LONDON – OVO Energy has appointed Brands2Life after a competitive pitch, to deliver a creative consumer PR campaign for the launch of its new PAYG energy brand, Boost. Justin Cockerill, MD of Boost, said: “It’s not often that you could execute every single one of the ideas presented at pitch. Brands2Life had a brilliant understanding of our audience and a smart strategy, combined with bold creativity.”

LONDON – Cohn & Wolfe’s technology agency AxiCom has unveiled a new corporate identity. Its red and black palette is replaced by blue and green, with a new logo and a fresh website. UK MD Henry Brake said: “It’s 10 years since we became part of WPP, and the time was right to look at the agency look and feel, and the way we talk about ourselves.”

LAUSANNE – APO Group’s development arm APO Innovation Lab has developed the first automated print monitoring tool to work across 54 African countries, regardless of the language of the media. For the first time, the new technology will give PR professionals who use APO’s Africa Wire or MENA Wire press release distribution systems a comprehensive picture of coverage in the local, regional or national press across Africa.

LONDON – PR agency Leidar London is merging with branding agency Grain Creative to create an integrated communications and branding consultancy. Grain Creative director Madelyn Postman becomes MD of the merged team; Grain founder and creative director Christoph Geppert becomes strategy director of Leidar London; and Leidar’s UK office lead Charlie Pryor remains as a director.

LONDON – Brand building and design agency The Clerkenwell Brothers, whose clients include Whole Foods, has appointed its first head of PR, Ryan Thompson, after picking up two accounts for creative and digital PR work from CanO Water and Japanese mochi company Little Moons. Thompson has worked in consumer PR with brands including Lurpak, Tetley, Highland Spring, Laurent Perrier and IKEA.

LONDON – Not-for-profit organisation Pride in London has appointed two new agency partners as part of a new, integrated approach for this year’s Pride parade, one of the world’s biggest LGBT+ events. Eulogy will be the lead agency partner, working on strategic direction, insight, community representation and engagement. BMB will be the creative agency partner.

LEEDS – Chris McCash, who has worked in the marketing industry for 20 years, has opened a start-up, Breadwinner, to help brands source marketing services from agencies in the North of England. The intermediary has already signed up 32 agencies offering services including PR, branding, design, digital, media buying, research, SEO and social media. McCash said: “I became frustrated with London dominating the agency scene when we had such talent in our northern cities.”

LONDON – Technology boutique agency Jargon PR has been appointed by content and influencer marketing platform Visual Amplifiers (VAMP) on a media relations brief targeting the UK marketing and adtech press, to support the Sydney’s based company’s recent opening of its London office.

LONDON – Bubble Agency has been selected by digital signage company Silver Curve to deliver global marketing services. The remit includes a website rebrand, design and development of marketing collateral, media relations and event support around Silver Curve’s PixelPipe Signage product, which is used at venues including Lord’s Cricket Ground.