Beleaguered Purplebricks signs up a new PR agency to ‘make agency famous’
Despite recent setbacks, its head of PR says new agency Taylor Herring will help the agency retell its story to the public.
Purplebricks has hired new spin doctors to handle its public PR, deliver a ‘raft of projects’ and drive ‘fame and awareness of the brand’.
The hybrid estate agency has been claiming for some time now that 97% of the public recognise its brand, so its new agency Taylor Herring, whose clients include Pimms, won’t have too much of a mountain to climb there although – as Purplebricks as admitted in the past – converting this awareness into instructions can be trickier.
Zoe Melarkey (pictured), head of communications at Purplebricks, said: “Taylor Herring showed a great understanding of our business and the challenges we face, with a fresh, creative and strategic approach to telling our brand story. We’re delighted to be working with them.”
Sam Corry, associate director at Taylor Herring, added: “Purplebricks is the fastest-growing estate agent in the market, and we will be supporting the brand’s growth with consumer comms campaigns designed to drive advocacy and bottom-line results.”
Purplebricks also has a separate PR firm handling its day-to-day public relations activity on a national and regional level, which it has worked with since 2019.
It has been hard at work trying to offset the reputational damage of several self-inflicted blunders recently including its mishandling of deposit protection for several hundred client landlords, and a rocky appointment process for its new CEO Helena Marston, and more recently both an attempt by ‘activist investors’ to oust its chairman Paul Pindar and its decision to raise its fees across the board.
Another great move by Purplebricks, Taylor Herring also have the Beano as a client, quite apt if you think about it – Taylor Herring’s great coup – writing to Jacob Rees-Mogg asking him not to impersonate Walter Brown one of the cartoon characters. I wonder what pranks they have up their sleeve for Purplebricks – maybe a cake in the face … wait a minute … with the share price at 15p and a hostile bid looming …
Maybe a new owner of Purplebricks will cut this folly and focus on selling houses. And just because a brand has recognition does not mean it will thrive. Think Woolworths, etc.
Another great move by Purplebricks, Taylor Herring also have the Beano as a client, quite apt if you think about it – Taylor Herring’s great coup – writing to Jacob Rees-Mogg asking him not to impersonate Walter Brown one of the cartoon characters. I wonder what pranks they have up their sleeve for Purplebricks – maybe a cake in the face … wait a minute … with the share price at 15p and a hostile bid looming …
Maybe a new owner of Purplebricks will cut this folly and focus on selling houses. And just because a brand has recognition does not mean it will thrive. Think Woolworths, etc.
Is there no end to the poor decision making at Purplebricks?
If they imagine PR and “brand awareness” are the solution to their current woes, they deserve the fate that awaits.
PR is simply putting a positive spin on poor performance – that’s not going to help, it will only make matters worse.
If they need their “brand story” told, why not retain a firm that can actually do that – not some spin doctor that believes their client is “the fastest growing estate agent in the market. ”
Fifty Shades of Dim.