Aubergine named in ‘top agencies’ to watch in the North

It’s been a challenging time for PR and creative agencies recently across the board. But Aubergine has managed to weather the storm - and even thrive in it. 

In September 2023 we were named as one of Prolific North’s top eight ‘Independent Agencies to Watch’ for this year.

Our sustainability-focused creative PR agency was recognised for the range of campaigns we delivered over the past year, across the food, health and tech sectors.

Prolific North also noted the fact that over the last 12 months we’ve achieved a 50% increase in turnover to land a six-figure profit - plus we’re on track to achieve a turnover of £1m by the end of the year.

The judges also mentioned our ‘modern’ approach to working as we have fully embraced the remote working model - with a top notch freelance team to help the two directors, both of whom are former journalists, deliver outstanding results for clients.

Director Emma Gardner brings her expertise as a broadcast journalist who has worked for several years as a producer and reporter for shows like BBC's The One Show, Channel 4 News, and ITV News. She focuses on delivering creative media campaigns and content creation. 

Director Verity Clarke has more than 15 years of experience in a boutique agency setting. Her role involves delivering client strategy and spearheading new business development.

Our international team of senior consultants provide their expertise on a contracted basis - many are leading experts in their sectors.

Here’s an overview of our highlights:

1. We secured 20 new clients within a year, including renowned organisations such as Filippo Berio, childhood nutrition charity Vitamin Angels UK and Round Our Way (a climate change focused not-for-profit organisation) leading to a 50% increase in turnover

2. We were invited to the British Medical Association to deliver training in PR and journalism at a sustainability event for the NHS attended by senior professionals, highlighting our expertise and thought leadership in the field

3. We successfully ran a virtual booth at Bread and Jam, the UK's first food founders festival and were invited to speak at Leeds Sustainability Week

4. We were hand-picked to participate in the Max 10 Growth Scheme, a program for high-growth businesses. This opportunity involved 12 weeks of valuable training and mentoring 

5. We achieved a prominent position on Google's search results, with our agency website ranking on the first page for the search term "sustainability pr agency." As a result, we have experienced a steady stream of new business inquiries

6. We were recognised and added to The Drum's Recommended Agency Register based on positive client reviews. This showcases our commitment to delivering exceptional services. Ratings out of 10 included value for money (9.5), creativity (9), and strategy (10). An impressive 90% of our clients intend to renew their partnerships with us.

These achievements reflect Aubergine's dedication to delivering top-notch PR services and our commitment to driving success for our clients.

A day in the life of an Aubergine intern

Junior PR Account Executive Isabelle Ellerington-Holden joined us in May 2023. Join us as Isabelle shares her experience at Aubergine so far…

Well, where to start? Aubergine- what a wonderful team to be a part of.

I started my placement here last month- and I can already tell that the summer ahead is going to be very bright! My time at Aubergine up until now has been a whirlwind- a challenging yet highly rewarding journey.

Aubergine PR Intern- Isabelle Ellerington-Holden

So, what does a day as a Junior PR Account Executive at Aubergine look like? 

Getting straight to the grind, I begin each morning searching for potential stories for our lovely clients. Recently the focus has been all things heat-related, and I’m sure you can understand why! For those overseas and perhaps unaware of what I’m referring to, we’ve been in the midst of a heatwave here in the UK. And, gosh, hasn’t it been hot!

After carefully selecting any relevant press calls, I send these to Verity and Emma- awaiting their approval. While the geniuses work their PR magic, I log any coverage for our fabulous clients. And recently, we’ve enjoyed some huge successes. 

Diving deep under the sea for World Ocean Day on 8 June, our mermaid campaign for our lovely client- Be The Future- made a huge splash both in the UK and overseas in Sydney. In the run-up to the awareness day, I assisted in contacting journalists up and down the country- pitching our unique story. And as you can imagine, there was lots of interest! Who wouldn’t want a visit from a totally-mermazing spectacle?

Securing coverage in The Times, BBC Look North and Channel Ten in Australia (just to name a few) - the ocean campaign certainly made waves and truly marked Team Aubergine as experts in sustainability PR.

For me, seeing Yorkshire mermaid Helen Hill from Be The Future appearing on BBC Look North was a real highlight. Taking over 300 hours to create, made from hundreds of plastic bottles and other waste products, it’s no surprise that her spectacular tail wowed viewers.

Another key part of my role at Aubergine is managing our social media. With interactions online at an all-time high, maintaining engagement on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook is hugely important. 

And, of course, keeping our content current is vital. 

Last month, the first-ever Organic Textile Week took place in the UK- seven days dedicated to shining a light on certified organic textiles in the UK whilst also fighting greenwashing.

So, to mark the occasion I created an Instagram reel sharing the contents of the gorgeous organic goodie boxes, created by our awesome client Organic UK. 

The video featured the unboxing of a series of organic textile products and food goodness, accompanied by the classic hit by Sam Cooke- (What A) Wonderful World. And if we all strive to become more organic, it certainly can be a wonderful world!

