Connect brings sparkle with radio launch

Connect Group has been appointed by Midlands-based Orion Media to launch its new East Midlands radio station Gem 106.

The new regional ‘adult contemporary’ service was launched by Orion on New Year’s Day, with Connect’s ‘turn on the sparkle’ creative campaign supporting it.

The campaign, created by Wolverhampton integrated agency Connect includes outdoor, online and TV.

Connect’s new executive creative director, James Sinclair, led the creative team that worked on the Gem 106 campaign. He said: “Working with David and Andy from GEM 106 has been as nice an experience as I can remember in advertising. They know who they are, who their customers are, and what they want to say to them.

“With that level of understanding of their brand translated into a tight proposition and a great name to boot, all we had to do was sprinkle a little pixie dust on top – which of course is exactly what we did.

“ What’s more our partners Bert and Bertie from The Gate Films and Flipbook SFX did a great job of making the magic manifest.”

Orion’s chief executive, Phil Riley, said of the campaign: “The Connect team has created an excellent campaign. Turn around times were extremely tight, particularly as a lot of the work had to be completed in the run up to Christmas, but the team, led by James and client services director Antony Green, met all of our expectations. The campaign is backed up by a serious media spend.”

The media partner for the campaign was Brilliant, based in Birmingham.

To see the television advertisement visit http://www.thegatefilms.com/

Connect appoints James Sinclair

James Sinclair, a former global creative director of Saatchi and Saatchi, has been appointed as executive creative director at Wolverhampton-based Connect Group.

One of London’s most highly awarded writers and creative directors, he brings a wealth of experience of some of the world’s greatest agencies and brands - in sectors as diverse as automotive and alcohol to fashion and beauty.

James’ notable work has included the ’Keep Walking’ campaign for Johnnie Walker whiskey, which boosted global sales by 12 per cent in the first three months of breaking and went on to propel the brand to global dominance of key markets with share gain in certain regions of as much as 60 per cent.

James’ ‘Double Life’ commercial for Sony Playstation transformed the gaming market, broadening its appeal and credibility and taking gaming from the bedrooms of pubescent boys to the masses. This commercial has won James a place in the Clio’s Hall of Fame.

His ‘Lost Dog’ Volkswagen print execution won Campaign’s press ad of the year and was lauded as a worthy contributor to that brand’s iconic heritage of class leading communications.

James is a passionate advocate of brands, brand character differentiation, and that underused old fashioned term, goodwill.

Speaking about his move to Connect, James said: “I have been looking to join an independently owned and run agency for years. It's where I started. It's the most fun I've had in advertising. And my interest has gravitated to helping to grow an agency brand and have a proper impact on its progress. Not so feasible at the giant networks.

“Agencies go through a typical life cycle. The best years are always when the founder member is still in the building. When that source-energy and inspiration is still on tap. “Of Connect specifically, I was, of course, attracted to their current clients. Who wouldn't be attracted to the likes of Bentley, Jaguar, Goodyear and Brintons?

“Just as impressive was the way these brands were handled. Market insights that nailed each sector, supported by a breadth of tones of voice that were also right on the money. From HiQ's customer reassurance to the category challenging, Brinton's carpets. Rock solid thinking in the Doyle Dane Bernbach tradition with flawless execution. A BBH of the Midlands. “Having worked at each of those ground breaking agencies I can truly appreciate how rare a combination that is - inside or outside of London. “Connect Group is an agency well and truly ready for the next level and if I couldn't spot that I wouldn't be very good at what I do. “The final piece of the puzzle being the attitudes of Rob Hampton and Antony Green.

“Without question they have first class industry savvy. But in addition there’s a certain rose coloured appreciation of great work.

“For me that’s the one most important ingredient in any great business. A love of what you do. In the creative department the biggest mistake is to try and write an 'ad'. You should be trying to solve a business problem by trying to 'connect'.

“The equivalent in business, I believe, is that you get into it just to make money. These lovely people are in this business for the love of it. That romantic view is the what makes you strive for something better. And wouldn't you know it - success has shown up as a result. For me that's the magic ingredient. The spark. They’ve got it. I'm in.”

Connect announces 20th appointment for 2010 as agency celebrates best ever year

Midlands marketing communications specialist Connect has appointed its 20th marketing specialist of the year as it celebrates its best ever year since the company was formed in 1993.

The appointments in 2010 come on the back of new business wins from Bentley Motors, Countrywide Farmers, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Jaguar Land Rover and Marstons.

Rob Hampton, group MD, said that the growth was not just about new clients joining the agency but also about existing clients taking greater advantage of the full mix of integrated services and technologies offered by the agency: “We’ve had an extremely fast start to 2010. Our mission to provide one agency, more answers, has helped us increase our clients’ voice across all types of media.

“Our digital team now has 15 dedicated specialists and current projects include developing iPhone and other mobile applications across a range of clients, working with Land Rover on the launch of the new Evoque and further digital projects for Masterlease and Goodyear Dunlop.

“Connect PR has increased its work with Volkswagen UK by adding Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to its passenger car work. This is alongside briefs in from Baxi and Bauer Media.”

