We are pleased to announce our appointment as retained PR and communications partner for Closer Pets, the market-leading provider of innovative pet care solutions, operating across more than 40 countries worldwide.

The partnership will see The Strong Agency lead PR and brand communications for Closer Pets, with a focus on building the brand’s authority in design-led pet care, alongside ownership of its social and digital presence. Together, we will work to grow awareness, deepen consumer trust, and further strengthen Closer Pets’ position as a category leader, supporting the brand’s continued retail and e-commerce growth.

With over 35 years of pet care expertise, Closer Pets providing thoughtfully engineered products for cats, dogs, and fish, combining trusted, veterinary-backed technology with practical innovation for pet owners worldwide. From feeding and hydration to rest, safe access and self-cleaning litter solutions, the brand helps families care for their pets more effectively every day, enhancing the lives of pets and their owners through smart, considered design.

The appointment comes at a pivotal time for Closer Pets, as the business continues to expand its innovative product portfolio and strengthen its position in the pet care market.

Speaking on the partnership, Caroline McColl, Commercial Director at Closer Pets, said: “As a business built on thoughtful design and evidence-led innovation, how we communicate is just as important as what we create. As we continue to grow, it was essential to partner with an agency that understands both our ambition and our responsibility as a brand.

“The Strong Agency shares our values and long-term vision, and we are excited to work together to build greater awareness, trust and understanding of what we stand for.”

Julie Wilson, Founder of The Strong Agency, added: “Closer Pets is an established and trusted name in pet care, with an impressive product range grounded in quality, practicality, and modern innovation. As pet ownership continues to evolve, we are seeing growing demand for smarter, design-led solutions that genuinely improve the wellbeing of pets.

“We are delighted to be partnering with the team to elevate its national profile and further position the brand as a leading authority in innovative pet care solutions. With a strong record of delivering campaigns that drive meaningful business impact, we look forward to supporting the brand’s continued growth through credible, insight-led PR.”

For further examples of Strong’s work in the retail and ecommerce sector see here, or to discuss your requirements get in touch with Jules at Jules@thestrongagency.co.uk.

We’re delighted to introduce Outside Of Ordinary to Strong’s portfolio of clients.

Specialists in building authentic active and outdoor brands that better connect to people and planet, the agency offers extraordinary thinking for brands looking to create a better future.

Working in close partnership, Strong will shine a light on Outside of Ordinary’s impactful work, further raising the profile of the expert team and its breadth of exceptional services in a suite of specialist media outlets.

With deep knowledge and experience of outdoor and active cultures, the specialist creative agency works in a number of transformational areas, collaborating with brands who are aiming to be extraordinary.  These include brand vision, creative strategy, creative narratives and story-telling campaigns, brand design, film and photoshoots, considered content creation, brand activation, and campaign guidance and asset packs.

Outside of Ordinary works with an impressive roster of clients including Adidas Terrex, Montane, Ronhill, TOG24, Alpkit, Mountain Equipment, Ribble Cycles, and the British Mountaineering Council, there are no shortage of powerful stories to tell.

We’re looking forward to sharing them.  For tips on building extraordinary outdoor and active brands, the team’s latest news, recent client successes, the odd bit of adventure, and #shootingthebreeze: Q&As with outdoor industry folk, visit Inside Out at outsideoforidnary.co.uk/inside-out.

We’re pleased to announce we’ve been appointed by Groobarbs Wild Farm to manage the business’s communications.

The twofold contract sees The Strong Agency responsible for promoting the business’s newly launched field-to-fork restaurant, Groobarbs Field Kitchen, located on the farm’s estate in High Legh, Cheshire.

Opened in late 2022, the Kitchen, founded by husband-and-wife team, David and Becky Fryer, and led by Head Chef, Mark Price, sees an emphasis on ‘true seasonal dining’ with dishes centred around produce freshly harvested from the Kitchen’s 6.5-acre market garden just metres away.  It’s absolutely incredible and we (and the Manchester Evening News) highly recommend you try it.

The agency will also work with Groobarbs to promote the farm’s vegetable box delivery business, Groobox, as it enters the next phase of expansion.  Established in 2014, the business delivers locally grown produce to customers over a 35-mile radius reaching as far as Buxton, Bury, Liverpool, and Stoke on Trent.

Work is already well underway with an integrated business and consumer communications campaign designed to drive awareness, web traffic, reservations, and sales.

Speaking on the business’s decision to appoint Strong, owner of Groobarbs Wild Farm, David Fryer, said: “The Strong Agency’s passion for what we’re doing coupled with its extensive knowledge of the hospitality, food and beverage, and retail sectors impressed us from the off.  They’ve already contributed considerable value to the business; we’re looking forward to the months ahead.”

It’s a dream brief for the agency combining our love of the outdoors with our passion for food, leisure, and hospitality.  We couldn’t be more pleased to work together.

Leading uniform company Simon Jersey has revealed Team GB’s official formalwear for the Tokyo Olympics.

The bespoke suits were unveiled at an exclusive launch event hosted at the company’s headquarters and attended by British Olympians Elinor Barker, Dan Bibby and Mahama Cho.

The official formalwear supplier to Team GB for the third consecutive Olympic Games, Simon Jersey’s specially designed suits will be worn by athletes, coaches and staff at all formal engagements at the delayed Summer Games, which open on July 23.

We were pleased to support the Cheshire-based company in taking news to the press, working closely with the brilliant team at Simon Jersey and Team GB.  It was an absolute pleasure for Strong Founder Jules, who counts seven years working with British Cycling to promote a wide range of international cycling events and her experience of working with GB Taekwondo to host the 2015 World Taekwondo Grand Prix, amongst her career highlights, and a welcome opportunity to combine the agency’s sport and retail PR expertise.

Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion cyclist, Elinor Barker, was the first to showcase the chic blue slim-cut trouser suit, complemented with a red low tie blouse and matching clutch bag, which will be worn by Britain’s female Olympians.

She was joined by fellow Team GB athletes, Dan Bibby, whose rugby sevens side won silver at Rio 2016, and taekwondo star, Mahama Cho, who competed at Rio 2016 and secured a silver medal in the World Taekwondo Championships a year later. They unveiled the formalwear for Britain’s male athletes, which includes a stylish slim-fitting blue suit, paired with a white shirt and blue tie.

Speaking on the final preparations for kitting out Team GB for the Tokyo Olympics, Simon Jersey Managing Director, Matthew Stead, said: “Dressing Team GB is a real privilege and it’s down to us to make sure our Olympic athletes look and feel their best during formal engagements. Our team is highly experienced in working alongside Team GB and formalwear for the Tokyo Olympics has been specially designed with athletic body shapes in mind, delivering both comfort and style in equal measures.

“Our preparations for the postponed Olympic Games began in 2019 and with the challenge of a significantly extended time frame between our first sizing sessions and final fittings, we’re going to great lengths to make sure each and every suit is a perfect fit. We’re incredibly excited about seeing Team GB suited and booted in Simon Jersey formalwear to enhance their winning reputation. I’m sure they will do us proud, and we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”

Widespread national, regional and trade coverage was enjoyed.  For further examples of Strong’s award-winning retail PR work visit here.