From politics to democracy …..

May 26th, 2011
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As the ‘new’ girl in the office I’ve joined Democracy PR from the press office at Manchester City Council (where the phone never stopped ringing with enquiries from the media keen to hear about how Manchester is coping with the recent spending cuts) to here, where we are busy picking up the phones and telling national reporters about how good our clients’ products and services are.

But I’m not new to the industry, having had close to 10 years working in central Manchester and cutting my PR teeth at Spin Media (now SKV).

I am looking forward to getting back into campaigns, planning, integrating social and traditional media and taste testing jams for Duerr’s, Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauces and alcohol free wine.

And although I have only been here a few days I am already starting to feel like one of the ‘family’. That’s the great thing about PR generally, as far as my experience is concerned, in that the people you work with are generally like-minded, fun, creative, friendly, good at networking and most importantly, hard-working.

All these things are definitely in evidence at Democracy as everyone is psychometrically-tested – which sounds like a painful procedure, but it’s not honestly – before they even get to the second stage of the job interview. Which means that people are hired to fit the job and vice versa.

I’m looking forward to a new challenge, meeting all the clients and winning some new business. I’m back in the PR game so watch this space……..

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Above and beyond…

April 15th, 2011
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Hi there, I’m Jess – Democracy’s work experience girl for next few weeks.

I’ve only been here for a few days but I’ve learnt quickly how Democracy go over and above the call of duty to make sure journalists and other stakeholders are aware of our clients’ latest news.

Duerr’s is a great local, family-run jam company who along with Crown Holdings have solved one of the great jam conundrums by developing a lid that’s easy to open.

But do you know how tricky it is to explain easy opening jam jars over the phone?

It’s trickier than you may think. Drawings and photos are occasionally no substitute for the real thing.

And sometimes it’s easier to show someone rather than tell.

We know Duerr’s new lids are an absolute innovation that will help everyone who has ever groggily wrestled with their marmalade jar first thing in the morning. The good people of Britain needed to know about this as soon as possible.

Democracy HQ is in Manchester (and we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else) but the big national breakfast television programme Daybreak is in London. We know there’s a slight tyranny of distance but we wanted to make sure they had the jars in their hot little hands for the show the next morning.

Rather than leaving it to chance and traffic jams, there was rock, paper, scissors in the office as to who would hop on the very next train to London and hand deliver them. Because I’m the work experience girl I knew it was inevitable that I’d be bound for London Euston.

Did I mention that was just before 3pm?

After dashing from one end of London to the other, carting Duerr’s finest through the Tube, I dropped off the precious cargo just after 6pm.

And it worked. Duerr’s new jars were being road tested and marvelled on ITV’s Daybreak. We’ve also had attention from BBC Radio, The Daily Mail and the Daily Express.

Tenacity pays off. Result!

Jess Perriam is a former content producer at ABC in Perth, Western Australia. A local radio journalist turned social media expert, Jess started her career as a weather girl on Access 31 TV. She relocated to Manchester from Oz in January.

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National print, radio and TV cover the launch of Duerr’s easy open jar lid.

April 14th, 2011
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This week, Democracy got people talking about our client Duerr’s with coverage on Daybreak, The Mail, The Express and Radio 4. The revolutionary product launch – a new easy open lid – will bring an end to jam jar opening misery for millions.

Dr Hillary described the product live on Daybreak as “fantastic for people with arthritis” while beefy Adrian Chiles was concerned that his place at the family breakfast table as ‘strong man’ might be over.

Full coverage list to date (6pm, 14 April) as follows:

At 6am ….

Duerr’s Orbit cap on Daybreak from Democracy PR on Vimeo.

And again at 7am ….

Duerr’s on Daybreak, take 2! from Democracy PR on Vimeo.

Daily Mail
Daily Express
Scottish Daily Express
Radio 4 You&Yours
Radio 2 Drivetime
BBC Radio Bristol
BBC Asian Network
BBC Radio Jersey
BBC Radio Norfolk
BBC Radio Northampton
Key 103
BBC Radio WM
BBC Radio Norfolk
BBC Radio Northampton
Manchester Evening News
How Do

THE MAIL

THE EXPRESS

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Richard Duerr takes his turn on BBC Manchester

February 26th, 2010

Today it was Richard Duerr’s turn to head over to the BBC and chat through the stories of the day with Heather Stott.

Once again it’s a 45 minute clip but there are songs in between…

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Manchester Marmalade

April 15th, 2009

Bright and early this morning I was at the Duerr’s factory and HQ in Wythenshawe to meet Catherine Murray, roving reporter for BBC Radio Manchester, to talk about Manchester Marmalade.

F Duerrs & Sons, the Manchester jam, marmalade and sweet spread manufacturers, have stepped up to the breakfast plate in a bid to reclaim our regional identity with the launch of Manchester Marmalade, a specially created marmalade for the people of Manchester.

Duerr’s have brought their 128 years of marmalade making know-how to produce the perfect marmalade with just the right levels of sweetness, orange variety, fruit content and thickness of peel to tickle the tastebuds of Mancunians – and BBC Radio Manchester came along to the factory to interview Richard Duerr and some of the Duerr’s team.

The Breakfast news is, perhaps predictably, a very early affair – and before 7.30 am the Democracy team, along with Catherine Murray and the Duerr’s spokespeople found themselves on the production line, wearing bright green hair nets, steel toe tapped shoes and high vis jackets.

If you were listening to Allan Beswick just before eight and again before nine you’d have heard Catherine chatting to Richard Duerr about the launch of the product and the money they hope to raise for Forever Manchester.

I was impressed by Catherine, the ‘marmalade correspondent’, who was a one woman traveling radio studio to all intents and purposes. Armed with just a mic, headphones and a transmitter (as well as a car with an enormous spike on the top) she interviewed, taste tested and vox-popped her way around Wythenshawe.

Good local content relevant to the audience clearly remains key to attracting and maintaining the radio audience – after all dragging oneself from sleep, arranging some toast (with maramalade of course), and the drive to work are all greatly eased and soothed by having someone who’s already been awake for a few hours chattering in the background.

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Agency steps into bat for Lancs star

March 31st, 2009

Taken from the Manchester Evening News, March 31, 2009

Simon Donohue

ONE of Manchester’s newest PR agencies has knocked the opposition for six with a prestigious new cricketing account.

Democracy will step up to the crease to support Lancashire’s Gary Keedy as he celebrates his benefit year.

The 34-year-old was voted the `best county player never to have played for England’ and has hired Democracy to manage public relations for a series of benefit events.

The team will kick off with a VIP media and celebrity launch in Hale this week.

Highlights from his benefit year will include an Ashes preview and review with Andrew Flintoff, a day of golf with Sir Ian Botham and a summer ball.

Democracy PR is tasked with bringing together Keedy and fellow sporting heroes with the corporate world to raise money for him and his nominated charities.

Keedy is currently studying for a physiotherapy degree at Salford University while also training for the start of the new cricket season.

He said: “We’ve built a great team to help promote the benefit year and Democracy demonstrated great contacts and creative ideas.”

Jennifer O’Grady, founder of Democracy PR, said: “The next 12 months promise to be a lot of fun for Gary and the rest of the team.”

The Chorlton agency’s other clients include Baxter’s Licensed Brands, Duerr’s jams and marmalades, The Gentry Grooming Company and Psycuity.

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