HOME AND GARDEN...is our bread and butter 5TOP

REASONS TO WORK WITH A SPECIALIST

MARKETING AGENCY

THE LOW DOWNOur latest insights into consumer behaviour

WE LOVE OUR CLIENTS

Find out what we’ve been up to

HOME & GARDEN MARKETING INSIGHT ISSUE 1

We love marketing your sector

W hen you want to get your

message out there, both trade and consumer press are key to maximising your potential. There’s nothing better than seeing some good positive coverage in your key industry title. That’s why at Brookes & Co, we pride ourselves on our relationships with journalists in the sectors we love; homewares, DIY and gardening.

Of course, we make sure we know what’s coming up in terms of trade press forward features, ensuring that we supply interesting, relevant

IT’S ALL IN THE CONTACTS

“We’ve been working with Brookes for a long time and know we can always rely on them for quick, up-to-date news releases which are relevant to our readership. A highly professional, friendly PR company.” Jenny Wonnacott, DIY Week”

and timely content, but we also regularly check in with editors to let them know what’s new from our clients which in turn enables them to better inform their readership. It’s not unheard of to have editors call us to help them out with a specific feature, which is something we’re only too happy to accommodate.

TOP REASONS TO WORK WITH A SPECIALIST MARKETING AGENCY

With thousands of marketing agencies across the UK vying for attention, it can be hard to select the right one for the job. How do you know whether they’ll be on your wavelength? Have they worked on similar projects before? Wouldn’t it be great if you could just appoint a team of experts who already know the ins and outs of your industry as well as being seriously skilled at their own jobs too?

We offer the top 5 reasons as to why it’s always better to work with a specialist marketing agency.

From the minefield of award entries to collaborative industry projects, a good specialist marketing agency should keep abreast of any and every opportunity out there, so that you never miss a chance to spread the word.

There are only so many media outlets within any given sector and, as such, only so many media bods. As with many specialist agencies, our working relationships with key press contacts is second to none. We speak to often hard-to-reach editors on a daily basis and can be relied upon to bring them the most exciting, unmissable news stories out there.

No need for hand holding here; our experience and insight means that we can turn our hand to any project, no matter how brief the brief. This allows you to get on with your job whilst we get on with ours.

Isn’t it true that if you love what you do, you’ll do better at it? We’re willing to put in the hours, the brain power and the (sometimes!) hard work, all with a smile on our faces because, quite simply, we love marketing your sector.

W e love marketing your sector. That’s the Brookes & Co tagline and it’s as

true today as it has been for all the years in which we have been sprinkling our marketing magic over the home, garden and DIY industry.

We’re a small but enthusiastic bunch and we’ve lovingly put together this first Taste of Brookes & Co to share our passion for what we do. The aim is quite simple; Taste has been designed to keep you abreast of what’s hotting up in the home and garden sector, plus we’ll be spilling our secrets and letting you in on all the goings on at Brookes HQ.

This publication is hopefully the first of many to come and I’m excited to see what you make of it. Whether you’re a longstanding client who thinks they know us inside out or a curious soul who’s interested in what we do, I hope you enjoy this first issue of Taste.

HOME AND GARDEN IS OUR BREAD AND BUTTER

EXPRESSING OURSELVES AT HAMILTON

W hen it comes to brushing up on our PR skills, look no further than our

work with leading professional painting and decorating sundries company, Hamilton.

Brookes & Co provided full PR support, including press liaison, media visits, press pack and exhibition support at the recent National Painting & Decorating Show when Hamilton launched Expression, a brand new range of superior paint brushes designed exclusively for the trade.

FIRST POSITION FOR GRANGEA ppointed as a PR

partner in 2014, Brookes took the lead in repositioning the decorative garden structures and fencing company as a principle manufacturer and supplier in the market. Brookes & Co has been responsible for the development and launch of Grange’s brand new corporate identity and logo, as well as for the execution of a fully planned media schedule and

digital strategy. Our efforts have enabled Grange to communicate and bolster its credibility as a leading name in the outdoor structures and fencing industry.

Rob Giles, head of marketing said, “The Brookes & Co team understands the market and is fun to work with so it’s a positive relationship all round.”

BRINGING ROTARAD TO MARKETI n 2015, Brookes & Co was

appointed by Rotarad to develop a strategic approach for the launch of the company’s innovative radiator access kit.

Involved in everything from product development, launch and on-going positioning and promotion, Brookes & Co has worked to establish a long term relationship with Rotarad.

Our work has led to the creation of a refreshed brand identity complete with newly designed company literature, packaging

Always keen to keep our finger on the pulse when it comes to consumerism, we’ve sourced some of the most interesting facts and figures from the likes of consumer research giants, Mintel and Warc. Take note now and stay ahead of the crowd in 2017.

