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Amaiz: We’ve launched FinTech to consumers


Summary

Small business banking app Amaiz, launched in early March 2020.

 

The Brief

Onyx was engaged to raise awareness from a standing start as a way to drive downloads of the app.

 

The Idea

Onyx started by mapping out the target audience, their needs and what would engage them.  The priority target was identified as tradespeople. It was noted that they tend not to read blogs, but they will listen to podcasts, when on the move. They also watch videos as a way of picking up tips and new skills.  Podcasts and short videos were therefore seen as key in reaching the audience.

The careful plans for content and message were thrown into disarray as Covid-19 forced the country into lockdown. Content was difficult to produce and journalists started to work from home, away from office telephone numbers that are used to reach them. Many journalists were furloughed, and some target titles stopped publishing.

Onyx, working with their production supplier, shifted the focus of the campaign to how businesses were managing in the pandemic. What were the key issues and how was it changing business?

Two key themes started to emerge – the decline of cash, as small businesses decided that card payment was safer, and the rise of Covid-related fraud. Using a team of four exceptional spokespeople at Amaiz, and original independent research, Onyx worked with the media to provide them with relevant business stories. We also introduced Amaiz to two key partners; WeFightFraud, to establish Amaiz’s credentials on fraud and LikeMinds, an influential network of entrepreneurs.

 

Impact

In the first 3 months of the campaign, the following results were delivered for Amaiz:

  • Interviews on 10 radio stations, including key BBC stations
  • Featured in key target nationals, including Mail group, numerous times, Express, Daily Star and Closer magazine
  • All the target FinTech publications referenced Amaiz at least once
  • 15 videos and 15 podcasts were produced, whilst adhering to the lockdown and social distancing
  • All coverage was positive
  • Overall, 214 pieces of coverage reaching an estimated audience in excess of 155 million people

Amaiz is now well-established as an effective and authoritative commentator. The Mail Group newspapers, for example, now use the Amaiz spokesperson as a regular for commenting on fraud and will come to Onyx directly for business statistics.

However, the key metric was the rise of awareness from nothing, to a local shop keeper knowing that Amaiz was a small business banking app.

 

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MyCognition: We deliver value to start-ups and small companies


MyCognition

Summary

MyCognition is an award-winning, science-based company, dedicated to understanding and improving cognitive fitness through an NHS approved app.

The Brief

Onyx was engaged to raise awareness of MyCognition, and their extraordinary achievements, using their neuroscientist founder, Keiron Sparrowhawk, as spokesperson. Onyx was initially engaged for just one month.

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and mental cognition for both employees and children confined to home became a serious issue, MyCognition became more important than ever. The company was keen to retain Onyx to continue their job of raising awareness with their key audiences of employers and education. However, as a start-up, MyCognition’s budget was very limited, and it would be challenging to achieve what was needed.

The Idea

Onyx recognised that the story was strong and that there was a real need for help at such a difficult time. Onyx therefore agreed to reduce our fees to ensure that the impact of MyCognition was more widely understood. The Onyx team liaised with MyCognition’s key partners – interviewing and drafting case studies. They also set up Zoom one-to-ones with Keiron and top target media where he could talk in detail about the app and its success.

The Impact

In the first three months, the PR campaign has resulted in coverage across numerous regional titles, the business, HR, health and education press.  The highlight in the first few weeks was The Times referencing MyCognition as the best app for mental health training.

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"Working with Onyx has been invaluable to MyCognition. They have brought our work to life and raised our profile higher than we could have hoped. As an SME we have to be careful where we spend our money, but this has been one of the best investments we have made.“ Keiron Sparrowhawk - Founder of MyCognition

RBK: We have great connections into Government


Summary

Following its launch in London, RBK wanted to engage British business and establish its reputation in the UK. We created a campaign which saw RBK strongly supported by UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) and covered in major business publications over a two-month period.

The Brief

RBK is an online payment service that is a household name in Russia and parts of Eastern Europe. After setting up a London HQ to access new markets, RBK needed to establish itself as a trusted brand that was visible to British business. The primary target audience was UK companies who wished to (or were already) trading with Russia.

The Idea

We utilised our connections and insight into Government to broker an introduction to the UKTI’s Russian desk. UKTI is one of the most trusted and authoritative sources of advice to UK traders, and includes the UK’s overseas embassies and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

We positioned RBK as the solution to UK companies wanting to trade with Russia, so helping the UK exploit this enormous market. Working with UKTI and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), we issued a press release to media presenting RBK as experts on trading with Russia and talking about RBK’s inward investment. The release included a quote from UK Trade & Investment CEO, Nick Baird.

The Impact

UKTI publicly advised all Russian traders that RBK is the solution to the most common barrier that UK merchants face when trading with Russia (payment and ensuring receipt) and informed UK government staff to advise traders to use RBK.

RBK was the headline story on the UKTI’s own website and the story was positively covered in numerous leading media publications over a two month period, including the top title for retailers, Internet Retailing and FinExtra, the leading website for the finance industry.

Portfolio Categories: Case Studies.

