Former Allied London PR director Daisy Barnes has set up a new ‘culture marketing’ agency in Manchester called Yolk.
Barnes, who was with Allied for two and a half years, has set up the agency with innovation and real estate specialist Alex Hill.
From its Spinningfields base, the agency is working with clients across the retail, leisure, property and creative sectors and combining editorial, creative and PR.
Barnes said: “PR has for too long been a fleeting function that produces a quick response and a flash in the pan. Our creative and collaborative PR process works especially well for those with physical sites like restaurants and new developments, as well as those with an idea or concept.
“Throughout my time as PR Director at Allied London, I found that what PR agencies struggled with the most was finding good content to communicate with journalists that was actually interesting. That’s where Yolk comes in.
“We create ‘on-brand’ activity that gives people something to talk about. Events and editorial content like retreats, pop-up retail projects, workshops, magazines, recipes, articles and design. All bind to a brand and add page after page to our client’s stories.”
Co-founder Hill added: “Yolk’s USP is that it is born from a learned experience of what both the creative industries and physical sites need to launch – and sustain – their marketing brand identity.
“Press releases are dead and interactive events and experiences have taken their place as the best way to connect with both media and consumer. Our team excel in event curation and editorial content, providing crucial brand touchstones for our clients’ audiences. ”
Yolk’s clients include global tech company Bumble, property developer Watch This Space and Manchester coffee shop Pot Kettle Black.
Yolk also has its own magazine, Yolklore as well as a number of stand-alone projects, including Float, Manchester’s first wellness festival, which will take place on 22nd September.
