News

EXCITING NEW BEGINNINGS

After six years of a great partnership with London-based creative and marketing agency GT&I, due a change in her personal circumstances and to enjoy greater flexibility, Julie Giraud is taking Lafontaine PR in another direction and will operate as a freelance PR consultant.

GT&I and Julie wish one another every success for the future.

LAFONTAINE PR TO SUPPORT THE LAUNCH OF EURONEWS TRAVEL TREND REPORT 2023

In November 2022, Lafontaine PR was appointed to support the launch of the Euronews Travel Trend Report 2023. Euronews created the report in partnership with Expedia, UNWTO, and the European Travel Commission.

Chosen for its excellent contacts with travel media and the travel industry in general, Lafontaine PR was charged to raise awareness in key trade and business publications ahead of the Euronews Travel Trend Report 2023 launch at World Travel Market 2022, in London. Euronews representatives also took part in a panel of experts to further discuss their findings on travel trends and the future of the travel industry.

Working to a very tight timeline, we had to pull out all the stops and do what we are best at. We targeted all the travel trade publications and we  pitched the business angle to business sections and corporate publications as this was independent from WTM and therefore not subject to the same time constraints.

We  invited key trade media to attend the panel on very short notice with the opportunity to interview and discuss the report with one of the authors.

And in a very short period of time, we achieved coverage in The Sun, Daily Star, Sunday Mirror and Sunday Express with a total circulation of almost 3 million.

Lafontaine PR has moved offices and is now based in Fitzrovia, at 66 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QE. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Lafontaine PR appointed as lead agency for Royal Air Maroc

We are pleased to announce that after a competitive pitch, travel PR specialists Lafontaine PR has been appointed as lead managing agency responsible for creating global campaigns for national flag carrier and OneWorld member Royal Air Maroc.

With creative strategy, identity and assets developed by sister agency gt&i, the campaign is a fully integrated communications campaign which includes influencer outreach, public and trade relations and digital advertising, all overseen by Lafontaine PR.

The appointment builds on Lafontaine PR and gt&i’s combined experience in the sector working with clients including Etihad Airways, Emirates, Air France, KLM, Gulf Air, Qatar Executive, Pen-Avia and SAS.

Following a two-year Covid hiatus, this week saw the roll-out of the first of three campaigns that build the Royal Air Maroc brand profile and publicise the extent of its network and the unique access it offers to destinations across Africa and beyond with more than 100 routes from Europe, the US and Middle East. This campaign targets the Visiting Friends & Relatives (VFR) market, the local communities of expats from Western Africa, to boost sales for spring and summer. Integrating social media and digital advertising for maximum flexibility in scheduling, the campaign is being developed around the strong emotive theme of “Re-connect” – re-connecting with friends and family, home food and local cultures and family traditions that we have all missed so much in the last few months.

The campaign, delivered in eight languages, broke earlier this month in 11 markets across channels including OOH, digital display, DM, Social and CRM and will be brought to life via in-flight collateral, refreshed plane livery and on-board coffee cups. Lafontaine PR will also be overseeing local market activation for the UK with a dedicated digital media advertising campaign on UK platforms and more traditional social media influencer outreach. 

The agency has been briefed for two additional campaigns to be rolled out shortly which will be focussed on new destination and family travel.

Lafontaine PR has moved offices and is now based in Fitzrovia, at 66 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QE. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages.

LAFONTAINE PR LAUNCHES #SQUARESMILE CAMPAIGN FOR THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION

Lafontaine PR was appointed by the City of London Corporation at the end of 2021 to help launch its new campaign #SquareSmile to support retail, leisure and hospitality businesses as well as cultural attractions by encouraging people back into the Square Mile for work and play.

The “Square Smile” campaign is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of returning to the City and face-to-face interaction as firms increasingly give their staff more flexibility on where they locate through hybrid working.  It showcases the City’s vibrant offer – ranging from world-class culture, heritage, cuisine, entertainment, retail, architecture and much more. The campaign launched on 13 October 2021 and after a small break in December and January, resumed at the beginning of February and will run until the end of April 2022.