Recent projects for Connect Advertising include the launch of Bentley’s Continental Supersports, the relaunch of Banks’s bitter and the launch of Goodyear’s EfficientGrip tyre. The agency is currently working with Countrywide Farmers, the leading UK business in the supply of products to the rural community, on a major new brand campaign and retail strategy.

Connect is now turning its attention to further recruitment with the agency actively seeking senior creatives. Rob said: “We know we have the right strategy in place to grow the business even further and we’re looking for like minded senior people to take us to the next stage in our development.”

Connect drinks to new partnership with Banks's

Banks’s, brewers of the West Midlands’ favourite ales, has appointed Connect Group to handle its new brand campaign.

Press, outdoor and point of sale combine in a campaign which focuses on the freshness of what is the region’s fastest selling beer.

Location, creativity and understanding of the brand were all vital components in Banks’s decision to appoint Connect. Wolverhampton is home to both businesses with Banks’s brewing its ales at the Park Brewery since 1875 and Connect being based in the city since the business was founded in 1993.

Rob Hampton, Connect’s founder and managing director said: “Banks’s was looking for an agency that understood its roots but also had a creative edge. In the last 17 years we’ve demonstrated that we’re an honest Wolverhampton agency with buckets of creativity. It was a true pleasure to work with Banks’s on this campaign and promote a fantastic product so closely linked with our home town.”

Connect’s clients include Tarmac, Chiltern Trains, Calor, Goodyear Dunlop, Baxi, Bentley and Uniball.

Connect appointed as build agency on new Land Rover website

Connect has been appointed as build partner for Land Rover’s new global website.

The appointment comes on the back of its successful work earlier this year with Jaguar Land Rover on its new website configurator.

As part of its remit, the Wolverhampton full service agency will work with Land Rover's web content management partner on the development and integration of Land Rover’s new website and will work with Land Rover’s other creative agencies in delivering the project. As before, Connect’s digital team will power, build and deploy the new Land Rover configurator.

Jose Espinosa, Connect’s director of digital services, said of the appointment: “This is a further demonstration of our capabilities in delivering innovative digital solutions as well as managing budgets and agencies. We’ve got some of the best digital brains in the business and it’s fantastic to be recognised for this again.”

2009 is proving to be one of Connect’s best ever years. So far this year the agency has picked up briefs from WD-40, Volkswagen, Goodyear Dunlop, Uniball and Ekornes.

Picture shows Jose Espinosa

Global Success for Connect's Digital Pioneers

NEW JAGUAR LAND ROVER CONFIGURATOR LAUNCHED TO GLOBAL CRITICAL ACCLAIM

A new Jaguar Land Rover configurator, created by Connect’s digital team, has been launched to coincide with the introduction of the new Jaguar XJ.

The vehicle configurator is one of the most advanced in the global motoring industry and has been created by Connect’s chief technical officer Jose Espinosa and head of enterprise IT Adam Perry.

The Connect system is based on a rules engine, similar to a database, which drives the site and the images.

Such is the complexity but brilliance of the new system, other global brands both inside and out of the motoring industry have already enquired about the new technology.

Speaking of the new configurator, Jose Espinosa (pictured), said: “Adam and I brought many years of digital experience to this project. This configurator is built using the experience gained working on other projects for Ford and Jaguar Land Rover. It was designed from the ground up to be easy and simple for clients and other developers to build the front end of the website.”

The new system is totally global. Adam Perry said: “We designed the system with the web in mind, making it cacheable. To this end we worked with Akamai, the world leader in powering dynamic transactions and enterprise applications online, which means that the configurator can be copied thousands of times across the world, improving the speed and reliability of the system.

"For example, if you are a consumer in Australia, you will largely be communicating with an Australian based web server (cache), which is obviously much quicker than communicating with a server outside of your region.”

“We’ve been supporting Jaguar Land Rover for six years, and it is great to see this evolution in site design to include an auto configurator run completely over our globally distributed network,” said Brad Rinklin, vice president of global marketing, Akamai. “This highly interactive feature demonstrates Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to leveraging the Internet to maximise the customer experience.

With Akamai, Jaguar Land Rover will be able to offer superior site performance on a global scale, while minimising the resources required at their data center. This ends up being the best of both worlds for their end users and operations teams.”

Connect’s clients include Goodyear Dunlop, Amtico, Volkswagen, Tarmac, Costa, Triton and Bentley Motors.

AD AND PR CAMPAIGN WIN FOR CONNECT

Home furnishings company Jim Lawrence has appointed Wolverhampton based Connect Group to create its new consumer advertising campaign.

The campaign will also be rolled out into the commercial interiors sector as the company enters this market for the first time.

The consumer advertising campaign will run this autumn within home interest and lifestyle titles featuring items from the company’s collection of individually hand crafted furnishing and fittings.

The trade launch will focus on hospitality, architecture and design-led publications with a media launch handled by Connect’s dedicated PR division.

Rob Hampton, MD of the Connect Group, said the campaign will build on Jim Lawrence’s strong reputation. “The company has built a loyal customer base due to its personal approach and the high quality of its service and product range. Our executions communicate that customers are purchasing hand crafted items, making them all individual and that no two products are ever exactly the same.”

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For further information, please contact Kathy Hodson
Connect PR. The Chubb Buildings, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1HT
Tel: 01902 714957 / Email: kathy@connect-group.com