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Rule 5 at MIPTV in Cannes

Rule 5 Managing Partner, Rob Brown, is at MIPTV in Cannes this week for the Marché international des programmes de télévision, to give it its full French title. MIPTV is an international trade market for audiovisual content, or what used to be called television. The market takes place annually in April at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes. Over 11,000 participants from over 100 countries attend with TV formats and finished programmes being traded. Increasingly there is a focus on digital platforms and content. Rule 5 attends the market to support existing clients and to gain insight from the event’s conference programme. There is also a substantial networking opportunity, often in the evening over canapes and rose in one of the beach front restaurants or grand hotels on the Croisette. “We met the team from Raw Cut for the first time in Cannes two years ago and we have several new business meetings this year,” said Rob. “Whilst people are here primarily to buy and sell TV content they are happy to talk to providers that can support that process.”

Instagram keeps it simple with Layout

We’re no strangers to Instagram in the office. It’s probably one of the “cooler” user-friendly photo and video-sharing apps on the market. Simply take a snap, add a little oomph with your favourite #filter – ours is Mayfair if you’re asking – type a witty caption, then share it with your followers. Don’t forget to post it on your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr accounts too…extra likes never hurt anyone.

So when a quick #layout search brought up over 230,000 posts (selfies and food pictures galore) within days of Instagram rolling out the app to iPhone users this week, we had to take another look.

According to Instagram’s latest blog post, Layout is fun, simple and gives you a new way to flex your creativity.

Users are shown previews of custom layouts – now we understand the name – as you choose from photos from your camera roll. Drag, drop, pinch, zoom, flip and rotate. Complete artistic control is at your fingertips.

There’s also a Photo Booth button that sets off a countdown for people to take multiple photos simultaneously. Faces, Mirroring and Previews complete Layout’s main features.

Currently a standalone app, an added perk is that you don’t need to have an Instagram or Facebook account to use it. Once you’ve saved a collage, it can be emailed, sent by text or shared to apps including WhatsApp and Dropbox.

A curious drawback is Layout’s cumbersome mismatch with Twitter. Sharing images directly to Facebook or Instagram is simple, but Twitter users have to save collages to their camera roll before posting. This is a continuation of Instagram’s decision in 2012 to stop images shared from its main app showing within tweets.

We must admit our initial thoughts were that Layout was aimed at the selfie obsessed. Nine pictures to a collage must be their dream come true. That was until we saw a collage of American First Lady Michelle Obama on her official visit to Japan and Cambodia.

Dignitaries aside, it seems Layout has been quickly embraced by well-known brands & marketers too with Victoria Secret and Sephora amongst the early adopters.

On the sporting front we’re looking forward to testing Photo Booth’s time-lapse feature, which provides the opportunity to capture movement in a short space of time. The forthcoming 2015 BMX Supercross World Cup in Manchester will present just the right opportunity.

Our verdict? If it’s good enough for the First Lady of the United States and 300 million active users, it just might be good for enough for us.

Alex Clough Joins to Strengthen Team

The agency has recruited Account Director Alex Clough to strengthen the team at its MediaCityUK office. Alex joins from Amaze where she was part of the PR team for five years.

Alex will take a senior role on the agency’s Wedgwood account and will work with Amsterdam based EATRIS, the medical sector consortium, that appointed Rule 5 last year. Both roles incorporate global communications briefs. Founding Partner Julie Wilson said: “Alex joins us at a really exciting time for the agency. We have ambitious plans for 2015 and she will play a key role in helping us grow the business as we evolve from an ambitious start up to an established agency.”

The business has gained a reputation for delivering award-winning work in the sports sector after launching at the end of 2012; notably for its work with clients British Cycling and GB Taekwondo. In the last 12 months it has acquired clients in media, technology, the arts, health, automotive, and the food sector as well as continuing to grow its business in the sporting arena.

Back in the Saddle with Virgin Money Cyclone

The agency been appointed by Virgin Money to support the PR and Social Media campaign for the 2015 Virgin Money Cyclone Festival of Cycling.

It is the second time the agency has been brought into the saddle and follows last year’s successful campaign. The event, one of the most respected cycling festivals in the country, attracts the world’s best cyclists and has seen Mark Cavendish, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Hannah Barnes and Dame Sarah Storey all participate in the elite rides. Equally anticipated are the festival’s Challenge rides which attract cycling enthusiasts from across the country.

The brief sees the agency work closely with Virgin Money’s in-house team to raise awareness of the event in the core cycling and consumer media and drive participation through the festival’s social media channels. Activity is already underway.

Speaking on the appointment Virgin Money Head of Sponsorship Marketing, Andrew Nicholson, said: “We’re really pleased to appoint Rule 5 as our official communications partner. Last year’s campaign saw some real wins for the event with the team engaged both online and on the ground over the course of the weekend. We’re looking forward to building on activity for 2015.”

Rule 5 Founding Director, Julie Wilson, said: “The Virgin Money Cyclone Festival of Cycling is a joy to work on and we’re thrilled to have been brought back on board by Virgin Money for 2015.

The Virgin Money Cyclone takes place this June 19 – 21 in some of the most beautiful countryside in Northumberland. To register visit https://virginmoneycyclone.co.uk/EnterOnline.asp

RULE 5