We have recently strengthened our position in the business-to-business sector through the acquisition of competitor agency FSW.

Owned by Colin Turner and Liz Cooper, FSW is an advertising and PR agency which has been specialising in business-to-business communications since 1973 and will now be working with us and our sister agencies The Works and Magic to offer clients further business-to-business expertise in addition to our established business-to-consumer division.

MD Russell Evans comments: “We have been working hard to strengthen our company, and, by acquiring FSW, we’ve taken another big step in that direction. FSW is a fantastic company with high client retention and we are dedicated to preserving its reputation and building on its 37 year heritage. This transaction represents a compelling opportunity for our clients, who can all benefit from the emerging company with a strengthened range of expertise, market reach and competitive offering. Together, we will compete more effectively in, and across, our collective markets with the combination giving us the potential for long-term growth and profitability.”

We are delighted to have been appointed by Gressingham Foods, the only company in the world licensed to produce the unique Gressingham duck breed, to handle its consumer and trade PR for Gressingham Duck, Gressingham Foods and supermarket own-label lines.

William Buchanan, Commercial Managing Director, comments: “We were looking for an agency to raise brand awareness with consumers, announce new product launches to the retail industry and promote our products to the food service industry.

The Word impressed us with their extensive food-related experience and a thorough understanding of the media we want to target in all sectors.”

For those who remember Wincarnis from the past, it is ‘the wine of life’ and a cure for everything from influenza to childbirth. For those who don’t, it is a wonderful winter warmer for a cosy night in.

We recently took one lucky regional journalist to a trip into the past to see first hand how our client, Broadland Wineries, is still, 80-years later, making this local tipple for far-flung places such as Jamaica, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Canada.

Sarah Brealey regaled the colourful history of Wincarnis and Broadland Wineries’s fruit country wines in a double page spread in the EDP2. Our Sophie accompanied Sarah and together they donned hair nets and white coats for the factory tour – what a shame there is no photographic evidence of the trip ladies…!

Members of the Norwich City Football Team kindly offered to help us promote National Wear Red Day (Friday 26th Feb) with a photoshoot at Sportspark. Wearing their bright red t-shirts the players leapt into the Olympic size pool, showing just one of the ways they like to keep their hearts healthy – with a spot of swimming! Sophie and Rachael were on hand to oversee the shoot and provide towels at the end of a splashing good session!

A huge thanks to photographer Chris Ridley at 11th Studio for yet more fantastic photos! www.11thstudio.com

February is synonymous with hearts thanks to Valentine’s Day so it seems apt that it is also National Heart Month, the British Heart Foundation’s annual campaign to raise awareness and funds. This year sees the launch of BEAT, BHF’s first ever national heart health code and lifestyle check with which our client Sportspark has become involved. One in three people in the UK have high blood pressure yet 5 million people are unaware they have it, so to encourage people to become aware of their heart and get to know their vital statistics, Sportspark is offering free BMI and Blood Pressure checks to all on 13th February. Head over and take the health of your heart into your own hands.
If you can’t make the date then you can always get involved with some fundraising. We’ll be having a Wear Red Day at our office on Friday 26th February (look out for the photographic evidence at the end of the month!) and asking everyone to donate. For more ideas check online at www.bhf.org.uk.

A 10ft wooden crocodile, a sculpture made of ten thousand toy soldiers and a collage imitation of Monet’s water lilies made entirely from rubbish. Not what you’d expect of an art exhibition exploring our relationship with the environment.

Elements is The Forum’s latest art venture, an exhibition which tells the complex tale of man’s fragile relationship with the world around us. The 70 pieces on display are the work of 60 of East Anglia’s brightest artistic talents and were shortlisted from a staggering 850 submissions.

Last night’s launch event brought together the local art community (including judges Colin Self, Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll and Professor Bruce Black) along with key local businesses, the media and art enthusiasts all keen to get a glimpse of the thought-provoking material.

Elements will be on display in The Forum until Monday 15th February and is so incredibly worth a look. As is the exhibition running parallel to the main event which showcases the work of local school children responding to the same theme.

Click here for more information

Look out for the fragile dresses and the tree stump encrusted with mosaics of coloured glass.

Monday 7th December meant only one thing to East Anglia’s PR professionals, the CIPR PRide awards, this year taking place at the glitzy The Radisson SAS at Stanstead Airport. The Word was out in force to celebrate the great work produced by the region’s finest and highly talented communicators, as well as to pick up a few accolades ourselves! With a CIPR PRide Silver award for Outstanding Small Consultancy and finalist certificates for the highly competitive Best Campaign £10k and Under and Outstanding Young Communicator categories; we were all delighted with our success – we now just need to clear a spot on the wall to hang them all!

A very well done to all of this year’s CIPR PRide Award winners!

After recovering from our recent athletic endeavours, the team from The Word joined forces with The Works to test our collective musical knowledge for Radio Norwich’s week-long lunchtime quiz, ‘Brains of Norwich’.

Each day throughout the week the team faced five tough music themed questions spanning songs and artists from the 70s up to today. Although all avid music fans we found it a real challenge and revealed some embarrassing musical knowledge in the process! At the end of the week we were chuffed to score 21 out of 25 ranking high on the Radio Norwich leader board.

Thanks to Radio Norwich – much fun had by all!

On Friday 11th September, The Word, The Works and Magic joined forces yet again, but this time swapping the boardroom for a sports hall to compete in the inaugural Active Norfolk Corporate Games.

22 teams from businesses across Norfolk entered the competition which took place at Sportspark at the UEA that afternoon. Our team ‘More Balls’ consisted of Jenna, Sophie, James, Mark R and Rachael and we donned our shorts and sweat bands to compete in 11 activities including dodgeball, volleyball, cycling, speed stacking and archery.

It was a high-energy afternoon and the competition was fierce. We found out that basketball, dodgeball, softball and petanque were our strengths and ultimate Frisbee and table tennis were definitely not! Even so, all involved had a great afternoon and it was a great opportunity for team bonding outside the office!

It might be the age-old cliché but it really is the taking part that counts and despite the odd ache or bruise the next day, it was definitely worth it!

Thanks to Active Norfolk and Sportspark for organising and hosting a great event – we look forward to next year!

We’re currently working with The Forum Trust to promote an exciting and topical series of free sustainability seminars which will advise local businesses on ways to reduce their outgoings by up to £100,000.

The first will be held this Thursday 10th September at The Forum and will address energy efficiency and ways to streamline the functionality, sustainability and cost effectiveness of your business. It starts at 9am and finishes at 12pm.

This free seminar is open to all businesses. Anyone interested is advised to book by calling the Business Link events line 0845 601 1000 or by visiting www.bookevents.org.