PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions: June 2023 update

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast.

Welcome to our June review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch.

Andrew is a co-founder and non-executive director at Frank PR and is now lead consultant - PR, Social, Content and Influencer at the new business consultancy firm AAR. He is also a partner at PCB Partners where he advises on buying and selling marketing services agencies.

Thanks to our PRmoment Podcast sponsors, The PRCA.

If you haven’t taken a look already - do check out all the categories on the Creative Moment Awards website, the early entry deadline is on Friday 30th June 2023.

2 mins Andrew gives us his rundown of PR pitch wins for June:

• Alfred win Westfield Shopping Centres
• The Academy wins Epson
• Finn Partners wins Tuscany Tourist Board
• Cow wins Gilead Science
• JPR wins Hilton Luxury Brands
• Taylor Herring wins Unison
• Brazen wins Castore
• Hill & Knowlton wins Costa Coffee
• Stripe Communications wins Honest Burgers
• MSL wins The FA
• Edelman wins Haribo
• Portland wins Airlines for Europe
• The Romans wins Mecca Bingo
• Klaxonn wins Grand Designs Life

11.30 mins Andrew reveals the ideal length of a client: agency partnership.

“You get the best out of people when you know them and you trust them”

13 mins Andrew refutes the suggestion that the PR pitch and new business market has gone quiet.

Ben Smith: “Are things as bad as some people say?”

Andrew Bloch: “No…it’s a bit scrappy…things are slower to sign off. But I’m dealing with more briefs than I’ve ever had to deal with in my 3 years at the AAR.”

18 mins Andrew gives us his M&A update for June:

• Brandtech Group acquire Jellyfish from Private Equity firm Fimalac
• One Equity Partners takes a majority stake in Smarts owner MSQ.