With over 300 independent garages in the AutoCare network, there is certainly a lot to talk about, but here are a few little facts to get you started:

• AutoCare is the country’s premium garage network programme and has over 6000 garages across Europe.
• AutoCare garages provide top quality servicing and repairs, with all work carried out using only first class quality parts and lubricants.
• The programme provides garages with accredited training courses to ensure the technicians master the latest vehicle technologies and satisfy the strict criteria of high standards of workmanship.
• The programme also provides software and IT solutions and allows the garages to become part of a trusted, international brand whilst maintaining their independence.

Since starting working with AutoCare, we’ve produced an array of material for them, including the re-design of their newsletter, a corporate stationary range, conference and marketing material and we’ve even shot a blockbuster (almost!) movie.

We’re now currently working hard away at developing two brand new websites; one for customers to book in services and one for AutoCare garages to manage their own marketing campaigns, allowing them to have a hands on approach to their work.

And there’s one last thing to shout about too; if you book your car in for a service or repair at any AutoCare garage throughout May and June you will get a free pair of cinema tickets to use at any Odeon.

To find your nearest AutoCare garage follow the link.

Paul Lloyd, General Manager at West Way Manchester, has swapped his motors for walking boots as he treks his way through Morocco to raise funds for the Parachute Regiment Afghanistan Trust.

Setting off last Wednesday, Paul is already well on his way, with just a few days left of his two week challenge. He will return to the UK on 2nd May.

All money raised through Paul’s challenge of a lifetime will be donated to the charity, which supports the soldiers and their families who served with the regiment and were wounded or killed in action.

Four brave soldiers from the Parachute Regiment, who suffered life changing injuries, will be leading Paul in North Africa, helping him to survive in the dessert. And just in case he begins to miss his four wheels, Paul will be back in the driver’s seat as he tackles a 4×4 cross-dessert navigation task in the Nissan NAVARA.

With just a few days left in North Africa, Paul’s challenge is drawing to a close but there is still plenty of time to make your donation, so please visit the Just Giving page and give generously.

Paul says: “We’ve raised over £2,000 already and I am so grateful to everyone for their support so far. Let’s hope we can raise even more money for our deserving soldiers and their families.”

To make a donation, visit the fundraising page

http://www.justgiving.com/westwaymissionmorocco

The first race of the season is on Wednesday 16th May, with tickets from £15 for early bird bookings. The ever popular Ebor Festival runs from 22nd– 25th August.

For something different why not try York’s only evening meeting on 27th July which includes a screening of the Olympic Opening Ceremony and entertainment with their 80’s Showcase featuring Tony Hadley, Marc Almond, ABC and Altered Images. The next day sees McFly perform in the evening, following the racing in the afternoon. Tickets for either of these special events start from £18.50.

To book call 01904 620911 or visit York Racecourse alternatively you can have a look at their 2012 Price List, just click the links!

Anyone can participate and can just turn up unannounced, you can have a look at their site for recent news, league tables and venues. www.harrogatepoker.co.uk

Colour expert and manufacturer of traditional paints and wallpaper, Farrow & Ball, has appointed Harrogate based agency, The Whole Caboodle, to provide PR support for the relaunch of the company’s redesigned showroom in Harrogate.

Farrow & Ball has selected the Harrogate showroom as the first existing location in the UK to boast a new look. The showroom, which occupies a prime position on James Street, will feature a contemporary new design showcasing the richly pigmented paint colours and artisanal painted wallpapers, characteristic of Farrow & Ball.

The Whole Caboodle will be charged with devising and implementing a six month media relations campaign to generate awareness of the new showroom within its target market and encourage footfall from a new customer base. The agency will also work closely with Farrow & Ball to establish partnerships with key brands throughout Harrogate.

Sarah Cole, Marketing Director of Farrow & Ball said:

“I was extremely impressed with The Whole Caboodle’s approach as they demonstrated creativity as well as a thorough understanding of our requirements. The agency stood out as the team genuinely shared our passion for colour and understood exactly what we would like to achieve in Harrogate. An inspirational town steeped in history, tradition and elegance, we believe Harrogate clients will embrace our vision which is one of the key reasons behind choosing the James Street store to be one of the first existing showrooms to be transformed.”

