An Insight to the staff at The Phoenix Partners

I am currently studying English and Film at Leicester University and have been working at The Phoenix Partners for the last few weeks to gain experience in Public Relations.

I asked the staff at the agency to consider their favourite films and if they have a favourite movie quote. I thought it would be interesting to see what their choices say about them, and if their choices reflect the role that they play within the agency.

Graphic designer, Matt Stokes lists his favourites as such films as ‘The 39 Steps’, ‘Good Will Hunting’ and ‘The Dark Knight’ – a selection that dates as far back as 1935. His favourite quote is “You’re legally allowed to drink now, so we figured the best thing for you was a car” (Billy McBride, Good Will Hunting). The list of favourite films displays his interest in serious, artistic works but the quote reveals his sense of humour.

Project Manager, Gita Bhatt’s list is even more varied, as some of her favourites are ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ and ‘The Princess Bride’ but she also enjoys ‘A Clockwork Orange’ and ‘A History of Violence’. Her favourite movie quotes are “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone” (Matthew, Four Weddings and a Funeral) and “Inconceivable!” (Vizzini, The Princess Bride). This varied choice of films reflects Gita’s open-minded and adaptable attitude.

Some of my favourite films are ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2’ and ‘Se7en’. Some of my favourite quotes from films are “Harry Potter…the boy who lived, come to die” (Voldemort, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2) and “It seems despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster.” (Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2) Another of my favourites is “The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do.” (Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl).

Managing Director, Rachel Hargrave has a more limited list of favourite films – highlighting that she is a clear and decisive person. Her favourite films are ‘The Italian Job’, ‘The Third Man’ and ‘Fight Club’.

Rachel enjoys such humorous quotes as “You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” (Charlie Croker, The Italian Job) and “In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed – they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The Cuckoo clock.” (Harry Lime, The Third Man). She also appreciates deeper, more meaningful quotes such as “This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time” (The narrator, Fight Club)

What’s your favourite line from a film and what does it say about you?

Charlotte Gill

The Phoenix Partners offers a wide range of video solutions, for more information contact Rachel Hargrave:
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

Rachel Reaches Stella Point!

Congratulations Rachel! Our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners reached Stella Point, Kilimanjaro in the early hours of 22nd September.

We will get all of the details of Rachel's experience when she has recovered from her trek.

Rachel becomes Chair of IOD Leicestershire

Rachel Hargrave, our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners has stepped in as Chair for the Leicestershire branch of the Institute of Directors as the previous Chair has had to step down.

Rachel has been a very active member of the local branch for the last seven years and has previously acted as Chair and more recently, Vice Chair. She has stepped into the role and will stay as the Chair until next August when a new committee will be decided.

The Institute of Directors is Europe’s largest membership organisation for business leaders, supporting their 43,000 members through 44 regional branches across the UK and an international network that covers six continents. Its motto is ‘To support, represent and set standards for directors’.

The aim of the IoD is to provide members with a year round active business programme which offers members benefits such as high profile networking events and integrated regional support. It runs highly regarded professional development programmes and provides many training opportunities.

The next Iod event, the Annual Business Leaders Dinner is taking place on 22nd September in Nottingham.

For more information please contact:
Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

For more information on the Institute of Directors please visit www.iod.com/home/local-network/east-midlands

The Phoenix Partners to help launch charity campaign

We are very pleased to announce that we will be assisting International charity The Odysseus Foundation in launching a public appeal named ‘Penelope’ this month.

The Penelope campaign will encourage the UK population to check themselves and get to know their ‘Bits and Boobs’, and also to donate a breast and cervical exam for a woman overseas for just £16 a year.

To encourage UK women to care for themselves The Odysseus Foundation has created a free app available via www.bitsandboobs.co.uk. The app functions as a reminder to self-check and also offers a route to donate to the campaign.

Commenting on the aims of the charity, chief executive officer Justen Schafer Humes said: “We aren’t going to claim we can solve the problem and heal the world, but we are doing our bit. We are currently aiming to raise £1.6 million to screen 100,000 women for breast and cervical cancer by 2015. I am thrilled that The Phoenix Partners will be assisting us with the launch of the Penelope campaign.”

The Odysseus Foundation aims to work with women in countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America who don’t have the opportunity to get checked for cervical and breast cancer, and provide them with free screening and awareness. Financial constraints, weak healthcare systems and a lack of trained professionals in the developing world all contribute to difficulties in preventing and treating cancers meaning that an estimated 88% of cervical cancer deaths worldwide occur in these areas.

For more information or to donate to The Odysseus Foundation please visit www.bitsandboobs.co.uk. Information is also available on Facebook www.facebook.com/FriendsofP and twitter page http://twitter.com/BitsnBoobs.

An insight into creating graphics for retail outlets

The agency has been commissioned to create a series of graphics by a global jewellery and watch brand.

Matthew Stokes our graphic designer, has been creating promotional images to advertise the new range of luxury watches and jewellery to be used in retail outlets across the Nation.

The illustrations will be used for a range of promotional pieces such as window displays, backlit pillars (Duratran), window graphics, counter backs, counter wraps, cobra pop up banners, posters and pillar wraps. Matt has been creating graphics and artwork for each space, adapting them to different sizes as they will be used for small graphics, large installations and larger exterior graphics.

The client provided Matt with a list of graphics to develop, using different styles of photography, and different models. Quarter three (autumn) uses autumnal colours and quarter four (winter) is predominantly red. Once approved they will be produced onto a variety of different racks and different plastics such as PVC and Vinyl.

For more information on how we can help you with your bespoke artwork needs please contact Roger Bradshaw, Head of Design at The Phoenix Partners on 01509 815026 or email roger@thephoenixpartners.com

How to Network effectively!

We asked Rachel Hargrave, our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners to consider the best ways of making the most of networking situations based on her own experiences. Rachel is the vice-chair of the local branch of the Institute of Director’s which hosts regular networking events.

These are her top tips –

1. Go prepared; know who’s going to be attending and choose who you’d like to talk to.

2. Research those you’ve chosen; don’t go in cold. Make sure you know something about them / their business to help the conversation start and move forwards.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; if you can’t find who you’re looking for, or you’d like a personal introduction – just ask the event organiser. It really is what they are there for!

4. Read the room; if people are standing facing each other then they probably don’t want to be interrupted. However, if they are standing in an ‘open two’ (shoulder to shoulder looking around the room, or at an angle to each other) their body language is saying that they are open to being joined by another. Go join them!

5. Have your pitch ready; when someone asks you what you do you need to be clear, succinct and most importantly – memorable! Work on your pitch and don’t be afraid to change it / ask for feedback on it.

6. Say ‘hi’ to those you already know; it’s all about establishing relationships so don’t ignore those you already know. Check in on them but don’t take the easy option and just stay with them!!

7. Follow up afterwards; always follow up those you’ve met afterwards no matter how interested they were in you / your business / your product or service. It’s not about now with networking but about now AND the future so …. Keep open the lines of communication. You never know who could become your next biggest recommender / referrer!!

For more information please contact:
Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

For more information on the Institute of Directors please visit www.iod.com/home/local-network/east-midlands

SPE Offshore Europe conference

Gita Bhatt, our project manager visited the SPE Offshore Europe (Society of Petroleum Engineers) conference last week as part of our ongoing work within the energy sector.

The conference ran from 6th-8th September in Aberdeen, known as the energy capital of Europe, with 1500 exhibitors across six halls and over 47,000 visitors.