 

Summary:

BPS World asked us to position them as leading-edge commentators on key employment trends. Our resulting campaign saw radio and press coverage reach an audience of four million in just a few days.

The Brief:

BPS World are global resourcing experts. We’ve been working with them since 2012 to raise their profile and position their team as thought leaders on a breadth of topics relating to the world of work.

BPS World asked us to develop a selection of creative campaign ideas, exploring topics beyond recruitment, that would give them high impact coverage and position them as leading-edge commentators on key employment trends.

The Idea:

Thanks to our strong relationships with the media, and daily immersion in the news agenda, we had a good idea of topics that would deliver on-message coverage for the brand.

We created a campaign, focused on agile working, supported by original research, a national radio day and the creation of a practical eBook. The research was commissioned among senior decision makers and their employees, to explore views on agile working, its impact on productivity and engagement and interesting conflicts that were emerging.

We used our extensive network, as well as BPS’s own contacts, to source an impressive list of experts and contributors for the eBook, entitled The Agile Revolution, which we launched with a day of radio interviews and media outreach.

The Impact:

The campaign launched with 14 national and regional radio interviews with Simon Conington, MD of BPS World and other contributors to the book. A full press launch took place, with releases issued to national, HR and business trade press and key regional titles. The eBook also became available to download from Amazon on the same day.

The PR campaign reached an audience of four million, with the bulk of coverage including links to the eBook which helped it reach #1 in the Business Life category on Amazon.

The buzz around the book attracted the attention of CNBC Europe who dedicated an episode of their innovation magazine programme, ‘The Edge’, to the subject of agile working, featuring Simon Conington of BPS as an expert.

BPS World and Onyx

Book cover

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The positive coverage and rising profile of the book also attracted the attention of CNBC Europe. The broadcaster decided to dedicate an episode of their innovation magazine programme, ‘The Edge’, to the subject of agile working. Simon Conington of BPS appeared as an expert on the programme.

 

Invotra: We understand the challenges of technology PR

Portfolio Categories: Case Studies.

Summary:

Invotra approached us to develop original content that would give them a strong thought leadership position. The subsequent PR activity reached 700,000 people in their target financial services trade media.

The Brief:

Invotra were keen to build their reputation and develop greater awareness of their capabilities and areas of expertise. We were asked to manage day to day press office activity, including product and service announcements, but we also recommended developing original content to create a strong thought leadership position.

The Idea:

Our research of senior IT decision makers explored views, including emerging technologies, the impact of cyber attacks and concerns for the year ahead. Results were used to create the Digital Transformation Study which demonstrated Invotra’s understanding of the challenges faced by its audience. We took the opportunity to drive coverage over the Christmas break, when journalists are typically short of strong, original content.

The Impact:

The campaign achieved 32 pieces of coverage, far exceeding original targets. The campaign successfully positioned Invotra as a thought leader in the financial services trade media for the first time. The wider impact of the campaign was that, in showcasing Invotra’s viewpoint on digital transformation for the first time, the brand built credibility in a new space, earning trust from its target audience.

1TapReceipts: We’re experienced at using research to drive the media agenda

Portfolio Categories: Case Studies.

Summary:

We were engaged by 1TapReceipts to increase downloads of its app. In just over a month we achieved 39 pieces of coverage: seven in national newspapers, including two hits in the Mail Online.

The Brief:

1TapReceipts (part of Receipt Bank) makes it quick and easy for sole traders to manage their expenses, but they needed to increase downloads of the app. As 1Tap had not done PR before, brand awareness was low so the PR campaign needed to educate media about who they were as well as create news.

The Idea:

Using the news hook of HMRC increasing reporting to four times a year from 2018 (Making Tax Digital) and the looming self-assessment deadline, we issued two press releases and sold in to national, business and personal finance journalists. We created a unique position for 1Tap as a champion of MTD, whereas much of the competition was criticising it, giving journalists a fresh perspective and driving results.

The Impact:

The first press release was issued at the end of December. Within a month we had achieved 39 pieces of coverage. Of these, seven appeared in national newspapers, including two in Mail Online. The story also appeared in a broad selection of financial and business trade media and resulted in a huge spike in downloads.

 

 

“It was a pleasure working with Anne and her team on what was quite a big task of getting coverage for our new app in a very short space of time.
They provided great feedback throughout the project and worked hard on delivering against a pretty difficult brief. All involved at Onyx maintained a professional approach and always acted in the best interests of us as a client – going the extra mile to support us.” Matthew Perkins UK Sales & Partnerships at 1Tap (by Receipt Bank)

LEGO Education: We’re specialists at managing stakeholder relationships

Portfolio Categories: Case Studies.

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Summary:

We worked with LEGO Education and the Royal Academy of Engineering to boost the number of talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who were considering pursuing careers in engineering. The target was to enrol 25 schools but our campaign secured engagement from 155.

The Brief:

The Elite Engineering Programme (EEP) was launched to business in conjunction with LEGO Education and others and aims to boost the number of talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who might be considering pursuing careers in engineering. EEP had to engage the first 25 pilot schools in just one month on a limited budget and asked us to create a PR campaign that cut through the noise and engaged schools.

