Community giving platform Neighbourly appoints Metia as first marketing partner

LONDON - Neighbourly.com, the platform that connects community projects which need help, with companies who want to make a difference, has selected Metia Group, a global B2B marketing agency, to undertake PR and social marketing activities as it looks to accelerate its growth over the coming months.

Metia will provide regional and national PR support to attract additional community-based projects to the platform, and will engage the broadcast and business media to raise awareness among organizations looking to support good causes.

Mark Pinsent, managing director, Metia London commented: “How a clear social purpose aligns to their commercial objectives should be important to every business right now. Neighbourly allows community projects around the UK to highlight their cause in order to attract funding, time or resources from contributing companies; for the businesses participating, neighbourly offers them the opportunity to efficiently manage participation in many local causes on a nationwide basis, and to then measure the impact of their contribution.

“Our experience in the corporate communications arena tells us neighbourly solves a real problem for the CSR, citizenship, PR and marketing functions managing giving programmes at larger organizations,” added Pinsent. “Employee engagement is also relevant as Neighbourly helps employees to support the projects they feel passionate about. It’s great to work with a client involved in so many topical areas, and one that is ultimately bringing help to the good causes that need it.”

Nick Davies, founder, neighbourly.com, said: “When searching for a PR partner, you want people who are as passionate about your business as you are. Metia clearly demonstrated their enthusiasm for neighbourly. They have experience in working both with fast-growing early-stage tech companies like neighbourly, and with the large corporates that form a critical part of our stakeholder audiences. We’re excited to see what the coming months hold.”

So far, £736,012 of funds have been pledged and 198 UK projects have been supported on neighbourly. Community projects listed on neighbourly.com can attract pledges of support, in cash or in-kind, from both national and local businesses. Corporate backers already engaged on the platform include Starbucks and Marks & Spencer.