The campaign – which is a result of the final report of the City of London Corporation’s Recovery Taskforce – targets hybrid workers as well as those who have fully returned to their workplace. The campaign seeks to remind them of all the things they missed during the pandemic, including socialising and enjoying the City’s culture and entertainment. Whether it be collaborating with teammates, going for a spontaneous lunch or having the opportunity to go for after work drinks, the City can help to bring people together.

Through an integrated PR and influencer outreach campaign, Lafontaine PR has put together a deliberately modern strategy combining all platforms from traditional print and online news and lifestyle outlets to influencers and podcast makers. Centred around five main themes: drinks, food, lifestyle, business and fitness the campaign builds on the growing momentum behind the return to the Square Mile, with the streets starting to buzz and offices coming back to life. It highlights and reminds workers of the wonderful, quirky and interesting things there are in the City beyond just work. This is vital to support the SMEs and wider ecosystem that help to make the Square Mile such a unique place to work and visit. www.squaresmile.london

Lafontaine PR has moved offices and is now based in Fitzrovia, at 66 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QE. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages

Fresh from the successful launch of the 13th ship of its fleet at the end of 2021, PONANT, the luxury French cruise operator, has re-appointed Lafontaine PR as its agency for the UK and Ireland.

Following a pause for the pandemic, Lafontaine PR originally stepped in to help manage the launch of PONANT’s newest and greenest ship, Le Commandant Charcot, which took place at the end of September 2021 in Le Havre, France. Over the course of a week 11 events, live & virtual, took place on board the ship, and the team welcomed almost 1,500 clients, key opinion formers, journalists and commercial partners. Despite the challenges of Covid, guests came from all over the world. Countries represented included India, China, Japan, UK, US, Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland.

Coverage was widespread and worldwide. In the UK and Ireland it included Euronews, BBC radio, The Telegraph, the Irish Independent and the Sunday Times, as well as the Daily Express, the Daily Mirror, The Daily Record - magazines included Condé Nast Traveller and Ultratravel amongst others.

PONANT officially re-appointed Lafontaine in January 22 to continue working to promote awareness of the French company in the UK and Ireland and truly cement PONANT’s place as a key international player in the luxury cruise and expedition industry. Through integrated marketing activities (including PR, marketing and advertising) targeted to the UK, a series of agent training events and workshops, as well as organising ship visits in the UK, and press trips, the campaign’s goal is to return bookings from the UK to pre-pandemic levels. www.ponant.uk

Lafontaine PR has moved offices and is now based in Fitzrovia, at 66 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QE. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Lafontaine PR and gt&i, stronger together

Travel & Destination PR agency Lafontaine PR and Creative agency gt&i announce merger and first client win, METT Hotels & Beach Resorts. Combined agency services to cover full marketing suite.

Lafontaine PR, specialist in travel and destination PR, has been acquired by gt&i, the full-service creative agency recognised for its delivery of connected client campaigns, from brand creation to advertising, for a wide range of domestic and international clients. Together, they offer to the travel sector a full suite of marketing services from branding, web design and advertising to PR and social media strategy.

The new agency has a client roster ranging from luxury cruise company PONANT, to boutique hotel group ADLER Spa Resort & Lodges, agencies including Savills as well as leisure and property destinations including Tui owned Castelfalfi in Tuscany, 14.21 Firenze, Italy and the exclusive Kilada Country Club, Golf and Residences in Porto Heli, Greece operated by owners of Amanzoe, Dolphin Capital.

Both companies and teams share a similar philosophy and approach, and a strong drive to create outstanding, bespoke campaigns that deliver. Tim Lewis, former founding partner of Four Communications and Business Director at gt&i commented:

“Bringing our two agencies together is absolutely in tune with the focus of the industry in Covid times. Clients are looking for flexible and nimble expert resources, coupled with the simplicity of campaign management from a single team, and the economies that streamlining delivers. Whilst travel is now back on the agenda it is not business as usual - and our offer reflects that.”