In the world of PR, every day is different. And this is what I love most. There’s a real sense of mystery. With endless possibilities- as a Junior PR Account Executive at Aubergine, you never know what tomorrow may bring.

Aubergine shortlisted for PRMoment Award 2023

We are delighted to be shortlisted for an award at this year’s PRmoment Awards.

We are up for Media Relations Campaign of the Year for our work with eco pregnancy test Hoopsy.

After winning the PRMoment’s New Agency of the Year in 2019 and the Media Relations 2020 award, we’re going for the hattrick!

We have carved a niche within sustainability and have created head-turning campaigns which consistently beat KPI’s and contribute to the growth of its global clients. 

We were tasked with launching Hoopsy’s eco 99% paper pregnancy test to the UK market, creating a launch product release which was followed up with a series of emotive founder interviews, profiles and newsjacking.

The campaign achieved coverage with a circulation of 378 million in 77 titles including Women’s Health, Mail Online, the Mirror and Marie Claire. The coverage and media attention has opened doors for national retail listings such as Superdrug and Whitworths Chemists, and funding for the startup.

Aubergine’s co-director, Verity Clarke, commented: “We’re so proud that Aubergine has once again been shortlisted in the PRmoment Awards. We pride ourselves in our unique virtual team of experts, many of whom are former journalists, and our ability to meet so many different client briefs across numerous sectors. 

“Femtech and sustainability really are in our wheelhouse, so we’re thrilled our media relations campaign for Hoopsy has also been recognised. We’re now appointed on an ongoing retainer basis by the brand thanks to our success with this media push.”

Aubergine grows team following hat-trick of new business wins

We are thrilled to announce our first full time employee following a record-breaking hat-trick of new business wins!

Since January, we’ve secured £50,000 in new contracts with sustainability-focused clients Round Our Way, Be The Future and Foodsteps, helping us further to carve a niche in this space. 

We hired University of Sheffield graduate Isobel King on a permanent basis to help with account support, journalist liaison, social media and copywriting. Isobel joins our roster of 10 freelancers who support us with media relations, content, events and social media services.

Isobel, who received distinction in her Masters for International Public and Political Communication, has previous experience of digital PR, working as a Digital Communications Assistant for the Campaigns and Alumni Relations department at the University of Sheffield. 

Isobel said: “I’m so excited to join the dynamic team at Aubergine - it’s clear to see the agency is really going places and I’m really thrilled to be a part of their growth journey.”

Aubergine director and co-founder Emma Gardner said: “Our projected turnover is now set to triple in 2023, we couldn’t be more thrilled to add Isobel to our team. 

“Despite challenging economic times, it’s crucial brands and businesses use their communications to educate the public on their offering - so there’s never been a more important time to invest in PR.”

We’ve been working on a data-driven project for a new not for profit Round Our Way, to highlight the impact climate change is having on British families.

We’ve also been appointed to deliver a clever community stunt and press office for Be The Future, who are unleashing the power of families and educators to rewrite our climate story.

Foodsteps instantly produces data insights from across the entire life cycle of a food product. We’re launching the company’s latest industry report accompanied by thought leadership and press office.

Our PR and social media credentials in the sustainability space include successful campaigns for Filippo Berio, Hope For the Future, Organic September, WWF and London Food Tech Week.

Aubergine strengthens FemTech PR credentials

We are over the moon to be appointed by two FemTech businesses that produce sustainable feminine health care products!

Aubergine is responsible for generating media coverage for eco pregnancy test brand Hoopsy and &SISTERS, which makes plastic-free period products.

12.5 million home pregnancy tests are completed in the UK each year, causing a shocking amount of plastic waste to be sent to landfill. This, coupled with her struggle to conceive age 45 and single, inspired Lara Solomon to create Hoopsy - which manufactures pregnancy tests made from 99% paper. 

Founder Lara said: “I was inspired by the journalistic approach Aubergine took for amplifying my product, and I’ve already been delighted with the results so far. The brand has already been featured in several national news titles such as Grazia, Women’s Health, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Express and Trendhunter.”

&SISTERS was created by mother and daughter duo, Lucy and Claire Lettice, who have worked to create conscious period products that are safer for women’s bodies and for the environment. 

Aubergine is working on &SISTERS’ newsjacking press office and thought leadership, focusing on key issues such as period poverty and women’s health.

Over a woman’s lifetime, over 11,000 mainstream disposable period products end up in landfill, taking between 500 to 800 years to biodegrade. The &SISTERS organic period products compost in just 18 months, so making the switch to a more sustainable option has a hugely positive impact.

Director and co-founder of Aubergine, Verity Clarke, said: “With Food Tech already firmly under our belts as a specialty, we’ve always wanted to carve out a niche in the FemTech space too. We’re delighted and proud to be working with both Hoopsy and &SISTERS as they’re both pioneering the way for sustainable feminine health care products.”

