Case Study

Fredk Pollard & Co Ltd – Creating a marketing function from scratch

I built the entire marketing function for Fredk Pollard, precision machine tool manufacturer and UK distributor for Japanese manufacturer Mori Seiki. Starting with a blank sheet, I wrote the company’s first marketing strategy and delivered it, from competitor analysis through hospitality events to forming partnership agreements with clients.

Key success components

• Competitor analysis – an in-depth benchmark exercise showed how the company compared to its rivals in the sector, and helped to establish its USP

• Partnership agreements with key clients – new, formal agreements capitalised on the mutual financial benefits linked to brand strength

• Hospitality events for key clients – visits to the manufacturing plant in Japan and Mercedes Benz car museum in Germany, as well as Formula One Grand Prix events

• Industry recognition – including securing a Machine Tool Industry award

• Advertising campaigns – campaigns launched for the first time, targeting sectors from aerospace to motorsport, and showcasing the company’s 80 year heritage and reputation for quality, combined with its contemporary market-leading performance

• Media relations – good working relationships with editors of the sector press maximised opportunities and helped deliver national and international coverage, including radio and local TV

• in-house communications – a new programme including a regular company newsletter brought together the engineers who worked on the shopfloor and the office-based teams