Julie Giraud, MD of Lafontaine PR, added:

“By combining forces with gt&i, we are set to define new standards in destination PR and marketing, encompassing all aspects of lifestyle, travel and property. We are now perfectly placed to work with our clients to create ever more original and exciting campaigns. The collective wealth of experience will set Lafontaine PR apart and take us to the next level.”

The newly formed group also announced its first client win, an exciting venture into the hotel business from Dubai-based Sunset Hospitality Group. METT is a refined, elegant and laid-back collection of lifestyle hotels and resorts inspired by Mediterranean living, with social dining and lifestyle entertainment at the heart of the whole experience. The first hotel in the brand new portfolio, METT Hotel & Beach Resort, Bodrum, is scheduled for opening in May 2021.

When the world returns to normal, Lafontaine PR will be joining gt&i in their offices in Fitzrovia, London. gt&i founders, Business Director Tim Lewis and Creative Director Glen Tarr, formerly creative director, Publicis London, will join Lafontaine PR founders Julie Giraud and Pete Bell, on the board of directors.

ABOUT gt&i Limited

gt&i was born in 2016 out of a collaboration between the creative, marketing and PR industries. Its founders, Glen Tarr the former Creative Director of Publicis London and Tim Lewis a Partner of Four plc, were determined to offer the very best for smart business leaders. And that meant, no matter the sector or ambition, treating each client as though their business was our own.  The result is an insight-driven, strategy-first, full-service creative agency, with a track record of delivering result built on connecting strategy to proposition to brand to campaign and beyond.  Its clients range from banks to airlines and from fashion brands to FMCG goods. 

ABOUT Lafontaine Public Relations Ltd.

Founded in April 2017 by PR director Julie Giraud and former Fleet Street journalist Pete Bell, the agency was set up to focus on delivering bespoke, individual campaigns centred around engaging and interesting content – and to put the story first. With current and past clients including luxury cruise line PONANT, small luxury hotel group ADLER, Big Bus Tours, new boutique hotel concept METT, and Bologna Tourism, Lafontaine PR has been dedicated to putting travel, property and lifestyle brands at the centre of everyday conversations for the last three years.

LAFONTAINE PR TO LAUNCH LUXURY CONCEPT HOTEL IN TURKEY - METT Hotel & beach resort, bodrum

Luxury travel and lifestyle PR agency, Lafontaine PR has been appointed to help launch a new luxury concept hotel in Bodrum, Turkey. METT Social Living is Dubai-based hospitality and leisure group Sunset Hospitality’s new concept hotel – where hospitality, social and Mediterranean living are combined to bring people together.

The new 105-key hotel, METT Hotel & Beach Resort Bodrum, is scheduled to open on 1 May 2021. The high-end property sits right opposite the old town of Bodrum, just 38km from the nearest airport. The emphasis is put on outdoor living and is expressed in the bright and minimalist interior design while offering unlimited views of the Aegean Sea and the Greek island of Kos.

Lafontaine PR was brought in to support the launch of the brand and the opening of the first hotel, METT Hotel & Beach Resort Bodrum.

Julie Giraud, Lafontaine PR’s Director says: “This is an exciting project for us and something we are thrilled to work on, a brand-new concept of hotels where outdoor living is at the heart of the guest experience in the pure Mediterranean tradition. Everything about METT is designed to bring families and friends together. Whether at a table to share great food or relaxing in nature in the surrounding protected area, METT guests enjoy each other.”

With METT Social Living, Lafontaine PR strengthens its luxury travel & lifestyle portfolio, confirming the agency’s position in the luxury lifestyle PR market.

Lafontaine PR is based in Fitzrovia at 66 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QE. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages.

About METT Social Living:

METT Social Living is a refined and laid-back collection of boutique hotels and resorts dotted around the coast of cities and islands. Founded in 2020 by Sunset Hospitality, METT puts dining, nightlife and guest experience at the heart of the experience. www.mettsocialliving.com  

SELLING BESPOKE LUXURY RESIDENCES IN THE SEYCHELLES

Lafontaine PR has started working with overseas property client, Royal Palm Residences Seychelles, to help highlight the destination and the unrivalled quality of the spectacular bespoke residences, increase awareness with the target audiences, and generate quality leads and sales interest.

