Campaign Testimonials

"Pennington PR has been working with the Heart of Kent Tourism Partnership for nearly two years and consistently rises to the challenge of developing new and innovative ways to raise the awareness of both the Heart of Kent Tourism Consortium and the wider tourism offer in the area.

This year Pennington conceived and devised a campaign to reclaim Kent's title as 'The Garden of England' after it had been claimed by Yorkshire. This creative campaign caught the attention of many national and local journalists and refreshed and renewed their interest in the many stately homes and beautiful gardens that the Heart of Kent has to offer to its visitors and as a result helped to put Kent back on the map as the 'true Garden of England'.

Sarah Barber, Tourism & Heritage Manager, Ashford Borough Council and Heart of Kent

"As the venue for the first ever Lapland UK, Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest worked closely with Pennington PR throughout the project.  Pennington used their wide experience and excellent press contacts to generate enormous interest and media coverage; locally, nationally and even internationally.  Caroline and Darryl have a range of diverse and complimentary PR skills which they employed to the full to elevate Lapland UK from a standing start to widespread awareness within a very tight timeframe.  The PR campaign ensured that the event sold out swiftly, with a huge waiting list for tickets for 2008.  The image of Darryl Curcher dressed as a Laplander will remain with me for some time to come!"

Peter d'Aguilar, Marketing Officer, Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest

"I have worked with Pennington PR for a number of years both as news editor of the Kent and Sussex Courier and features editor for the same publication. Both Caroline and Darryl provide a top class service and are always on hand to help if needed, no matter what the deadline. The copy they provide is clear, concise, accurate and can be geared towards our readers if requested. There is also the added bonus of being able to provide fantastic pictures to accompany releases. To date I have worked with them closely on numerous releases and I look forward to continuing the relationship we have in the future". 

Melanie Yea, Kent & Sussex newspapers features editor, Today Magazine

"Veterans of Public Relations and marketing are apt to say that the business is five per cent inspiration and 95 per cent administration and I think that Pennington PR's Lapland UK campaign underlined that. The way Pennington told over 200 million people how Lapland came to Kent was truly unbelievable, exciting, fresh and inspirational. When over 400 journalists ask for more, you know you are doing it right; when television, radio, newspapers and magazines make it so big you don't need to advertise, the client smiles broadly.

Not an accident. Attention to every detail was behind the creativity that drew the crowds.
Well done everyone at Pennington PR."

Rex Cooper, Editor, Kent Profile Magazine

We have worked with Pennington PR on a number of press, media and web-based projects to promote the area as a tourist destination. This and Pennington’s work with a number of tourism businesses in the Tunbridge Wells area, in particular the Seven Wonders of the Weald and the Heart of Kent, have significantly raised the profile of Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area as a visitor destination with the media and visitors, achieving maximum impact with a very modest marketing and PR budget. 

Juliet Steinmetz, Marketing & Tourism Officer Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

"In the many years I have dealt with Pennington PR I have found them to be extremely helpful, with succinct press releases and a willingness to deal with the more unusual requests thrown at them by the media.

Trisha Fermor, Senior Reporter, Kent Messenger

As editor of INDEX Magazine, a local lifestyle magazine based in Kent, I often work with Caroline and Darryl at Pennington PR. I have always been impressed by the professionalism and clarity of their campaigns, and would particularly like to highlight their Lapland UK marketing campaign was superbly run. I ran a piece in the news section of INDEX for which Pennington supplied interesting copy and wonderful pictures all presented in an innovative and original manner. The huge success of the whole event can certainly be attributed to Pennington’s excellent marketing campaign.

Jennie Buist Brown, Editor - Index magazine

Pennington PR has delivered first class campaigns to promote a wide range of attractions across Kent. The company provides incisive press releases and high quality photographic support which has proved invaluable to the  countywide Kent Messenger newspapers and supplements.

Neil Barston, Kent Messenger features writer

Lapland UK’s unique concept gave it the potential to become the massive success it was. However, Pennington PR certainly played a huge role in the fact tickets sold out within days and the international media were begging to get in.

The achievement of Caroline and her team was, for me, best demonstrated by the fact the project started as a quirky 400 word story inside the local newspaper and ended up dominating the BBC Breakfast news on Christmas Eve.

It was clear from the initial press launch that the Pennington PR team were genuinely enthusiastic and passionate about the project. When dealing with them it really felt like they were part of Lapland UK and not an external PR company to whom the attraction was just another contract.

Considering the scale of media interest from across the region, country and globe, the relatively tiny Pennington PR team did a superhuman job in keeping everyone happy and informed.

Gabriel Sheppard, Kent & Sussex Courier

The work of Pennington PR in promoting tourism in the county of Kent is exemplary.

Slick, sharp, savvy, inspirational, informed, media-friendly and competent beyond compare... all epithets I would happily apply to the Pennington PR organisation, but what marked out Darryl and Caroline as a cut above the rest was the wonderful enthusiasm both displayed for many rural projects.

If you take the old premise that you have to believe in something to market it, then Darryl and Caroline must almost have been worshippers of the County of Kent, such was their revolutionary zeal.

The results of their groundbreaking marketing were of course evident in the blistering success of Lapland UK – perhaps the results speak for themselves, but I would have to add that maybe none of this would have been possible without the electric skills of Pennington PR.
  
Dave Mairs, Editor, Yourdover, Yourshepway and Yourthanet, Kent on Sunday, Saturday Observer

"In the nearly two years that Pennington PR has been managing the public relations aspect of the Heart of Kent Partnership, they have managed to generate a significant amount of press coverage for the attractions, accommodation businesses and events in the area as well as consolidation of work on brand awareness and highlighting the website an online booking system.

The campaign concept of recapturing this part of Kent as the 'Garden of England' has generated renewed interest in the product offer of the area with local and national journalists across a range of publications. Additionally, in Sevenoaks District, their work with local properties, in particular, Chiddingstone Castle, has helped to revitalise the visitor offer in this area, and generated considerable interest.

Debi Rice, Tourism Officer, Sevenoaks District Council and Project Manager, Heart of Kent Partnership

Pennington PR made certain the Lapland UK press day was a magical experience for families of journalists who attended. While I, as a journalist, was there to look at everything with a critical eye, I could really only judge by seeing it through my three-year old daughter's eyes. Suffice to say she was awestruck and I doubt she has had so much fun in a long time. Her visit with Father Christmas was an experience that will stay with her for a long time and she is already asking me if we can go back. This was thanks largely to the work and attention to detail of the team at Pennington PR.

I have dealt with Darryl and Caroline both of whom are extremely professional. Press releases and PR photography are of an exceptional standard and I could not ask for more. Press outings arranged by this team are always fun and interesting and make for delightful feature material for our magazine.

Heather Ramsden, Editor Limited Edition Magazine (Kent)

Pennington PR came highly recommended to Lapland UK from contacts within the Forestry Commission. As a fledgling company and unique business concept, it was critical that a PR company representing us would be able to communicate our story accurately to the public.

Caroline Edmunds and Darryl Curcher immediately grasped the concept of Lapland UK and set about spreading the word! They generated press attention through innovative ideas and drew on their invaluable media contacts to make Lapland UK a now nationally recognised brand within the first year.

They are a professional team, dedicated to securing the very best coverage for their clients and offering excellent council through the potential minefield of media interest.   

The results speak for themselves; the Lapland UK brand has been seen by more than 180 million people worldwide after featuring heavily in local, national and international media.   

Mike and Alison Battle, Owners of Lapland UK