Member Article

Approach PR glistens with gold and silver CIPR award wins

Proving its PR weight in gold, Ilkley-based consultancy, Approach PR, scooped both gold and silver gongs in the Regional Campaign of the Year category at last night’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ PRide awards.

Winning the category for a second year running, Approach PR was recognised for its high profile CSR work to reignite the profile and footfall of the 2014 Ilkley Carnival which helped to raise a record £15,000 profit for local charities.

PRide award judges commended Approach PR for “stepping in on a voluntary basis to increase ticket sales, footfall, number of exhibitors and volunteers supporting the event” and for its “strategic, high profile, and creative PR and social media campaigns that were instrumental in the rebirth of the community event”.

The agency’s second win in the same category was a silver award for its ‘No smoke without PR fire’ entry based on its work to launch Sheffield-based barbecue restaurant, Smoke. With only two weeks to turn a media launch around, the Approach team reached an audience of over 500,000 through regional media relations and blogger engagement.

Speaking about the agency’s gold win, Suzanne Johns, managing director of Approach PR, said: “The Ilkley Carnival was on the brink of folding in 2011 but our involvement in the annual event – which included investing free-of-charge time, expertise and resources to deliver sustained media and community relations – has transformed the carnival into a profitable and hugely popular family event which now has a solid future.

“To receive recognition for the team’s dedication and formidable expertise is a true honour for us all: it is an accolade which demonstrates Approach PR’s dynamic, creative and results-driven vision of what successful regional PR campaigns can look like.”

The accolades are the latest additions to a long list of successes the firm has enjoyed in its 13-year history, taking its tally to 24 industry award wins.

The annual Yorkshire and Lincolnshire CIPR PRide Awards, which were held at the Queens Hotel in Leeds, celebrate the very best public relations campaigns, teams and individuals from across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Gary Taylor MCIPR, chair of CIPR Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, said: “The PRide Awards continue to highlight the best work of the region’s talented individuals and agencies. Everyone nominated for an award tonight should be proud of their work and the contribution they have made to the region’s success. My congratulations go to our Gold winners this evening, all of whom have demonstrated the highest professional standards of public relations practice.”

To find out more about the gold-winning agency and its Approachability training courses, visit Approach PR’s brand new website at www.approachpr.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Approach PR .