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Latest news from Packer Forbes
We're moving
Packer Forbes has outgrown its offices in Clapham and is moving at the end of July to Chelsea Harbour in west London (yes, north of the river!)
We are moving on Friday 30th July and the office will be closed that day – we re-open for business as normal on Monday 2nd August.
Our new contact details are as follows:
1.09 Harbour Yard
Chelsea Harbour
London SW10 0XD
Tel: +44 (0)20 7036 8550
Fax: +44 (0)20 7036 8569
Look forward to welcoming you to our new offices!
Packer Forbes Raises £110 for Comic Relief
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The team at Packer Forbes did something ‘funny for money’ by asking clients to guess who’s who from staff baby photos. Baby photos on the walls of the Packer Forbes office are the cause of much amusement to visitors so we decided to send our clients a little challenge to guess who’s who. With every correct baby photo matched we donated £1 to the Comic Relief and the Red Nose Day appeal, which overall totalled £110. We had enthusiastic feedback from our clients who loved the game and thought it was a novel idea. We are currently thinking up our next charity fundraiser that will raise a smile with our clients. |
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Packer Forbes calls in former GSK boss
Packer Forbes has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of a former GlaxoSmith Kline PR director.
Anna Gibbins joined the agency this week as deputy MD, reporting to MD and founder Alexa Forbes. Gibbins replaces Pam Bourne,who has left the agency after more than three years to return to her native New Zealand.
Gibbins joins Packer Forbes after a period spent freelancing. She will work alongside Forbes providing strategic support to the agency's account teams and will also be involved in generating new business at the agency. 'I worked agency-side when I started in PR,' said Gibbins. 'I have worked with Alexa before and this provided a great opportunity to get back into the agency world.'
Gibbins spent more than two years in the global research and development comms team at GSK as a PRdirector for its respiratory franchise, having joined in 2005.
Her key responsibilities included launching an allergic rhinitis medication, following roles in-house at several drug companies.
Before joining GSK, Gibbins also worked at rival pharma firm Pfizer as product PR manager for its neurosciences business.
She also took on the PRresponsibility for its cardiovascular business, where she worked on the company's largest brand, cholesterol lowering drug Lipitor.
Since 2008 she has been working as a freelance consultant. During that time she has undertaken an employee engagement programme for the speciality sales team at drug firm AstraZeneca.
Packer Forbes launched a partnership with consumer agency GolinHarris last year (PRWeek, 20 March 2008).
The deal allowed 50-strong GolinHarris to develop a consumer health portfolio by using Packer Forbes' expertise.
As part of the alliance, Packer Forbes will handle the UK and European elements of GolinHarris' ethical global healthcare programmes. Packer Forbes will also work with GolinHarris on consumer health campaigns.
http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/article/888300/packer-forbes-bolsters-team
Packer Forbes scoops CIPR Excellence Award
Packer Forbes is celebrating winning a prestigious CIPR award on behalf of its client, Actelion Pharmaceuticals. The agency won the inaugural Best Event category for its innovative ‘Mastermind’ themed symposium which took place at the British Society for Rheumatology in May 2007.
The CIPR Excellence Awards recognise and reward best practice in public relations throughout the UK across different practices and acknowledge personal and team achievement at the highest professional level.
The judging procedures for the awards were rigorous and Packer Forbes is delighted to have been selected as the winner from a record number of entries.
The judges’ verdict stated that “the event was well thought through, had clear objectives and strong measurement.”
Samantha Bremner, Senior Brand Manager, Actelion Pharmaceuticals UK & Ireland Ltd is equally delighted: ‘We are thrilled that this event has been selected as a winner by the CIPR. Symposia are a significant investment for pharmaceutical companies and we were thrilled by the innovative approach taken by Packer Forbes on a challenging brief. The symposium was a great success; it exceeded all expectations in terms of the quality of the education, the attendance and the impact on our target customers.’
Packer Forbes holds a hand for Eczema
To help mark National Eczema Week 2008, Packer Forbes teamed up with the National Eczema Society on behalf of their client Pierre Fabre Dermatologie. The team were tasked to encourage the local residents of Harpenden to “hold a hand for eczema” and support the work on the National Eczema Society during their awareness week. Margaret Cox, chief executive of the National Eczema Society and Harpenden town mayor, Councillor Mrs Pat Kent were amongst the team who took to the streets to encourage local residents to pledge support for the campaign by making a donation and placing their hand print on a large canvas. The event raised over £350 for the charity and the finished canvas is now on display at the Pierre Fabre UK Head office.
10 June 2008 – Double accolade for Packer Forbes
Packer Forbes has been short-listed for two major awards that reward the best PR programmes in the UK. The PAH & Scleroderma Mastermind Symposium has been nominated for a Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence Award and selected as a Communiqué Award finalist.
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence Awards profile the best of the UK’s public relations profession. This year the judges scrutinised 853 entries across 28 award categories to nominate the finalists. The award winners will be announced on 15 September at the CIPR Diamond Dinner.
The Communiqué Awards are the highest accolade given to healthcare communications campaigns and activities and a highlight in the industry calendar. The PAH & Scleroderma Mastermind Symposium has been nominated for the ‘Best Use of Meetings and Congresses’. Results will be announced at the award ceremony taking place at The Grosvenor House Hotel on 10 July.
Packer Forbes is delighted that this successful event has been recognised by leading PR professionals in the healthcare communications industry. This innovative satellite symposium was sponsored by Actelion UK at the British Society for Rheumatology Annual Meeting last year. Click here to learn more about the PAH & Scleroderma Mastermind Symposium.
7 May 2008 – Team effort in Race for Life
Packer Forbes runners Alexa Forbes, Helen Bridges and Sara Oxley were joined by their client Elaine Small from GSK (Oncology franchise) to run the annual 5k Race for Life for Cancer Research UK in Battersea Park, London. Alexa and Sara completed the run just under 30 mins, closely followed by Helen and Elaine.
Step-by-step post-race analysis took place in a local pub nearby where it was jointly decided to try and enter another event soon involving a wider group from both Packer Forbes and GSK. Race for Life is Cancer Research UK’s flagship event that has grown to become the UK’s largest women-only fundraising event.
14th March 2008 – Two award winning PR agencies collaborate to provide outstanding healthcare communications offering
28 October 2007 – Packer Forbes team race for Cancer Research UK
Packer Forbes braved the cold, wind and rain to run in the annual Cancer Research UK 10k race at the Eton College rowing lake in Dorney, Berkshire. Leading the charge Alexa Forbes MD completed the course in under 50 minutes, followed in hot pursuit by Berit Sund and Jennie Conway. Packer Forbes has a regular running club; this is the first time they have entered a race together.