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Lucre News: Audience Collective Strengthens Marketing and Communications Offering

Audience Collective, the specialist digital insight group, has acquired PR and content agency, The Lucre Group. In response to client demand, the deal strengthens Audience Collective’s UK offering, with the group now able to provide clients with a full suite of marketing and communication services.

The search-savvy PR and content specialist joins six other independent agencies within the Collective, including brand communications agency, Ponderosa; market research and insight agency, Spark; and digital media strategy house, Crunch.

With offices across the UK and Ireland, the Audience Collective has seen rapid expansion since its inception in 2019. The group now comprises over 160 experts, and works with more than 240 organisations and brands in a wide range of sectors, including FMCG, Higher Education, Travel, and Food and Drink. Over that period, group revenue has soared by over 175%.

Steve Henry, Group CEO at The Audience Collective, said:

We’re delighted to welcome The Lucre Group onboard as we enter the next stage of growth. When we originally formed the group in 2019, we knew we were missing one key service offering, and that was PR.

We have an incredibly strong vision for the future and ambitious plans to match. Within five years, we aim to be a £100m business operating in over 50 markets, with offices in five countries and we felt that Lucre’s values, and forward-thinking, ambitious nature matched our own. Their client base speaks for itself and with a highly talented group of individuals, the agency is a great fit. Lucre’s dedicated content arm – RICH – also offers an exciting proposition for all of the agencies in the Collective.”

Tamarind Wilson-Flint and Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Directors at The Lucre Group, added:

We first launched our agency 16 years ago with Jet2, one of the UK’s leading airlines, which is still a client today. Accompanying our travel sector expertise, we developed our portfolio across food & drink, home & lifestyle, and tech & professional services industries, and are proud to offer our search-savvy expertise to some of the UK’s best-known brands, such as PizzaExpress, Park Plaza hotels, and Berkeley Homes.

Always entrepreneurial in approach, we recently the launched L’Attitude, our international network of agencies, and have developed an influencer division to sit alongside our content and creative hub. Joining the Audience Collective, provides us with a fantastic opportunity to really scale our business, while offering further specialist marketing expertise to our clients and new career opportunities for our team. We’re delighted to join the Collective and we’re very much looking forward to the next exciting chapter in the Lucre story.”

The intrinsic strengths of Audience Collective’s independent agencies are at the crux of the groups’ ability to deliver holistic, industry-leading campaigns. The group draws together the expert teams from digital media strategy house, Crunch; digital brand communications and advertising agency, Ponderosa; market research and insight agency, Spark; search savvy PR and content agency, The Lucre Group; higher education marketing specialist, UNICOM; full commercial data service, VIDEMUS; and Ecommerce performance agency, Evolution.

With agencies now in place to provide a full suite of marketing and communication services, Audience Collective will continue to seek tactical acquisitions to further deepen and strengthen the skills under each specialism. The Collective will also launch new offerings to meet market demands in the UK, Ireland and beyond, whilst ensuring the best employment of the group’s collective skills.

Lucre News: The Lucre Group Celebrates PRCA Dare Win with Best Media Relations Award

The Lucre Group is celebrating having been recognised in the 2021 PRCA Dare Awards for the Natures Menu Pup-demic campaign, crowned winners of the Best Media Relations Award.

With the dramatic rise in puppy ownership during lockdown, The Lucre Group was tasked with educating new puppy owners on the key topics of adjusting to life with a furry friend, whilst raising awareness of Natures Menu as a brand.

 

Cue The Pupcast by Natures Menu – a guide to puppy life and beyond.

Through the creation of a podcast, Natures Menu could share expert knowledge and unique, passionate stories to educate and inform new and existing customers.

To ensure The Pupcast launch was successful, Lucre teamed up with five key spokespeople across the pet industry, from dog behaviourists to journalists, to provide expert advice and guidance for new dog owners to get through the memorable, yet daunting time as their puppy goes through adolescence.

Using search insights to discover the hot topics that dog owners were most wanting to know, The Pupcast covered topics such as weaning, socialising and behaviour.

