How we can help you

Covid-19 Crisis Communications

02 COVID-19 CRISIS COMMS

COVID-19 CRISIS COMMSCoronavirus has transformed our worlds – how we live, how we work, how we interact with each other. But the need for us all to keep in touch, as individuals and organisations, has never been greater. From business-critical messages to keep your staff, customers and stakeholders safe and informed, to keeping each other sane and connected through lockdown. Social is here to help you do that.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOUWe’re here to help you be a voice of reason and calm, cutting through the noise and providing reliable information and guidance that people can trust. As an agile team, we have the expertise and the capacity to mobilise immediately to work with you to the highest professional standards.

OUR SUPPORT INCLUDES:

› Strategic guidance: We can support you at a strategic level, identifying opportunities and helping you re-shape your services to meet the evolving situation.

› Targeted messaging: We’ll help you gain clarity in your key messaging, identify how best to reach your key stakeholders and authentically address their concerns in this worrying time.

› Building trust: We will identify sources of ‘fake news’ and misinformation then help you rebut it by offering operational support to issue timely, accurate information to the right people – with authenticity and transparency.

› Empathy and compassion: We adopt a people-first approach to our messaging, helping to communicate to your stakeholders that you understand the range of impacts the crisis is having on them and their people.

› Creative content: We have the tools and talent to get your message across in all forms, from high-quality written communication to visual materials including toolkits, presentations, graphics, podcasts and video.

› Social good: We can demonstrate how your organisation is making a positive impact on others who are affected, through carefully framed messaging.

03 HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

ABOUT SOCIALWe specialise in effective communications. As an integrated agency, we have the full set of skills in-house to help you tell your story and get out your most important messages quickly, using the best channels for your audiences.

We pride ourselves on speaking fluent human – cutting through jargon and assumptions to craft clear, compelling messages.

At a time when practically all communications could be considered “crisis comms”, we have set up a dedicated team to help you define what you want to say, give strategic advice and extra capacity. The support we provide is informed by our lengthy experience working across the public and private sectors.

04 ABOUT SOCIAL

We have one corporate value at Social. It is our commitment to our staff that they work for a company that fully appreciates that we are all different, and we all have lives and pressures outside of work. Things often happen beyond their control and if it does, we’ve got their back.

The Life.Happens commitment to clients is that they have chosen to work with an exceptional, talented, motivated and bright team. That team knows that if our clients need us out-of-hours or in extraordinary circumstances because of their Life.Happens movements, we will be there.

05 HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREWe are inspired by the determination and resilience of countless business owners who are fighting to protect the livelihoods of their employees and colleagues. Our team is here to help you navigate these unchartered waters.

Effective communications from the organisations and businesses at the heart of our communities will build confidence and help people to see a way through this crisis. Our “Life Happens” commitment to our staff and clients that we have their backs underpins all our work – and it’s never been more valuable than it is now.

CONTACT US TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP YOU.

John Quinton-BarberJQB@social.co.uk07769 344 956

06 HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

07 MEET THE TEAM

MEET THE TEAMWe are very proud of our team of seasoned professionals from journalism, PR and corporate communications, national and local government. We have a proven track record in housing, the built environment, infrastructure, social care, education and transport.

Rob has over 20 years’ experience of public policy leadership and senior stakeholder engagement, working with Whitehall, Westminster and key decision-makers nationally and internationally. He was previously a British High Commissioner and Deputy UK Information Commissioner.

Rob was involved in government crisis communications and responses to multiple domestic and international crises, leading crisis communications teams in Whitehall and overseas. Rob was part of the core team involved in the evacuation of UK nationals from Libya in August 2014 as High Commissioner and Crisis Leader in Malta.

ROB LUKE GROUP DIRECTOR

John has delivered high-level PR strategies for central government, major retailers, private developers and housing associations. Previously, John was Head of External Affairs for Places for People, a not-for-profit provider of social housing and regeneration solutions.

John has extensive crisis communications management and corporate governance experience, working on high-profile events including the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. He was an integral part of the team working with the Catholic Church around the Norman Report, an inquiry into child sex abuse.

John is currently active in the wider business community in its response to the coronavirus outbreak, supporting businesses with internal and external advice and support online and through webinars.

JOHN QUINTON-BARBERFOUNDER AND CEO

08 MEET THE TEAM

Amy has more than 10 years’ experience in consultation, engagement and PR within infrastructure, housing, energy, transport, environment and education across the private and public sectors. An expert in changing how the public and key stakeholders perceive developments, she has developed and implemented PR and engagement strategies though all stages – from public launch, through planning, construction to operation.

