A Channel Island public relations consultancy has opened a new office within Betley Whitehorne’s St Peter Port building.

PR Manager Marco Ciotti has launched the Guernsey office of Direct Input. The PR consultancy is co-located with Betley Whitehorne, at 55 Le Bordage. Marco said that the move has come in response to increasing demand:

‘The company started in St Helier but now has a growing number of Guernsey clients, so it was time for us to have a permanent presence here in Guernsey. The aim is to consolidate our services in the island and to grow by offering the right blend of expertise, local knowledge and customer service. We have already picked up several more clients.’

Mr Ciotti was born and educated in Guernsey. He was commissioned from Sandhurst and served for 18 years as an Army Officer, receiving an award from the Institute of Public Relations whilst running the Kosovo rail network on behalf of NATO in 1999. He returned to Guernsey and ran a public relations consultancy for five years, receiving the Chartered Institute of Marketing PR Campaign of the Year Award in 2003. He then planned and opened a restaurant, in conjunction with his father Nello Ciotti, before launching the new Direct Input office this May.

Direct Input’s Managing Director, James Filleul, welcomed the opening of the new Guernsey office:

‘We’re really pleased that Marco has joined the team and is heading up the Guernsey side of the business.’ He added: ‘We’re seeing a real demand for fully integrated Channel Island public relations, which is what Direct Input is all about. The Guernsey office means that we are well placed to deliver responsive, coordinated and cost-effective services throughout the islands’.

The company’s 10-strong team combines experience in print and broadcast journalism, political consultancy, marketing, business management and military logistics.

James Filleul explained:

‘We offer the full spectrum of public relations services, such as media relations, copywriting, event management and internal communications. We also specialise in media and presentation skills training.’

Chris Betley, Managing Director of Betley Whitehorne, welcomed the expansion.

‘Advertising and public relations are much more effective when they are working together so we hope that this arrangement will benefit many of our clients.’

The launch of Direct Input Guernsey also coincided with a new internet presence for the company, at www.directinput.gg.