Following the success of the launch (resulting in coverage across national and regional lifestyle media, as well as pet consumer titles), The Pupcast received over 1,150 downloads in the first three months, helping the podcast to reach more than 10 million people across the UK and driving surges in web traffic after each episode launch.

Tamarind Wilson Flint, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

The launch of The Pupcast was an incredibly exciting one, and it was a perfect example of how you can utilise current affairs and the news agenda for fantastic client results. The team worked tirelessly on the project, and the results speak for themselves. However, it’s great that this has been recognised within the industry – we’re thrilled to have won a PRCA Dare Award for Best Media Relations Campaign.”

If you’re after a podcast that piques the public interest, get in touch with the team today! You can also have a listen the award-winning Pupcast on either Spotify, Acast or Apple Podcasts.

Boss backlinks to add weight to your campaigns

No matter how long you’ve worked in PR, the exhilarating feeling you get when that ‘piece of coverage’ goes live never fades. In the world of digital PR, it’s when you see that wonderful backlink staring at you.

Earning a backlink is one of the biggest signals you can give to Google that you’re a VIP. In fact, every time you secure a backlink to your client’s website, you’ve pretty much doubled the value of that online coverage. But why? Why are securing links so important? How do they help your client’s brand or business? And why is it so important that PR campaigns generate backlinks alongside coverage?

However much Google’s job has evolved over the years, its most important one still stands; to interpret and understand what people are searching for – i.e. the search query -, and serve the best possible results to its users. Whether you’re searching for bicycle shops near me or what should I wear to a wedding?, Google tries to find the best content available on the web to answer that question. For Google to decide what the best content is, it has a scoring system:

Site Structure:

Have you ever been to a shop where products are all over the place with no sections or signposts? Makes it hard to find anything, right? Google has the same issue when a website isn’t structured well or categorised right. If it can’t navigate through a site with ease, it won’t recommend it to users. First on the scoring board is that your website has a good structure and is categorised well.

Site Visibility:

Before any public website has visibility on Google, every important page on it needs to be found and filed. Google uses a web crawling software called Googlebot to find and collect information on the web to add to its index. As it crawls billions of web pages every day, Google needs to find a way to prioritise which page it crawls first. This is where the site authority comes in.

Site Authority:

How does Google know a website is popular, credible or valuable? One of the biggest signals is when other websites point to it via a backlink!

What are backlinks?

Think about word-of-mouth marketing or Trust Pilot reviews. The more people vouch for a product or brand, the more others are likely to buy.   Whatever the topic or theme (e.g. bicycle shops) if thousands of websites link to one particular site, it’s telling Google that the content on it is credible, and of high quality.

Additionally, the more backlinks a site gets, the higher it scores (known as the domain authority), and the higher it scores, the more regularly Google will visit.

Why is this a good thing? The more regularly Google visits a site, (for example, a publication like The Guardian would get daily visits while our very own Lucre blog is more likely to be viewed weekly), the quicker it processes the content to then serve back in the search results. In addition to that, the number of backlinks a website has determines where Google will rank it on the search results page (also known as SERPS). As we all know, the higher you are in Google search results,  the more clicks, the more views and ultimately, the more sales.

Backlinks are valuable for PR campaigns as they represent a vote of confidence from the publisher where coverage was secured (e.g. The Guardian) to the brand website. They are a signal to search engines like Google that authoritative and popular news sites are vouching for your content.

In order to earn a quality and relevant link, most SEO marketers will tell you that PR is the way to do this. If the PR professionals are already doing all the hard work by building those relationships and securing coverage, acquiring backlinks only seems a natural value-add to the work.

So how can we secure more links in our digital PR campaigns? What would increase the chance of journalists linking back to a website? A few tips to keep in mind:

Links in press releases:

Seems like a no-brainer but many press releases are still being written and distributed to press without including relevant links. If a brand, service or initiative is being talked about, include a link or links back to the brand in question.

