Client testimonials

Here’s what clients of DNA PR & Publicity say about our work:

• Middlesbrough Council

Dave Allan Communications provided invaluable support to Middlesbrough Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund throughout the celebrations of the centenary of the Teesside Transporter Bridge. Dave combined his extensive knowledge of the subject with excellent contacts to ensure high profile and positive coverage of this significant landmark for the town and the region as a whole. The bridge is of huge local significance and an icon of great pride for people across Teesside, and this was reflected in the passion and commitment he showed throughout the project.

Angus Hoy, Senior Press Officer, Middlesbrough Council

• SABIC UK Petrochemicals

Through our world-scale facilities at Wilton and North Tees, SABIC UK Petrochemicals is a major employer on Teesside. However, to display our commitment to the area and further engender pride in the company among our staff, we are keen to increase our visibility and profile among Teesside’s wider population.

Dave Allan is a skilled PR professional and natural wordsmith. Those attributes, combined with a detailed knowledge of, and deep passion for the region, make him the perfect man to meet our requirements. His background in industrial communications gives him a ready understanding for many of the challenges and sensitivities in communicating for a world-class petrochemicals company.

Whether it be feature-writing, advertorials, copywriting, advertisements or advice on community activity, Dave has met every deadline, no matter how tight, always producing work of an outstanding level. I therefore have no hesitation in recommending Dave Allan Communications to other organisations.

Claire Watson, HR Director, SABIC UK Petrochemicals

• Marton Pharmacy and The Therapy Centre

It’s easy sometimes to have great ideas, but the difficult part is to turn those ideas into great action and then convert that into great success. I had an idea to celebrate 50 years since Marton Pharmacy opened but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. After speaking to Dave Allan Communications, the plan become a lot clearer. Dave advised me on what was achievable on a fairly low budget, whilst suggesting how to get maximum publicity and benefit to the business.
Three months later, Marton Pharmacy hosted a magnificent Community Celebration event, covered by local press and radio. The whole community haven’t stopped talking about it since. It’s really raised our profile, attracted new customers and cemented our presence as the focal point of the community.
What I liked about Dave’s approach was that not only did he coordinate and deliver an event that surpassed expectations, but chased up the after-event media coverage to really ensure maximum exposure and benefit to the business.
Dave Allan Communications provided an excellent service and I look forward to working with Dave again in the future.

Mike Maguire, Managing Director, Marton Pharmacy and The Therapy Centre

• Middlesbrough Football Club

Dave Allan is a highly-motivated and creative communications, media and PR expert, adept at advising senior management and high-profile names. In my role as Chief Executive of Middlesbrough Football Club, Dave reported to me for 17 years, during which he was an extremely loyal, conscientious, flexible and driven individual, who I always knew I could trust with issues of an often confidential and sensitive nature.

On all media and communication matters, he was the right-hand man for numerous Middlesbrough managers including Steve McClaren, Gareth Southgate and Tony Mowbray and was always a firm guiding hand to head strong young footballers who found themselves in the media glare.

He has outstanding knowledge and contacts within news and sport media and is highly experienced in speaking to TV, radio and newspaper journalists with confidence in crisis situations. I know from experience that he is highly adept too at briefing and advising members of senior management ahead of live or high-profile media interviews and news conferences.

He has extensive knowledge of professional football and is highly respected by all who know him, both within the game and in other areas. He always fostered particularly strong relationships with community groups together with local authorities, stakeholder groups, fans and customers too.

Dave also gave Middlesbrough FC’s communications a strong and creative business focus and was extremely successful in gaining substantial coverage for the football club’s Season Card campaigns, kit launches, ticket promotions and community work. He helped make both our website and match programme among the very best. I thoroughly recommend him for any media, PR, communications or marketing work in the knowledge that he will invest the energy, time and skill into ensuring that he completes a truly first-class job.

Keith Lamb, Member of the Football Association Board, Director of the Football League, Chief Executive of Middlesbrough FC, 1986-2011

• Paul Kerr Associates

I have known Dave for over 20 years, first when I was a Middlesbrough FC player and more recently having used his services in his area of PR expertise. Whilst Paul Kerr Associates is an established business within the football community, it is fair to say that Dave has been a big help to us with regards to helping us market the business. I can vouch for his character and work ethic and we are delighted with the work he has done for us. I have no hesitation in recommending him to others.

Paul Kerr, Practice Principal, Paul Kerr Associates

• Middlesbrough Roman Catholic Diocese

 

I have reaped the benefit of Dave Allan’s enthusiastic expertise on more occasions that I can remember. On each occasion Dave has given of his best to assist the many aspects of my work. As well as providing top class PR work, he has helped with providing media exposure for many ventures which may have otherwise remained ‘under the radar’. In addition, he has helped to train many of the volunteers I work with in the fundamentals of the world of PR.

Fr Paul Farrer STB, Middlesbrough Diocesan Youth Chaplain, Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage Director

• Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation

Dave is great!  He’s helped us with a few different projects and always managed to deliver the result we were seeking.  He’s a first class media and PR man!

Andy Preston, Chairman, Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation

• Middlesbrough 86 Project

While working with us on the Middlesbrough 86 project, Dave has always produced outstanding work on time. Being extremely well-connected with the regional press, he has been invaluable in helping the project gain much publicity in newspapers, on the internet, radio and TV. He is also an enthusiastic and positive person to work with. We are more than happy to recommend Dave’s PR and communications work.

Brian Debnam, Middlesbrough 86 Project

• Finlay Cooper Fund

Dave has proved invaluable in helping us promote the Finlay Cooper Fund and increase public awareness of our fundraising activities. He works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our message goes out to as many media sources as possible and always manages to put an interesting and appropriate spin on our stories.

Nick Waites, Finlay Cooper Fund

• Middlesbrough Former Players Association

Dave Allan has been a friend for over 10 years while he was in charge of PR matters at Middlesbrough FC. He has always supported Middlesbrough Former Players Association. Anything we asked him to do for us, he gladly did with the minimum of fuss. He was a well-respected employee, as anyone who ever had dealings with him will tell you. Since leaving MFC, he has become a valued member of the MFPA committee, giving us his expert advice on PR matters. He is and will be a great asset to our organisation.

Jim Platt, Secretary, Middlesbrough Former Players Association