A New Era For Radio Rooftop Bar

The Brief:

Located on the 10th floor of luxury lifestyle hotel, ME London, Radio rooftop bar is one of the capital city’s most iconic rooftop destinations.  Acquired by Upmarket Leisure in August 2023, the venue temporarily closed in the spring of 2024 for an extensive £2.5m refurbishment.  Working with the client & all stakeholder partners, The Strong Agency was tasked with leading the PR & communication around the coveted venue’s reopening.

Our Strategy:

There were just five weeks from the point of brief to launch.  The Strong Agency got to work with immediate effect, drawing on the agency’s extensive hospitality & travel sector expertise to design a suite of press tools fitting with the new luxury lifestyle destination.  These included a media tease, to ensure that Radio rooftop bar London was placed firmly on the media’s radar ahead of launch, & a comprehensive launch kit in which striking visual and motion assets were created to accompany the written narrative.  A highly targeted & extensive media relations campaign ensued, followed by a series of bespoke media & influencer experiences & events.

The Results:

The reopening of Radio rooftop bar heralded a new era for ME London as the luxury lifestyle hotel celebrated a decade of innovation & individuality.  For Upmarket Leisure the relaunch further increased the leading hospitality company’s footing in the capital city.  It was imperative that media coverage fitted with the ethos of the businesses with a focus on high quality placements.  The Strong Agency delivered, driving over 60 features in aspirational London, travel, lifestyle, & luxury media outlets in just 12 weeks, cementing the venue as one of London’s most desirable rooftop venues & ensuring key sittings were sold-out for weeks to follow.  Coverage had a combined 185m reach.

Gino D’Acampo Manchester

The Brief:

Leading Italian chef Gino D’Acampo was to open a new restaurant – Gino D’Acampo Manchester – at INNSiDE by Melia Manchester.  The development would see an impressively quick turnaround with an extensive refurbishment to be delivered in just six weeks.  The Strong Agency was tasked with driving anticipation and promoting the restaurant’s launch.

Our Strategy:

The Strong Agency had a limited window of time in which to drive pre-awareness of Gino D’Acampo Manchester.  The festive holidays presented an added obstacle as titles wrapped for Christmas.  Expertly navigating the annual shut down The Strong Agency devised a campaign that would drive not just one burst of coverage before launch but multiple.

The Results:

In little over six weeks, including the annual two-week festive shut down,  The Strong Agency delivered over 55 items of standalone pre-launch feature coverage for Gino D’Acampo Manchester with a combined reach to over 70m readers.  Over 90% of coverage enjoyed a DAR of good to excellent with 100% of coverage featuring all brand messages.  100% of coverage was in the premium Italian restaurant’s target top tier media including aspirational consumer outlet Country & Townhouse.  Over 150 direct references to the restaurant were enjoyed and with much more to come.

Enjoy a small taste of The Strong Agency’s work in the UK hospitality sector over in the Strong Work section of our website, or get in touch to find out more.  Simply complete the contact form or get in touch with Jules at [email protected].

Image credits: Gino Restaurants / Ben Clucas

Seeding Growth For Groobarbs Restaurant

The Brief:

Groobarbs restaurant is an independent field-to-fork restaurant located in High Legh, Cheshire.  Launched in August 2022 to customers of sister vegetable delivery box business, Groobox, the business tasked The Strong Agency with planting the seeds for future growth and delivering an impactful communications campaign with reach to the core Cheshire and NW audience.

Our Strategy:

Drawing on the agency’s extensive knowledge of the hospitality sector and the media, The Strong Agency cultivated a campaign that would reap the rewards for Groobarbs restaurant. Our strategy saw no stone unturned, with every news opportunity uncovered.  It provided not only reach to the target audience but a reason for the audience to engage.  The agency also advised on the business’s operations and wider marketing activity.

The Results:

They say that from little seeds mighty trees grow and that couldn’t be more true of The Strong Agency’s campaign for Groobarbs restaurant.  Our expert approach saw extensive coverage harvested month after month with 215 brand mentions enjoyed in 50 standalone features and with reach to an incredible 32m target readers.  Coverage saw 100% key message placement. 100% of all digital coverage also included a backlink to the restaurant, equating to 90% of all features.  The Strong Agency’s activity saw Groobarbs Field Kitchen described as an “extraordinary dining experience” by the Manchester Evening News.  In October 2023 the field-to-fork restaurant was proud to be recognised in the 2023 Taste Cheshire Awards and crowned Best Large Restaurant.