The PR campaign aims to achieve coverage in key media across property and destination, including pan-regional titles to reach the high net worth target audiences without incurring the costs of indigenous PR campaigns. This was attained through Lafontaine PR’s extensive media contacts across UK and international titles and online platforms.

Coverage to date has included The National UAE (online and print), The Telegraph, Country Living and Abode2 with a lot more expected in publications covering architecture, property and destination.

There are two residences available for sale in the collection, each designed as a stand-alone signature property, redefining luxury in contrasting architectural styles. Royal Palm Residences were developed by the Royal Palm Development Company Ltd, a 100% Seychellois company with partners specialising in construction, finance and architecture. The company specialises in creating high-end residences of impeccable quality.

For more information, visit royalpalmseychelles.com

Lafontaine PR is based in Shoreditch, at Unit 6, 37 – 42 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3PG. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages.

LAFONTAINE PR TO RUN BIG BUS TOURS’ CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN

After a successful first collaboration last year, Big Bus Tours has asked Lafontaine PR to work on their corporate communications campaign.

Lafontaine PR is to deliver a four-month focus Corporate PR campaign to increase Big Bus Tours’ presence in the UK and international business media as the company wants to increase opportunities for exposure to highlight that they are a global player, a leader in the industry, and a great recruiter.

The communications campaign is to focus on CEO/C Suite profiles and interviews, finance reports, business comments, bylines and opinion pieces.

Julie Giraud, Lafontaine PR’s Director says: “We are very pleased to be working with Big Bus Tours again. It is a succesful company, a leader in their industry, with ambitious growth plan and a strong focus for technology and digital innovation. With a presence in 23 cities and a growing market share, it is a truly exciting time to be talking about Big Bus Tours.”

Lafontaine PR is based in Shoreditch, at Unit 6, 37 – 42 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3PG. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages.

ADLER Spa Resorts & Lodges appoints Lafontaine PR

After a competitive pitch, ADLER Spa Resorts & Lodges, the luxury hotel group with properties in the Italian regions of South Tyrol and Tuscany, has appointed Lafontaine PR to represent it in the UK.

The 200-year-old family-owned group has four hotels, with a fifth one scheduled to open this summer. The headquarters are in the village of Ortisei in the heart of the Dolomites.

Lafontaine PR has been tasked with the generation of interest in the properties and the growth of brand awareness. The launch of the new hotel lodge will be a key part of this year’s campaign. Lafontaine PR will also promote the destinations and the lifestyle that is integral to the ethos of ADLER Spa Resorts & Lodges.

With a strong focus on wellness, wellbeing, nature and the great outdoors, and with outstanding food and drink offerings, the five properties are all set in beautiful locations. Guests are welcomed like old friends with a mixture of comfortable familiarity and five-star service. ADLER Spa Resorts & Lodges have their own spa, each offering dozens of tailor-made treatments and using their newly launched ADLER SPA cosmetics line.

Each ADLER hotel was created to be an integral part of its environment. Construction materials were sourced locally, and the talented staff come from the surrounding areas. Regional food and drink is showcased and the company aims to leave as little an impact as it can on nature.

Julie Giraud, Lafontaine PR’s Director says: “We are very pleased to be working with ADLER Spa Resorts & Lodges. The properties are stunning, set in incredible surroundings with lovely staff and a very friendly atmosphere. We can’t wait to start spreading the word about these beautiful hotels and lodges and we hope that this is the start of a long and fruitful collaboration.”

With ADLER Spa Resorts & Lodges, Lafontaine PR strengthens its luxury travel & lifestyle portfolio, confirming the agency’s position in the luxury lifestyle PR market.

Lafontaine PR is based in Shoreditch, at Unit 6, 37 – 42 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3PG. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM EVERYONE AT LAFONTAINE PR!

As another year ends, we look towards a bright new year, full of opportunities. We have achieved a lot in the last 18 months – thanks to all of you. We have exciting projects and news coming in 2019 that we can’t wait to share with you soon.

