Exeter PR firm scoops two top awards

Devon-based PR and marketing firm Astley Media has scooped two top accolades, including a prestigious award from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

For the second year running, Astley Media has become the only Devon PR agency to be recognised by the Institute for the quality of its work for clients, picking up a Silver Award, to add to last year’s Gold, at the ceremony in Bristol on Friday (Nov 21).

And, at a ceremony at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel in London two days earlier the agency, based at Northernhay Place in Exeter, saw a six month campaign for bus company Stagecoach scoop another accolade, being named Best Marketing Initiative at the UK Bus Awards.

Founded by Marc Astley in 2012, the agency won Silver in the Chartered Institute’s 2014 PRide awards, for Best Consumer Campaign, again for its work with Stagecoach, beating the likes of Nationwide Building Society and Holland and Barrett.

Olivia Jones, Corporate Communications Manager at Michelmores Solicitors, presented the award.

Caroline Orr, Astley Media Marketing and Client Liaison Director, said: “To win again is testament to the high standards we set ourselves in delivering brilliant PR and marketing that works.

“Recognition from the Chartered Institute is a great honour and the team are delighted. We have fantastic clients and our focus is firmly on making sure we continue to deliver, delight and help businesses grow.”

The winning campaign with Stagecoach transformed a whole bus service, with six open-top buses, named the Skegness Seasiders, turned into individual characters - Rocky, Sandy, Shelly, Salty, Pierre and Candy, with collectable badges, storybooks and accompanying timetables, packed with money-saving vouchers for attractions along the route. The campaign helped boost passenger numbers by more than 20 per cent.

Astley Media’s clients include Stagecoach South West and East Midlands, EDF Energy, Ladram Bay Holiday Park, The Torbay Training Partnership, Mercure Southgate Exeter, Sidaways Chartered Accountants, Urban Burger and the Heart of Devon Tourism Partnership. The company is set to announce new regional and national clients in the coming weeks.

The annual PRide Awards, held at The Marriott Hotel in Bristol, recognise and reward the inspirational work of leading public relations teams and consultancies.

They cover the whole of the south of England - Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Isle of Wight, The Channel Islands, Devon and Cornwall.