PR and content agency Press Box PR has expanded to the North with the opening of its first hub outside of London, at Work.Life in Manchester city centre.
The Manchester opening coincides with with the launch of a new retail and hospitality division following significant growth and client wins.
Combining over 45 years of collective experience, consultants in the Press Box retail and hospitality team bring a strong track record having worked with major brands such as Mars Wrigley, Tilda, Pizza Hut Restaurants, Chicago Town Pizza, Tesco and Co-op Retail.
Manchester-based B2B account director Maya Powell has been hired to support the growth and development of the Retail and Hospitality division, bringing her expertise in B2B communications following roles at THG, Marketing Manchester and Co-op. Senior consultant Francesca Gaffey, who is also Manchester-based, will work alongside Maya, as will Lauren Peters, who has been appointed as head of retail and hospitality. Lauren has worked on some of the UK’s best-loved FMCG brands during her time at award-winning agencies Speed Communications and Wild Card.
Press Box said that the new Manchester team will aim to support the sustainability of the high street and the hospitality sector, and position brands as trusted trade partners. It offers a full suite of B2B communications including strategic media relations, creative content creation, reputation management, social media engagement, live activations, influencer outreach and more.
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Founded by former Ladbrokes comms lead Alex Donohue, earned-first digital PR agency Press Box celebrated its fifth birthday this year by hitting £4m in annual revenue with a team of 45 and growing headquartered in Barbican, London.
Uniquely, two-thirds of Press Box PR’s staff are former sports, lifestyle, news, entertainment and business journalists, which the agency says offers a compelling advantage to brands who value quality, human-led content, creativity and relationships in a world of increasing AI automation.
Alex Donohue, founder of Press Box PR said: “This is an exciting new chapter for us and we’re passionate about preserving the value of a real human touch in PR, ensuring authentic storytelling and insight, even as AI plays a role in the industry. We’re open to partnering with forward-thinking retail and hospitality brands that want to grow their presence and are ready to make an impact.”
Manchester-based Powell added: “I am thrilled to join the Press Box PR team at its Manchester office at such a pivotal time for the retail and hospitality sectors. The landscape is evolving rapidly and there’s a real opportunity for brands to stand out by telling their stories in smarter, more engaging ways. I’m looking forward to using my sector experience to help our clients navigate this change, seize new opportunities, and build lasting connections with their audiences.”
Press Box PR’s client list spans ecommerce, entertainment, sport and more, and includes business such as Coffee Friend, Betfair, The Government of Western Australia and more.