THE LOW DOWN – INSIGHTS INTO THE INDUSTRY

Consumer research group Mintel predict that spending on the home will grow by 3% year on year (Consumer trends, attitudes & spending on the home. Mintel, 2016). With the nation’s current financial turbulence, it seems like most of us are choosing to improve

rather than move home... Great news for the home enhancement sector!

DIY & HOME

In Summer 2016, Brookes & Co heard from UK trend forecasters, Scarlet Opus about the latest interior trends for the coming year. Key ideas for 2017 include ‘Privacy’, a concept based on the nation’s desire to ‘regain control’ of our lives, away from the exposure of ever intrusive social media platforms. Products and

services which have been designed to conceal and blur and which offer a sense of ‘social solitude’ are set to be a hit this year…you’ll find us under our duvets!

TRENDS IN 2017

Research suggests that the image of Black Friday we tend to conjure up in our mind’s eye, one of pandemonium, chaos and a broken nose or two is far from the much more civilised reality! Apparently, only 34% of shoppers visit a physical store on Black Friday, with

most of us preferring to sit back and scour the web for the best high street bargains (Black Friday PR Operation Impact. Warc, 2016)

BLACK FRIDAY

According to Mintel, there are four key target groups when it comes to spending on the home. Those aged 16-34, frequently referred to as Generation Y or Generation DIY, make up 37% of all spenders (Consumer trends, attitudes & spending on the home. Mintel, 2016). Known for their

love of the hands-on approach and passion for knowledge sharing, retailers can capture the attention of this new wave of shoppers through the use of informative online content and offline advice and support.

GENERATION DIY

EXCELLENT PRESSRELATIONSHIPS

WHO’S THECOMPETITION?

1SO MANYOPPORTUNITIES!

JUST LEAVEUS TO IT

2 3 4WE LOVE MARKETINGYOUR SECTOR

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SOME OF OUR EXPERIENCE and point of sale support as well as the development of a new ecommerce site, social media platform and continuous PR support.

Malcolm Keeling, founder of Rotarad enthused, “It is great to find an agency like Brookes & Co with such extensive experience in the DIY sector and even better that they are based just down the road!”

Dates for your diary

Housewares Innovation Awards 6th FebruaryDIY Week Awards 7th FebruarySpring Fair 5–9th FebruaryTotally Tools 14th February

WE’LL BE ATTENDINGTHESE EVENTS – WILL YOU?

Garden Press Event 18th February

Based in Uttoxeter, Brookes & Co HQ is where most of our marketing magic takes place. Every now and then however, the team are let loose on the UK’s top trade exhibitions, including the annual National Painting and Decorating Show, Spring Fair, Exclusively Housewares and the highly anticipated Glee…to name but a few!

We put a lot of effort into ensuring the events are a real success for our clients,

OUT AND ABOUT WITH BROOKES

whether we’re creating cutting edge stand graphics or developing informative press packs to spread the word about our clients’ new products and company news.

Over the next few weeks we look forward to kicking off our 2017 exhibition schedule with a few of our favourites, listed below. Be sure to keep your eyes out for us and if you’d like to catch up, we’ll happily join you for coffee!

DID YOU KNOW...?

B rookes & Co client services director, Michèle Rastall isn’t afraid of a bit of

hard work, be that in the office or on the track! Having been bitten by the triathlon bug earlier in 2016, our favourite fitness fanatic has been swimming, cycling and sprinting her way across Staffordshire all in the name of some great causes. Watch this space to see what Michèle’s got planned for 2017 and to find out how you can help her reach her fundraising targets!

S inai Park House, home of Brookes & Co managing director, Kate Newton, is well

documented as one of the most haunted houses in Britain! With Sinai having appeared on Living’s Most Haunted and Channel 4’s Time Team, Kate now offers talks and tours of her home to the brave and curious, who are all keen to experience one of over 50 ghosts said to haunt the grounds. Spooky!

W hen she’s not creating a

buzz in the office, account director and professional busy bee, Sam Owen spends her days lecturing for Staffordshire University. This year, Sam is spreading her wings even further and flying off to meet with some of New York’s finest agencies, as part of the University’s Advertising & Brand Management course. We’re hoping she’ll bring back some fresh thinking from across the pond, along with a doughnut or 10.

INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT BROOKES & CO?

Why not visit the website at www.brookesandco.net or check out our live Twitter feed @Brookes_Co.

To find out how we can help you, speak to Kate by calling 01889 598600 or email kate@brookesandco.net

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GHOSTHUNTERS