Image credits: Groobarbs Field Kitchen

El Gato Negro: Leeds Launch

The Brief:

Acclaimed Spanish tapas restaurant El Gato Negro was to open in Leeds.  Born in the Yorkshire town of Ripponden in 2005 before relocating to Manchester in 2016, the opening marked a significant homecoming for El Gato Negro and Chef Patron, Simon Shaw, who prior to founding the business, had delivered a stellar stint in the city as Head Chef of Harvey Nichols.  The business tasked The Strong Agency with delivering an impactful launch and building a platform for long-term success.

Our Strategy:

Shaw is one of the North’s most celebrated chefs.  The Strong Agency’s strategy built on his incredible credentials to deliver a launch fitting of the multi-award-winning business.  Leveraging The Strong Agency’s established media network and extensive brand communications expertise, a three-pronged approach was designed consisting of pre-launch, launch, and post-launch activity.  Tactics included chef profiling, feature development, media relations, a highly-targeted press lunch, VIP launch party for 250-guests, media and influencer experiences, brand partnerships, and the management of the business’s awards.

The Results:

The Strong Agency’s campaign saw El Gato Negro rightfully positioned as one of the city’s most anticipated and applauded restaurant launches in recent times.  Standout, quality feature coverage was enjoyed across Yorkshire and beyond with the restaurant booked solidly upon opening and for months to come.  Just 12-weeks to follow launch, El Gato Negro was proud to be recognised at the prestigious Oliver Awards with the business crowned Overall Restaurant of the Year and World Restaurant of the Year.  A review by esteemed food critic Amanda Wragg saw El Gato Negro awarded a deserved 100%.

Image credits: El Gato Negro / Joby Catto

Shooting High For Sky Bar Terrace, Liverpool

The Brief:

Premium hospitality group Upmarket Leisure tasked The Strong Agency with delivering the launch of its new Sky Bar Terrace at INNSiDE Liverpool hotel.  The highest alfresco bar in the city, the opening was to elevate Liverpool’s restaurant and bar offering to new heights.

Our Strategy:

Sky Bar Terrace required no theatre; the chic venue’s world-class cocktails and unrivalled views of Liverpool’s iconic waterfront set the stage for a stylish and discerning crowd.  A venue to be experienced, experiences are exactly what The Strong Agency delivered.  In abundance.  Drawing on our extensive network of contacts and hospitality expertise, a carefully targeted programme of media, influencer, and ambassador experiences were facilitated, driving sustained exposure and reservations throughout the season.  Coupled with an impactful launch story, coverage levels for the chic venue were sky high.

The Results:

The Strong Agency’s campaign delivered blanket standalone feature coverage in all target media.  Coupled with sustained high profile influencer, media and ambassador content generated throughout the season, Sky Bar Terrace was the talk of the city.  The venue is now rightfully recognised as one of Liverpool’s most coveted destinations.

Serving Individual Restaurants

The Brief:.

When the pandemic hit, Individual Restaurants had to temporarily close.  The leading hospitality company and owners of premium restaurant brands Piccolino, The Restaurant Bar & Grill, Opera Grill, Marlow Bar & Grill, and Bank, required a PR and communications campaign that would evolve with the business and the environmental agenda, and keep the restaurants front-of-mind.

Our Strategy:

Drawing on our extensive crisis PR experience coupled with over 20  years’ hospitality & leisure marketing expertise, The Strong Agency’s PR strategy was dynamic, hardworking, sensitive, and most importantly, responsible.  We planned for the unplannable, ensuring that no matter how the environmental and business agenda evolved, we were ready to respond to it.

Recognised as an innovator in its field we were proud to work with Individual Restaurants to launch ‘2Go’, the business’s exclusive home delivery offer; ‘At Home’, Individual Restaurant’s exclusive meal kits, for guests to prepare at home, and any number of exclusive food and drink packages tailored to guests’ evolving needs.

It was a privilege to promote the business’s extensive CSR initiatives supporting those on the frontline and most in need.  As the world prepared to un-lock we worked closely together to ensure the business did so safely and responsibly with guest welfare our number one priority.  We leveraged our extensive nationwide contacts to drive coverage up and down the country ensuring that Individual Restaurants was at the forefront of the minds of the media and the target audience, driving essential reservations & sales.

The Results:

Extensive, sustained coverage delivered for every restaurant, from London to Glasgow & everywhere in between.  96% of coverage saw booking links included.   100% key message placement.  A notable increase in awareness & reservations tracked.

For further information on The Strong Agency’s extensive experience in the hospitality sector visit Strong Work.  Read more about the impactful launch of  El Gato Negro, Leeds; Gino D’Acampo Manchester; Groobarbs Field Kitchen, Sky Bar Terrrace, Liverpool; and more.  To discuss your PR & marketing communications needs get in touch with [email protected].