31.10.11
Design icon Fitbit brings in Kaizo for UK Launch

Fitbit, the iconic US brand behind the American ‘must have’ fitness and wellbeing range, has chosen Kaizo to spearhead its launch in the UK.

The brand has already taken the US by storm with it range of fitness trackers which sync to personal web pages that monitor, manage and motivate those looking to get fitter and healthier. The brand was recently listed as one of the top 30 iconic design leaders in the US by Fast Company magazine, adding to a list that includes Apple, Nike and Starbucks.

Gareth Jones, VP and European General Manager for Fitbit, said:

“Fitbit’s range is designed for today’s social generation, from twentysomethings to mums to empty nesters, we provide 24/7 support, motivation and in depth information that really works. Kaizo’s role will be to establish us as the brand of choice across these segments.”

“Our strategy will focus a great deal on word of mouth and recommendations that drive sales, an area we feel Kaizo really excels in. We were also impressed by their combined track record in the consumer electronics and the fitness and wellbeing markets.”

Fitbit’s personal online pages include a range of social feature to help motivate on the go and with friends including a mobile app, social messaging, and achievement badges fully synced with all social media platforms.

Rhodri Harries, MD of Kaizo, said;

“This is a new way for people to help monitor and maintain fitness and wellbeing, one which is very much in tune with today’s consumer. This is a brand that has the capacity to change attitudes to fitness– how we exercise, eat, and also rest.  Expect to see it, experience it and share it soon!”

Fitbit will be available in January from major etailers and retailers. The appointment follows a comprehensive UK pitch process.

The account will be led by Harries and Account Director Kate Howe, ex Head of Communications at the Fitness Industry Association. Kaizo’s experience includes Flip Video, Panasonic, Grid -10 and House of Marley on the consumer technology space and Flora/ Becel and Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, in the health and wellbeing sector.

06.10.11
Kaizo Sponsors Tom Olsen Lecture

Kaizo is delighted to sponsor the Tom Olsen Lecture, for the fourth year in a row.

The lecture is held annually in memory of Tom Olsen, a former Sunday Telegraph journalist, with the aim of focusing on the themes of freedom and responsibility.

This year it features Bob Satchwell, Director of The Society of Editors.  The title of the lecture will be "Hacked off with the Media - an unholy alliance of Press, Police and Politicians?"

The event takes place tonight at 6.30 at St Bride's Church off Fleet Street.

05.09.11
Kaizo captures COTTON USA account in the UK

Kaizo has been reappointed by Cotton Council International (CCI), following a competitive pitch, to conduct the strategic development, management and execution of public relations activities, trade and consumer promotional activities and trade media buying for the UK.

CCI utilises PR, advertising and promotional activities to communicate the positive attributes of U.S. cotton and cotton products to consumers, retailers and the textile trade, while also promoting the COTTON USA Mark as a sign of quality. For further information http://www.cottonusa.co.uk/.

Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, CCI Marketing Manager, said:
“COTTON USA is an internationally licensed trademark for premium U.S. cotton-rich products. It inspires trust and embodies quality in all items made using U.S. grown cotton. Kaizo will be tasked with both promoting the Mark and helping us attract more UK retailers such as existing licensees Marks and Spencer and Christy Towels.”

Rhodri Harries, Managing Director of Kaizo said:
“Our strategy focuses on creatively highlighting moments where only the best and highest quality will do when it comes to home and fashion. Multi-layered, multi-media and integrating media, digital and experiential, our aim is to bring the cotton story to life for potential licensees as well as the target consumer demographics, including women 25 to 45.”

11.08.11
GetTaxi Hires Kaizo For UK Launch

Kaizo has been appointed by GetTaxi, following a competitive pitch. The agency launched the service to businesses in July and will oversee a consumer campaign later this year.

GetTaxi is GPS based taxi ordering and dispatch service today enabling businesses to order London Black Taxis online, through a personalised company web portal and via a mobile app at a fraction of the cost of the traditional taxi account charges. The service is signing up an average of 300 drivers per week, and is on track to exceed its target of 2000 drivers by the end of the year, offering a footprint of taxis in central London every bit as a widespread as the traditional taxi services.

For further information visit www.gettaxi.com

27.07.11
Successful MBO Marks New Opportunities

Delighted to announce that as of yesterday we are now wholly owned by our existing management team following a successful MBO.

Whilst we remain the same business in the same premises with the same teams, our new independence highlights key attributes we feel bring a fresh perspective to communications’ challenges targeting consumers and businesses.

We’re impartial, whether advising on media choice or brand direction; self-sufficient, so no sub teams and silos to add complexity and cost; free thinkers, so great ideas flow and are encouraged; and now importantly self-governing so we’re able to offer a flexible approach to your PR and earned media budgets.

We thank all our clients, including Truvia®, Flora/ Becel, Cisco, CA Technologies, Unilever,mxData, Johnson and Johnson, Serco, and Elsevier, for their continued support and look forward to a successful future together.

02.06.11
Kaizo Wins Best Consumer Relations Award

Kaizo picked up the coveted Best Consumer Relations award at last nights CIPR awards for its work with Flip Video.

