Automotive

Leasedrive Group
One of the largest independent privately-owned vehicle management groups in the UK.

Campaign
To publicise a £45m BIMBO transaction and place the Group firmly on the news agenda.

Timescale
May – June 2003. Still a current client, now Leasedrive VELO.

Fee basis
Retainer.

Objectives
To maximise publicity for the new senior management team and its plans for the future.

Strategy and plan
Having signed a confidentiality agreement and won a competitive PR pitch, JSPR worked closely with the new investors, before completion of the deal. A comprehensive press pack was produced and selected editors approached on a ‘strict embargo’ basis to prime key publications. The consultancy also worked closely with financial advisers, Grant Thornton Corporate Finance and eventual backers, Bank of Scotland Corporate Banking, to co-ordinate the ultimate major press announcement and photo opportunities. A series of major interviews was organised with the new management team. Quality features appeared in leading fleet and financial media. Internal employee communications, which had previously been neglected, was a major focus. A special staff communication pack, personally signed by the new CEO, was produced for each employee as well as a new monthly newsletter.

Measurement and evaluation
Major coverage was achieved in Fleet News, Autowired, Fleet Week, The Daily Deal, Mergermarkets.com, venturedome.com, Leasing Life, Corporate Finance and various local newspapers.

Results
The coverage secured for the Leasedrive Group surpassed the expectations of the new senior management team, all leading industry figures. In particular, the transaction announcement and subsequent major glowing feature in the leading fleet publication, Fleet News met the media objectives 100%. The Leasedrive Group, which previously had a low profile, became a major talking point within the industry with its declared aims of setting new standards of customer service. The Group won the prestigious ‘Best Contract Hire/Fleet Management Company’ Award in the 2006 Fleet News Awards, having been Highly Commended the year before. According to the Commercial Director, the key PR messages determined at the start of the PR programme, gained widespread and regular pick-up. At the start of 2007, Leasedrive successfully merged with VELO.

Budget Rent A Car International
One of the world’s top three car and van rental companies.

Campaign
To promote Budget’s environmental initiatives.

Timescale
April 1999 – March 2001. A client until April 2005.

Fee basis
Part of initial retainer.

Objectives
To position Budget Rent a Car as the first car rental company to commit to promoting alternative fuels and transport methods as part of its global eco-strategy.

Strategy and plan
Capitalising on earlier environmental initiatives, namely electric vehicles in France, a ‘first’ with LPG dual-fuelled cars and vans in the UK and the first electric vehicles in the USA, JSPR promoted the UK’s first ever commercial car club, the Edinburgh City Car Club. This was followed with the launch of driveshare, the UK’s first commuter transportation scheme. Besides mainstream media channels, PR efforts were concentrated on specialist environmental writers and special interest press. The bold UK initiatives were supported by news of the rental of alternatively-fuelled cars and the first hybrid vehicles by Budget EV Rental Cars in the USA.

Measurement and evaluation
Press coverage for the Edinburgh City Car Club included full-length features on Scottish TV, BBC Scotland, BBC South East, BBC Dream Wheels, Radio 4, Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland, Scot FM, Radio Forth, and Kingdom FM plus reviews in the Edinburgh Evening News, The Scotsman, Daily Record, The Herald, Scotland on Sunday, Daily Telegraph, The Express, The Observer, The Guardian, Intelligent Transport Systems, Fleet News, Motive, Green Futures, Wildlife Trust Newsletter, The Big Issue, Local Government and Health Executive, Local Transport Today and Surveyor. The City Car Club was endorsed by the Secretary of State for Transport. Full-page features on LPG appeared in The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller and electric cars in the Financial Times, among others. Readership figures for the City Car Club alone in 1999 and 2000 were respectively 7.8m and 6.8m.

Results
Budget became very much regarded as the pioneer of environmental initiatives. In recognition, Budget won the Fleet News 2000 ‘Environmental Initiative of the Year’ Award for its pioneering initiative, the Edinburgh City Car Club.

Armadillo Industries
A new UK company importing body accessories for 1 tonne pickup trucks.

