Mothercare has grown both followers and levels of engagement within its Facebook page (and that of sister brand Early Learning Centre) following a contextualised Advent Calendar app, which was developed by Diffusion, that ran last December. In the first two weeks the app added 31,266 fans across both the Mothercare and Early Learning Centre communities without any support from Facebook advertising, and led to a fivefold increase in the levels of engagement across both pages. Read more: Diffusion Grows Mothercare’s Facebook communities

Wimdu, the accommodation search website, has called in Diffusion. Wimdu is an online marketplace for homeowners to rent out their spare rooms and homes to tourists and visitors. It showcases more than 35,000 properties in 2,000 cities across the world. Diffusion has been charged with raising awareness of Wimdu with consumers in the UK through national and regional media campaigns. The agency will also take over all press office functions. Read More: Wimdu appoints Diffusion

Wimdu UK, one of Europe’s leading social accommodation search websites, has appointed Diffusion as its retained consumer PR agency. Following a competitive pitch, Diffusion has been selected to develop and implement a communications strategy raising awareness of Wimdu UK among consumers in the UK through a sustained national and regional media campaign.

Founded in March 2011, Wimdu is one of a growing group of companies offering a marketplace for homeowners to rent out their spare rooms and homes to tourists and visitors. The company set up UK offices in May 2011 and already lists almost 2,000 properties in the UK. Helped by an £80million investment injection by the Samwer Brothers, Wimdu has expanded globally and now has over 35,000 properties in 2,000 cities across 100 countries.

The campaign will focus on building brand awareness of Wimdu’s social accommodation search which unites travellers and hosts from around the world. The campaign will also aim to attract new hosts to the site especially in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics. Diffusion will reinforce that anybody can offer their flat or house to guests, the host benefits from additional income and social travel provides guests with a completely new perspective on the holiday destination.

A key campaign objective will be introducing consumers to social accommodation whilst encouraging home owners to open their home to guests visiting the UK. The campaign will be driven by key creative peaks, reinforced by a solid and integrated press office campaign.

Michael Riegel, CEO of Wimdu UK commented, “Social accommodation is one of the fastest growing sectors within the travel industry, but has yet to gain substantial media coverage across media channels. We want to raise awareness of this trend, and Diffusion’s experience in the travel industry combined with their integrated approach, made the agency a natural choice.”

Tom Malcolm, Head of Consumer at Diffusion commented:  “Wimdu UK is the type of challenger brand we love to work with at Diffusion. The British public has an enduring love affair with all aspects of travel and we want to tap into all those emotional connections through our campaign. Wimdu UK is operating in a competitive space and a consumer campaign which can tap into a new trend can really help increase brand presence.”

As reported by PR Week today, Wimdu has appointed Diffusion as its retained consumer PR agency. Following a competitive pitch, Diffusion has been selected to develop and implement a communications strategy raising awareness of Wimdu UK among consumers in the UK through a sustained national and regional media campaign.

Founded in March 2011, Wimdu is one of a growing group of companies offering a marketplace for homeowners to rent out their spare rooms and homes to tourists and visitors. The company set up UK offices in May 2011 and already lists almost 2,000 properties in the UK. Helped by an £80million investment injection by the Samwer Brothers, Wimdu has expanded globally and now has over 35,000 properties in 2,000 cities across 100 countries. Our campaign will focus on building brand awareness of Wimdu’s social accommodation search which unites travellers and hosts from around the world.

Michael Riegel, CEO of Wimdu UK commented, “Social accommodation is one of the fastest growing sectors within the travel industry, but has yet to gain substantial media coverage across media channels. We want to raise awareness of this trend, and Diffusion’s experience in the travel industry combined with their integrated approach, made the agency a natural choice.”

PRWeek has finished its annual search for the most talented PR professionals under the age of 29. Kate Magee looks at the 29 high-fliers making an impression on the industry this year. Diffusion’s Head of Consumer, Tom Malcolm is profiled. Read More: PR Week 29 under 29

There is more to being a digital PR specialist than the role’s geeky image would suggest. Samantha Edwards looks at the attributes a true specialist needs to succeed. Diffusion MD Daljit Bhurji comments. Read More: How to spot a digital PR specialist

Today we launched our annual Social TV Trends Report 2011 which finds that the way Brits watch, share, discuss and interact with their TVs is fundamentally changing as a result of social media – as reported by BBC News, PaidContent, and The Next Web. More than three quarters (76 per cent) of TV viewers surf the internet, use our mobile phones, use our iPads or instant message while watching our favourite programmes. Surveying the habits of 2,025 British online consumers with YouGov, our report has found that ‘media stacking’ continues to grow in popularity and has now become mainstream.

Among ‘Media Stacking’ activities, Internet browsing is the most popular activity with 62 per cent of us surfing while watching TV followed by using a mobile phone (46 per cent) and using Facebook (38 per cent). One in five (20 per cent) 18-24 year old TV viewers are on Twitter while watching their favourite TV shows while 28 per cent are using instant messaging such as BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). While 96 per cent of 18-24 year old TV viewers admit to ‘media stacking’, it’s not just an activity for the younger generation as almost two thirds (63 per cent) of TV viewing Brits aged over 55 do it too.

According to the report, 43 per cent of British adults have commented or discussed it with other people not in the same room as them. Women are more likely to be doing so – one in two (50 per cent) compared to 37 per cent of men, while 18-34 year olds are the most prolific commentators (68 per cent).

Social media continues to revive TV as a truly social experience allowing a deeper, shared viewing experience with one big difference: instead of rushing home with our friends and family to huddle around the box on a Saturday night, we are flocking to our laptops, iPads and mobile phones to share the experience virtually. British consumers are information hungry and it appears that not even the most compelling new TV shows can glue our eyes solely on the box as Brits of all ages are combining their viewing with at least one other digital channel. This trend is good news for TV manufacturers who can integrate social TV capabilities into their products, and an opportunity for broadcasters who can truly still create national TV moments that aren’t just major sporting events and see off the naysayers who predicted that the internet and catch-up TV would be the death knell of linear TV programming.

More than three-quarters of UK viewers now use other media while watching TV, Diffusion’s Social TV Trends Report 2011 reveals. We look at how X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing have become mainstays of tweeting and online commentary. According to Diffusion’s report, 76% of British TV viewers used the internet, a games console or listened to the radio while watching television. Read More: Diffusion Social TV Trends Report 2011 – BBC News

A study into TV viewing habits in the UK has found a massive growth in what’s known as ‘media stacking’, with more than three quarters (76%) of viewers surfing the Web on their laptops, or using their mobile phones and tablets whilst simultaneously consuming their favourite TV shows. The 2011 Social TV Trends Report was commissioned by PR and social media agency Diffusion. General Web-browsing is the most popular activity with 62% of UK TV-viewers surfing while watching TV, followed by mobile phone use (46%). In terms of social media, it’s perhaps not too surprising that 38% of those surveyed used Facebook whilst watching TV. Read More: Diffusion Social TV Trends Report 2011 on The Next Web

Social referrals are driving up online video consumption, while TV viewers are increasingly multi-tasking, according to two separate research pieces from YouGov and Hitwise published on Monday. Here, we digest the key points… Read More: Diffusion Social TV Trends Report 2011