Aubergine serves up tasty Filippo Berio win

We’re excited to reveal we’ve been appointed as the PR and social media agency for world-leading olive oil brand Filippo Berio.

Aubergine has been tasked with the full gamut of PR for the brand; launching the brand’s latest sustainability report to the media, as well as managing its busy press office, organising press and influencer trips and delivering support to their in-house social media team.

Emma Gardner and Verity Clark, co-founders of Aubergine, at a Filippo Berio charity event in Otley.

Verity Clarke, one of our co-founders and directors, went on a full immersion tour of the Filippo Berio Villa and olive oil factory in Tuscany in May. Co-founder Emma Gardner also joined Verity at a recent charity event hosted by Filippo Berio at Buon Apps restaurant in Otley (pictured), which raised nearly £2,000 for a community defibrillator.

Verity commented: “Filippo Berio olive oil is a household name, so to win this as a boutique agency is big news for us. I absolutely loved getting under the skin of the brand in beautiful Tuscany - it was a delight to get to know the wonderful marketing team and learn about how their products are made. It was also very insightful to get a behind the scenes look of their incredible sustainability drive. We’ll be revealing more about this to the media about this very soon.”

Lisa Mullins, marketing manager, Filippo Berio said: “What attracted us to Aubergine was the experience of its founders and the fact that, being a boutique agency, they will work directly on our brand. Verity and Emma both come from a journalism background which means that their approach is very journalist-led. Its already clear to us how much they value the brand and how hard they will work to get us results - we’re very excited to see what the future holds.”

Aubergine is a virtual agency founded by former BBC and Channel 4 News journalist Emma Gardner and experienced PR practitioner, Verity Clarke.

We work with a crack team of specialist freelancers to deliver work for its raft of food, drink, health and tech clients. Aubergine has substantial PR and social media credentials in the food and drink space including successful campaigns for Glorious Soups, Chuckling Goat, Fitbakes, Amity Brew Co, Hilltop, The Duppy Share, One Year No Beer and Vitamin Angels UK.

We have also launched successful PR campaigns in the sustainability space for WWF, Hope for the Future and London Food Tech Week.

Aubergine shortlisted for THREE major PR industry awards

We’re over the moon to announce Aubergine has been shortlisted for no less than THREE top industry awards, which are due to be announced in May.

We’re shortlisted for PR Agency of the Year at the 2022 Prolific North Champions Awards. At the PRmoment Awards 2022 we’re up for two gongs; Best Use of Research and Boutique Agency of the Year.

For the Best Use of Research award, we worked with climate charity Hope For the Future on two major surveys of the British population comparing attitudes before and after the COP26 climate summit.

We commissioned Opinium to carry out two nationally-representative surveys before and towards the end of climate change summit COP26, and used the results for national and regional stories which also included case studies. We worked with an independent market research consultant to write effective questions in order to create the best possible news angles.

In a two-week window, the campaign received 59 pieces of coverage with a readership of 448 million, including pieces in Evening Standard, Mail Online, the Independent and a swathe of regional media. Constituents used the media coverage to leverage meetings with their MPs to lobby on local climate issues.

Being shortlisted for Best Boutique Agency is big news for us. Winner of the PRmoment Awards’ New Agency of the Year in 2019, we’ve thrived since then in a challenging climate. Set up for remote working before the pandemic hit, our team of former journalists and PR experts consultants has levelled up its client base in 2022.

We’ve managed to carve a niche within sustainability particularly in food tech, a fast growth industry worth £250billion tackling climate change and a growing population’s health issues.

We’re proud to have created head-turning campaigns which consistently beat KPI’s and contribute to the growth of their global clients.

Our agency has seen a 50% growth in the last 12 months and makes a six-figure profit thanks to low overheads - all during a very challenging time for the PR industry as a whole.

The awards ceremonies are in May and we’ll be attending keeping all our fingers and toes crossed for at least one win - watch this space…

A healthy start to 2022 for Aubergine

It’s been a healthy start to 2022 for our boutique agency with two new business wins in the health and wellbeing space to kick off the year.

We’ve been appointed by GoBeDo to launch the brand’s new Immune Boosting Peppermint Gum to the UK market. Initial scientific studies show the product could be an effective method of protection against Covid-19.

We also secured a contract to promote online health coach Shelley Booth. Shelley is best known for the revolutionary Feel Look Be lifestyle and exercise program, but has just launched a new range of supplements to support optimal health. Aubergine has been tasked with amplifying the news of these new products as well as securing thought leadership opportunities for Shelley.

Shelley Booth commented: “So far, I’ve been really impressed by how nimble Aubergine are as a team. As former journalists they’re brilliant copywriters and I’ve been so happy with the coverage they’ve achieved for me already.”

Henry Colyer, head of marketing at GoBeDo, said: “Aubergine really stood out in the pitch stage due to their journalistic credentials - it’s obvious they know what makes journalists tick. I’m really excited to work with them to shout about GoBeDo’s new Immune Boosting Gum.”

