Elemental Communications / Building your brand and reputation

Elemental PR - Manches Solicitors Case Study
March 2005, London, UK

Client Background

Manches Solicitors http://www.manches.com is an innovative commercial law firm operating out of offices in London and the Thames Valley. They maintain a successful full service practice in both offices with particular focus on industry sectors of Technology & Media, Property, Construction and Biotechnology.

They are also strong in the specialist areas of corporate, employment, dispute resolution, planning and environment and PFI/PPP and we are consistently rated as the number one family law practice in London.

Manches extensive range of specialist sectors, coupled with our lawyers in-depth knowledge has resulted in a dynamic and prestigious client base in the UK and internationally, and gives us the experience and skills necessary to work on complex transactions such as PFI and PPP projects.

Its aim is to excel in chosen specialist areas by providing an unequalled service. Lawyers at Manches use their knowledge to give added value to their service and to form a wider view of the case in hand, rather than simply relying on legal theory. They provide succinct, practical solutions to problems that are communicated clearly, with appropriate speed, and in a cost-effective way.

The Challenge

Manches were in the process of selecting an incumbent PR agency for the firm. In the interim, Elemental PR offered PR support, working with the Media & Technology Department.

Many legal firms are growing their specialist departments to cater for the rise in technology legal expertise, especially from the digital sector. As with the other legal firms Elemental PR represents, more media focused legal firms had already positioned themselves within magazines, had having built strong relationships with publishing houses and editors. These legal firms were providing legal columns, Q&A, regular guest opinion pieces for these magazines, which covered business, digital, Internet and new media arenas.

Although press releases are normally a medium for Elemental PR to use to connect with the media, they were not used on this occasion, to communicate the Manches’ developments or news.

The challenge for Elemental PR was to introduce Manches to the aforementioned; build relationships with the publishing houses to ensure that key spokespeople were included in the debate to share its expertise and knowledge at the firm.

Targets

Manches need to reach a broader audience than just legal publications; and connect with audiences that need the advise, guidance and expertise. Therefore, the firm was looking to interact with off and online advertising, broadcast, marketing, new media and technology media that would be affected by existing and forthcoming laws.

Elemental PR did not communicate press releases with Manches, but instead used article and especially feature-based work to connect the firm and to achieve coverage. The PR consultancy started production work in July 2003, with a slow burn campaign.

Results

Elemental PR achieved coverage across seven titles, achieving 18 separate pieces of significant and documented off and online coverage. The titles include Computer Arts, Revolution Magazine, Silicon.com and The Times in a short amount of time, from featured-based work only.

Manches secured a guest monthly column in the leading Future Publishing Internet business magazine Internet Works http://www.iwks.com, via Elemental PR, which featured Peter Stevens, Partner from the Manches Media & Technology Department. Elemental PR’s consultancy also included the Employment Department in connecting Employment Partner, Jonathan Maude to features that arose.

Conclusion

Elemental PR looked to new and emerging areas where much interest was gathering e.g. digital marketing (viral marketing), search engine, and web analytics sectors. There were high profile legal cases that had the potential to govern the way that these organisations operate affecting the vendors, agencies and clients (end users) alike.

The PR consultancies normal approach is to consistently research sectors and look for trends, establish a pattern and then brainstorm what will be flash points that will generate news interest. Examples, of this included the way pop-ups are served, keywords and key phrase misuse with search engines, viral marketing data capture and privacy laws linked to web analytics.

Elemental PR also creates the debate by working with clients, which works well, presenting ideas and informing media professionals which trends would have a significant impact on sectors of interest. This production work was translated into media coverage and built strong long-term relationships that that PR consultancy continues to nurture.

Testimonials

Christopher Owen
Corporate Partner
Manches Solicitors

The Corporate Technology, Media Group and the Employment Groups of Manches have been working with Elemental PR since July 2003. During this time, Elemental PR has continued to demonstrate its ability to provide significant media opportunities.

Elemental PR’s proactive activity has secured coverage across a range of publications and online resources for the Media and Employment Groups.

About Elemental PR
http://www.elementalpr.co.uk

Elemental PR, the integrated communications and public relations consultancy, was founded in April 2001. The energetic PR consultancy delivers integrated multi-channel public relations and strategic marketing development services for predominantly SMEs, whilst consulting for traditional (advertising and marketing) and digital agencies and consultancies.

Elemental PR is also retained by corporate organisations to consult upon communications, direct and digital PR (also known as Internet PR and online PR), e-business and elements of digital marketing.

Elemental PR operates upon the premise of the Internet, which it believes is to inform, educate, enlighten and share. Elemental PR strives to adhere to building blocks of these principles, blending them into very core of its communications and the measurable activity that it delivers. Integrating communications is the pivotal to the way Elemental PR conducts itself.

----Contact----

Elemental PR

Tim Gibbon
Director, Elemental PR
Email: mediacentre@elementalpr.co.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 870 745 9292
Mobile: +44 (0) 793 037 5663
Fax: +44 (0) 870 745 9293

Website: http://www.elementalpr.co.uk

Address: Second Floor, 145 -157 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PY, England, UK

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