The overall theme of the exhibition was ‘Securing Safe, Smart, Sustainable Supply’. One of the issues raised was considering ways of decommissioning old rigs in the North Sea both economically and in an environmentally sustainable way. Another aim of the conference was recruitment as there is currently a shortage of young people entering the industry.

Gita said: “Of particular interest to me was the opportunity to meet with UKTI representatives from around the globe on a one-to-one basis to discuss specific opportunities in their market.

“It was really beneficial that I had pre-booked some networking sessions as these were really useful. It was such a large venue and lots of people kept getting lost. However I found it quite a useful conversation starter with people on the stands when I did lose my way!

“Accommodation in Edinburgh was completely sold out so attendees had to travel in from hotels up to two hours away! Its best to book early if you ever go, and flat shoes are a must!”

For more information on how we work in the energy sector please contact:

Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

STOP PRESS! Rachel has smashed her fundraising target!

Rachel Hargrave, our managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners has cracked her fundraising target just a day before she begins her journey to scale the world’s highest freestanding mountain in aid of Leicester Charity Link.

Her goal was to raise £1,500 for the local charity and this morning Rachel surpassed the target raising an outstanding £1,640 through donations from clients, suppliers, friends and family. Just last week Rachel’s fundraising total was at £380 but through her final push of fundraising, she has managed to raise a massive £1,260 in just seven days!

Well done Rachel! We hope you have a most fabulous trip!

To support Rachel in her Kilimanjaro quest please visit www.justgiving.com/Rachel-Hargrave

Design solutions for the Energy Sector

Staying in trusted hands, Scotia Gas Networks has commissioned The Phoenix Partners to design and produce a series of manuals and task cards as part of its Safety Health and Environment (SHE) commitment to a safe way of working.

This is the fifth year the agency has worked in partnership with SGN’s external communications team, utilising its significant experience in the energy sector with past clients such as BP, Castrol and Oil Spill Response.

The new 80 page Cable Avoidance Manual and associated task cards will be vital resources, communicating step by step the necessary procedures for the prevention of hazards and contributing to the firm’s excellent safety track record. Earlier this year the agency produced a new ‘Environment’ handbook, the sister document to SGN’s ‘Safe Person’ handbook last year.

Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) is involved in the distribution of gas to homes and businesses in Scotland as Scotland Gas Networks, and as Southern Gas Networks for the South and South East of England, to 5.7m customers through 74,000km of gas mains and services. The business also operates the Gas Emergency Service in these areas requiring staff to be highly responsive and acutely trained to ensure public safety at all times.

For further information on the range of design solutions call Roger Bradshaw on 01509 815026 or email roger.bradshaw@thephoenixpartners.com

Charlotte Gill Work Experience

I am currently studying English and Film at Leicester University. After deciding that I would like to work in PR after graduating I thought that it would be beneficial to gain some work experience. I therefore contacted The Phoenix Partners and was thrilled when they offered me a few days work. On my first day at The Phoenix Partners I met with Nikki Lee to discuss my understanding of Public Relations. I was then asked to take an existing press release and upload it to the company’s blog using blogger.com. After doing this, I was shown how to use Vocus Public Relations software. Before coming to The Phoenix Partners I wasn’t aware that such software existed, it was so interesting to learn how to use it, and to put these skills into action creating a contact list for one of the company’s current clients. I was also shown useful ways of searching for different contacts, and I was informed which would be the most useful depending on why they were being found. After doing this I went on to write a press release about the Managing Director, Rachel Hargrave participating in a trek up Mount Kilimanjaro in a few weeks time. My last task of the day was to email a press release out to several contacts. It was so nice that the company were happy enough with my work to send it out to contacts. I then worked on a contact list for one of the company’s current clients.

On my second day at The Phoenix Partners I completed the contact list that I had been working on the previous day. After finalising the list I developed the press release I had written the previous day in order for it to be used on the company’s blog. I then put this on to blogger, ready to be uploaded on to the company’s website. After doing this I researched appropriate venues in the East Midlands for the company’s ‘Phoenix Moments’ events in the future. I was then asked by the staff to come up with ideas for a teaser campaign that they are currently working on as they thought it would be interesting to get some fresh ideas. To do this I researched the client and created a mind map of any ideas that I thought would be appropriate.

On my third day at The Phoenix Partners I wrote a press release about the company beginning to work with a charity. This was the first press release that I had wrote for the company completely independently, which was quite intimidating but I took all that I had learned from Nikki and gave it my best shot. After I finished writing the piece, there were a few changes that needed to be made but aside from those, the press release was good. My last task of the day was to create another contact list on Vocus for the same charity client. It’s amazing how easy it is to find contacts when using the software.

I really enjoyed my time at The Phoenix Partners. The people are all so friendly and helpful and I felt that I had the support of the full team throughout my time there. It was clear that they all wanted me to get the best experience and learn as much as I could. I feel that I gained so much experience and learned so many useful things in the short time that I was there.

Rachel now in final weeks before charity Kilimanjaro trek!

Rachel Hargrave, our Managing director and founder of The Phoenix Partners is now only weeks away from beginning her journey to scale the world’s highest freestanding mountain in aid of Leicester Charity Link. Rachel has managed to raise £380 so far but is planning a final push of fundraising before the trek begins on the 14th September.

Rachel will travel to Tanzania to carry out a twelve day climb. The route of her journey will culminate in views from the Uhuru Peak which at 5895m is the highest point in Africa.

Commenting on the challenges and risks ahead, Rachel said: “Mountain sickness can strike anyone at anytime, but it didn’t hit me when I trekked to Everest Base Camp so I’m reasonably confident. I have a mountain to climb, but boy am I going to do it! It’s all about getting into the zone as it’s the last bit that’s the slog and scrambling up scree can be soul destroying at the best of times let alone when you’ve been trekking since midnight!

“But the challenge that I will face is no less than a lot of people face every day of their lives as a result of poverty, family break ups or loss.”

The Lemosho route Rachel will be taking is one of the least trekked. It approaches Kilimanjaro from the west and crosses the caldera of Shira Volcano before traversing beneath the southern icefields of Kibo, Kilimanjaro's highest volcano.

In 2007 Rachel trekked to Everest base camp and already has her sights on completing another of the world’s seven highest summits next year when she takes on Mount Elbrus. Her big ambition is to complete the seven summits over the next 7 years – one mountain a year.

In 2010 Leicester Charity Link raised over £724,000, changing the lives of 5,495 people in desperate need throughout Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. For every £10 donation the Charity raises £50 from charitable trusts. A donation of just £10 provides £50 worth of food vouchers or a donation of £20 can buy a bed for a child to sleep in.

Speaking on behalf of the charity Susan McEniff, director of marketing and fundraising, said: “We were thrilled when Rachel called to say she wanted to dedicate her walk to us. Every penny will help us to reach local people and children in desperate need and make a real difference to their quality of life.”

To support Rachel in her Kilimanjaro quest please visit www.justgiving.com/Rachel-Hargrave or for more information about Leicester Charity Link please call 0116 222 2200 or visit www.charity-link.org.

Agency's banner design hits the mark at the Oval!

A banner created by The Phoenix Partners for the gas holder at one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world, the Oval, has been enjoying world-wide media coverage for client Scotia Gas Networks (SGN).

Measuring over 25m by 13m the banner advocates the necessity for alarms to prevent Carbon Monoxide poisoning. The banner featured in terrestrial and satellite TV and print coverage of the Kia Oval Test Match between England and India, with England emerging the undisputed victors winning the final test match in four days completing a 4-0 series win.

