E400k annual budget to cover lead agency campaign planning and local market implementation
LONDON – November 12, 2009
Bite Communications has been appointed by Harman Consumer International to centrally manage and deliver PR programmes across Europe for three of its most sought after high-end consumer electronics brands. The remit currently covers JBL (speakers and multimedia systems), AKG (headphones) and Harman Kardon (high-end home entertainment and theatre systems).
Acting as a central content creation and management hub, Bite will also implement campaigns in the UK and Sweden, whilst working with partner agencies to promote the Harman International brands in France, the German speaking countries and Benelux regions.
Bite beat Edelman, Cake and two other agencies to win the business and was chosen for its consumer technology, digital and international experience.
Bite’s brief will see it work with European PR Manager Ashley Douglas to formulate and implement a mix of creative brand and product-led campaigns, and manage the agency network. The first initiative will be for Bite to focus on driving media relations activity to increase lifestyle coverage of the JBL, AKG and Harman Kardon brands, whilst also supporting the important Christmas gift-giving season.
Commenting on the appointment, Ashley Douglas, European PR Manager, said: “It’s an exciting time for Harman Consumer International right now, with many changes afoot marking a new era for our brands. The appointment of Bite signifies yet another leap forward in our marketing and PR. With Bite’s help, we’re moving way beyond product PR and will execute integrated, creative campaigns which reposition our product portfolio at the heart of the music and lifestyle experience. Furthermore, we’ll be doing this consistently across our key European territories. As a combined in-house and agency team, we’re really excited about what the future holds.”
Harman Consumer International has built its reputation on being a leader in innovation and technological breakthroughs. The company has positioned itself as a market leader in infotainment systems, branded car audio, professional audio and entertainment products. A key challenge for Bite will be to identify how Harman Consumer International’s professional messaging can be tailored and communicated to drive awareness of the JBL, AKG and Harman Kardon brands.
Kath Pooley, Managing Director, EMEA at Bite Communications said: “We are thrilled to have been appointed by Harman Consumer International to handle its European PR for the JBL, AKG and Harman Kardon brands. Each of the brands are category leaders in their own right and have a unique story to be told. The opportunity to drive awareness of the Harman story across Europe plays perfectly to our consumer technology heritage and international proposition. We also see a great opportunity for Harman to use a range of social media and digital PR tools to drive product awareness, tap into new audiences and create a consistent buzz around the products in the key European markets.”
About Bite Communications
Bite Communications, a subsidiary of the Next Fifteen Communications Group, is a 180-strong communications consultancy with offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney and Toronto. With a mission to deliver fearless and boundless communications campaigns to its range of B2B and B2C clients, Bite has built its business on developing creative, results orientated campaigns for market-leading blue chip as well as fast growing emerging start-up brands. Its client list includes 4Music, Microsoft, AMD, Sony, Getty Images and BT.
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