Westminster and Edinburgh-based communications consultancy PLMR has been appointed by Gumtree UK to lead a programme of public affairs activity for the brand after a competitive tender process.
As the UK’s largest online classifieds website and app and which has been owned by eBay since 2005, Gumtree is visited by over 36% of the internet-using population of the UK each month, and at any given time has approximately two million classified advertisements live on the platform.
The scale of Gumtree’s operation has given the organisation unique insights into the way that people trade online. PLMR will work closely with Red Consultancy and 1000heads, Gumtree’s PR and social agencies, to engage decision makers and stakeholders with Gumtree’s population insights and build collaboration around its work on trust and safety online.
The Gumtree account adds to PLMR’s burgeoning portfolio in the tech and digital sector, joining existing clients such as US tech giants Lyft and Square Inc. Last year, former Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s tech and business adviser, Joe Mitton, also joined the PLMR team to bolster its specialism in this area.
PLMR CEO Kevin Craig commented: “I could not be prouder to work with Gumtree. The business has such a positive story to tell, beginning as a London start-up and growing into a peer to peer marketplace that is used by so many of us. Gumtree understands the responsibility it has around trust and safety online and this programme of activity is a clear demonstration of that.”
Gumtree’s Head of Public Affairs in the UK, Fergus Campbell, added: “PLMR is a natural fit for Gumtree as we raise our public affairs profile. It has a track record of delivering award-winning public affairs work for its clients, and its specialism in the sharing economy is strong. I’m am delighted to be working with the team and look forward to achieving great results together.”