Smart Agency: Marketing & PR Leeds, Yorkshire, UK

A new marketing & PR agency in Leeds, Yorkshire

A new agency has been formed which aims to offer practical, results-driven public relations and marketing services to businesses and public sector organisations.

The Smart Agency has been formed by PR practitioners with backgrounds in managing in-house departments and agencies.

Emma Kirkaldy was previously a partner at the Smart Association based in Leeds, Yorkshire. There she built up an impressive client base including major companies such as Arla Foods, Ikea and Nuffield Hospital Leeds coupled with clients from the public sector like Bradford Council’s education catering division.

Emma is joined by former head of PR, Nigel Charlesworth who brings with him experience of business-to-business and consumer PR from seven years spent with RBS-owned businesses Green Flag and UKI Partnerships. He also has a background in the public sector, experiencing issues and crisis management from his five years in communications at the Royal Mail and NHS.

No nonsense PR and marketing approach

The Smart Agency approach is simply to deliver on plans tailored to the client's needs, the success of which can be judged against agreed objectives.

Emma explains: "We understand the need for companies and public sector organisations to measure and quantify results and this means communications programmes need to be aligned to objectives, yet be flexible to changing situations."

"One of the reasons for forming the agency was because we believe there is scope in the market for a company that offers not only experience of delivering on a brief, but also has an understanding of the demands placed on in-house departments – who often working in a strictly regulated environments."

Access to a range of services

The Smart Agency provides organisations with access to range of services including generating targeted media coverage, community relations and running internal communications programmes. Through its network of associated companies it can provide and manage a suite of cost-effective services such as design and print, web design and market research.

Nigel adds: "Working with and commissioning some excellent agencies over the years has given me an insight into what works and what doesn't. I also understand the need for agencies to deliver on their promises and demonstrate they understand the need to work in ways that reflect their client’s corporate values."

"We are committed to adding value to clients' communications programmes – whether they are ongoing or short-term and project-based. Everything we do on behalf of clients is measured against agreed objectives. When clients identify a need for PR support, they are not only buying our creativity, but also our ability to manage a project and keep programmes within budget and timescales" he added.

One of the agency's first clients is Halifax General Insurance which asked The Smart Agency to devise and run a campaign to promote its home insurance product across Greater Manchester and the North West.

The programme focused on aligning the brand with home security and included use of independent experts delivering a credible message via the media along with branch literature and online communications.

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