So here to us! And here to you!

The team at Lafontaine PR wishes you all the best for 2019, be the new year be filled with joy, a good health, love and plenty of new business opportunities and challenges.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALL!

SUPPORTING BIG BUS TOURS AT WORLD TRAVEL MARKET 2018

Lafontaine PR was appointed by Big Bus Tours in October 2018 to generate trade and business coverage before and during World Travel Market 2018 in London.

Charged with achieving coverage in key trade and business publications, increase awareness of Big Bus Tours’ most recent achievements and successes among trade and travel partners, and with only six weeks to go before the start of the shows, we had to pull out all the stops and do what we are best at.

Not only did we target all the travel trade publications, building upon our trusted contacts, we also pitched the business angle to business sections and corporate publications as these stories are independent from WTM and therefore not subjected to the same time constraints.

We pitched key messages, commentary and interview opportunities with key trade and consumer outlets. We advised on the press pack creation to get the most media impact – for example brainstormed PR stunts for a major photo opportunity during the show.

And in a very short period of time, we achieved coverage in Travel Weekly, TTG and Travel GBI, and set up interviews with The Sun, Bloomberg, Selling Travel and Travolution.

Lafontaine PR launches Chrono Hunter with competition in ShortList Magazine

Lafontaine PR was appointed to look after the PR for a new, revolutionary online luxury watch broker, Chrono Hunter.

To celebrate the launch of the website at the end of October 2018, and to generate awareness (and coverage) of the company ahead of the launch, we partnered with ShortList magazine to organise a competition to win a £6,000 Rolex Submariner. The idea was to guess the exact time it would take for the watch to be freed from a melting block of ice.

We pitched the competition idea to ShortList and it ran both in the magazine and online. We drafted copy for the competition, the news section on the website and the competition mailers and messages. We also advised on the social media outreach that ran alongside the two-week campaign with ShortList. And we shot a short video of the ice melting – in the office…

One morning we took delivery of a gigantic bloc of ice with a Rolex Submariner encased within – and after setting everything up with a countdown watch and two cameras, we sat down and waited for the ice to melt. And we waited… The video was then edited to a few minutes and embedded on the ShortList competition page, after entries were closed, for the entrants to check the final time.

We were delighted to see almost 3,000 entries to the competition within 48 hours of the competition running – and we noticed a spike of 12,000 visits to the website in the first five days. The final number of entries was 8,600 – with 8,386 specifically asking to be included in the Chrono Hunter database. A success all round!

Lafontaine PR to work with Dolomighty Communications

Lafontaine PR is pleased to be working with Dolomighty Communications in advance of the 2018/19 ski season and the 2019 summer season.

Dolomighty Communications is an independent network of people, driven by passion and long-term experience in the Dolomites. They are a platform offering communication services across Europe. One of their clients is the ski area of Arabba – Marmolada in the heart of the Dolomites.

Lafontaine PR was appointed to help them spread the word about what is new in the Italian Dolomites both in the winter and in the summer and what great value the area offers for visitors looking to explore less well known and less crowded destinations.

They are a great company to work with and we hope this is the beginning of a long relationship.

LAFONTAINE PR IS MOVING

Lafontaine PR is moving to Shoreditch. After almost a year and a half in the centre of Soho, we thought it was time for us to change location and move to a bigger and better office.

From 30 July 2018, we are moving to the address below:

Unit 6, 37–42 Charlotte Road

London, EC2A 3PG

Don’t hesitate to pop by for a coffee of to enjoy a glass of wine on our roof terrace if you are in the area – yes, a roof terrace. And don’t forget to update your address books.

We hope to see you soon.

Julie & Pete

PONANT HOSTS MAJOR EVENT AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY

As part of the partnership between PONANT and the British Library, Lafontaine PR organised a private viewing of the exhibition James Cook: The Voyages and an evening celebration for a selected group of 100 guests at The British Library.

The evening began with Champagne and canapés and an introduction talk by exhibition co-curator, William Frame. This was followed by a welcome speech from PONANT’s Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, Hervé Bellaiche.