It’s not just about product pages:

Product pages are great for shopping editors and a way to drive initial interest/sales. But what about when the product is sold out? Or the event is over? Category pages are a good additional link to include long term (e.g. black dresses, pet toys). After the initial campaign or launch, they are links that will navigate users to what they’re already showing an interest in.

Give journalists a reason to link back:

Any link included in an article or feature is giving the reader an opportunity to link out and leave the page. If journalists are going to do this, it needs to be for a good reason. This could be anything from additional research or stats, interactive tools, exclusive content, or any other information that would be useful to the reader.

Link building is an incredible skillset most marketing professionals have, but don’t use. As you’re coming up with campaign ideas and brainstorming for the next big media story, just add one question – how could we also secure a link?

 

If you want to learn more about how backlinks can increase the value of your PR campaigns, get in touch today at hello@lucre.co.uk

How to reach a Gen Z audience

There’s been plenty of research on the Gen Z demographic – but Lucre’s leading the way when it comes to understanding how to reach this complex group of people with its many facets. How can marketers best communicate and connect with the first generation to grow up with technology that is so entwined within their lives?

 

What is Gen Z?

Gen Z is a generational cohort. It’s made up of those born between 1995 and 2010. 19% of the population falls under the Gen Z category, yet with reports suggesting 47% of brands find Gen Z the hardest age group to target it looks like many businesses are missing a great opportunity to reach an important and potentially rewarding demographic.

Here at Lucre, our Ideas and Insight team has been working hard to get to know Gen Z. We’ve researched extensively to find out more about the group’s interests, purchasing power and key differentiators.

 

Here’s what we know about Gen Z

10-25-year-olds are digital natives – they’ve grown up around technology. They’re independent and resourceful and, you guessed it, like to spend their time in front of a screen.

There’s more to Gen Z than their interest in all things digital, though. This age group are ethical and moral champions – socially aware, sensitive to the world’s issues and keen to influence change.

 

The impact of COVID-19 on Gen Z

“Unprecedented” summed up 2020. When we initially presented our Gen Z research last January, we had no idea COVID-19 was just around the corner.

Like all of us, Generation Z were heavily impacted by the pandemic. Suddenly, an already internet-obsessed generation were forced to spend even more time staring at screens. But what impact has that had on Gen Z as a group, and how can marketers learn from this?

We recently delivered our findings during our Gen Z Webinar, an insightful session that showcased our team’s expert knowledge.

 

The top ten takeaways from Lucre’s Gen Z webinar

 

  1. Think voice, think visual

Content is still king, but the written word will be less powerful when it comes to engaging a Gen Z audience. Our research suggests nearly half of all Gen Zers actively use voice devices such as Amazon Alexa to play music and search for content.

Whilst voice is one to watch, video and visual content are currently ruling the roost. Two thirds of the Gen Z audience are consuming visual content a lot more since March 2020, with YouTube the most popular social channel. The younger generation enjoy engaging content they can share, but also enjoy being content creators themselves and expressing their creativity online.

 

  1. More is more

Unsurprisingly, online activity has increased substantially during 2020, when the nation was plunged into lockdown. Girls spent 54% and boys spent 30% more time on existing social channels such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. These “traditional” networks have been more important than ever as teens look to connect virtually with their family and friends.

However, there are still plenty of hours in the day left for emerging digital channels.  TikTok, the new kid on the block, has attracted widespread attention during 2020. Time spent on TikTok has grown nearly 300% in 16-18-year-old girls, with usage increasing across the board. Gen Z also spends an average of 9 hours every week on YouTube, with Instagram and Snapchat not too far behind. It’s clear that visually led social channels are rising in popularity amongst the younger generation.

 

  1. Authenticity is key

Gen Zers respect and admire figures such as David Attenborough, Michelle Obama and Greta Thunberg. Though “influencers” are often synonymous with the rise of online engagement, it’s interesting to note not many of our respondents suggested influencers as people they respect.

