Henry's House
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[edit] Background
Henry's House [1] is a London based PR agency, founded in 1998 by music PR Julian Henry and entertainment entrepreneur Simon Fuller. The company represents popular consumer brands, UK TV shows and celebrities. Initially trading from a workshop in Acklam Road, Notting Hill, west London, with a staff of three, the company won representation for soft drink Tango, S Club 7, TV presenter Jamie Theakston and others within the first two years of trading.
In 2001 Henry's House re-located to former family house in Great Russell Street a listed building in Central London, with a staff of 12 including directors Charlotte Hickson, Jane Shaw and Pippa Strutt. Henry's House staged the sponsorship of London's Regent Street Lights by Tango, an event that featured pop group All Saints and later caused controversy with accusations of bad taste from consumer groups, though the work was judged one of the most successful sponsorships of the year when analysed by Marketing Week Magazine.
[edit] Clients
The company later won PR representation for The Face magazine and Absolut Vodka. In 2002 Henry's House mounted an open air ice exhibit outside London's Design Museum for YBA Anya Gallacio to launch a new flavour of Absolut Vodka. Later notable work with Absolut Vodka included supporting young British arts talent including Sarah Lucas and Billy Childish, photographers Martin Parr and Pierre & Gilles, as well as staging the last photographic shoot with writer Quentin Crisp by Rankin, shortly before Crisp's death in New York.
In the same year Henry's House were taken on to promote the second series of Big Brother on Channel 4, and later launched Pop Idol on ITV, the show that uncovered singer Will Young and TV personality Simon Cowell. Singer Rachel Stevens, TV Presenter Johnny Vaughan, singer Annie Lennox, singer Gareth Gates, and companies including Disney, Ikea, Lego, American Airlines became Henry's House clients. Henry's House works for most of the major UK indie production companies including Fremantlemedia, Tiger Aspect, RTL, 19, Endemol and others .
Henry's House won the Orange account in 2001 and spent several years promoting the telecoms sponsorship of the BAFTA Awards in London. The agency eventually parted with Orange and were recruited by Richard Branson's Virgin Mobile company.
Henry's House has a long term relationship with Coca-Cola in the UK. Julian Henry was a consultant to CCGB in the late 1980s and persuaded the company to create The Diet Coke Movie Awards on ITV. Henry's House launched Coca-Cola's first major online music initiative in 2005 'mycokemusic.com', and undertook other work for the brand in the music industry including sponsorship of the BPI music chart. Henry's House has worked on a number of brands for CCGB including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Oasis and others.
[edit] Today
Henry's House is best known for its entertainment work in British media, primarily for brands and corporations. The company has a long running relationship with Virgin / NTL, for whom it promotes the V Festival each year, EMAP, Channel 4, BBC TV, David and Victoria Beckham, Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, Honda Formula 1 Racing Team, drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, InterContinental Hotels Group, First Drinks, FHM Magazine and other clients.
Simon Fuller resigned his interest in the company in 2005 when he sold his company to become a director of CKX. The company is now self owned, with its employees being majority share holders. Henry's House retains its close relationship with Fuller's company 19 Entertainment.
Henry's House is listed as the 113th Biggest PR Agency in the UK according to PR Week 2007, with an annual turnover of £2,021,757, and a full time staff of 20, including managing director Ginny Paton, chairman Julian Henry and deputy managing director Julian Payne.
The agency launched its new digital division, henry's house.digital in Autumn 2007, with an expert team dedicated to promoting digital clients and providing online PR campaigns for others.
