A Derbyshire full-service marketing agency has been praised for getting to the heart of the message after it built a new website for a firm which supplies hospitality technology to some of the UK’s most iconic venues.

Purpose Media, which is based in South Normanton, created the website for fellow Derbyshire firm Kappture, whose electronic point-of-sale and mobile payment software solutions are used by millions of people at hospitality outlets in stadiums, concert halls, universities and large companies each year.

Its products enable operators to receive orders and take payments via innovations such as mobile apps, EPOS terminals and touchscreens and among the venues using its technology are Celtic Park, home of Celtic FC in Glasgow, Croke Park in Dublin, the OVO Arena in Wembley and the AO Arena in Manchester.

Kappture is based in Little Eaton, near Derby, and had worked with Purpose before, but this time approached the company to overhaul its online presence.

The original site made much use of explaining the technology but Purpose identified a need to dig deeper to explore how the software and innovations worked to solve Kappture’s customers’ ultimate objective – to maximise revenue and to cut the time their customers spend queuing for food and drink.

This ensures that sports fans and gig-goers, who can order using their phones while sitting in their seats, can avoid missing the action because they are queuing to order a pint or food.

The technology also helps operators by using individual users’ data to personalise their experience and also uses existing data to enable operators to forecast cash flow and staffing requirements for their next event, helping them to reduce waiting times and increase revenue.

Matt Bonser, account director at Purpose Media, said: “We’d been through a brand profiling exercise with Kappture before and we knew the business inside and out, so when it came to building their new website, we knew the direction we wanted to go in.

“Their solutions make a huge difference in helping operators increase people’s spend and reduce queuing times and we brought that to the fore through the copy and the imagery, in line with the brand guidelines.

“We pride ourselves at getting to the heart of each client’s business and creating websites which clearly communicate the benefits that their products or service have for the end-user. We’re pleased and proud of what we have achieved on behalf of one of the major operators in the hospitality technology sector.”

John Murphy, digital marketing manager at Kappture, said: “Our previous website had served us well, but we wanted a refresh with a website that clearly explained who we are and what we do.

“Purpose Media understood us and our target audience perfectly and the site has made it clear how our products help hospitality operators, backed up by the technical information if they require it.

“It’s very clearly laid out and it’s easy to navigate, which is vital because our target clients occupy a variety of roles in a range of sectors, so it has to be able to explain what we do in straightforward terms.”

Pharmacy2U, the digital pharmacy, has acquired The PharmPet Co, a Lincoln-based veterinary online pharmacy.

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, follows a partnership in November 2023, which saw the two brands come together to deliver prescriptions to pet owners more conveniently and cost-efficiently.

Established in 2019 by brothers Neil and Phil Younger, and their father, Keith, The PharmPet Co is a highly regarded and ethical provider of online pet medicines. The acquisition aligns with Pharmacy2U’s commitment to offering comprehensive consumer healthcare solutions and NHS prescriptions as it expands its portfolio to include pet health services.

The deal speeds up plans to give customers a holistic approach to healthcare, covering themselves and their pets in one place. Since the partnership last year, Pharmacy2U Pet Health has gone from strength to strength and Pharmacy2U has plans to further transform the prescription market at a time when owners are finding it increasingly hard to get a good deal from their vets.

The two founders of The PharmPet Co join Pharmacy2U to head up the pet health proposition.

Gary Dannatt, Chief of Staff at Pharmacy2U, says: “It’s rare to come across a business that has a strategy, service, and set of values so aligned with your own, that it’s easy to see how it will slot neatly into our existing proposition.

“Following a successful partnership last year it’s become clear The PharmPet Co is one of those cases. The founders have done a remarkable job of creating a service that pet owners across the UK find invaluable, especially during a cost-of-living crisis, and I’m proud to be bringing them into the Pharmacy2U family.

“We look forward to working together to deliver exceptional value and service to our customers, while offering a digital-first approach that allows our pharmacists to deliver expertise in medicine.”