Michael Cavanagh, Corporate Communications Manager at SGN said: "CO is a toxic gas that can kill and we are always keen to raise awareness of its dangers. Our gas holder at the Oval provided the perfect location to do this and we were delighted to work with The Phoenix Partners to create a great, eye-catching banner with a clear message that achieved widespread print and broadcast coverage."

SGN is one of several clients in the energy sector the agency has undertaken work on behalf of.

For more information call Roger Bradshaw, Head of Design at The Phoenix Partners on 01509 815026 or email roger@thephoenixpartners.com

The Concierge Club - the next dimension in incentive campaigns

If you need an incentive programme which works on several levels you might be interested in hearing more about incentivise-me’s Concierge Club.

As the name suggests it offers those experiences that are just that little bit more exclusive, elite and exciting. Experiences which will give your staff members memories that will literally last a lifetime. Imagine inviting family and friends to join you on a specially commissioned trip on the Orient Express, or hosting a box at a prestigious sporting event for all your colleagues in your business unit.

These are prestigious opportunities that could inspire the crème de la crème of your workforce and work not only throughout the UK but internationally across multiple divisions. All the logistics are handled on your behalf in exactly the same way as a traditional Incentivise-me campaign. The only difference being that qualifying participants are given access to a special part of the website to explore the opportunities available to motivate them to reach beyond any perceived limitations.

Concierge Club campaigns are bespoke to each and every client, and can operate alongside a conventional incentivise-me strategy, so if you are looking to engage your employees at all levels it could be the ideal solution.

For more information on our incentive and reward programmes contact:

Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

Fellowship Awarded

Rachel Hargrave was made a Fellow of the Institute of Directors for services to the Leicestershire Branch last week, amongst congratulations from her peers from the region’s business community.

Rachel has been an active member of the IOD for the last seven years and is currently Vice-Chair of the Leicestershire Committee. The award was in recognition of her work in promoting the organisation to new and existing members, co-ordinating events and generating sponsorship.

She was honoured at a dinner alongside Murray Macnab, associate partner at Ellis-Fermor & Negus Solicitors.

For more information about the Institute of Directors call Rachel on 01509 815206.

How Incentivise-me incentivises us!

Witnessing on a daily basis the points being logged for Incentivise-me participants and hearing about their well-gotten-gains, resulted in one intrepid team member asking if it would be possible for The Phoenix Partners itself to get in on the fun –so we have.

Always keen to motivate and inspire from the front in a variety of ways, our MD Rachel agreed. Now everyone here is registered and points are awarded at the end of the month during our Monday production meeting.

The criteria for nomination is that the team member must have contributed to bringing new business into the agency, either with existing clients or through pitching for new projects across the whole range that we offer including live events, design, video, PR and, of course, incentivise-me campaigns.

It’s quickly become a fun dimension to the business and the amount of nominations by fellow colleagues and subsequently points deservedly being awarded have increased steadily over the few months it has been running. Great news for us spendaholics (hardly a day goes by without some kind of personal on-line purchase arriving at the door) and obviously great news for the agency’s profit line too.

Just think, our next point could be the result of your next campaign!

To find out more please contact:

Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

Our gorgeous new addition

It’s champagne all round at The Phoenix Partners as we join proud grandparents Malcolm, our non-executive advisor, and wife Carolyn in celebrating the safe arrival of baby Samuel.

Punctual to his due date he came into the world on Wednesday 10th August at 3.40am, weighing a healthy 8lbs, 1oz and is pictured here taking it all in his stride as in the arms of Nannie.

Samuel is new baby brother to three year old Alex and their delighted parents are Katy and Ritchie. Many congratulations to the whole family.

How to start a creative business?

Ten years ago The Phoenix Partners was a dream yet to be realised, and like every new business it had to start somewhere and be clear from the start about the kind of business it was going to be.

So it’s fitting that the agency was recently commissioned to deliver one of a series of workshops as part of the Creative Enterprise Hub’s programme of support to new creative businesses in the city. Titled ‘Press and PR for Creative Businesses’, the seminar gave a comprehensive introduction as to how new businesses can build good relationships with the media and get their key messages across to generate positive publicity. Delegates gave excellent feedback and an extended version of the same seminar to include press release writing has already been confirmed for next year’s programme.

Devised by Leicester City Council, Creative Enterprise Hub offers successful applicants nine months of bespoke training and seminars, plus practical support from a personal business adviser. To be eligible applicants must be passionate about running a creative business in Leicester. Places are limited and the deadline for applications for the forthcoming programme starting on 5th September is 19th August. For more information contact Cheryl Gill at Creative Enterprise Hub on 0116 242 2955.

The Phoenix Partners can deliver a range of seminars and practical workshops across a wide range of subject areas including film and video, event management, PR, copywriting and design, all at competitive rates. To find out more get in touch with Rachel Hargrave on 01509 815026 or email Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com.

Bistro Live Birthday Bonanza!

The Phoenix Partners will be celebrating its 10th Birthday this Autumn so it’s highly appropriate that we’ve been asked to co-ordinate a regional press and radio PR campaign on behalf of Leicester party venue, Bistro Live, for its 10th birthday in November.

The first week of the month will feature five specially created live music and party events will be fundraising on behalf of Leicester Charity Link, the same charity I am supporting through my Kilimanjaro trek in September.

As well as the city centre location in Leicester, Bistro Live has two more venues in Nottingham and Milton Keynes, all offering a popular venue for all manner of social and corporate occasions including Christmas parties. The Leicester and Milton Keynes venues also host Business Live, a networking group conceived by Bistro Live, which brings together between 80 to 100 business owners and senior decision makers every month.

Leicester Charity Link changes the lives of people in desperate need throughout Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. In 2010 the charity raised over £724,000 to help over 5,000 people by buying them vital items including beds, clothes, school uniforms and wheelchairs. For every £10 donation the Charity raises £50 from charitable trusts.

For more information about Bistro Live call Theresa Abbott on 0845 33 11500 and for more information about the great work done by Leicester Charity Link call 0116 222 2200.

Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

So what's hot (and what's not) in incentives?

Motivation is a very individual thing. While I personally can be convinced to do (almost) anything in the name of Tiffany, I understand that not everyone feels the same. So it’s important that any incentive scheme reflects the diversity of its participants – and with an ever evolving gift list that already includes over 475 hot items – incentivise-me can do just that.

Hot!
i-anything – Pods, Pads, Phones and Apple computers are always a favourite

Not!
Luncheon Vouchers – yes they still exist and are ideal for buying prawn cocktail, black forest gateau and other 1970’s favourites

Hot!
Tents – for frugal family holidays and funky festivals camping is the way to go

Not!
Certificates of Achievement (unless you are at primary school)

Hot!
Multi Retailer Gift Vouchers – excellent for the undiscerning gift buyer or inveterate ditherer

Not!
The same gift for everyone – variety is the spice of life!

Hot!
Irons – it’s true and it makes sense - you need a new one and you’d rather spend your own money on something else

Not!
Corporate branded pens, mugs, post-it notes etc – most people can remember where they work

Hot!
Games Consoles and peripherals – perfect for relaxing and de-stressing after work

Not!
A work night out on the boss - not everyone is a party animal

Hot!
Champagne – you know where you are with a bottle of bubbly

Not!
The same gift every year – how many of these do people need?

