Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger, the Leeds-based arm of the UK’s number one communications consultancy, the Bell Pottinger Group, has been appointed by STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute) to raise awareness of its market leading services, including its management of all World Cup pitches and training facilities.
STRI is a world leader in sports surface research, design, construction and maintenance, having been founded in 1929 to provide advice on golf course management to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Since then its portfolio of work has expanded to encompass football, golf, rugby, cricket, horseracing, showjumping, tennis, bowls, hockey, gaelic games and synthetic turf, with clients including FIFA, Wimbledon, The R&A and the new Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger’s sports marketing division will be implementing an integrated international media relations programme to create widespread exposure for STRI, showcasing its portfolio of global projects. Over the last three months STRI has been working for FIFA in South Africa ensuring all 10 showpiece stadium pitches, 32 training camps and 12 venue specific training sites meet the required standards for the World Cup.
Carolyn Beadsmoore, head of sales and marketing at STRI, said: “With STRI’s breadth of knowledge across sports it is important for us to ensure that we communicate with our key target audiences, showcasing our services and engaging with potential customers. Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger’s experience and expertise in sports marketing and PR will add considerable value to our business and help us generate widespread awareness of the business.”
Simon Brown, senior consultant at Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger, added: “STRI is a true market leader in its field and we’re very much looking forward to working with them to promote their brand and business. STRI has an enviable client list, working with many top sporting organisations and venues around world, delivering world class playing surfaces for top stars to perform on.”
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For further information please contact Simon Brown at Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger on 0113 237 2834 / 07770 645722 or simon@ptarmiganpr.co.uk
Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger
Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger is an award winning communications company providing consumer and business to business public relations and sports marketing services and is part of the Bell Pottinger Group, the UK's leading independent communications consultancy. For more information please visit www.ptarmiganpr.co.uk
STRI
Based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, STRI today employs around 80 people and has a turnover of £3.5 million. It has worked in more than 32 countries worldwide, advising in more than 10,000 sports facilities ranging from world-renowned venues through to local clubs and public amenities.
STRI advises clients on both a project and retained basis. Its services range from designing, specifying and managing the construction and maintenance for new sports surfaces/venues through to ongoing monitoring, testing, maintenance and upgrading of existing surfaces.
STRI’s clients include sports governing bodies, stadium architects and contractors, sports club owners and facilities managers, local authorities and schools.
Venues STRI is currently advising on include:
Football: All 2010 FIFA World Cup stadia and training pitches in South Africa, UEFA Champions League stadia
Golf: all nine Open Championship courses, The R&A
Tennis: Wimbledon
Rugby: Murrayfield, Millennium, Twickenham, Aviva
Gaelic: Croke Park, Semple Stadium, Kildare GAA, Wexford GAA, Kilkenny GAA, Wicklow GAA
Cricket: Headingley, Lords
Equestrian: Wetherby, Ascot, Cheltenham, Leopardstown, Ballydoyle