Prior to joining Social, Amy managed communications on major change projects at the University of Bristol and all PR and engagement activity for English infrastructure projects for RWE Innogy UK.

AMY BODEYDIRECTOR OF MAJOR PROJECTS

As an experienced team leader and former journalist Ben has worked for agencies and in-house. He can get to grips with complex issues quickly and put processes in place to ensure the provision of clear, consistent and timely communications.

He previously worked for the Homes and Communities Agency, managing communication around some of the most challenging developments in the south of England. He has extensive experience running press offices in the housing, development and higher education sectors and has managed change communications for organisations during mergers and restructures.

BEN LOWNDES DIRECTOR SOUTH WEST

09 MEET THE TEAM

A seasoned communications strategist, Pete has a track-record of developing and delivering effective communications campaigns for public and private sector clients. His experience includes significant infrastructure schemes, reaching audiences including central government, business, media and local communities.

Pete managed crisis communications responses for the housing sector and local authorities, including a gas explosion in Salford. He has extensive experience of working on politically charged projects and can provide senior counsel on sensitive issues, multi-media campaigns and stakeholder and political engagement.

PETE WRATHMELLMANAGING DIRECTOR, LEEDS

Diana is a former regional and national journalist and has provided media crisis training for the C-suite for over a decade across the UK and in Europe. She holds awards for crisis and issues management from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and has provided strategic messaging in crisis situations, advised on statements and tactical deployment.

During a 20-year PR career, Diana has supported housing associations including Knowsley Housing Trust and Trafford Housing Trust alongside global technology specialist Brother with crisis support across Europe, provided counsel to homecare specialist Home Instead Senior Care and provided issues management to United Utilities.

DIANA MACCARTHY DIRECTOR, MANCHESTER

10 MEET THE TEAM

Julian has a wealth of knowledge and involvement in crisis communications management for energy, renewables, infrastructure, utilities, construction clients and local authorities.

His experience includes running a 24-hour hotline for customers, managing the fallout of business failures and sensitively managing media coverage related to the deaths of an employee for a logistics company and for a resident in student accommodation. Julian has also managed consultation and stakeholder engagement, press-offices functions and social media channels.

JULIAN PEARCE ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

A former journalist with 18 years’ PR experience, Becki led crisis support and media relations rapid response for City West Housing Trust following a gas explosion in Irlam, Salford. The robust response was held up as best practice in a crisis by the National Federation of Housing and won a gold CIPR Crisis Communications Award.

Becki managed communications for a social housing provider after it was downgraded by the housing regulator. She has extensive experience in dealing with reactive press enquiries from managing the press office for several housing associations and large developers including Keepmoat and St. Modwen.

BECKI ORD HEAD OF PR MANCHESTER

11 MEET THE TEAM

A practised communications professional, Mark has his finger on the pulse of the national media agenda. He reacts quickly to the changing landscape by offering sound advice and creating engaging content for clients through intelligent comment and opinion pieces and quality press releases on a wide range of subjects.

Mark has previously worked for Marketing Manchester in a strategic communications press office role and crisis communications role for New Economy Manchester (now integrated within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority).

MARK COLEMAN, SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Tim is an experienced and adept PR practitioner who has worked as a press officer, production assistant and broadcast journalist. Over the past five years, Tim has frequently supported housing associations and built environment clients to deliver robust external communications around fire safety, contentious regeneration proposals, high-profile legal proceedings and other serious reputational issues.

Tim is experienced in managing diverse complaints and enquiries over social media and has been seconded to work within clients’ offices during major crises.

TIM NIBLOCK SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

12 MEET THE TEAM

Having covered the ups and downs of Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Middlesbrough as a football correspondent with the Daily Telegraph for ten years, Rob covered multiple crises.

Before joining Social earlier this year, Rob worked at the Alzheimer’s Society, spearheadeding fundraising and community engagement campaigns for eight years. At the forefront of the London-based central team that faced a range of challenging crisis communications situations, Rob provided key media support and also led broadcast training sessions for senior staff to prepare for challenging media interviews.

ROB STEWART ACCOUNT MANAGER

Freddie is experienced in devising and implementing communications programmes for public and private sector clients. He distils complex and controversial information into effective, influential communications. His experience working in economic development for a local authority has given him insight into public sector mechanisms and understanding of complex regeneration projects.

Freddie previously worked at a strategic consultancy specialising in campaigning, advocacy and engagement across the built environment sector. This included managing strategic communications for developers and stakeholders, including crisis communications.

FREDDIE PALMER ACCOUNT MANAGER

13 MEET THE TEAM

Bristol | Leeds | Manchesterwww.social.co.uk

CONTACT US TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP YOU.

John Quinton-BarberJQB@social.co.uk07769 344 956