This generation wants to buy from brands with aligned visions and values. In fact, up to 28% of Gen Z boys want to purchase from a brand they believe in. Being genuine, authentic and ethical should be a top priority. Brands with a strong CSR strategy or charitable giving will be noticed but, most importantly, brands should work to develop an authentic tone of voice that resonates with this audience.

 

  1. Gen Z is a powerful group

With a buying power of $600billion (including pester power!), the Gen Z audience mustn’t be ignored. They’re set to be the most powerful and opinionated age group yet, so brands must take note and get this generation on side.

E-commerce is booming, with Amazon dominating the market amongst this demographic. 90% of boys (and two thirds of girls) aged 10-15 are shopping online, and 60% of girls aged between 16-22 report shopping online a lot more since the COVID-19 March lockdown.

 

  1. Wellbeing works wonders

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Gen Z are more acutely aware of looking after their own wellbeing than ever before. Boredom, anxiety and sadness pervades across this demographic – and brands should be sensitive to this.

Our research suggests there’s a sharp decline in happiness as Gen Z grow older as anxiousness and tiredness takes over. COVID-19 has also impacted the generation’s wellbeing, with 50% of older girls reporting the pandemic has been detrimental to their mental health. Thanks to the pandemic, 32% are worried about the future.

Brands are starting to be aware of this wellbeing focus, and the importance of positivity and affirmation when connecting to this audience.

 

  1. Hopes and fears are changing

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on Gen Z. 45% of girls aged 16-18 feel that COVID-19 is ruining their education. 45% of 10-15-year-old boys and 41% of 16-18-year-old girls are studying a lot more since lockdown. This level of pressure is likely to have a long-term impact on the generation.

Generally speaking, the Gen Z audience are particularly concerned about the environment, future security and health. A third of boys like to keep active and eat healthily, while an overwhelming number of girls (particularly 16-18-year-olds) are worried about their weight and what they eat.

Understanding these fears and concerns should help businesses sensitively position brand messaging and ensure they strike the right tone amongst this demographic.

 

  1. Gen Z covers a lot of ground

All ten-year-olds will have different worries and different aspirations when they become teenagers, or enter the world of work in their mid-twenties. Gen Z is a large, often amorphous term and marketers simply can’t target “Gen Z” without segmenting this down a little further.

For example, we know younger girls (aged 10 – 15) are gaming at similar levels to their male counterparts. Yet as we’ve covered in the points above, teenage girls are significantly more anxious than younger boys, who are obviously less concerned about factors such as job security.

Understanding how activities and interests change as Gen Zers grow up will help marketers to target sub audiences effectively.

 

  1. There are new platforms emerging

Twitch has predominantly been a gamer’s platform but, since the pandemic, it has seen a rise in users and diversification of the platform in general. Not every Twitch user is solely interested in gaming – its audience enjoys music, films and much more. This gives brands an ideal opportunity to reach a new and engaged audience via a different platform. 72.2% of all hours watched live on the web happened via Twitch, suggesting a huge opportunity for brands to get creative.

 

  1. Gen Z are going old school, too

There’s been a 38% increase in reading since the 2020 lockdown and a 41% uplift in ‘positive’ activities such as spending time with family, researching and learning online. Whilst Gen Z are still predominantly taking part in ‘passive’ activities such as watching TV and browsing, marketers should note the shift towards active participation. There’s a trend within this demographic to learn and study – watching informative content plays a big part in this.

 

  1. Marketers must adapt their strategies

One third of Gen Zers are influenced by peer approval. The quality and relevance of products and services is the most important driver, whilst celebrity or influencer endorsement is considered the least important. Again, we’re finding Gen Zers are all about authenticity and discovering products themselves or via trusted peers.

 

Marketing to a Gen Z audience

If you’re looking to reach the Gen Z audience, why not consult the experts? The Lucre team has spent a huge amount of time and resource analysing and researching this fascinating, engaging and complex bunch of young people.  Use our specialist knowledge and help your campaigns soar. If you’d like to find out more about our work, get in touch with the team.

You can even watch the full webinar recording here.