Campaign
To promote the new company and its range of three new products from South Africa comprising Roll-Top, Spray-On Lining and Swop-Body accessories at the International Commercial Vehicle Show, 30 April – 2 May 2002.

Timescale
April - May 2002.

Fee basis
One-off project.

Objectives
To assist Armadillo Industries in gaining aftermarket approval from several of the leading pick-up manufacturers for its range of body accessories. Backed by a manufacturer’s warranty, Armadillo products could then be marketed by that manufacturer’s dealer network.

Strategy and plan
Within three weeks, a comprehensive press pack had been prepared and the company and its product range successfully launched on Press Day at the International Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC.

Measurement and evaluation
Subsequently, Armadillo Industries gained a steady stream of exposure in the trade and consumer press for its innovative new range of patented products for pickup trucks.

Results
Armadillo Industries gained after sales warranty approval from Mitsubishi. An order for 300 Roll-Top units was placed and the products are now officially being sold through the manufacturer’s dealer network.

Axus International
A top pan-European multi-make vehicle leasing company.

Campaign
To organise and run a PR Workshop for senior country management attending the 1999 International Management Meeting in Marbella, Spain, 1999.

Timescale
January 1999.

Fee basis
Part of initial retainer.

Objectives
To focus on basic PR skills so that corporate country senior management could maximise PR opportunities.

Strategy and plan
The agenda covered: The Objectives of Axus International PR; The Power of PR; Axus International PR Strategy; Axus In-Country – PR Do’s and Don’ts; Axus International PR Positioning Statement; Axus In-Country PR Positioning Statements; Writing an In-Country Press Release; Media Interview Techniques; Using PR for Sales Lead Generation; and Choosing a PR Agency.

Measurement and evaluation
The PR Workshop included practical sessions primarily focusing on media interview techniques. Country general managers, and their sales and marketing directors, went away with a clearer understanding of how to position their operation to the media and how to apply selected techniques to maximise interview opportunities. Subsequent senior management interviews had greater residual impact.

Results
Represented in 15 countries in Europe and Asia Pacific, it was important that Axus International spoke with one voice in all markets. JSPR co-ordinated all pan-European PR activity until the full service leasing company was acquired from Ford Financial Services by the Hertz Corporation, a rival of Budget (a JSPR client), and changed its name to Hertz Leasing.

Europcar UK
Part of one of Europe’s largest car and van rental companies.

Campaign
To help re-establish Europcar as a leading car and van rental company in the UK.

Timescale
January 1996 – July 1998.

Fee basis
Retainer.

Objectives
To restore Europcar’s credibility in the UK market place and improve poor employee morale.

Strategy and plan
Following a series of poor financial results and changes in senior management, JSPR concentrated on restoring credibility for the company by recommending a straightforward honest approach, unusual within such a highly competitive industry. A series of high profile interviews was organised with the new MD and Marketing Director. Quality profiles appeared in the leading travel trade and fleet media, and these were repeated on a regular basis. Speaker opportunities were secured at relevant conferences. A major emphasis was placed on internal employee communications and external client communications. A regular quarterly employee audio-cassette magazine programme, Performance News, was produced, employee Performance Awards created, and a quarterly customer newsletter, Business Brief, published. JSPR also wrote all of the MD’s speeches for the regular management and franchise meetings held.

Measurement and evaluation
Within the first year, the negative press attitude to the company was turned around and the coverage progressively became more positive. Working closely with the new MD, JSPR quickly positioned him as dynamic and approachable. By the second year, he was established as an industry voice. Meanwhile, employee morale was significantly improved.

Results
Europcar’s reputation was restored and the company became highly respected again. The all-important AA partnership was retained against all odds and many new partnerships and corporate account wins followed. The new senior management team was perceived to have achieved a major turnaround in business fortunes. Stephen Jones, Marketing and Sales Director, observed: “Under the guidance of JSPR, we restored morale within the company, regained credibility with the travel media and key clients, and earned the respect of our competitors. JSPR’s contribution to this was immense.”