The Idea:

There are over 700k free teaching resources promoted for use in UK schools today – therefore there was a real challenge for the initiative to be noticed. Through clever use of social media (organic and outreach using a #) and PR, we managed to engage 155 schools. We also approached the BIS press office to obtain a supportive quote from the BIS Secretary of State, achieving coverage in all the top target engineering titles as well as the business, trade and national press, including the Mail on Sunday.

The Impact:

We smashed the target of 25 schools, engaging 155 schools in total. This enabled EEP to deliver a far wider trial than they had expected and helped prove the concept.

 

 

“LEGO Education have loved working with Onyx. They helped us surpass our targets for the schools pilot through clever use of social media. We grew to rely on them to give us intelligent strategic communications support that shaped what we did.” Gareth Boldsworth, Sales and Marketing Director at LEGO Education Europe

Great British Entrepreneur Awards: We become part of your team

Portfolio Categories: Case Studies.

Summary:

We were brought in to support the first ever Great British Entrepreneur Awards. The aim was to create a prestigious profile for the Awards that would make them attractive to future sponsors and establish them with entrepreneurs. The resulting PR campaign achieved 129 pieces of coverage with an audience reach of 19 million.

The Brief:

The first ever Great British Entrepreneur Awards were held in November 2013.  We were brought in just seven weeks before the Awards ceremony with a brief to create a prestigious profile for the Awards that would make them attractive to future sponsors and establish them with entrepreneurs.

The Idea:

We reviewed all shortlisted entrants and identified the most newsworthy, using them to create compelling stories for the media. At both the Shortlist Event and Awards Ceremony, we ensured that compelling images were taken to extend the news value of the Awards. A hard-working media relations effort ensured winning and shortlisted entry stories were targeted to relevant media.

The Impact:

The Awards ceremony was a sell out with 470 guests and numerous national journalists in attendance. Coverage included Metro, The Times, Daily Telegraph and Huffington Post, firmly establishing the Awards as a key event in the Awards calendar. Such was the status of the Awards that well-known entrepreneurs even tweeted complaining they hadn’t been invited! In total there were 129 pieces of coverage with an audience of 19 million.

“Onyx quickly understood our brief and were immediately engaged and pro-active. They were enthusiastic promoters of the event and, perhaps as importantly, were reassuring and attentive to our shortlisted entrepreneurs, some of whom had little experience in dealing with the media.” Simon Burton, Founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards

Intelliagg: We’re great at securing coverage

Portfolio Categories: Case Studies.

Summary:

We developed Shining A Light On The Dark Web, a report for Intelliagg, which mapped out the dark web for the first time ever. The PR campaign, to promote the report, secured significant media interest around the world.

The Brief:

Intelliagg works with organisations to control or evade data loss, reputational damage and targeted cybercrime through the provision of intelligence. They wanted to increase brand awareness for business development purposes and turned to us for support.

 The Idea:

We developed a report mapping the dark web; its size, its contents and the languages used, positioning Intelliagg as experts on this little known topic. It was believed to be the first time that the dark web had been mapped in this way. The report was launched to media and used to secure a speaking opportunity at a LikeMinds business event.

The Impact:

The LikeMinds event secured six new business leads for Intelliagg, directly delivering on the brief. In just two months, we secured 62 pieces of coverage in the target press around the world. This included major technology media and a full-page feature in The Times.

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“We were astonished at the results Onyx achieved for us. They exceeded our expectations in every way. They were also fun and easy to work with. We recommend them wholeheartedly.” Thomas Olofsson, CEO of Intelliagg

BPS World: We manage international campaigns

Portfolio Categories: Case Studies.

Summary:

BPS World worked with Onyx to raise their profile on the global stage. Our international thought leadership campaign for them secured more than 250 pieces of coverage with an audience of over 240 million people. BPS World reported a huge spike in web traffic following the PR activity.

The Brief:

We have a long-standing relationship with BPS World to raise their profile with their target audience. One of the key aspects of this work has been to position BPS as thought leaders in the industry – and beyond – through a content-led PR programme, delivering authoritative white papers and guides on key industry issues.

The Idea:

We understood that BPS World needed well-informed, unique content. The team identified a gap in the media narrative on global recruitment and developed a fresh creative angle.

The result was an authoritative report: Planet Talent – The Essential Guide to Global Recruitment which was sold into media in the UK, US (working with our US team) and Czech Republic via a hard-working media relations programme.

The Impact:

We secured more than 250 pieces of coverage worldwide with an audience of over 240 million people and BPS World reported a huge spike in relevant traffic coming to its website. Journalists continue to report that they find Planet Talent a valuable and authoritative resource and it continues to attract media attention and references.

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“We’ve worked with Onyx Media and Communications now for four years and over that time they have worked hard to build a reputation with our target journalists, so that their approaches on our behalf are noticed; we cut through all the noise.” Natalie Spearing, Marketing Director of BPS World