In the exhibition guests were able to see artefacts brought back by Cook and his men 250 years ago - similar objects can still be seen today in PONANT cruise destinations, in landscapes that would still be familiar to Cook.

Two of PONANT’s guides and natural historians, Cécile and Katia, were present in the gallery, to show guests what they could still see today on a PONANT expedition cruise.

For the occasion, PONANT launched its own ‘Cook Collection’ including a selection of 13 voyages sailing the same waters as Cook and his fellow 18th century explorers, Frenchmen de Bougainville and La Perouse. The collection is exclusively available to the UK market, and reinforces PONANT’s strong commitment to the UK market.

Australia and New-Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Polynesia, New Caledonia, Easter Island, as well as Antarctica, Alaska and the Aleutian Islands are just a few of the destinations James Cook and his crew of sailors and scientists visited that PONANT passengers can now explore safely and comfortably.

Hervé Bellaïche, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of PONANT says:  

“We are proud and pleased to support James Cook: The Voyages exhibition at the British Library. As the world’s leader in luxury cruise expeditions, with 30 years of experience, this partnership is very much aligned with our own philosophy of going where others do not go, emulating the great explorers of history.

 We hope that visitors to the exhibition and UK passengers will be inspired and encouraged to travel the same waters as James Cook and discover these exceptional destinations with their own eyes.”

PONANT TO SPONSOR MAJOR NEW EXHIBITION AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY

The world leader in luxury expeditions and only French cruise company, PONANT, is delighted to announce its partnership on the British Library major new exhibition James Cook: The Voyages marking 250 years since James Cook’s ship Endeavour first set sail from Plymouth. The exhibition, taking place 27 April to 28 August 2018, will feature stunning artworks, original maps and handwritten journals, from iconic depictions of people and landscapes by expedition artists and local dignitaries.

This comes at a time when PONANT is launching a new class of ships, The PONANT EXPLORERS. The small luxury expedition vessels are specially designed to bring passengers where others do not go. Each of them will feature the world’s first multi-sensory underwater lounge, the Blue Eye. PONANT has just announced the order of two more ships in the EXPLORERS series bringing the number of new ships being launched between 2018 and 2020 to six. The new ships will bear the name of famous French mariners and explorers: Le Lapérouse, Le Bougainville, Le Dumont d’Urville, Le Champlain, Le Bellot and Le Surville.

Jean Emmanuel Sauvée, co-founder and CEO of PONANT says:  

“We are proud and pleased to support James Cook: The Voyages exhibition at the British Library. As the world’s leader in luxury cruise expeditions for the last 30 years, this partnership is very much aligned with our own philosophy of going where others do not go, emulating the great explorers of history.

We hope that visitors to the exhibition will be inspired and encouraged to travel the same waters as James Cook and discover these exceptional destinations with their own eyes.”

Stuart Boxall, Head of Corporate Relations at the British Library, adds:

“The British Library is delighted to be supported by PONANT on its major exhibition James Cook: The Voyages, which marks 250 years since James Cook’s ship Endeavour set sail from Plymouth. Celebrating exploration and travel, the luxury cruise expedition company, PONANT, is a perfect partner for the exhibition.”

THE SHEPPEY INN APPOINTS LAFONTAINE PR

The Sheppey Inn, a gastro-pub in Somerset, with a great restaurant, three bedrooms and two additional cottages scheduled to open this summer, has appointed Lafontaine PR.

The pub, on the Somerset levels in Godney near Wells and Glastonbury, attracts a mix of locals and visitors from further afar with a great selection of local ales and ciders, fantastic food and an eclectic mix of entertainment from local musicians.

Lafontaine PR will work with the Sheppey, already holder of an AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence, an AA 4-star award for the rooms and a Taste of the West Gold award, to raise awareness of the food, drink, accommodation and entertainment offering.

THE TIMES MAGAZINE FEATURES GODNEY ARTS HOUSE, A BEAUTIFUL RENOVATED COUNTRY HOUSE IN THE SOMERSET LEVELS

Lafontaine PR secured a four-page spread in last Saturday's Times Magazine for luxury travel and property client, Godney Arts House.