Aubergine director and co-founder, Verity Clarke, commented: “We’re so thrilled to kick off 2022 with such a healthy start. Both GoBeDo and Shelley Booth are dream clients for us as they’re in the health and wellbeing space but they’re also both launching new and exciting products to market.”

Aubergine is a virtual agency founded by former BBC and Channel 4 News journalist Emma Gardner and experienced PR practitioner, Verity Clarke. The team has substantial credentials in the health and wellbeing space including successful campaigns for Surfaceskins, Glorious Soups, Fitbakes, One Year No Beer and Vitamin Angels UK.

We've brewed up a sustainable coffee roastery win

We’re thrilled to have been appointed by East London sustainable coffee roastery Volcano Coffee Works and Assembly Coffee to manage their busy press offices in 2022.

Following a successful three-month introductory period which led to coverage in the Mail Online, Metro, Women’s Health and Pick Me Up! Magazine, the brand has appointed our expert media relations team to lead their consumer and trade PR going forward.

We’ll be focusing on a programme of product placement, sampling activity, influencer support and thought leadership in the New Year to gain further traction in the media.

Both Assembly Coffee and Volcano Coffee Works are certified CarbonNeutral and have B Corp status.

Michael Cleland, co-founder and head of marketing of Assembly Coffee said: “We appointed Aubergine because of their unparalleled expertise in the food and drink industry. We’ve been very impressed with their work so far - they’re clearly passionate about what they do and being former journalists, they have a unique behind the scenes view of how the media operates. We’re very excited to be working with them in 2022 to further raise the profile of Assembly Coffee and Volcano Coffee Works.”

Aubergine director and co-founder, Emma Gardner, commented: “Assembly and Volcano Coffee Works are brands which align with our wheelhouse of expertise; drink and sustainability. There are so many interesting talking points in the world of coffee and with such a high quality product and bank of knowledge behind them, journalists are eager to hear what their team has to say. They’re the dream client to have on our books.”

Our previous campaigns include work for B Corp Dr Will’s, Organic Trade Board and sustainable cleaning products brand If You Care.

International charity appoints Aubergine to launch UK PR push

We’re thrilled to reveal we’ve been appointed by international charity Vitamin Angels to launch their UK programme, Vitamin Angels UK, and raise awareness of childhood food insecurity. With two toddlers in nursery of our own, it’s a cause very close to our hearts.

Our winning pitch concept was to launch the first ever National Childhood Nutrition Day on June 9 2021, to raise awareness that one in four children in the UK lack access to nutritious food.

Working in partnership with the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), Vitamin Angels UK delivers free weekly nutrient-dense and vitamin-rich packages to six nurseries in England containing fruit, vegetables and protein-rich foods.

Over four hundred children from low income families are benefiting from the scheme as it helps give them a quality diet they otherwise wouldn’t have. The nurseries are in Manchester, Grimsby, Darlington, Scunthorpe, Wolverhampton and Leominster.

Shannon Burke, vice president of marketing at Vitamin Angels UK, said: “We appointed Aubergine because of their experience, passion and authentic enthusiasm for our mission - and we loved their idea for launching an awareness day. We’re facing a childhood food insecurity crisis here in the UK and we need to act now. Through our donations and the support of our Corporate Partners, we aim to increase our program to more nurseries in the UK by the end of 2021.”

Aubergine director and co-founder, Emma Gardner, said: “With both Aubergine directors having toddlers at nursery, Vitamin Angels UK’s work is very close to our hearts. We’re so excited to have been appointed by the charity to shout about their incredible and valuable work - and we can’t wait to see the launch of the UK’s first National Childhood Nutrition Day.”

Leeds is slowly becoming the media hub it deserves to be

By Emma Gardner, co-founder and director at Aubergine

I remember when I was first looking to move up to Leeds from London back in 2013, my colleagues at Channel 4 News and the BBC thought I was a little bit mad. Why would I want to move to a city a fraction the size of London with not nearly much freelance journalism work available?

Well, I was willing to take the gamble because I was ready for a life where I could afford more than a small one bedroom flat and where I could access the countryside and fresh air, within just a few minutes. Don’t get me wrong, London is a wonderful place, but cramming onto the Underground with hundreds of other people didn’t have the same appeal anymore - and I wanted to be near friends and family.

At the time, broadcast journalism jobs in Leeds were scarce so I spent quite a few months commuting over to BBC Media City in Manchester to work for the current affairs teams at The One Show and Inside Out. 

The work was great, but commuting left a sour taste in my mouth. It involved getting on the clunky and slow train from Leeds to Manchester every day then connecting with the tram; a journey that took the best part of 1.5 hours. I’d be up at 6am every day and not home until after 8pm - hardly the idealistic way of life I’d pictured for myself up north.

It soon became apparent that if I wanted to work in an industry that would enable me to use my national journalism expertise, but stay in Leeds, PR was the answer. I never looked back, and eight years on I’ve set up a food, drink, health and tech PR agency with my best friend, Verity.

