Spring in our step

With a noticeable improvement in the weather and the nights getting a little lighter, it’s a great time to reflect on the year gone, but also to be looking forward to all the delights Spring brings with it. We’ve seen many positive news stories recently, which is a real boost for morale. The 101^st International Women’s day was celebrated by many across the globe yesterday with initiatives, events and news creating a real media buzz, and a top ‘trending’ theme on Twitter. Social media was marked as an essential key in spreading awareness, with our own Prime Minister, David Cameron, marking the day with calls to eliminate violence against girls and women using social media initiatives to change and improve lives. Celebrity supporters for the day include singer-songwriter and We are Equals activist Annie Lennox, Avon Foundation advocate Reese Witherspoon and OXFAM supporters Helena Christensen and Kristin Davis.

 

In other positive news, the marketing group, WPP has reported a surge of more than 18% in pre-tax profits for 2011 to break the £1bn mark for the first time. With Martin Sorrell, WPP, stating that: “The group's 26th year was a record year on virtually whatever measure you are to name… This record performance was achieved in difficult circumstances, particularly in the second half of the year." While we are still in the early quarter of 2012, it’s a great boost to hear companies are not only starting to do well, but are smashing records. Read more about the WPP story here.

Here at Atom, as well as having a great selection of products ready for Spring issues, we’re also proud to report that many of our clients are also going from strength to strength. Eurostove have announced that they are branching into the European market. Continuing their expansion becoming exclusive distributors in France, Spain and Portugal of the already well established UK brand of Scandinavian wood burning stoves, ‘Westfire’, with plans to also expand the European coverage of their own brand, ‘Mendip’ stoves. Any of our followers in France can look forward to seeing the range exhibiting under the name Eurostove SAS at the ‘Foire de Paris’ show: 28^th April - 8^th May. And in St Etienne at the ‘Salon Bois Energie’: 22^nd -25^th March.

New-look Website Goes Live

Although the chills of winter are slowly setting in, we've been graced with some beautiful sunshine this week, that we hope you've all been able to benefit from too. It’s certainly a lovely end to a very hectic week here in the Atom office, with the launch of our new-look website and the mail out of our Quarterly PRUpdate.

Our new-look website went live on Wednesday with great success. The added functions to our Online Image Library of searching by image reference and of course the wonderful light-box feature are proving popular with journalists, who are enjoying being able to browse all images while adding selected pictures to their ‘shopping cart’. And for any journo's out there who haven't had a look, do take a moment to try it for yourself, there are hundreds of stunning images just waiting to be downloaded directly to your desktop. Amongst these are the brand new images from The Furniture Barn and The Odd ChairCompany, as well as the beautiful new images of the Gloria furniture set from Lazy Susan.

We have also mailed out our hardcopy QPRU this week showcasing our lovely clients along with their latest news and images. An interactive PDF version can be found within the press section of our new site where you can also download to flick through flick through at your leisure (perfectly enjoyed with a cup of coffee!). Look out for the incredible oak and ash creations from Batheaston Furniture Makers and the wonderful glass kitchens from Quantum Fitted Furniture.