The article in the Home! section of the magazine showcases the renovations to the 18th century house by the owners, textile buyer Jane Peck and painter Simon Ledson. Written by Lisa Grainger and illustrated with the photographs of Ben G. Waller and Oxana Mazure, it describes the painstaking work and craft put into fixing and furnishing the exquisite, eccentric retreat. Additional coverage included two pages in woman’s lifestyle magazine, Red, The Guardian Online and ELLE Decoration

The stunning rural-chic self-catering space sleeps up to eight people in three beautifully decorated en-suite bedrooms and is designed as a living gallery where furniture, fittings and artworks are for sale. The house can be rented for a couple of days or a full week - mid-week bookings start from £495 for two nights and include a welcome hamper full of local produce.

In a riverside hamlet on the Somerset levels, within two minutes’ walk of a great local pub, the stylish rural accommodation is surrounded by open countryside and the beautiful Mendips, with their caves and gorges, walks and nature reserves.

It is also in easy reach of famous Somerset attractions. A short cycle ride away sits Glastonbury with its eclectic shops and Tor, as well as England’s smallest City, Wells, with its magnificent cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace and beautiful moat, and biweekly farmers market. Just a short drive away is the World Heritage Site of Bath, the vibrant city of Bristol, the artisan hub of Frome and Hauser and Wirth’s Somerset gallery in Bruton.

Somerset is a lively region with many festivals, fairs and cultural events taking place throughout the year.

LAFONTAINE HOSTS LONDON MEDIA EVENT ON BEHALF OF PONANT

October saw Lafontaine PR host a reception for key travel media representatives on behalf of luxury cruise expedition company PONANT.

The event, at Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill in London, celebrated the launch of the world's only underwater lounge, the Blue Eye, and gave journalists the chance to hear from Captain Florian Richard, who is overseeing production of Ponant's four new luxury yachts and expedition leader Florence Kujper.

Captain Richard gave a talk on the Ponant's new explorer class ships and Florence Kujper outlined some of the expeditions the cruise company undertakes.

Guests included representatives from the Times, Press Association, The Telegraph, the BBC and Departures. Lafontaine and Ponant will be running a series of press trips on the two newest ships, Le Lapérouse and Le Champlain, next summer.

LAFONTAINE PR WORKING WITH CHILDREN'S CUTLERY, NANA'S MANNERS

Nana’s Manners, a family-owned children’s cutlery company, appointed Lafontaine PR to handle the publicity around its appearance on BBC’s Dragons’ Den on October 1 2017.

Lafontaine PR’s brief was to generate interest and brand awareness around the owners’ successful appearance on the TV show with supporting coverage in national newspapers, business titles and broadcast.

After a very successful month-long campaign, coverage and broadcast secured included The Mail Online, The Sun, The Sun Online, BQLive and Insider.co.uk. Founder Kathryn Baldrey-Chourio also appeared as a live studio guest on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour to discuss the importance of table manners and etiquette.  

Kathryn, who was a primary school teacher for 10 years and has two young children, saw the struggle many youngsters had with knives and forks and decided to do something about it. As a teacher she had used pencil grips, training scissors, easy grip rulers, yet there was no adapted cutlery out there. Research and a patent search confirmed this, so she set about designing some herself.

Nana’s Manners cutleryis already available to buy online and in some shops, but the couple’s pitch for investment from the Dragons’ Den and the following media coverage could take the company into the big league.

NEW PARENTAL CONTROL APP, SCREENLIMIT, GETS NATIONAL COVERAGE

Lafontaine PR has been working with new innovative parental control application, ScreenLimit, to increase the number of subscribers and downloads.

Through carefully targeting key publications in the consumer technology, parenting and education sectors, we are aiming to position ScreenLimit as the leading online parental control tool.

Within three months, Lafontaine PR achieved coverage for ScreenLimit in national newspapers such as The Sun and The Sunday People, as well as parenting and tech websites.

PONANT appoints Lafontaine PR

Lafontaine PR is delighted to announce it has been appointed by luxury French cruise company and expedition leader, PONANT.