Seeing Channel 4 set up its headquarters in Leeds a few years back did make me wonder, if I still worked as a journalist maybe I’d find it a bit easier to find work here now? I think I would.

It was wonderful to see the confirmation that the BBC is preparing to move many national journalism roles from London to the north. There will be a new version of BBC One tailored to northern audiences, and the BBC Learning and Identity News team is moving to Leeds. With Channel 4 already having its headquarters in the city, this gives it another massive boost.

A separate Guardian article said that although BBC staff would probably be offered relocation packages if their jobs move to Leeds, the experience of Channel 4 suggests many are unlikely to leave London which would create more jobs in the northern city. 

I do think that over time, Leeds will become a media hub similar in scale to Manchester. The more jobs that are created here, the greater the pull will be for others to move, thereby growing the talent pool ever further.

Here at Aubergine, we’re thrilled to see so many media jobs being created in the north. For one thing, it makes our work in PR so much easier as we’re able to forge important relationships with journalists that live here. Furthermore, with focus increasingly shifting away from London and more emphasis on news coverage and voices being heard in the media up here, it also means our clients have more chance of being profiled.

Aubergine is buzzing thanks to Hilltop win

We’re ‘buzzing’ after being chosen to manage the consumer PR for FMCG brand Hilltop.

The Welsh company that produces honey just expanded its range to include 100% pure Canadian maple syrups, now has supermarket listings in all the major supermarkets and has just completed a full rebrand including a new logo.

Our food specialist agency has been tasked with managing Hilltop’s busy press office and creating a proactive and engaging consumer campaign.

2021 marks exactly 10 years since Hilltop founder Scott Davies got his first hive as a birthday gift and became fascinated with bees. Following a back injury which saw him out of work, he started selling honey to friends and to local shops, then after two years he started supplying farm shops and delis across the country.

In 2014, Hilltop secured listings in Sainsbury’s, Holland & Barrett, Selfridges and on Amazon and Ocado. The company quickly expanded its range to include speciality and Manuka honey. In 2015, after receiving the Soil Association seal of approval, Hilltop launched a new range of organic honey.

Lowri Jones, marketing co-ordinator for Hilltop, said: “Since 2011, when Scott got his first bee hive, Hilltop has been making its mark on the food industry. We wanted to choose a PR agency that we knew could bring the passion Scott has to life and amplify messages about the increasing product range to as wide an audience as possible. It was clear as soon as we spoke to Aubergine that they were the right fit for Hilltop.”

It goes without saying we are huge fans of Hilltop - it’s a sweet addition to our list to our growing list of food clients. This is a really exciting time for the brand as they have a new look and logo, are expanding their range and gaining more national retail listings.

We are delighted to have been chosen to shout about them at such a pivotal time for them.

Aubergine branches out to win Organic September campaign

We have been busy over the summer months and have a series of new client wins that we are delighted to reveal.

First up is the campaign work for Organic September, an annual initiative run by the Organic Trade Board, to create an idea that would "pop" with the media and delivered a stunt in its entirety from concept to delivery in 10 working days alongside freelance senior creative producer, Emma Thomas, and Helix 3D.

Inspired by the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton, the organic “tree shop” had produce was lowered from the branches by the ShopTREEpers to communicate the organic alternatives of everyday food items such as eggs, bread, wine, fruit and vegetables that are available.  

The installation was created in response to a survey by Aubergine and the Organic Trade Board, which found that over two thirds of Britain’s would swap a regular grocery item for an organic alternative during Organic September and over 12 million of those surveyed are more likely to buy organic products than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We appointed Aubergine in the midst of covid-19 and we are delighted to be working with them to navigate the changing landscape. They have been quick to adapt, to be creative and are constantly looking for positive ways to work with the media in this uncertain time including a really innovative socially distanced media stunt of an Organic Pop-up Shop in a Tree,” said Cristina Dimetto at Organic Trade Board.

Aubergine co-founder, Verity Clarke, said: “We are a small, nimble team which has meant we’re able to adapt to the media’s moving target and pull together a socially distant stunt that still turns heads.

“We are operating within the fast-growing and sustainable sectors of food, health and tech and we are gaining a positive reputation within the industry."

Aubergine partners with Ventorq to say cheers to Amity Brew Co

Virtual PR and content agency, Aubergine, has partnered with ecommerce and marketing consultancy Ventorq to launch start-up craft brewery and e-commerce platform, Amity Brew Co.

The agencies collaborated to produce cohesive Branding, Design, PR and Social which has seen the brewery, headed by a team formerly of BrewDog, BeerHawk and Buxton brewery, sell out their first batch of beer within 48 hours. 

Amity Brew Co originally was due to launch in autumn 2020 with the opening of a brewery and taproom in the historic setting of Sunny Bank Mills in Leeds but in the light of C-19 the opportunity to build links with the local community through e-commerce brought the launch forward by four months.

