LONDON – PR agency 72Point has launched a consumer PR shop, Play, to develop big brand campaigns and creative activations for start-ups.

The new sister agency is led by 72Point director of communications Rowan Adams, who becomes managing partner. Before joining 72Point at the start of this year, Adams was PR and partnerships director at premium houseplant supplier Patch Plants. He has also been a publicist at the BBC, Sky and Blinkbox, and was head of communications at fintech Tandem Bank.

He is joined by former journalist Jay Williams, one of the original founders of 72Point who returned to the business last year after a stint as head of news at Freuds. He becomes Play’s creative director.

The duo have brought on board another four senior team members: Katie Moran (Brands2Life, The Romans, PrettyGreen) joins as an associate director; advertising and partnerships director Stephen Berti (OMD, Channel 4) is the agency’s creative strategist; Red Consultancy and Sony Music PR Ricky Sansome joins as a publicist; while Emily Trant will arrive from Wavemaker in May as an account manager.

Two junior staffers have also moved over to Play from 72Point, which has around 60 people across its London and Bristol offices and continues to be led by managing director Chris Pharo.

The venture has been building up its client portfolio since January under the 72Point banner; launch clients include designer eyewear brand Cubitts, payments fintech Ordo and health drink and snack brand Swisse Me.

Adams (pictured) told PRovoke Media: “It's phenomenal to get this level of support from a big agency. After years of working at big brands, as well as those bursting into the public's consciousness, I am over the moon to be able to set up a creative shop with Jay that is about more than just cuttings. Jay and I have a strict 'do we love this brand?' mantra when it comes to new business. We come from a place of creative disruption and the only way we can do this successfully is with total honesty and transparency."

He said the team had had no hesitation in going ahead with the launch during the ongoing global Covid-19 crisis: “We had a clear plan and proposition, and we’re confident that we’ll get through this and can continue to help our clients and look after our new family."

Adams added: "We will be as channel agnostic as possible, so while our collective heritage is in solid media relations and story-telling, we won't be shy about taking a shot at great big dirty creative briefs.”