Speed Communications

This week at Speed we’ve had a lot of 2027 briefs land, and as the planning process gets underway it felt like a good moment to stop and consider the role PR plays in the channel mix. Until a few years ago the answer was fairly settled. PR got reached for at the top of the funnel – building brand awareness, launching a product, driving consideration. Further down, at intent and conversion, it was discarded as not fit for purpose.

SPEED COMMUNICATIONS APPOINTED BY WHITTARD OF CHELSEA TO BREW UP MEDIA RELATIONS THIS WINTER Historic luxury tea, coffee and hot chocolate provider selects Speed Communications for autumn and Christmas campaign Whittard of Chelsea – the historic provider of luxury tea, coffee and hot chocolate – has appointed Speed Communications to manage its core media relations for autumn and Christmas.

by Shaun Hickman If you go on LinkedIn and tap the options on any post, you’ll now see the “Seems like AI slop” button. In the first two weeks of going live, over one million people reported slop. Despite its unassuming name, this feature signals a much more divisive and impactful trend in the world of B2B. As every person and their dog takes notice of generative AI, and the power to “create” at pace, we are now seeing our feeds flooded with AI responses posing as thought leadership.

Back Client: Beko Sector: Consumer Lifestyle Influencer Marketing Social Media The annual stress of the post-summer, back-to-school chaos puts parents, carers and household appliances through their paces. Uniforms need washing, PE kits need drying, fridges need filling and family routines suddenly have to run like clockwork again.

Nobody’s bored of your brand, they’ve just forgotten it by Rebecca Broomfield, Director of Consumer There are some categories that are marked by the industry as low interest – bin bags, insurance, boilers, appliances… But this is a simplification, and in my opinion it’s mostly wrong. Interest in white goods isn’t low, it’s latent. Nobody thinks about their washing machine, right up until the moment it stops mid-cycle with the school uniform inside.

For years, brands have been encouraged to build audiences – more followers, more impressions, more reach, more people seeing what you have to say. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that visibility and influence aren’t the same thing. The rise of Digital Opinion Leaders (DOLs) is one sign that the way influence works is changing. Authority is no longer concentrated solely in the hands of journalists, analysts, academics or institutions.

We’re delighted to share the appointment of Tommy Gibbs as Head of Corporate Communications. She joins Speed’s Business & Corporate division, recognised as a top 10 UK B2B PR agency, working alongside Clare Cooper, Director of Business & Corporate. Tommy will lead and grow the agency’s corporate communications offer, owning a portfolio of accounts across sectors including professional services, financial services and manufacturing.

Last month (August 2026), we had the pleasure of attending a VIP screening of Spa Weekend – not just as guests, but as partners.Hairstyles in films have long been a major inspiration point for our audience and with Revlon known for its award‑winning hair tools, teaming up with the film was a natural way to bring those looks to life. Our client, Revlon, collaborated with the film to recreate the standout hairstyles seen on screen through their latest NPD innovation.

Back Sector: Business & Corporate Consumer Brand Storytelling GEO Influencer Marketing Trends By Sarah Firth, Strategy & Creative Director As we slowly slide into the latter half part of the summer holidays, I thought now would be the perfect time to reflect on some of the biggest marketing signals of the summer so far.

Back Client: Finlays THE CHALLENGE As a leading global beverage supplier, Finlays was looking to amplify the launch of its new cold brew RTD range to a targeted UK audience. With an exhibitor space booked at the Food & Drink Expo, they needed a competitive edge to stand out. THE IDEA Draw upon trusted expertise by collaborating with Dhan Tamang We set up a collaboration with 6x UK Latte Art Champion, Dhan Tamang, to showcase the new Finlays cold brew range.