Aubergine co-founder, Verity Clarke, said: “We are a virtual agency which makes use of a network of homeworking freelancers so when C-19 hit we were able to move quickly to react to the ever-changing landscape.  The meaning of the word Amity is community and friendship so we have built on this by engaging dialogue with the local and beer community about the launch. We gained 1,000 Insta followers within the first week so it has certainly hit a note with people who were desperate to hear a positive story in all the doom and gloom of lockdown.” 

Ventorq Designer Tom Matthews said: “Amity Brew Co take beloved traditional beer styles and bring them into the modern era, so the branding had to involve a mix of old and new, traditional and modern, to champion this ethos. The logo uses a friendly and almost nostalgic cursive font and the supportive text is a modern san serif font to create a clean and easily legible accompaniment. The logo is tilted upwards and forwards as a sign of progression and growth. Each beer has its own identity, formed by colour and shape.”

Co-Founder of Amity Brew Co, Richard Degnan, said: “To open a hospitality business at a time when many are struggling and sadly closing was an enormous risk for us but it also felt like the right time too. We prioritised our e-commerce launch which has proven very successful so far.  Aubergine and Ventorq were natural partners for us, they adapted quickly to shout about our launch and build excitement within the community.”

Nicholas and Harris is the bread and butter for PR agency Aubergine

PR and content agency, Aubergine, has been awarded the PR contract to manage two retail brands on behalf of leading bakery manufacturer, Nicholas & Harris part of the Finsbury Food Group.

The virtual PR consultancy, specialising in the food, tech and health industries, secured the contract after a 4way pitch.

Nicholas & Harris products are stocked in Sainsbury, Ocado and Waitrose with retail brands Vogel’s and Livlife, Aubergine will be handling the press office, consumer PR and activations.

Ruth McGrath, Brand Marketing Manager at Nicholas & Harris said: “Aubergine stood out because of their journalist-led approach but also for their ability to step back and look at the bigger picture.

“It’s an exciting time for our brands with some innovative NPD in the pipeline and I’m looking forward to growing and engaging our consumers markets with Aubergine.”

Founded by former BBC and Channel Four journalist Emma Gardner and experienced PR practitioner Verity Clarke, Aubergine works with a network of highly experienced consultants across the UK to produce PR and content campaigns.

The agency has recently been nominated for three industry awards in this year’s PRmoment Awards including Boutique Agency of the Year alongside campaign awards Media Relations of the Year and FMCG Campaign of the Year for their work with client, leading health drink brand Chuckling Goat.

Aubergine co-founder, Verity Clarke, said: “Both Vogel’s and Livlife are challenger brands and are experimenting with innovation which is really going to shake up the bread category. We are over the moon to be representing them into 2021.”

Coronavirus self-isolation: How to stay social with loved ones

With vulnerable groups and people with symptoms of coronavirus having to self-isolate, the way we communicate with friends and family has changed dramatically in a number of days.  

But the plethora of technology available to us means we are better able to communicate with friends and loved ones more effectively than ever before. If anything, I’ve found I’m speaking to my family and friends more than before using video chat platforms.

It’s the perfect opportunity to get a little creative with how we communicate and perhaps even return to some more traditional methods to keep in touch, such as letter writing.

Here are some ideas for how to embrace tech to stay social - for elderly relatives, they might need a little helping hand on how to set up some of these platforms:

1.     Virtual dinners and parties – Restaurants around the country are shutting up shop but you could help support them by ordering a takeaway from them if they offer this service, then organise a Google Hangout with your family so you can all eat together. Simply set up the phone or laptop at the head of the table and invite people to your Hangout – it’ll be almost like you’re all together in person! Alternatively, host a “party” complete with games like charades that you can do together.

2.     Online movie nights – Most people have access to Netflix or Amazon Prime. Arrange with friends and family to all hit play at the same time on your favourite film or series, then chat about any plot twists or cliff hangers using WhatsApp or simple SMS messages. Even better, Netflix has launched a Google Chrome extension called Netflix Party which enables family members to watch something simultaneously

3.     Digital book clubs – Now is the perfect time to delve into a good story for a bit of escapism. You could set up a dedicated Facebook Group then create a poll to decide on a book you and your friends would like to read – preferably nothing too apocalyptic! Then when everyone has finished it you can use the platform to post your thoughts on it, with people commenting and generating conversation. If you don’t fancy setting up a book club, how about creating a group for cheese and wine tasting?

4.     Techie play dates – With schools closed, children will soon develop cabin fever – and so will their parents. Use the likes of FaceTime, WhatsApp and Skype to have virtual coffee and cake meet ups with other parents, then allow kids to use these platforms to catch up with their own friends

5.     Not so ‘bored’ games – Now is the perfect time to dust off the Monopoly board and engage in a virtual board game with pals. Using Jackbox Party Games, you can share your computer screen using Zoom or Google Hangouts then everyone else can engage in the game on their phones

Trio of industry award nominations for Aubergine

Leeds PR and content agency, Aubergine, has been nominated for three industry awards in this year’s PRmoment Awards for the North.