Hot!
Double your lunchbreak or a cheeky lie in – an extra hour off work can make a big difference

Not!
Forgetting to say thank you – it can’t be banked but it does make a difference!

To find out more about our incentivisation and rewards campaigns through our online platform do get in touch.

Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

Video Era

Video has really come into its own since the social media revolution has taken hold. Whereas once the production of a video would have been a lengthy and costly process, it’s not as expensive as you might think, and it could do your business the power of good.

Forrester Research reported that a video is 50 times more likely to come up on the first pages of Google results than the exact same page without a video. Worth remembering if you are in charge of marketing budget optimisation as well as search engine optimisation!

Here’s some easy ways in which video could easily become part of communication tactics.

Portfolios and case studies – A happy customer can be your most powerful sales tool. Ask one or two if they’d be happy to be interviewed and interweave with your own video coverage, photography and commentary. Or use quotations to cut and paste slides and pics into a snappy PowerPoint presentation.

Newsletters via email – A video link is more likely to prompt the recipient into action as a moment of light relief in their potentially monotonous day.

Events – Set the scene and bring your company ethos to life with a fast-moving video which captures the attention of your audience, be it a conference, product launch or team briefing.

Video Blogging – Feature a day in the life of the office or the announcement that a new account manager has joined your firm. Putting faces to names and showing the energy behind your business can pay dividends.

Product explanations – Demonstrate your production process from start to finish or use video to explain all its uses and benefits. The use of animation will really bring it to life.

Facebook and YouTube – Uploading a video of any kind will enhance your search engine optimisation – fact!

Interviews – Introduce yourself or a new topic to your blog with a video.
Key influencers – If you are trying to influence others to join you in a quest, request an interview with someone who is well known and respected for their work in your field. Associating your company will endorse your brand and assist in SEO rankings.

To see our own virtual portfolio visit www.thephoenixpartners.com/portfolio/
or give us a call to chat about your requirements.

Rachel Hargrave:
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

Agency Wins Bronze Award

The Phoenix Partners is delighted to have won a Bronze Award in the inaugural Corporate Engagement Awards presented last week by Communicate Magazine at a ceremony at The Light in London.

The Award recognises the success of the Tuxedo Reward and Recognition Programme which the agency created on behalf of Canon Europe, and was designed to inspire and motivate its European sales team.

The Tuxedo campaign was entered into the ‘Relationship building as part of a sponsorship campaign’ category. The programme included a memorable and luxurious Member Weekend for nearly 350 VIPs and staff in Berlin last March, as well as all associated communications activity, gift sourcing and fulfilment.

For more information about corporate engagement programmes carried out by The Phoenix Partners, please contact Rachel Hargrave on 01590 815026.

IOD sponsorship confirmed

The Phoenix Partners has agreed to sponsor the Institute of Directors’ (IOD) regional events programme beginning in September.

The partnership commences with the Annual Business Leaders’ Dinner in Nottingham on 22nd September, when the agency will be providing audio-visual support as well as providing creative input by theming the event.

The sponsorship also comprises four networking lunches to be held quarterly at the Old Chemistry Theatre at Nottingham Conference Centre, and is the second (non consecutive) time for the agency.

Rachel Hargrave, managing director at the agency and the current vice-chair of the Leicestershire committee, commented: “As a highly active agency within the region we look to encourage co-operation between neighbouring businesses wherever possible and the IOD’s objectives match that perfectly. We see the IOD as one of the prime organisations leading the way in promoting what the East Midlands has to offer, and welcome any opportunities to talk to members firsthand about their own experiences and aspirations.”

Sue Charlesworth at the IOD, added: “We look to key businesses in the region to lead the way in future growth and success, and we are delighted that The Phoenix Partners has once again taken up an intrinsic role in the fulfilment of our services.”

For more information about the IOD contact Sue Charlesworth on 0115 848 6190.

Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

An Insider's View On a Meetings and Incentive Forum in Noordwijk, The Netherlands

It’s perhaps a little embarrassing to admit, although I’m probably not alone, but when anyone mentions the Netherlands I think of city breaks in Amsterdam or shipping conferences in Rotterdam, not of a beach holiday.

But Noordwijk is about 30 minutes outside of Schiphol airport and is a lovely resort on the beach.

Having never attended an M&I Forum before all I knew was that I had preselected from the supplier list so I could attend meetings relevant to The Phoenix Partners.

We arrived throughout Tuesday and enjoyed a stunning cocktail and buffet held on the beach front patio at the Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin where I was staying. With great entertainment and a fantastic buffet including a huge tuna fish carvery we had our first conversations with the suppliers and other European buyers. Everyone was commenting on how few buyers were there from the UK... perhaps they were attending over the weekend once we had returned home?

After an early night (honest!) we had a beautiful breakfast and briefing before a busy day of meetings. These were really useful. I’d picked hotels and chains that I had no real knowledge of and came away with a couple of instantly useful contacts for our clients and projects.

Later that afternoon we reconvened on the beach for team building. The choices included sand sculpture, rafting, beach games, power kiting and a seminar on organising conferences. In a dare devil moment I opted for power kiting. It was difficult to walk along the beach as it was so windy! We had to tether each other to the beach as the kites dragged us along. Hard work but lots of fun!

After a shower to remove the beach from the ears and teeth we regrouped in the foyer to transfer to a boat that cruised along the canal. Again more food and entertainment – far too much wine and dancing followed - but I managed to be up for breakfast at 8am. More meetings before I transferred back to Schiphol for the journey home.

I think this is an ideal format to meet with hotels, DMCs and tourist boards to ensure that we stay ahead of the competition with regards to proposals or to enable us to differentiate ourselves to our clients – offering them a little extra knowledge or an amazing offer. A big thank you to the organisers.

The end result - some great contacts and a slightly stiff neck from the kiting!!

Jo Fahey - Sales Manager
t: 01509 815026
e: joanne@thephoenixpartners.com

Design - a way of life!

We are very lucky at The Phoenix Partners to have a design department that not only has two guys that are great to work with but equally great at what they do. In fact, it probably isn’t going too far to say that design, photography and all associated technology takes up a lot of their life.

Designers see things differently. If getting the right shot when the creative impulse strikes means going that extra mile, rummaging around in flower beds or lying on the floor, well that’s just what needs to happen – isn’t it Roger?
So, being key members of the team, here’s a little bit more about them and their favourite project during their illustrious careers.

Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design

I started life as a photo journalist and, in fact, photography is still hugely important to me. I worked for several different newspapers across the East Midlands before going in-house at a nationwide utilities company. I left to retrain as a graphic designer ooh ... many years ago and have worked in graphic design ever since.

A really fun and memorable project that I was involved with here at the agency came about through a spontaneous bit of pyromania. It was for Castrol and the brief was to produce a giveaway for 200 garage owners (also premium customers) at the launch of a new high performance oil lubricant. It had to be unique and something the recipient would want to see in their everyday working environment.

Castrol had sent us 25 broken and used pieces of motorcycle to incorporate into the piece so we had the idea to set them on fire and took photos at close range using creative angles. The client selected his favourite shot and 200 limited editions were produced. That to me is what design is all about.


Matt Stokes - Designer

I've always been creative; whether it was as a small boy playing make-believe in my grandparents' house, designing projects in Athens during my second year at University or working day-to-day on astonishing projects at The Phoenix Partners. My mind has always been imagining, creating, realising and growing. I work in the best profession in the world designing graphical communication for all manner of clients, both digitally and in print. During my years of working in busy studios I have gained professional qualifications, awards and experience in this addictive industry. I also have developed my photographic ability, firstly as a hobby before incorporating it into my work professionally. I currently live in the beautiful local Charnwood countryside with my wife. In my free time I enjoy running Kilomathons, updating my photo-blog, eating good food and riding my motorbike.