The Sharing Hearts Minds and Moments campaign won over the judges with its integrated approach and undoubted focus on business success in terms of sales.

Certificates were also picked up for shortlisted campaigns in the Best Social Media, Best Broadcast and Best Media Relations categories.

For more details on these campaigns email rhodri.harries@kaizo.net.

26.05.11
BlablaCar brings in Kaizo to launch in the UK

Kaizo has been hired by French company Comuto to launch its carpooling service BlablaCar in the UK following a competitive pitch process.

The service, known as Covoiturage.fr in France, has been a phenomenal success amongst drivers and passengers alike who are frustrated at disruptions to air and rail transport and hard hit by increasing petrol prices and rising public transport costs. The site, founded in 2006, now has over one million drivers and passengers and is growing by over 50,000 users every month.

For drivers, BlablaCar offers the opportunity to reduce the cost of travel on journeys they would make in any case, whilst for passengers this offers an extremely cost effective alternative to any other form of transport on their chosen route. Drivers post details of their trip and a suggested price (typically a proportionate contribution). Potential passengers searching for a specific trip then choose whether or not this fits with what they want to pay.

BlablaCar, like its French counterpart, will have the feel of a combination of a travel site and a community site, with drivers and passengers posting details about themselves and rating each other on a range of criteria, from performance and reliability to how chatty they are. In fact, the name BlablaCar comes from this as on the French site a driver rates how talkative he or she as bla (not very chatty), blabla (likes a natter) and blablabla (won’t shut up). The community aspect ensures transparency, safety and that the market effectively and efficiently sets the price.

Nicolas Brusson, Co-founder of BlablaCar said:

“We are looking to replicate the success we have had in France here in the UK as rising petrol costs, issues and prices associated with peak time public transport, as well as environmental concerns are very similar. BlablaCar is revolutionising carpooling from the preserve of students and those concerned with the environment to a mainstream answer to rising costs and tighter purse strings.”

Rhodri Harries Managing Director of Kaizo said:

“This is a massively exciting challenge to reproduce the phenomenal word of mouth that has taken place in France around this brand. Our programme will build as we attract drivers to posts their trips, initially focusing on a few key routes such London to Manchester.”

By way of example of the popularity of the service, posted trips from Paris to London have risen by between 100 and 200 per cent in the last year.

Additionally BlablaCar offers a service for events, festival and concert organisers called the Agenda, which provides branded carpooling pages for each event. This service is also due to be launched in early June.

05.05.11
mxData hires Kaizo

mxData, pioneer in the delivery of live information to mobile devices, has appointed Kaizo to support and build market share amongst consumers for its range of services.

mxData delivers live information to a wide range of mobile, web and sat-nav devices through any operator onto any platform. Its highly successful range of apps include Tube Map, helping London’s travellers plan and navigate their journey underground and the award winning Traffic TV, providing drivers with live traffic data information from across the UK.

Rhodri Harries, managing director, Kaizo, said: “mxData has some amazing technology and fantastic apps which meet the demand for real-time information delivery to any device, whatever the location. We’ve come up with a really exciting series of consumer engagement strategies that will get people talking about the brand, both on and offline.”

David James, CEO, mxData, said: “Kaizo came to us with a fresh approach and showed outstanding social media counsel as well as true enthusiasm for our brand. We’re at a point where PR has the potential to impact the business significantly so we’re really looking forward to getting started.”

Activity kicks off this month with a campaign focusing on London commuters, which will integrate everyday conversations, issues hijacking, humour and sex... through guerilla, social media and traditional media relations.

07.01.11
New Year, New Roles

With 2011 in full swing, or that’s how it feels, and with the Ashes victory cheering us all, here’s some more good news, Kaizo is hiring at Account Director and Junior Account Executive levels.

With some huge new programmes, campaigns and assignments for blue chip brands coming up this year, we are looking for the right candidates to help us with these and more.

The Account Director will need to have proven big consumer brand experience across FMCG and consumer technology and be used to operating at a senior level but also hands on enough to deliver at the coalface. As with all Kaizo consultants you will need to have a genuine interest and understanding of how to shift attitudes and behaviour, and how social media can play a key part in this.


At the Junior Account Executive level we are looking for candidates who demonstrate a real drive for a career in PR, an ability to learn quickly, and a rigour for detail to go with an inquisitive nature and boldness for great ideas.

To apply, please send your CV with covering email to Rhodri Harries at rhodri.harries@kaizo.net

Finally, a big Happy New Year from all of us here at Kaizo.

12.11.10
Kaizo co-sponsoring Newspepper relaunch

Kaizo alongside client Flip Video is delighted to be sponsoring the Newspepper relaunch event, taking place on 22 November 2010 on the HMS President in London.

Newspepper makes video for the internet, from event coverage, corporate videos and virals to live streaming, video PR and promotional videos plus lots more. Its unique model of training student and graduate film makers ensures its team gets paid on-the-job experience and clients receive high quality, low cost media services.

Newspepper was set up by entrepreneur Hermione Way whilst studying for a journalism degree at London Metropolitan.  Hermione also presents the hugely popular Techfluff.TV, a Newspepper production, which is a weekly web-tech show that covers the hottest entrepreneurs, start-ups, events and news on the European tech scene.