to publish them.

HOW TO GET MEDIA ATTENTION AT TOY FAIR

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 19:03:57 GMT

More than 300 journalists, reporters and influencers walk the aisles of London Toy Fair , making the three-day event a prime opportunity for toy and gaming brands to showcase their products to the press.

I had a blast meeting over 30 journalists and showcasing an innovative new product on the Bandai Namco stand. This included reporters and consumer editors from The Gadget Show, BBC Click, The London Evening Standard and several key parenting magazines.

There are more than 250 exhibitors all vying for the media's attention, so it’s worth having a few tricks up your sleeve to stand out from the crowd. The show is constantly evolving so, whether you’re a first-time exhibitor or a Toy Fair veteran, it pays to review your media relations activity each year, to ensure you're making strongest impact.

As a Toy Fair PR veteran, Toys N Playthings magazine, one of the leading UK toy trade magazines, asked me to give exhibitors my advice for getting the media's attention.