Three senior UK public relations professionals have teamed up to launch Wolfstar, a new consultancy offering clients multiple way communications solutions combining traditional public relations with social media and word of mouth communications techniques. Wolfstar will provide strategic communications counsel to help clients navigate the new media landscape including traditional media relations, blogs, user generated content, social media, social networks and word of mouth marketing and communications.
Its three founding directors are Tim Sinclair, founder of Leeds-based Sinclair Mason which he grew into one of the north’s largest public relations consultancies before selling it to the Huntsworth Group in 2005; Stuart Bruce, who features in PR Week’s Power Book and is one of the UK’s most high profile PR bloggers; and Susie Lawrence, former head of public relations at integrated marketing communications agency JDA.
“Public relations has always claimed to be a two-way communications discipline, but far too few consultancies actually practice it on behalf of clients. Today two-way is no longer enough and we need to be communicating in multiple directions including one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many. We’re building on a combined 60 years of advocacy and stakeholder relations to offer clients a real understanding into how they need to integrate social media and word of mouth communications into their corporate communications strategies,” said Wolfstar director Stuart Bruce.
Wolfstar is a founder member of WOM-UK, the new association representing the word of mouth marketing and communications sector in the UK. WOM-UK officially launches on October 16 and Wolfstar directors Tim Sinclair and Stuart Bruce are both members of the WOM-UK steering group responsible for starting the new association.
“It’s evident talking to big brands that senior communicators have accepted the importance of new communications channels, but they are frustrated by the inability of PR consultancies to actually deliver strategic social media and word of mouth solutions, rather than simple tactical initiatives that make use of new media such as blogs, YouTube and Facebook,” said Wolfstar director Tim Sinclair.
Wolfstar will offer strategic communications and public relations counsel as well as implementing social media and word of mouth programmes, media relations, stakeholder relations and CSR.
The consultancy launches with a varied client base from technology, property and consumer sectors. Those already on-board include software developer Softalk, youth marketing agency Dubit, property developers Parkmount Estates and baby-product company Lansinoh. As well as the three directors, the Wolfstar team also includes account manager Sebastian Mysko and account executive Beth Kay. A new account director will be joining at the beginning of November.
Susie Lawrence said, “We’ve each brought contacts and clients that mean we’re starting with some interesting work and a healthy balance sheet. Our skills and experience are very diverse and complementary so with this strong base and the team of talented staff we’re already building, we’re confident we have an offering that’s going to appeal to any company that wants to make PR work beyond its usual boundaries.”
Stuart Bruce is the author of the A PR Guy’s Musing blog and is a frequent speaker at social media conferences and events. Most recently he worked for health secretary Alan Johnson MP as his director of communications during his deputy leadership bid where Johnson narrowly lost to Harriet Harman MP. Other clients he has advised in the past include Royal Mail, Irwin Mitchell, Privilege Insurance, Premier Farnell, Grant Thornton, Labour Party, Department for Education and Employment, Skills for Justice and the Electronic Sports World Cup.
Susie Lawrence is the former head of PR at integrated marketing communications agency JDA. Before joining JDA Susie freelanced and worked as an account director at large agencies including The Red Consultancy and Consolidated Communications and Ptarmigan in Leeds, on brands such as Microsoft, DHL, Vauxhall, B&Q, Motorola, British Energy, Sport England, Schroder Ventures, and WRAP.
Tim Sinclair is the founder of Sinclair Mason, which became the northern office of Trimedia Harrison Cowley when he sold it in 2005. Clients he has worked with include BT, Reebok, Aston Martin, Red Arrows, Silentnight, Environment Agency, NHS, NEC, Dunlop Slazenger, Pearson Publishing and Transco.
ENDS
For further media information please contact Sebastian Mysko at Wolfstar
+44 (0)113 394 7960
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Tim Sinclair, Wolfstar founder and director
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