Lancashire-based Viva PR has appointed two new members of staff with two very similar qualities – the same name and same birthday.
Following a year in business like no other and an array of new client wins, the Rossendale PR agency has recruited Jenny Brookfield as an account manager and Jennie Marsden as a senior account executive, taking its team up to ten.
In addition to joining the company within weeks of each other, the serendipitous twist sees both new recruits share the same first name and the same birthday, 7th April.
Jenny Brookfield joins the agency after six years of freelancing for a number of PR firms across the North West – including Viva – as well as writing business features for Insider Media’s five titles and tech features for Business Cloud.
With a background in reporting, NCTJ-qualified Jenny spent nine years with MEN Media, the first four of which were as a reporter at the Rossendale Free Press.
Jennie Marsden joins Viva from James Hall & Co – SPAR wholesaler for the North of England – where she worked as PR and Communications Officer for three years, managing the PR function for SPAR stores across the region.
Music forms a huge part of Jennie’s career background, after roles as a music teacher and freelance singer, as well as in education marketing.
Tony Garner, Viva’s founder and MD, said: “The past 12 months has turned out to be one of the best years in terms of turnover and client wins for us, with a real focus on the Healthcare and Public Sectors in the wake of the pandemic. I knew I needed to expand the team with PR professionals who could hit the ground running with our clients, so the first person I spoke to was Jenny.
“She’s freelanced for us as an agency for many years after working with her during her Rossendale Free Press days. She gets what Viva is all about and knows how we work, and she’s slotted straight into the team, even in these strange times we’re still working in.
“But we still needed another pair of hands to help with our new roster of clients and Jennie more than fit the bill – she was looking for experience on the agency side and brings bags of experience from the hospitality industry with her.
“Sharing the same name was one thing, sharing the same birthday was just a happy coincidence!”
Jenny said: “Viva was the dream opportunity when I was looking for a new challenge, because I’ve always enjoyed the variety of clients the agency works with and I knew it would be a great place to work. I’m most looking forward to being part of a team again and putting into practice the experience I’ve gained for Viva’s clients and seeing the results.”
Jennie added: “I’d heard great things about Viva from one of its previous clients and after three years in-house, really wanted to branch over to the agency side. Viva’s connection to local and national companies was really appealing, as well as the focus that’s being placed on employee wellbeing. I’m looking forward to learning more about this ever-changing industry and helping clients get through this current climate.”