Lucre News: The Lucre Group Builds on Property Credentials with Latest Appointment

Award-winning property developer, Berkeley Homes has appointed The Lucre Group to manage the PR and communications of its newest flagship scheme – The Horlicks Factory.

Based in Slough, the development will transform the original factory and nearby buildings into a vibrant new community with 1,300 high-quality new homes. This exciting project also sees the clocktower and factory chimney restored to their former glory, thereby preserving the heritage and character of this landmark site.

This latest appointment builds on the foundations of Lucre’s strong property credentials including Bellway, Global Student Accommodation, Hyelm, Wellington Place, Redrow, St James and The Student Housing Company.

Deana Everingham, Regional Sales Director, Berkeley Oxford & Chilterns, said:

We’ve worked with Lucre for the past 14 years and they have a great understanding of our sector. It was essential for us to work with an agency that we trust on our latest Berkshire scheme and as such a valued partner, it was an easy decision for us to make.”

Rhona Templer, Managing Director at The Lucre Group, added:

Berkeley is so much more than a housebuilder. Its developments put placemaking at the heart of what they do, making its proposition an exciting one for buyers, and its newest Horlicks Factory development is no different. We’re excited to continue working with the team on this flagship development and further build on the long-standing relationship we have with them.”

Black History Month – the good, the bad and the ugly

October marks Black History Month – a period of awareness that recognises the achievements, culture and historical events of those of African and Caribbean descent. With recent movements such as Black Lives Matter, a spotlight has been shone on racial equality, and many brands have been inspired to show their support for black rights through clever campaigns and content.

It’s safe to say not everyone has got it quite right – we take a look at just some of the brands that have hit the headlines recently – the good and the bad.

 

The Good:

TikTok

TikTok, a strong advocate for modern diversity, has promoted Black History Month content on its platform by encouraging users to post content with the hashtag #MyRoots.

The grassroots campaign has so far been viewed by thousands across the world and has encouraged an incredible amount of user-generated content and interaction.

Trevor Johnson, Global Business Marketing Director, TikTok said:

#myroots will honour the contribution made by the black community, the joy our black friends, family and colleagues bring, and look ahead to the future of black talent on TikTok”

 

Bumble

The app many see as the grown-up version of Tinder, Bumble conducted research into how the black community thought love was portrayed by the media and within advertising to see if there were any discrepancies. The results came showed that 79% thought that there was a lack of relatable imagery when it came to promotional content and branding.

To combat this, Bumble launched the #MyLoveIsBlackLove campaign, which shared black British voices being interviewed on how they perceive love and what it means as part of their life. The beautiful content featured prominent black figures including model Jourdan Dunn, Olympic Boxer Nicola Adams, and musician and poet ‘George the Poet’.

 

Royal Mail

In celebration of the achievements of the black community, Royal Mail transformed four iconic postboxes in the UK figure within British black culture and history.

Praising comedian and Comic Relief founder, Lenny Henry, renowned war nurse and British hotel founder, Mary Seacole, footballer and first black army officer, Walter Tull, and cultural artist, Yinka Shonibare, the postboxes were decorated with a QR code that encouraged passersby to read into the individual’s remarkable contributions to the country and to share their stories on their social media channels. The campaign was a great reflection of how experiential and digital PR can work together to successfully raise awareness.

 

The Black Farmer

A brand based on raising money and awareness of under-representation, The Black Farmer is an online shop providing the best of British meats, cheeses, pies, drinks and more. The founder, Jamaican-born BBC food director and producer Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, started his farm in his 40s because of his passion for the British countryside and British food.

To celebrate Black History Month, Wilfred teamed up with black-owned Bristol brewery Dawkins Ales to create a beer and a cider, showcasing what can be achieved in an industry where there are very few people of diverse ethnicities – a perfect pairing!

 

Sainsbury’s

We all recognise the power of celebrity endorsement and influencers in today’s media landscape – after all, they play a major role in determining buying behaviours. Sainsbury’s, however, stuck to their guns and demonstrated how their influence isn’t always welcome.

