Specialists in business communication, Vista PR plays an important part in the preschool PR landscape. PreschoolNews.net spoke to managing director Jane Pavia-Davis to find out more.
Hi Jane. Tell us how has the nature of ‘traditional’ PR changed over the last few years, with influencers and social media taking centre stage online?
“I have been working in PR for 23 years, so change is very familiar to me. Old lines have shifted and ‘communications’ have changed immeasurably. Everyone working in this industry is on a continual journey of learning, adapting, honing and shaping new frameworks for success. New platforms simply serve up more opportunities to tell our stories and effect change. In many respects social media has made our lives easier.”
How does a modern agency like Vista ensure it is offering brands and consumers a targeted, multi-channel experience?
“Instagram is an exciting platform for parenting brands. We took the reins for Graco back in April, with a clear intention to take this established, US brand to a new, socially active younger parent. We focus heavily on social media, particularly Instagram and use humour and empathy to connect and bring a whole new generation of parents on board. Our engagement level moves between 6-9% – the nursery industry average is 1%!
On the flip side, Peg Perego was a relatively little-known brand in the UK. The business growth strategy is clear to us and we are very careful to respect this and reflect it through our communications. Slowly but surely we have curated a classic, Italian heritage, premium brand appeal on its social platforms, while promoting its independent retailer base to drive customers into store, at every opportunity. Two markedly different brands connecting with parents in a very different way.”
Can you give us an example of how a great, cleverly-presented story can help to drive a brand forward?
“Recently Micro Scooters briefed us to devise a campaign to promote the benefits of its nursery range of products. We researched the physical benefits of scooting for a very young child and identified that physical confidence at a young age can lead to emotional and academic confidence as the child grows. From this base, we developed the resulting ‘Play for Life’ campaign; a content-rich programme which helps parents of preschool children support their child in developing confidence in their physical ability before starting school.
The launch of Micro Scooters’ Play for Life campaign reached over 11.5m people in the UK and positively impacted sales of their nursery range, opening doors to Government departments, new business partnerships and sales opportunities.
What does Vista do to drive engagement and sales that is unique to you?
“Our expertise is in brand building. This is my heritage and the bedrock to all our work. We look at our client’s business and navigate a path that will enable them to stand out. We push hard against vanilla global brand guidelines to find ways to cut through in the UK market. Trust is also crucial for us as a business – our team trusts one another and our clients trust us implicitly to deliver on our promises. “
