We help guide businesses and execute communications strategies that enable them to connect effectively with their stakeholders through traditional and evolving media channels.
Our senior consultants have advised companies across a range of sectors including technology, media, telecoms, energy, mining, commodities, healthcare and support services.
We deliver high quality, experience-based counsel coupled with first class execution that addresses the communications challenges for companies in today’s highly competitive environment.
Our services include
Whether you are a financial services firm, a natural resources company or a software developer, sustainability reporting has become an essential aspect of external communications. The value of global assets committed to ESG inclusion in investment decisions has tripled over the last eight years to $40.5 trillion in 2020. It is therefore crucial, particularly for listed businesses, to dictate a clear ESG narrative, to show understanding of internal and supply chain risks and to demonstrate that they are a responsible operator. Vigo has experience in developing sustainability policies for clients and specific messaging for results statements, annual reports, social media and internal communications teams and has done so for FTSE 250 businesses and one of Britain’s largest private companies.
Vigo’s consultants have developed and executed the communications strategy for numerous IPOs across a range of sectors and understand the challenges facing companies coming to the capital markets for the first time. We advise clients on how best to negotiate these areas, while ensuring a deep understanding and appreciation of their equity story among target audiences, including how it is framed within the increasingly important ESG context. In addition, Vigo assists companies in developing their internal IR framework in preparation for life as a listed business, facing the scrutiny of investors, analysts, financial media, and other relevant stakeholders.
Vigo has assisted many companies in raising equity and debt capital once listed. Ensuring clear messages are communicated regarding the use of proceeds and the pricing of such offers is a key part of our work with clients during what can be high profile and much scrutinised transactions; as well as managing market expectations around both the quantum and timing of such raisings.
Vigo’s consultants have significant experience supporting clients through myriad transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, asset purchases and disposals. We have advised companies on a range of special situations across various territories and work with them throughout what can often be quite drawn-out and challenging processes. We counsel our clients on how to communicate the benefits of the transaction to their key audiences, which may include not only analysts, investors and financial media, but often influential stakeholders such as governments or NGOs. We also have experience in advising clients against hostile bids and how to mitigate media leaks to protect ongoing transactions.
Digital communications platforms have completely transformed the traditional media landscape and social media continues to grow in importance as a strategic tool. Both retail and institutional investors use digital media to form, as well as convey, a perception of a company which will potentially influence an investment decision, whilst journalists and analysts are increasingly using social media as a platform to break news and broadcast opinion. We help clients to develop digital media strategies to promote their values, products and investment cases. Vigo’s consultants advise on a wide range of digital activities including strategic social media management, content development and corporate website writing. Our consultants are also experienced in high-volume, reactive social media strategies surrounding highly-visible, potentially high impact, topics and policy decisions.
As commissions derived from secondary trading continue to decline and the lines become more and more blurred between market commentators and analysts, it is important that clients have access to the leading sector analysts on a regular basis to educate them on the equity story, update them on progress and contextualise their evolving developments. Our contacts and long established relationships help smooth that path. Similarly, successful investor relations programmes now demand a bespoke approach depending on the client’s specific needs and the point in their lifecycle. Vigo provides such appropriately nuanced programmes with flexibility built in to reflect changing circumstances.
This remains the most regular means of communicating with investors and analysts for clients and as such is a key interface with the audiences that matter. Vigo has very long-standing experience both in-house and as consultants in managing the reporting process throughout the corporate calendar, both in terms of content and logistics. From results drafting to organising sell-side meetings our consultants have run such processes for many years and are able to advise companies both on best practice and maximising the impact of their corporate reporting.
Corporate profile and positive perception is essential to successful engagement with the capital markets, customers and stakeholders of all types. Whether building the profile of a largely unknown start-up company or increasing market awareness of a long established brand, Vigo is experienced in formulating engagement strategies and marketing collateral, and effectively communicating with a company’s target audiences to raise its profile where its voice needs to be heard with the audiences that matter.
Improving sentiment underpins our role as a financial public relations agency. Vigo’s consultants have longstanding experience of capital markets and the wider stakeholder reputational arena and with our extensive sector knowledge and deep understanding of the continually evolving media and regulatory landscape, we are ideally positioned to advise both listed and private clients at every stage in their life cycle. Many investors, clients and potential customers or partners are driven by sentiment and our valuable insight into market intelligence ensures that the Vigo team is well equipped to advise clients on market perception and how to improve overall sentiment.
When unexpected events or operational incidents occur, a rapid and effective response can make a huge difference to how a company emerges from the situation reputationally. Crises often result in a long lasting impact, not only relating to perception of management, but other indicators of sentiment towards the business such as the share price, or the ability to attract staff. Having advised on crises and challenges for their clients over several decades, the insight of Vigo’s senior consultants can be brought to bear in situations where the benefit of experience can be invaluable.
Strategic deployment of messages is of paramount importance during legal disputes both in terms of supporting the litigation through media relations and retaining the support of stakeholders. Vigo’s consultants have advised on a wide range of high profile corporate litigation situations leading up to and during High Court hearings, judgments and appeal proceedings. We work closely with the lawyers to provide valuable strategic and tactical support through carefully deployed communications. Such strategies have contributed to delivering positive outcomes for clients involved in corporate litigation.
Much of Vigo’s work involves the management of communications surrounding the relationship between industry and Government, which may include the direct lobbying of MPs and at-arms-length government bodies. Vigo’s public affairs practice centres around strategically and effectively communicating with policy and decision makers in order to generate political or diplomatic support for critical issues.