After the supermarket chain announced it would be marking Black History Month in a tweet shared with its 570,000 followers, the brand called for shoppers to go elsewhere if they did not wish to support an inclusive retailer:

We are proud to celebrate Black History Month together with our black colleagues, customers and communities and we will not tolerate racism. We proudly represent and serve our diverse society and anyone who does not want to shop with an inclusive retailer is welcome to shop elsewhere.”

 

The Bad:

Pure Gym

And then there’s the bad. We couldn’t talk about Black History Month without discussing the recent major mistake by Pure Gym.

The leading fitness facility brand came under fire after advertising a workout entitled ’12 Years of Slave’ which was captioned “Slavery is hard and so is this” on one of its local Facebook pages. Criticised nationally for being ‘tone deaf’ and ‘offensive’, the brand received major backlash and was a prime example that showcased the power of social media. Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t positive power.

 

Brands have become increasingly conscious about how they are seen to be using these types of movements – steering clear of tapping into the trend purely for financial gain. Instead, those that have come out on top have been brands that are being recognised for responding to, and contributing to, the overall change towards inclusive beliefs and cultures, proving they are acting to make a real difference.

Lucre News: Pattinson & Brewer asks The Lucre Group to Represent them

Pattinson & Brewer, the UK’s leading trade union law firm, has announced the appointment of The Lucre Group as its communications agency partner.

First opened in 1890, Pattinson & Brewer was born out of the trade union movement and has been at the forefront of fighting for workers’ rights ever since. Following increased challenges faced by workers throughout the pandemic and beyond, the services and expertise of Pattinson & Brewer is in high demand. The Lucre Group will therefore act as an extension to the team, providing communications guidance and support.

RICH, the creative content engine within The Lucre Group, will work closely with Pattinson & Brewer to hone and deliver its thought leadership programme whilst helping to raise its national profile further. Delivered through a mix of strategic consultancy, clever content, design services and digital support, the appointment further strengthens The Lucre Group’s legal and professional services credentials. From Slater & Gordon, Morrish Solicitors and Shulmans LLP to Eversheds, the agency is well versed in working with industry-leading firms.

Jamie Hanley, Partner and Head of Client Relations at Pattinson & Brewer, said:

The Lucre Team challenges us to think differently and be our very best when it comes to marketing and communication. A multi-skilled team which acts as a natural extension of our own, be it strategic consultancy, digital know-how, design expertise or guidance on messaging and brand tone, they always deliver. I’ve worked with them for a number of years and am delighted to be doing so once again.”

Tamarind Wilson-Flint, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

There’s nothing more rewarding than having the opportunity to work with a client time and time again. Our work with Pattinson & Brewer will initially be digitally and design focused, boosting further our RICH client list. Furthermore, it adds to our growing portfolio of legal and professional services clients. It’s a delight to be working with Jamie and his team.”

Lucre News: NDL Joins The Lucre Group’s Tech Portfolio

NDL, a UK SME software company that specializes in transformational technologies with social purpose, has appointed The Lucre Group as its retained PR agency.

NDL’s technology is specifically designed for the public sector, for the public good and spans digital tools including mobile apps and e-forms, as well as robotic process automation technology, which helps to take the burden out of admin and ensure data is meaningful and accessible for better, quicker decision making.

With many local government and NHS Trusts around the country currently facing extreme challenges associated with the pandemic, NDL is expertly placed to provide digital-first solutions that enable better planning and delivery of services as well as better patient care within the NHS.

The PR programme will help to share best practice and innovation from within NDL’s growing community of NHS Trusts and public sector customers, so that similar challenges being faced across the country can be overcome more easily.

NDL further strengthens the agency’s Tech and the City credentials, and follows hot on the heels of its appointment by mobile technology brand, Babble, announced last month.

The Lucre Group will work closely with NDL to create a tailored communications plan, driving sales enquiries and positioning them as a market leader in public sector technology, showcasing the team’s expertise and fantastic client results.