Lafontaine PR was tasked with increasing awareness of PONANT in the UK and assisting with the launch of the world’s first underwater lounge, the Blue Eye, which will feature onboard four brand new ships launching in the next two years. Working closely with consumer lifestyle and trade media to promote PONANT in the UK through media events, ship visits and press trips, corporate profiling and a regular programme of press releases, Lafontaine PR will help PONANT make a real impact on the UK market.

The four new Explorer-Class ships combine great design and cutting-edge technology to minimise their impact on the environment and will enable Ponant to offer an ever-wider range of destinations.

The only French-owned cruise line and the world leader in luxury expeditions, PONANT brings a French touch to sailing the world’s oceans offering discreet service and fine dining. 

PONANT was created in 1988 by Jean Emmanuel Sauvée and a dozen officers of the French Merchant Navy.

Lafontaine PR is a content-first consultancy on a mission to capture, tell and sell the stories that make brands part of the everyday conversation.  Bringing together experts in social engagement, media relations and content creation. The agency was set up by Julie Giraud and Pete Bell in 2017.

Lafontaine: PR with a creative twist

Founders Bring Together Agency and Media Worlds
Take your pick: blurred lines as new agency eschews the traditional press release
Launch client portfolio includes premium luxury brands ready for change

in Soho’s most desirable address, Lafontaine Public Relations is a content-first consultancy on a mission to capture, tell and sell the stories that make brands part of the everyday conversation.  Bringing together experts in social engagement, media relations and content creation, Lafontaine PR was set up by Julie Giraud and Pete Bell.

Together they have decades of experience in media communications and public relations. Julie left one of the leading and fastest growing independent PR agencies in the UK to set up Lafontaine PR, while Pete was a journalist and a writer with almost 30 years of experience working for national newspapers, magazines and regional TV companies.

The agency is founded on two beliefs: that a story can, and should, be told in a thousand ways and that brands should be an integral part of the customer’s life story, not the story in their own right.  To realise the ambition Lafontaine PR launches in partnership with creative consultancy gt&i which also designed the agency’s website, to provide seamless delivery of rich content and multimedia for every story and each campaign.

Julie commented: “Too often we see agencies going release first and then as an afterthought pulling in online channels and the real conversation shapers in the digital sphere.  This means that clients are missing opportunities or spending on multiple agency resources. 

By combining traditional and social media skills with the ability to broadcast across every channel, we can increase the number of touchpoints with our audiences and the return on every campaign.  In today’s world the lines are blurred and agencies need to respond.”

Pete Bell, Creative Director, added:

“Whilst the concept of telling the story is well founded we are seeing, with the likes of Pepsi’s latest ad campaign and media coverage, that the search for relevance is leading brands into dangerous grounds.  Our mission is to make our clients part of every customers’ personal story by engaging at the points at which their interests are aligned.”

Julie ran the influencers outreach programme for major clients including Air France, KLM and Stena Line. She is a regular speaker at influencers’ conferences including Traverse and WTM. In addition to social media, Julie’s experience covers traditional media relations, internal communications, crisis communications and corporate and business PR. Before working in PR, Julie was project manager for a web design company in Dublin. She brings her organisational and planning skills into every campaign she leads ensuring timely delivery of outstanding results for every single client.

Pete spent the last 12 years at News UK, most of them as a deputy travel editor of The Sun. Before that he was managing editor of Westminster-based Parliamentary news agency Newspoint. As a lobby correspondent and TV reporter, Pete attended and reported on Downing Street press conferences, interviewed Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, opposition spokespeople, and Government officials, as well as providing in-depth coverage of general elections. Pete brings his unique skills and long experience as a reporter and interviewer to offer bespoke media and crisis communications training.

Lafontaine PR launches with clients including: Ponant, French market leader in luxury cruises; boutique home Godney Arts House and their first ‘lifetech’ client, the cross platform app ScreenLimit.

Lafontaine PR is based at 11 Golden Square, Soho, London W1F 9JB. For more information, visit lafontainepr.com or check our Facebook and Twitter pages