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First of all, there's an article about our new licensing deal with Pazang PR:
SPA Way breaks new ground with licensing plan
A London PR agency has 'licensed' its media relations strategy in what is believed to be the first deal of its kind in the UK market.
The SPA Way has signed up Wilmslow-based independent agency Pazang PR as its first 'licensee'.
Pazang will follow The SPA Way's pay-by-results media relations method, which guarantees a client a certain amount of coverage.
The SPA Way, led by CEO Sara Pearson, will offer Pazang's staff intensive training and mentoring. This license is the first of a projected four the London agency will sign up in 2008.
The agency has identified ten UK regions, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, that it will target with its media relations licences.
Pazang PR founder Tanya Arturi believes that signing up to this media relations programme will set her agency apart in an increasingly crowded regional marketplace. "We've recently seen a surge in new agencies opening," said Arturi. "We recognised we need to have a unique selling poing and new type of offering that was head and shoulders above our competitors."
Pearson said she expected to announce a second licensee imminently. "I believe our business model offers real scope to regional agencies wanting to take the high ground," she said.
The Spa Way bills its time monthly according to PR industry convention, but works at its own expense or reimburses its clients pro rata at the end of a billing period if it has not met its guarantees.
And in case anybody missed the article, we ran an ad a couple of pages later:
Finally, there was a piece about our newest client, Hearst Digital.
Publisher Heart is focusing on promoting digital versions of its titles... and has brought in consumer agency The SPA Way to boost its online stable, which includes web versions of flagship titles Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping...
Hearst Digital marketing director Claire Higgins said that the decision to hire PR support was not based on fatigue in the print sector. "We've decided to look at PR to increase brand awareness of the titles," she said. "We want to show that Hearst Digital is the publisher that knows women online. We work within a publishing company that has really successful print magazines, and we don't really see them as competition. We're building on the success of our print titles."
The SPA Way MD Sara Pearson has appointed associate directors to run separate teams at the London agency, with PROs targeting different consumer and trade titles for each respective Hearst Digital website. "A site like handbag.com is very different from NetDoctor," said Pearson.
She added that digital publishing whould increasingly be a focus for The SPA Way , which works for print magazines Men's Health and Time Out but has not tackled web titles until now. "There's a huge scope, and an opportunity," she said.
All in all, a good week for The SPA Way!
Nellie and I went on a long run this morning through the mist in Hyde Park - between 3 and 4 miles - did the same on Saturday as well. I have officially come out of hibernation - with the lighter mornings will come a lighter and more efficient me! The rest of the team will be pounding the streets with Terry this evening and plans are afoot for either the Great North Run or the Great South Run (the latter is only 10 miles!) Charlotte is considering doing the New York Marathon - decisions, decisions.
Speaking of Nellie, the old arthritis seems to be on hold at present and she is her usual happy, skippy self. However, there was a dodgy moment in the community garden last week when she put up an old, mangy dog fox that was skulking in the hedge and it tried to lead her out into the road. Thankfully, she obeyed my screeched order to ' WAIT!'
A little late in the day but here is a picture of Nellie (and Dash) on Christmas morning.
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