PR News July 2026

Skipton Building Society launch "Locked Out" Campaign

A big blue locked door, a reality TV winner, and hundreds of people trying to “unlock” a cash prize.

Skipton Building Society’s latest campaign, in partnership with 72 Point, delivers a bold and highly visual take on one of the UK’s most pressing financial issues -helping renters get onto the property ladder with zero deposit.

Fronted by The Traitors winner Harry Clark, the ‘Locked Out’ campaign saw Manchester’s Spinningfields Square transformed into an interactive activation, where the public were invited to try their luck with a lucky dip of keys, just one of which unlocked a £3,000 prize. The creative centred around a striking blue locked door, symbolising how today’s renters feel shut out of the property ladder.

Harry’s involvement brought authenticity and real cut-through, despite his TV success, he’s still saving for his own first home, making him a relatable voice for the campaign and a natural fit to engage audiences on the ground and across media.

The activation was underpinned by fresh research revealing the scale of the challenge, with 73% of aspiring buyers saying they feel ‘locked out’, and many facing decades just to save for a deposit. 

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72Point expands into social formats with Creatorville offer

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The Opal Lens launches to close the soft skills gap in PR agencies

Agencies are quick to say they invest in their people, but that investment is usually in relation to what the work is - the hard skills, the platforms and the processes. The reality is they invest far less in the more crucial element – how someone works. Advanced soft skills, like managing pressure, overcoming setbacks, having confidence, are often left to the individual to develop by themselves. Today, The Opal Lens, a new coaching service for the PR, marketing and creative industries, has launched with a mission to close that gap.

The Opal Lens is founded by Jen Walker, who spent almost 20 years inside the industry she's now coaching – rising to MD, working across agencies including The Academy, MHP, Frank, Golin, MSL and Porter Novelli.

Jen believes that the industry currently only has half the picture when it comes to employee development and support. The traits agencies most need – resilience, clarity under pressure, confidence, determination – don't come from a training workshop or a 360 review. They come through coaching.

"There's still a sink or swim mentality in this industry when it comes to how we work - it's unnecessary and it's outdated. For too long, brilliant people haven't had the chance to perform anywhere near what they're capable of. All that does is restrict who they and the agency can be."

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