Retail Buying Group Calls on Birmingham Agency for Digital Marketing Strategy

Associated Independent Stores (AIS) has appointed Birmingham-based agency WPR to shape and deliver its digital marketing strategy.

The largest non-food retail buying group of its kind in the UK, AIS enables its 300 independent retailer members to profit from the level of buying power and services normally enjoyed by big high-street chains – yet with no loss of their independence. As the retail sector becomes ever more difficult to navigate, the association seeks to strengthen its digital and social media marketing as well as overhauling its brand.

Bringing its rich experience of the retail industry and e-commerce together with its expertise in digital PR, the multi award-winning PR agency will shape a digital marketing strategy for AIS, leveraging digital marketing techniques and supporting on AIS’s social media content, website and media relations activity.

AIS will join an impressive roster of clients such as Beaverbrooks, Robert Welch, Oxfam, Sekonda and Advent of Change as it looks to transform its business through a multi-discipline approach to branding and marketing.

Jane Ainsworth, managing director of WPR, said: “As an agency with a rich variety of marketing communications competences, we are excited to support AIS in its transformation and help the brand find its direction in the tough retail landscape. The work that AIS does to support independent retailers is vital and, being an independent agency, we feel strongly about facilitating this great work through a strong, integrated PR, digital, social and brand strategy.”

Sue Kemp, managing director at AIS, said: “After demonstrating their expert knowledge of the retail industry in such a comprehensive way, we were convinced that WPR would be able to help us move the AIS brand and marketing strategy forward. We and our members are experiencing some of the most challenging conditions the retail sector has ever seen and the work that we do with WPR will help us to continue supporting our fantastic retailers.”