Declan Grogan, CEO at NDL, said:

We are proud of what our community of public sector and NHS customers have achieved by pushing forward with their digital transformation journey. The pandemic has represented an incredibly challenging time for those delivering and consuming public services, and it is rewarding to be able to help those facing similar challenges to overcome them more easily. Our mission is to help share best practice, innovation, templates and advice – demonstrating what can be achieved by utilising technology to take the burden out of admin and to better engage and support the public. We look forward to working with the team at Lucre who have already begun setting out our communications plan and getting to work in driving awareness within our target markets.”

Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

NDL is a fantastic addition to our expanding technology division here at Lucre. It’s a pleasure to work alongside Declan and the team at NDL as they drive forward UK innovation for the benefit of our much-needed public services and for all of us who use them.”

Lucre News: Appointment by Babble Expands The Lucre Group’s Tech and the City Portfolio

Babble, a leading technology business which is reimagining how we do work, has appointed The Lucre Group to handle its PR and communications. The client win strengthens the Tech and the City division at the search savvy PR specialist, which will manage Babble’s corporate communications across the UK through a tailored thought leadership strategy aimed to drive an increase in leads and enquiries for the company.

The announcement comes as Babble, which has already transformed over 2,000 clients’ organisations through cloud-based solutions that enhance efficiency, flexibility and customer loyalty, seeks further expansion following an unprecedented opportunity presented by the major shift in working patterns that has resulted from COVID-19. The technology company, which has set its sights on a revenue target of £100m after rapidly scaling to over £20m, believes now is the time to double down on efforts to grow its client base and create more flexible businesses than ever before.

Matthew Parker, CEO at Babble, said:

After three successful years of solid growth at Babble, we feel the time is right to bring a new PR agency on board to communicate exactly how we’re revolutionising the way businesses will be able to operate in a post-COVID world. The Lucre Group has already laid some firm foundations with our messaging and latest acquisition news, and we’re looking forward to working with the team as they build our reputation in our key sectors throughout the year.”

Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

Babble’s growth in recent years highlights just how pioneering and ambitious Matt and his team are. Never before have their positive, forward-thinking ideas and solutions been more relevant, so for us to be working alongside their talented team at this moment in time is a real honour.”

Lucre News: The Lucre Group Welcomes HYELM into its Property Portfolio

HYELM, a not-for-profit landlord seeking to address the shortage of affordable housing for young people working in London, has appointed The Lucre Group to handle its PR and communications. The news strengthens the search-savvy agency’s Home and Lifestyle division, which already encompasses work with leading household names such as Berkeley Homes and Mira Showers.

Having recently undergone a major rebrand lead by B1 Creative, HYELM has tasked The Lucre Group with an extensive internal and external communications brief to highlight the unique housing offering the charity provides for those starting their careers in London, many of whom are key workers.

The Lucre Group will work in partnership with B1 Creative to deliver the two-year programme, initially focusing on HYELM’s flagship Old Street site.

Simon Wright, Director of Operations, HYELM, said:

From the outset it was clear that the Lucre team understood the challenges we face and we were impressed with their approach which demonstrated both creativity and smart thinking. Lucre will play a vital role, alongside the team at B1 Creative, in ensuring that we communicate clearly and effectively with our stakeholders including residents and media, as well as implementing the best strategies for future growth, including supporting the launch of a Colindale scheme.”

Rhona Templer, Managing Director, The Lucre Group, added:

We’re thrilled to have been chosen as the trusted PR partner for this impressive organisation. It’s essential that HYELM’s mission, to provide affordable housing for young Londoners, is successful and we’re looking forward to working with B1 Creative to help HYELM work even more effectively with all stakeholders and build the brand’s awareness.”

Sally Bell, Director, B1 Creative, stated:

HYELM has been housing young people of limited means, and our much needed key workers, in London for generations. Over the last year B1 Creative has worked closely with HYELM to re-develop their brand, enhancing their presence in our current modern and technologically connected society. We are delighted to continue our work with them, and look forward to working with Lucre to raise awareness of the great work they do. This new partnership will allow HYELM to reach more people and help house the future of London for generations to come.”