NEW POSCA WEBSITE CELEBRATES “ART FOR ALL”

A colourful and imaginative new website dedicated to the POSCA marker pen has been launched by leading stationery brand Mitsubishi Pencil Company.

Visitors can enjoy creative workshops, informative product information and specially commissioned videos on www.posca.com, a site which focuses on the favourite tool of many artists and craft enthusiasts.

Showcasing a variety of work from different creative artists from across the globe the site celebrates and encourages expression through art.

Stuart Barker, marketing manager at uni Mitsubishi Pencil Co., said: “A number of revered artists, illustrators and animators have publicly praised the POSCA marker pen for its performance as an artistic tool. The new website aims to create an artist’s community to introduce the public to the latest art, while inspiring tomorrow’s creativity.”

Included in the collection compiled on the site is artwork from Japanese illustrator Postic, Italian painter Riccardo Licata, French graffiti artist Nasty and English artist Jon Burgerman.

Stuart continued: “Artists enjoy working with POSCA marker pens due to the countless applications which the product offers and the versatility of being able to use it on practically any surface.”

Available in fourteen a wide range of ink colours and seven different tip widths POSCA marker pens can be easily used to produce unique designs.

For further information on POSCA water-based marker pens please visit www.posca.com

ENDS

Issued on behalf of uni-ball by Connect PR

For further information, please contact: Lee Southen on 01902 714957 or email lee@connect-group.com

BACK OF THE NET! JOHNSTONE’S TO UNVEIL NEW WEBSITE

To celebrate its fourth season of sponsorship, the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy has unveiled an action packed new website in time to kick off the new season.

The new website offers fans the “ultimate coverage” experience, from exclusive news, manager interviews and team awards, to goal footage from each round of games with opportunities to win sought after prizes.

Fans can also access the match centre zone to view live statistics, listen to text commentary and monitor results via the match centre scoreboard.

The website is designed to engage with more supporters than ever before through a variety of means, including surveys, polls, and competitions, as well as keeping fans abreast of all the daily on-goings, via twitter and facebook social networking websites.

What’s more, the site now has an enhanced photo gallery, which includes images and video clips from past and present Johnstone’s Paint Trophy competitions and events.

In addition, the site contains a community section to showcase the community-led activities carried out during the season such as projects with local schools and community makeovers.

And finally, to offer fans a personal touch, there is the option to select individual team colours, which are then displayed on each click and reappears every time fans return to the site.

Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Sponsorship Co-ordinator Sally Binns said:

“We wanted to revolutionise the website by injecting colour and life into one of the most vital communication tools, allowing us to engage with more and more fans and followers of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy”

“We spent a great deal of time working on this site with fans and we think it has kicked off the new season perfectly for us. We now look forward to engaging with more and more fans as they sign up to the site!”

To visit the new website go to www.johnstonespainttrophy.com

Johnstone’s. Bringing colour to the beautiful game.

Issued on behalf of Johnstone’s by Ben Smallman, Connect PR, ben@connect-group.com ( 01902 714957

Notes to editor:

About PPG
Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, chemicals, optical products, speciality materials, glass and fibreglass. The company has more than 150 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.

LOOK AFTER YOUR DIGITAL HYGIENE

As the wind blows in from Mexico and we wash our hands for the 100th time in a day, it could be said we are all now taking our personal hygiene much more seriously.

However for one Midlands-based digital marketing specialist, it’s the region’s businesses that should be thrusting their digital hygiene to the top of the agenda.

Mexican American Jose Espinosa is Connect Group’s Director of Digital Marketing. He’s been with the 120-strong marcomms specialist for the last two years and before this he’s spent the last 20 years actively contributing his digital marketing expertise to blue chip companies such as Ford Motor Company, National Semiconductor, Motorola and Sun Microsystems.

One myth that Jose is keen to dispel to businesses is that their only web presence is via their own company website. Utter rubbish says Jose. “Let’s face it. Digital marketing is now so much more than just having a website. Customers now expect to find the majority of information on a product or service online.”

According to Jose, what businesses need to realise is that above and beyond their own company’s website, it’s every other website globally that users visit either before or after the corporate site that people need to be keeping updated with the very latest and accurate information.

“It takes more than just SEO to shift your audience’s mindset,” says Jose. “You have to put your message in front of them at every point in the digital journey. This will include targeting social and crowd-sourced networks and ensuring the brand is heard and seen.
“Developing a sustainable audience is highly dependent on creating a conversation. Word of mouth is powerful – and can be done just as effectively online. My advice to businesses is don’t just tell your visitors how great your museums are; let them tell each other how great they are.”

Jose says that websites should not just be an information source. “Websites should be developed and managed with one thing in mind – conversions. Our job as digital specialists is to focus on converting visitors to your website into customers by ensuring that users are “sign posted” to the next logical step – be that making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or downloading a brochure.”One important point is to create a post site visit communication strategy, which is a must for repeat visitors. Jose says: “Leverage what you know about your visitors to communicate to them with relevant information. Track users’ clickstream/preferences to send them targeted information – one newsletter does NOT fit all and you should create content for specific users to achieve the best results and return on investment.”

If businesses start talking to the digital world outside their own website, the opportunities are endless.

Since joining the Connect Group, Jose has been instrumental in setting up and managing the group’s digital marketing offering for clients including Jaguar Land Rover, Sustain, Triton and Tarmac. He enjoys technology in all its forms, but holds a special love for gadgets of all kinds and “futuristic” technology from the 1950s such as bubble televisions and valve amplifiers.