My favourite project is probably because it was incredibly successful in terms of the impact it had. The brief was to create a full blown marketing campaign for Burton College around the term "Get the Burton bug" and implement it, in this case, into a full-time prospectus.

I developed the concept to imply that education was infectious and used this as a style throughout the prospectus. Using photography, I made the bugs come to life with props designed to illustrate courses offered by the college which then adorned the appropriate pages of the prospectus. Taking these concepts, I developed the overall graphical look, choosing appropriate imagery to complete the final clean and clear visual style of the book. As a result of this Burton College won the Best 14-19 Campaign at the FE First Awards in 2008.


To pick the creative brains of Roger or Matt give them a call on 01509 815026.

My Olympic Interview

Having applied to become a Games Maker – one of the 70,000 volunteers who will make the London 2012 games happen - I attended my first interview at Warwick University on Sunday 10th July.

The whole process took around an hour and a half including registration and security briefings. In a group of 30 we watched videos from the key sponsors talking about what they are looking for in every Games Maker: their skills, their personality and their passion for the Games. We each then had a one-to-one competency-based interview.

I was volunteering to be in the Events Services team. My interview went well and as a result I volunteered to be a team leader at one of the athletics venues spread across London. The role involves welcoming visitors into all the Olympic and Paralympic venues offering assistance. There’ll be highs and lows as while we will get to meet and help people from all around the world and add to their experience of the Games, we’ll also be working long days and won’t get to see the field of play.

Games Makers need to have excellent communication skills, a can-do attitude and be firm and assertive when necessary. Responsibilities and tasks will include providing leadership and support to Event Services team members, making sure team members are in the right positions and helping team members give excellent customer service to spectators and other visitors.

These are skills I use in my day to day role at The Phoenix Partners so I have every confidence that I can make a real contribution as well as enjoy the experience.

I left feeling really motivated and excited about London 2012. Unfortunately it’s a long wait now – we hear via email in late 2011 – so it’s fingers crossed until then!

Jo Fahey - Sales Manager
t: 01509 815026
e: joanne@thephoenixpartners.com

The big event!

Creating events, running events and travelling the world in the process? The life of an event organiser isn’t for everyone but it certainly is for Rachel Hargrave, our MD here at The Phoenix Partners! Here are some of her highlights to date.

My first event: A conference for Goldsmiths at The Forest of Arden – 18 years ago – always exciting, if you’ve never done an event before to see how a show comes together.

The event I am most proud of: Honda’s 50th birthday celebration at ICC Birmingham – because the director turned the story of Honda’s 50 years into a musical which turned out to be phenomenal. We were also able to wow the audience with some new technology at the time, wireless headphones and everyone in the audience had a set to listen through. But the thing I remember most was how silent and spooky it was in the ICC during the performance. We had amazing feedback with some people saying how it had changed their life!

My most disastrous event: Probably the occasion when we did an event where the singer ‘lost her voice’ during the after dinner performance. Although I was tempted to give it a go on the mic, we thought it was best to quickly identify a replacement and thankfully the audience was understanding and supportive!

My fantasy event: It would be an incentive conference event to Argentina. It’s such a vast country and it’s certainly a region I would love to explore after my walk up Kilimanjaro in September. If we could appoint Sir Ranulph Fiennes or Ray Mears along the way, even better!

An event I wish I could have attended: The event which incorporated the launch of the Bentley Continental at the Geneva motor show. Just simply, I wish I’d been there!

To plan your next event through Rachel give her a call on 01509 815026.

Adapted from a piece for M&IT Magazine, July issue.

How to Haiku?

Following on from our blog about our fabulous photo wall, here’s another insight into a half day creative enjoyed by one of our team members Gita. Haiku verse, for anyone who hasn’t come across it before, is a short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities; the juxtaposition of two images or ideas, three phrases consisting of 17 syllables, and a reference to the natural world.

A four pronged attack.
A silvery impaler
Of delicate flesh
- what am I?

Guardian of the hearth,
Constraining wild and
Untrammelled passion within.
- what am I?

His life. His passion.
His very soul. A
Metallic stallion rampant.
- what am I?

Sweet chapel of ease.
Fragrant off’rings left
At this porcelain altar
- what am I?

Pixelated seduction.
Enraptured, through the
Square window we fall.
- what am I?

Encircled by iron,
Steaming with anger,
Now shrieking for attention.
- what am I?

English dragon, he
Wears a coat of fire.
A kings sword is less mighty
- who am I?

Have fun working out what these are. If you get stuck email us at office@thephoenixpartners.com and we’ll reveal all.

Love paper?

There’s something subliminal about paper as far as our office is concerned. Just the thought of a trip to Paperchase sends several of our team members’ hearts a flutter. Our designers though place paper on the highest pedestal of all, it being, of course, fundamental to the fulfilment of their design dreams.

And of all papers, Fedrigoni is one name they turn to when an exclusive approach is required by clients who want something that little bit special. Our head of design Roger recently accepted an invitation to their ‘Love Paper’ event to explore more of their range first hand for when the next bespoke project warrants it.

Roger says: “Fedrigoni is a name synonymous with quality and we’ve used it when the project deserves the finer touch. We also like their environmental ethos as they’ve developed a range that is FSC certified that can be printed on using certain digital printers – something that’s not always possible without compromising quality.

“It’s not an everyday solution but for small quantities where the first impression counts for everything Fedrigoni is always worth considering. We used their X-Per paper for invitations for a special event recently. This is a natural paper with a pleasantly textures and consistently tactile surface and great for printing. Our client fell in love with the design as soon as she saw it which is obviously the effect we like to have with all our projects!”

To see if our design team can have the Cupid-effect between you and your next design project give Roger a call. Or indulge yourself in Fedrigoni’s ware at www.fedrigoni.co.uk!

Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design
m. 07778 389 999
e. roger@thephoenixpartners.com

Everyone has a creative streak!

Here at The Phoenix Partners we thrive on creativity and draw on it constantly when brainstorming for creative solutions on behalf of our clients. As part of this philosophy we are all encouraged to flex our creative muscle on a regular basis through ‘half-day creatives’.

Half day creatives offer every employee the chance to explore an activity which interests them for half a day every month. Cookery, exhibitions, museum visits, poetry and art have all been experienced but photography is probably the most popular activity.

We have several really good amateur photographers in the agency in addition to our official ones! So much so that we have now introduced our own photo wall where deserving snaps are framed and hung for all to see. It’s a growing work of art and a reminder that everyone sees things differently and gains inspiration in a variety of ways.

If you need someone to give you a different creative viewpoint give us a call.

Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design
m. 07778 389 999
e. roger@thephoenixpartners.com

We are rebranding, are you?

There comes a time in the life of a brand when it needs to be re-worked or freshened up to take it to a different level. Companies and products evolve, styles change and it’s imperative that our clients see that we are as keen to keep our own brand current as we are theirs.

But it doesn’t happen overnight and as we want everything in place for our 10th birthday celebrations we’ve been in the planning stages for several months and have lots to do before everything is implemented on 1st October.

You will be amongst the first to see it here!

If you think it’s time to revitalise your external image, be it through your brand, design materials, website or PR, give us a call to find out how we can help.

Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design
m. 07778 389 999
e. roger@thephoenixpartners.com

Olympic hopefuls!

Everyone at the agency has their own perspective on London 2012. Not only is it a prime business opportunity but a chance to be involved at lots of levels.

Our experienced event manager Jo has applied to be a volunteer event hostess for the duration of the London 2012 and the Paralympic Games, and has now been invited to an interview in July. Very exciting - wishing you lots of luck Jo!

And the ticket lottery has resulted in a couple of successes……

Our Finance Manager Fiona, says: “I applied for a few because I love watching sport, most sports really – even snooker (possibly draw the line at darts) and I love an occasion. I watch the Olympics every time and if I could I’d spend the whole time in front of the TV – same goes for Wimbledon, golf (go Rory!)…so I cannot imagine not applying for tickets for the Olympics. Even if I hadn’t got any I’d be going down to sample the atmosphere – it will be electric.

“I have been allocated tickets for the show jumping - up until a few years ago I’d always owned horses and love watching them and I’ve also got tickets for the canoe slalom. I know this is an odd choice, but I watched it over a couple of days at Bejing and thought it was marvelous. So I just put the application in as I though it wouldn’t be as popular and I’d be more likely to get tickets. I also applied for cycling (no chance) and 100m final (even less chance)….but I’m happy with what I’ve got.”

Nikki, our Marcomms Manager, knows she has some tickets but still doesn’t know what event they will be for. “It’s either Water Polo, Diving, Tennis or Athletics – well someone has to get them! It was really hard to whittle it down from the list of ten supplied by the kids. In reality I know the event won’t really matter to them – it’s all about the experience and hopefully something they’ll always remember.”

If you want to make the Olympics a special time for staff, do get in touch to find out about the possibilities corporate engagement campaigns offer.

Jo Fahey - Sales Manager
t: 01509 815026
e: joanne@thephoenixpartners.com

Shoestring Japanese scroll mailer brings good fortune

If a squeeze on your marketing budget is simultaneously squeezing your creativity, think different, think improvisation, think shoestring!

Such was our dilemma when in the final stages of pulling together one of our Phoenix Moments corporate hospitality events earlier this month, this one being centred on a Sushi-making and Sake-tasting cruise down the river Thames.

The invitation needed to reflect the theme, be quick to produce and inexpensive, but most of all it had to catch the eye of the top flight marketing invitees and secure their attendance.

The end result created by our head of design Roger Bradshaw, was a striking oriental scroll, each one hand crafted from part of an inner cardboard tube from a £1 roll of cellophane, sprayed a deep red with some spare car paint and stencilled with the Japanese calligraphy for ‘Sushi’ and ‘Sake’ in black. Rolled inside and printed to mimic old paper, while really being the regular copier variety, was all the necessary information, authentically finished with a colour co-ordinated silk thread and stone bead from a local craft shop.

Everyone commented on the invitation during the course of the evening with an excellent take up rate by recipients of 76%. They admitted the invitation had been instrumental in securing their attendance and, for those who’d never had any previous contact, said it gave them a prior perception of The Phoenix Partners as being a truly creative agency and a lasting impression.

Tim Hamill, head of the Mail Media Centre at Royal Mail, who attended the Phoenix Moments event, commented: “The mailer showed ingenuity and resulted in a piece of creative design which really hit the mark against all its objectives. It was a fitting pre-cursor to a very enjoyable event and demonstrated that mail is an effective communication tool to cut through day to day business communications. Most media would dearly love to demonstrate driving such high rates of action. This campaign also demonstrates that it’s not all about big budgets where effective direct mail is concerned.”

Freida Moore, head of corporate communications for recruitment experts Hays, commented: “The invitation certainly had the wow factor. I was impressed from the minute I opened the padded envelope it arrived in. It was a perfect introduction to the event and it looked very exclusive. All of my colleagues commented on it as it sat on my desk and it definitely set the scene for what proved to be an amazing evening. The team at Phoenix had thought of every little detail, from mirroring the Japanese characters on the invitation to print on the apron for the event, to the event branded marketing materials for us to take away. I was so impressed with the creativity and flair of the invitation and can't wait to see what they do next!”

The event was also a success on the night in generating potentially lucrative business tenders from several attendees spanning our expertise in live events, design and video.

Rachel Hargrave, managing director here at The Phoenix Partners said: “We like to do things a little bit out of the ordinary both with our own marketing and on behalf of our clients. Sometimes the simplest of things are more effective than sophisticated production techniques. It’s always the creativity behind the idea which counts.”

To put some creativity into your next direct mail campaign give us a call.

Rachel Hargrave
Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com
01509 815026

New business wins are the spice of agency life!

We’ve had a flurry of exciting new business wins lately which is just how we like it!

We are now working with Loughborough University, have two new videos to produce for BP and a series of health promotion events for the NHS, plus lots of fabulous design work for Scotia Gas Networks. International law-firm Taylor Wessing has asked us to organise an event on their behalf and we’ve also been selected to give a workshop on Press and PR for Creative Businesses’ for Creative Enterprise Hub here in Leicestershire next month.

If you would like to discuss your next project with us do get in touch with either Rachel or Jo on 01509 815026 or rachel@thephoenixpartners.com

How to inspire your staff the Olympic way! It's not just about tickets!

Living in the host country during an Olympic Games could be a once in a lifetime event for many and the excitement and build up are as much a part of the experience as the competition itself. Savvy companies are seeing London 2012 as a way to engage their employees, whilst anticipating that additional benefits will include staff members feeling inspired, increased productivity, loyalty and a greater sense of belonging.

Incorporating imagery on websites and intranets is a fun and innovative thing to do (but beware the 101 rules and regulations about using ‘standard’ Olympic imagery!!). We had some fun re-enacting events to show how the ethos of the Olympics can be translated to working life. Run a company-wide competition for an ‘Olym-pic’, publish the best ones as screensavers or organise company wide voting to find an overall winner.

Here are our favourites!

Stimulate two-way communication about non-work related activities or community initiatives employees are involved with, offering company support, resources or time to help them achieve their own sporting or fundraising goals.

Incentive schemes are another great way of engaging employees. As an agency we work with a lot of companies to devise appropriate campaigns in terms of budget and rewards. It’s not just about giving employees the chance to win tickets to Olympic events – great if you can but potentially unfeasible for many companies owing to cost and availability! Tickets to other sporting events, family days out at local attractions or sports equipment for the garden are other alternatives which sit firmly in the sporting theme. Remember that anything goes – everyone loves to win something!

To discuss how you could engage your employees in the London 2012 run up call to speak to Rachel Hargrave or email rachel@thephoenixpartners.com.

Book review by Rachel Hargrave: BOLD - How to Be Brave in Business and Win (by Shaun Smith and Andy Milligan)

"Cynicism is a dangerous thing, but I have to admit that I approached this book very cynically. Perhaps I’ve just read too much about business differentiation, making the brand real or focusing on people (whether they be employees or customers) at whatever cost. Perhaps it was a case of ‘I’ve read Richard Branson’s books – what else can Virgin teach me?’ Anyway, if I’d kept up that attitude I would never have opened the book … and I would never have moved my thinking on.

This book engages its reader straight from the off. It opens with a clear outline of what the book aims to do and how it aims to do it. While the author’s writing is knowledgeable, it is also warm, conversational and open. However, their natural style does not overshadow the stories told by the participating companies. Each chapter of the book is dedicated to a particular company who tell their bold story. Several people within each company contribute with the net result that the reader gets a real sense of the people in the business, the business itself, the business journey, the business’s values and how they do business differently; in short how they are bold.