The Whole Caboodle’s Managing Partner, Chris Mackenzie, said:“This is an extremely prestigious win for the agency and we are delighted to be working with a desirable, inspirational brand such as Farrow & Ball. We have a wealth of expertise in the interiors sector and in depth local knowledge. We are delighted that Farrow & Ball recognised this when they charged us with promoting the new showroom concept.”

As well as PR The Whole Caboodle offers a range of services including, advertising, design, and new media.

Take a brief look at the services we offer:

• PR
• Media
• Recruitment
• Advertising
• Digital

As a full service agency we have the advantage of being based in Harrogate North Yorkshire meaning we have great access to all transport routes and can host client meetings in our well serviced offices in Harrogate.

Some of our clients are local to the Yorkshire region, whilst others reside in the Southern areas of the UK or as far North as Scotland.
Our services range from print, to radio advertising, social media and dedicated account management.

Here at The Whole Caboodle there is always someone willing to talk to you about promoting your business, service or product.

Why not give us a call today ?  01423 523000

We are friendly folk here, so call and as to speak to any of the following people: Di, Karl or Iain.
The sectors we work in are extensive and we have many years experience in pretty much every industry. Ranging from property to healthcare,  motor industry,leisure, sport  and retail.

Meet the staff at The Whole Caboodle

We all know the inherent value of quality editorial coverage – it has the perceived endorsement of the title concerned and is ultimately more believable than paid for space.  However, competition for editorial coverage is fierce in all newspapers and magazines and powerful PR photography is one way in which we can help our clients stand out from the crowd and ensure that their public voice is greater than their market share. Reluctance to use professional photography is not cost effective in the long run as it can limit column inches gained and jeopardise coverage altogether.

Of-course, it’s not just about booking a photographer for an hour and simply hoping for the best. Professional PR photographers used regularly by The Whole Caboodle generate excellent results as they are highly creative with both angle and lighting techniques to create a picture which really stands out.  In addition, they have a knowledge of the formulaic image layout of the target publications, all of which add up to ensuring the best possible opportunities for editorial coverage.

Here at The Whole Caboodle, we work closely with a number of professionals and we fully brief photographers both on the client requirements and the target publications (these can sometimes differ and many photographers are used to fulfilling the needs of both by taking a range of shot styles). We will often accompany the photographer which, again, can help to gain as much as possible from his or her time. So don’t underestimate the power of PR photography – it is often the key to editorial success.

In the last few years, traditional marketing channels such as press and TV have contracted whilst the internet has grown dramatically. Yet it is still unbelievable the amount of people prepared to spend huge sums on a web build, yet don’t consider the visibility of the site once built.

Imagine filming a TV ad at a cost running into six figures and then airing it once on a channel no one ever watches. You just wouldn’t do it. So why spend time building a website if the traffic it will receive simply doesn’t justify the build costs?

At The Whole Caboodle, we don’t just build websites, we think about the build and the user experience, and we also think about the traffic. Our in-house Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) department are experts in building organic and unique visitor traffic to our client’s websites. We understand the importance of meta tags, link building and enriched content and we use social media and blogs such as this one to build site visibility and traffic, day in day out.

The result? Google and the other search engines working hard for us and our clients at a fraction of the cost of pay-per-click. Great for site visibility and even better for improving sales figures.

To find out more give Sean Dyson or Dan Horton  a call on 01423 523000 and we’ll be happy to come along and show you why The Whole Caboodle should be at the very top of your list, when it comes to getting to the very top of the Google lists!

Here at The Whole Caboodle, we discuss with our clients that Tweets, blog mentions, Facebook entries, or YouTube hits, simply cannot be measured in terms of return on investment or otherwise, using AVE or OTC measurements, as this is simply not relevant. If PR consultants are going to prove the worth of the time spent on the above it’s crucial that a method of evaluation is devised which is universally accepted by clients.

When devising and implementing creative PR campaigns, we work closely with the client to examine their overall objectives as these are key. Whether or not the social media coverage can actually help to meet these is a good starting point. Consultants may be able to argue that X amount of fans have signed up to a facebook page or that X amount of viewers have watched a YouTube clip but unless it is helping to either communicate pre-agreed messaging or contributing towards sales, qualitative measurement needs special consideration.  A number of free and paid for tools, are available to aid measurement and evaluation of social media coverage but these remain limited in effectiveness. At The Whole Caboodle we may advise the use of such tools to measure hard data but the golden rule still applies that the client’s objectives are the key to overall social media success.