The team has been nominated for Boutique Agency of the Year alongside campaign awards Media Relations Campaign of the Year and FMCG Campaign of the Year for their work with client, leading health drink brand, Chuckling Goat. 

Hosted at the Hilton Deansgate, Manchester, the awards, which celebrate excellence and recognise reward outstanding campaigns and exceptional talent in the UK PR and Communications sector, have become a firm fixture on the PR calendar and are judged by eminent senior in-house and agency-side communications professionals.

Aubergine operates as a virtual agency with a network of highly experienced consultants across the UK and has carved a niche within food tech, a fast growth industry worth £250billion that aims to tackle climate change and a growing population’s health issues.

Aubergine has created head-turning campaigns which consistently beat targets and genuinely contribute to the growth of their global clients who are all market leaders or ambitious scale ups. The agency, established April 2018, has tripled turnover in 12 months and offer clients a cost effective service thanks to low overheads and a senior team of expert consultants with a journalism background.  

Aubergine’s co-director, Verity Clarke, commented: “Since winning New Agency of the Year in 2019, Aubergine has continued to thrive. We have been recognised nationally by our industry and our journalist-powered PR campaigns are getting results for our happy clients.

We found a gap in the market, operating within a fast-growing and sustainable sector of food tech and thanks to gaining a positive reputation in this industry we have a healthy pipeline of new business referrals attracting scale-up SME’s in particular.”

Tried and Supplied appoints Aubergine as a trusted agency

We’re excited to have been awarded the PR contract for the new innovative online foodservice platform Tried and Supplied, following a three-way pitch.

Tried and Supplied is designed to help food buyers and restaurateurs find the very best British suppliers, who are sustainable, local and recommended by their peers.

Domini Hogg, founder of Tried and Supplied, commented: “The Aubergine team really stood out as they were able to see the potential in Tried and Supplied and how its USPs would resonate with the media. They recommended an exciting PR strategy which targeted my potential customers, suppliers and key stakeholders all in one project. We have just relaunched our website and refined our services so it’s the right time to work with an effective PR team who can amplify our messages.”

Specialising in food and tech, Aubergine works with a network of highly experienced consultants across the UK to produce creative PR and content campaigns. We scooped the accolade for New Agency of the Year at the PRmoment Awards in March.

Our co-founder, Verity Clarke, said: “We love working with innovative, game-changing businesses. We could see Tried and Supplied is genuinely working to solve a problem within the foodservice industry; that it can be tricky to source local, sustainable suppliers in a quick and easy way. We’re excited to be working on this PR campaign, which will help position them as a thought leader in their field.

“Global brands are looking for better, sustainable technology solutions to stay ahead of the competition and start-ups, such as Tried and Supplied, are disrupting the space by solving real problems. The Food Tech industry is booming and Aubergine is excited to be carving a real niche within this area, by working with businesses like Tried and Supplied.”

Our other clients in the Food Tech space have included hospitality tech platform Flyt, POS provider Andromeda and the world’s biggest festival for Food Tech, London Food Tech Week.

How to choose a PR agency in 5 easy steps

Choosing a PR agency can seem rather daunting. With thousands of large, small and freelance outfits across the UK, the choice can seem overwhelming; should you stay local or go for a London based agency? Base your decision purely on price? Awards won? Current clients? The list and options are endless.

Appointing a boutique PR and communications agency is an option to consider if you’re looking to amplify your business or products to the media.

We have considered the reasons clients have come to us in the past, to help you think about what you should be looking for in your next agency…

Emma and Verity, Directors of Aubergine

1. Senior expertise in PR and the media

One of the first things to consider is who will be delivering the work once you commission a PR agency. Generally, boutique communications agencies are smaller and led by senior PR professionals who not only win the business but are also, crucially, heavily involved in actually delivering your brief. Rather than junior team members managing day-to-day activity, media relations and copywriting, in boutique agencies the work is delivered by a team of experts in their field.

Aubergine, for example is led by former journalist Emma Gardner and PR pro Verity Clarke, who know the media industry inside out. With experience working at outlets such as BBC, Channel 4 News and ITV News, their knowledge of media relations and insight into how to secure high profile national news coverage is second to none. Furthermore, their ability to write head-turning press releases, features and thought leadership content is the standard you’d expect from a national journalist.

2. Targeted specialisms in different sectors

“All round” agencies exist which can take on clients in any sector; but these agencies tend to have a steep learning curve which is paid for by you, the client. When initially researching potential agencies, be sure to also find out if there is one which specialises in your sector. A specialist agency has much more insight, contacts and experience for that specific sector, understanding from the word go, how the sector operates and what sort of content resonates with the most relevant journalists.