This book quietly challenged me throughout by asking ‘how’s your business bold? How’s your business different? What are you doing to challenge the norm and move your industry / your business forward?’ No need to worry. The final two chapters set out a clear plan and ‘how to’. There’s also plenty of online support and email updates that you can access so you don’t forget your bold plans in the heat of day-to-day business. So, be bold. Put your cynicism to one side and have an enjoyable – and challenging – read!"

This review is featured in the June issue of Growth Business Magazine www.growthbusiness.co.uk

How to make sushi, drink sake and enjoy a Phoenix Moments' night

What better way to spend a sunny Thursday evening than on the Thames? And so it was, with champagne in hand we set sail aboard our clipper.

After introductions and a couple of glasses of fizz we went below to be taught how to make three types of sushi – which I might add, is deceptively difficult!

Luckiliy we had expert tuition from chefs from one of London’s top Japanese restaurants who guided us through the whole experience - there's nothing like learning from 'artistes' and our creations were surprisingly tasty.

After dinner we went on deck to enjoy the sunset whilst the crew set the room for a tutored Sake tasting. We ate more Japanese delicacies and tasted four different Sake including one specially for dessert.

Our return journey was stunningly beautiful through a floodlit Tower Bridge...There was a lovely moment along the way as the bridge raised for us to glide through and tourists cheered us as we waved back.

It was a really different experience, which is what our 'Phoenix Moments' nights are all about – and I musn't forget to mention our design team's attention to detail – personalised Phoenix Moments' aprons and cheeky take away goody bags - which went down a treat.

We had lovely comments about the night... Freida Moore from Hays said, “Thank you so much for an amazing evening. It was such a unique thing to do...... Thank you all at The Phoenix Partners for such a lovely evening.”

Tim Hamill from Royal Mail thanked us for a lovely evening and commented on the creativity and quality of the joining instructions created by our design team which was a Japanese-style scroll that we sent out in advance of the night.

If you would like to pre-register for our next complimentary Phoenix Moments' event in November, which is a wine-tasting evening, please contact Joanne Fahey - joanne@thephoenixpartners.com

For more details on our design capabilities, please get in touch with Roger Bradshaw. roger@thephoenixpartners.com

ISO 9001:2008 Renewal Approved

Our ISO 9001:2008 accreditation was approved for another year on 18th May 2011 and all thanks to Gita's liaison.

This is a measure of our Quality Management Systems and is a framework for us to monitor and measure our success, our work, our client feedback and satisfaction.

ISO 9001:2008 is a standard of quality that is recognised and respected throughout the world.

We think it's important because it reflects our regard for quality in our service, and the robustness of our processes. It is also there to ensure quality, customer satisfaction, objectives and targets for improvements and growth.

Thanks to everyone involved.

Marmite - what's your take on the brand?

In the light of the Danish ban on Marmite, we thought we’d take a straw poll around the office to see what thoughts there were about the black gooey stuff that has a love or hate reaction associated with it and not really anything in between.

Nina’s views are as follows: "Marmite – Couldn’t even imagine eating it, the thought of doing so makes me want to be sick!" - which is a pretty conclusive no then!

However, Fiona who works in Finance says she LOVES marmite, but only on toast. She continued, “I’ve heard there is a new OX version, as in extra strong – can’t wait to get my hands on it. If I lived in Denmark I’d be smuggling it in.”

Gita who has recently obtained approval for our ISO 9001:2008 accreditation for another year said: "I absolutely hate it – which is odd cos I love twiglets. Oooh, I also can’t bear any variable like vegemite and own brand “yeast extract” (Yum!) and the like. My brother loves it though and used to torment me as a child by “accidentally on purpose” smearing it on my toast. Screaming fits ensued."

Personally I love the stuff… and use it as often as I can – on toast with scrambled eggs on top is a personal favourite. If you’ve had it as a child it really is, and to quote one of their old catchphrases, ‘the growing up spread you never grow out of.’ The Danes are banning it because it has been fortified with vitamins. They also banned Ovaltine I understand. Which begs the question whether cereals will be next. Seems kind of excessive behaviour, but then it kind of goes with the territory of the marmite love / hate brand.

We’re having a rebrand in October, we hope you’ll love it!

The Phoenix Partners gets award nomination

We've been shortlisted for a special award run by Communicate Magazine to recognise industry best practice for our work with Canon Europe.

We'll find out more at the Corporate Engagement Awards ceremony in London in July as we have a chance of winning the category for ‘best relationship building programme.'

Commenting on the nomination, Rachel Hargrave, MD at The Phoenix Partners said: “Businesses partner up with us for our sense of pizzazz, originality and flair.”

She continued: “This is really excellent news for our agency. Working with international businesses such as Canon Europe helps build on our existing capabilities and extends our expertise in this area. The award shortlisting helps recognise all the hard work we put in to make it a success.”

If you would like to know more about the work we can do for you in the agency, please contact: Rachel Hargrave or Roger Bradshaw on 01509 815026

Carl Zeiss Vision hires The Phoenix Partners as event partner

We've been busy at a series of roadshows we created for Carl Zeiss Vision.

We provided five hospitality events in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh and London at top notch venues including The Landsdowne Club and Royal Armouries which have gone down really well.

We produced design elements, and a video to portray the strength of the Zeiss brand worldwide. It featured the use of Zeiss lenses for historic occasions such as the capturing of images during the first manned mission to the moon with Neil Armstrong, and the use of Zeiss lenses by Google Earth in their photography of the world for Google Maps. Pretty iconic stuff...

Peter Robertson, marketing and communications director at Carl Zeiss Vision said about working with the agency: "The Phoenix Partners stood out because of its track record in bringing creativity and sparkle to live events. It’s very important for us to use every opportunity to get feedback from the people who meet and support our end users so their professional and well-managed approach will be key to our success."

If you would like to know more about the work we can do for you in the agency, please contact: Rachel Hargrave or Roger Bradshaw on 01509 815026

Rachel's determination on Mount Toubkal

Rachel is back from her trek of Mount Toubkal in Morocco and we’re amazed by the experience she’s had! She spent five days surrounded by beautiful Moroccan scenery and battling nature’s elements, at times using crampons and an ice axe.

It was a real journey in terms of mental strength and overcoming adversity, because unfortunately Rachel experienced altitude sickness for the first time.

Rachel said: “The group quickly progressed from sea level to 4167m above and unfortunately the speed of ascent meant that I got altitude sickness. Fortunately I recognised the symptoms as I’d seen friends get it on my Everest base camp trip.”

“The views were stunning and I got within a few hundred metres of the summit – but it wasn’t about reaching that point in the end. I was at the stage where I was crawling on my hands and knees and I realised that the sensible thing was not to ascend any higher.”

“I now know what more I need to do for my Kilimanjaro trek in September. It’s got me more focused and more determined to do it. I felt strong all the way through the walk, but once you have altitude sickness, there is very little you can do than descend. The weather started to change on the mountain too and it becomes a very lonely place to be.”

When asked what her best piece of equipment was, she said: “My sleeping bag –I slept like a log every night and got more sleep than most people, I am fortunate in that I can sleep anywhere and it’s a great help with altitude sickness!”

Roll on Kilimanjaro in September.

If you would like to support Rachel in her Kilimanjaro quest and help Leicester Charity Link, please go to www.justgiving.com/Rachel-Hargrave or for more information about Leicester Charity Link please call 0116 222 2200 or visit www.charity-link.org.