Neil & Phil Younger at The PharmPet Co say: “With over 60 years of combined experience in the pharmacy sector we created The PharmPet Co with a vision to deliver veterinary-standard medication to the fingertips of pet owners, and are both excited to embark on this next chapter of growth as part of Pharmacy2U.

“The deal will allow us to continue doing what we love most, improving the lives of animals, while improving access to affordable and trusted medication.”

Pharmacy2U were advised by Squire Patton Boggs. The PharmPet Co were advised by Ward Hadaway.

Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, discusses the use of artificial intelligence in PR.

Aye up, it’s GS on Ai on PR

Now, that’s what I call an initial effort! Which is nearly as HILARIOUS as the joke prompts I fed into ChatGPT this morning before I began this piece. I was even half tempted to let the mystery machine write some of this column as I am up against a deadline on a range of content from tequila and tax to insulated conservatory roofing and private investigators (I have a varied client portfolio). However, the chances of me risking that damage to my brand is tiny. Not because it would be particularly BAD in terms of how it sounded but because it would be perfectly mundane! That’s because it would not be ME and if you are a regular reader (hi mum), you would spot it a mile off and all of the equity I have created with a slew of pithy headlines, cheeky turns of phrase and crafty nods to regional dialects would be for the birds (or me ducks). On the shelf behind my desk is a HUGE jar of Marmite. NB: not a jar of yeast extract. It is unashamedly the Marmite brand because it serves to remind me to be myself, not “meh”-self. In a world where content can be squirted out of the Ai sausage machine with incredible speed, this extra special something is crucial because there is a secret ingredient in every prize winning product from an artisan and it is normally THEM. Imagine if you hired me to promote your business (go on, it’ll be fun and I’m pretty handy!). I can guarantee that within 5 minutes of us chatting about the business brand values I will be asking about YOU or about the founder, or the MD – I want to know the “face” of the business. That’s because I’m still a journalist at heart and us reporters think a little differently. Why? It comes down to a simple thing, people sell stories, not brands. Therefore, people should TELL stories, not brands. If I write “Virgin Atlantic” here, not one of you reading this just looked into the middle distance and thought “mmmm, Everyone Can Take On The World,” you thought about Richard Branson. Now might be a good time to remind you that I chaired a press conference for him a few years back, I might have mentioned that a few times! Now, in terms of global reach, his brand and profile might well be virgin on the ridiculous (sorry couldn’t resist) but to a journalist, he is still gold-dust. If the PR team wants to launch a new Virgin business, they have a word with Mr B. Now, he won’t be the person running the tactics and strategy (he’s a tad busy), but he will be the face and he will be at the press conference doing something cheeky and subversive. That’s his brand and by extension, Virgin’s. Today, I have 3 different clients to pitch across the property, financial and national business media. My opening line to my target reporters will not involve the business name whatsoever. It will lead with the relevant person to that audience from within those businesses and explain why they are relevant as much as the story angle. Try this little exercise. PR: “Would you like to hear from a business that installs conservatory roofing?” Journo: “Err…no.” PR: “Sorry, would you like to hear from a family firm that began 10 years ago at a kitchen table and now employs 124 people?” Journo: “Go on then.” NB: reporters rarely gush with excitement when pitched. Or what about this: Journo: “Looking for an expert on security from cyber and physical theft in the corporate world.” PR: I have ACME Ltd who are really good at this. They have X locations around the world.” Journo: *tumbleweed PR: Their expert on this used to be in the Royal Grenadiers.” Journo: The ones with the hats?” PR: Yes, the ones with the hats. Journo: Ping it over. Ai can be hugely effective if you struggle to get anything out there content wise or even as a starter for 10 but please remember, your secret sauce when it comes to branding, PR and getting noticed is not more sauce, it is more oomph. The world is getting noisier as content becomes easier but if you are going to be heard, sometimes it takes a whisper in the right ear.   A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008. He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective. See this column in the May edition of East Midlands Business Link Magazine here.