Aubergine specialises in food, tech, lifestyle and health PR and we have secured some outstanding results for our clients in these areas. To demonstrate our food tech PR expertise, a recent media relations campaign for London Food Tech Week saw us smash the KPIs by 182%, securing coverage in 60 national titles including Mashable, Huffington Post, Daily Mirror, The Sun, New Statesman, Evening Standard and City AM. We also launched health tech brand Surfaceskins to the media, securing 25 pieces of coverage mainly in the trade press but also in the business section of the Daily Express, both print and online.

Brian Waligora, CEO of Surfaceskins

3. Modern ways of working

The PR industry has always been quick to adapt to new working practices and has embraced remote working, flexible hours and ‘hot-desking’. Large city centre offices with PR staff chained to their desk for 12 hour days are fast becoming a thing of the past. The industry is putting staff wellbeing and mental health first, meaning that happy PR staff are productive, loyal and work productively. Ensure you check with your agency that these practices are adopted in-house as it’s much more likely you’ll be working with a happy and more productive team.

We operate a ‘virtual office’ set-up which not only gives us immense flexibility, it also means our day rates are much lower than you’d expect from a big agency. In this day and age, it’s all about value for money, right?

4. The right person for the right job

Ensure you look into the bio of every team member who could be assigned to your account, it is imperative that you are working with the right skill set for you.

Not all boutique agencies operate in this way but here at Aubergine we pride ourselves in working with a network of highly specialised freelance PR consultants across the UK to help us deliver high quality PR campaigns for our clients. Working in this way means we can pick and choose the right consultant to match the project, meaning the level of expertise the client gets is unparalleled. Aubergine’s directors always stay heavily involved in managing and delivering all projects, but the consultants bring an additional ‘edge’, and some brilliant additional creativity.

We worked on a media relations campaign for The Ice Co in the summer of 2018 as a collaboration with other food PR specialists which saw this creativity at play. To create original news, we hooked onto the World Cup (and the hot weather!) as a key time to be buying ice. In order to achieve these news angles and headlines, we developed a news-driven survey which found Millennials were shunning the pub and drinking beer during the World Cup and instead hosting parties at home. Through this campaign we secured 24 pieces of coverage in the consumer media including hits in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Sunday Express and Women’s Health, reaching an audience of 3 million people.

Shann Nix Jones, Founder of Chuckling Goat

5. Staying nimble

Last, but certainly not least, look for an agency who will stick to a plan but can also adapt. If you are a fast moving business, the last thing you want is for your agency to lag behind because there was already pre-planned activity in place.

Aubergine has been able to deliver projects extremely quickly and effectively for our clients. We’d always recommend a long-term retained service, where possible, to guarantee more of a drip-feed of news, but if you’re looking for a quick-win PR project, this is where we come in.

We were commissioned by kefir brand Chuckling Goat to amplify the news that the company had been recognised by the Parliamentary Review as an example of best business practice in the UK. Our strategy was to highlight business owner Shann Jones’ expertise and the business' turnover for national press, whilst emphasising the 'success despite Brexit' angle for regional press in Wales. We developed a series of press releases tailored to different media audiences; national business press and regional newspapers/online. We also offered one-on-one interviews with Shann to national press and broadcast media.

In the space of just 6 weeks from being commissioned we secured 13 pieces of coverage for the story across national, regional and trade media, including pieces in The Telegraph print and online, Daily Express print and online and BBC Radio Wales. The campaign reached an audience of over one million people. As a result of this successful campaign, Aubergine was appointed as Chuckling Goat’s retained agency.

If you’d like to find out more about how our boutique PR and communications agency can help your business get in touch.

We’ve been shortlisted for two national CIPR awards

Our new agency Aubergine has been shortlisted for two national accolades in the CIPR Excellence Awards 2019.

The two categories we’ve been shortlisted in are:

·     Outstanding New Public Relations Consultancy

·     Outstanding Specialist Public Relations Consultancy

A team of more than 60 experienced PR professionals will review the category shortlists and the select the winners, which will be presented with their awards during a ceremony in London in June.  

These latest nominations come less than a month after we won our first award, New Agency of the Year at the 2019 PRmoment Awards.

Established exactly a year ago but with years of PR and journalism experience under our belts, we work with a network of experienced PR consultants and former journalists across the UK to deliver creative campaigns for clients in the food, tech, lifestyle and health sectors. Some of our current and past clients include Flyt, Slingsby Gin, Beerwulf, Chuckling Goat, London Food Tech Week and Glorious Soups.

Fresh from winning New Agency of the Year at the PRmoment Awards, we could hardly believe it when we received the news that we were also nominated for two national awards.

We’ve come such a long way in such a short space of time and these award wins and nominations are testament not only to the hard work we’ve put into building the business, but to the results we’ve secured for our clients. From launching a YouGov survey and thought leadership reportfor leading London tech brand Flyt, to working with a NASA scientist and the Jamie Oliver Group to secure national news coverage for London Food Tech Week, we love bringing client briefs to life with our passion and enthusiasm.