Phoenix Moments - we've had great response

Well, we've had a fantastic response to our next Phoenix Moments event and if you have responded to our newsletter and are one of the guest attendees, we look forward to seeing you on 2nd June.

It promises to be a fun night and I don't know about you but I'm fascinated to learn how to put sushi together to impress guests at my next dinner party! So that combined with some saki tasting will hopefully make me a connoisseur (of sorts.)

So we'll be boarding an elegant tall mast ship at 6.30pm for the ‘hands-on’ experience, whilst cruising down the Thames until 10.30pm.

Our expert chef, will teach us how to make three types of sushi and then the best thing is we get to eat the fruits of our labours. We even get to see Tower Bridge opening up especially to let us through - definitely a good photo opportunity.

We are now taking a reserve list or a priority place on our next event in October. Email joanne@thephoenixpartners.com for further information.

Rachel heads off to Morocco

As you must know by now, Rachel is in the middle of her training for her mammoth task to scale the heights of Kilimanjaro in September. She's doing all this in aid of Leicester Charity Link but first she has to put in all the training and believe me, it's not long til September in terms of what has to be done.

To this end she is about to embark on a training trek up Mount Toubkal in Morocco - It's a 5 day trek, so none of this walking round the footpaths of Sileby. No this is going to be getting more of a feel for the real thing.

"I think it's going to either be a wake up call or a ‘yeah I'm on track’ kind of venture" said Rachel from her exhibition venue in Manchester today.

"It's going to be good to get a feel for the climbing that will be involved in the real thing and I'm really looking forward to the benefits that altitude training can bring."

If you would like to support Rachel in her Kilimanjaro quest and help Leicester Charity Link, please go to www.justgiving.com/Rachel-Hargrave or for more information about Leicester Charity Link please call 0116 222 2200 or visit www.charity-link.org.

What words do you like to hear around the office?

Words are our business, so we thought it would be a nice idea to ask around the office and see the sort of words that we're particularly fond of for whatever reason...!

So here we go... Rachel likes the word galloshes, balderdash and serendipity but doesn't like the word sandal. Maybe it goes hand in hand with not liking sandals in themselves. In any case, we bet you'll be saying these words to yourself right now!

Nikki, 'our wordsmith' likes the following words starting with the letter p; provocative and prerogative and says the reason is because they flow nicely when she says them.

Jenni likes the words pandemonium, cantancarous and flambuoyant - maybe it's the number of syllables that is the attraction!

Justine came up with the town name - Pontefract - and to be honest, we all nodded our heads at this one. Mmm good name... it's also one of those names that you think should be Welsh!

Gita has a passion for using the phrase "Beaut". Everything is well if it's beaut!

When it comes to regularly used phrases we use around the office, Nina likes to say "You love it you do" - apparently she and her friends say it all the time referring to anything they're doing. They've also finally caught on to the phrase LOL.(laugh out loud) - that took some doing!

She said "This started off as a bit of a joke between herself and her friends as they never used to say LOL at all and laughed at people who did.

She continued: "We've now said it so much we find it really funny ..... LOL! Ah but what about ROFL?

If you would like to know more about the work done in the Agency and would like us to help you tell your story, please contact: Rachel Hargrave, Director, The Phoenix Partners Tel: 01509 815026 - www.thephoenixpartners.com

How do you spend your week at work?

We asked Rachel to summarise a typical week in her life for us... see what you think....

Monday
Up at 5am on Monday morning and walk the dogs to help with my Killimanjaro training for September.

Attend a sales meeting with a client who’s moved to fab new offices in Ibstock and get my proposal in for a staff ‘Away Day’.

In full swing with my production on a video for BT and then have a liaison call with my Director Brian Becker.

Meeting with Jenni to review our Marcomms plan and then focus on the final edit of our new Virtual Portfolio.

After a quick change, time to relax - dinner with the team to celebrate Gita’s birthday!!


Tuesday
Tuesday morning, client cancelled a meeting down South so I’ve won a whole day back!

Helped package up goodies to support the new Guess sales incentive campaign which will run through all H Samuel stores in the UK, before turning my attention to writing a big Olympic corporate hospitality package for one of our major clients. It’s so close!


Wednesday
On Wednesday, a video proposal is the order of the day. Creative written and all budgeted up! Over to design to add in their magic bits and then over to the client.
Out for meetings with Honda and Insider later on, then helped package up the post-event memories photos for a large incentive and Gala Awards Dinner event which took place a week or so previously in Berlin. They look stunning and I’m sure the clients will be pleased too!


Thursday
Thursday sees me off to Leicester to buy a new pro-Canon camera and all the accoutrements. Accompanied by my Head of Design (Mr Roger Bradshaw) as I really can’t be trusted on my own!!
Catch up on personnel today – filing, checking all records are up-to-date and training requirements.
Meeting with my Exec Assistant for a review of HSSE, ISO9001 and the month ahead. Later on, time to get my head in gear and over to Loughborough for the LATI pub quiz.


Friday
Plenty of sales calls today and then a meeting with a venue in Kegworth to talk AV installation. Later, catch up with a photographer freelance friend of mine and fellow Kilimanjaro trekker! She goes in May and I’m going in September so feel armed with all the inside details on how she’s training and what she’s doing!
Another busy day to end the week … but I wouldn’t have it any other way!! Looking forward to more dog-walking at the week-end with Dalmation Dyson and Lurcher Zoe.


If you would like to know more about the work done in the Agency, please contact: Rachel Hargrave, Director, The Phoenix Partners
Tel: 01509 815026 - www.thephoenixpartners.com

What is international etiquette?

As a travel and event agency, our experience is that understanding and accommodating cultural differences is absolutely vital to our clients and therefore to the success of our projects and ultimately to our agency.

We’ve worked in over 53 different countries world-wide including China, India, Turkey, Azerbaijan, South Africa, South America and across Europe – and as such have been involved in many and various conversations regarding culture / cultural sensitivities and how we will accommodate them.

As part of our clients’ briefs we are also very often tasked with ensuring that our working methodology encompasses cultural differences and includes locally sourced products, services and labour. So for example, we’ve operated in countries where we’ve worked with local companies and have arranged prayer rooms to be set up for our crew’s use; where we’ve had to arrange catering with care as the event falls in the month of Ramadan and some of our crew are observing Ramadan and some are not.

We’ve also had to sensitively deal with the issue of alcohol being drunk onsite by local crews when our client has a strict no alcohol consumption policy. This is as much an HSSE issue as it is a cultural one and we have had to deal with it from both angles accordingly.

As an organisation we love working abroad and with different cultures and we ensure that the solutions we come up with become truly integrated within each project. Each new challenge helps us to develop as an organisation and increases our knowledge and operating skill.

Our experience is that if you engage with people and are open and honest about what you do and don’t know, firstly people know you’re serious about ensuring cultural sensitivities are observed and secondly, they are happy that you are taking a genuine interest in their country and their culture. This has only ever been a positive for us and has helped us to build long standing and mutually respectful relationships with organisations around the world. This in turn has meant that, as an agency, we have great stretch and a competitive edge that few other agencies of our size could boast about. …And let’s not forget that there may be cultural issues from the incoming group too which need to be comfortably accommodated by the host country. So it is never a one way street!

If you would like to know more about the work done in the Agency, please contact: Rachel Hargrave, Director, The Phoenix Partners
Tel: 01509 815026 - www.thephoenixpartners.com