The strategic communications challenges you face don’t come packaged in a standard box. So neither should the solutions.
At Oxtale, we’ve years of expertise in communications, strategy and problem-solving, working with PLCs, SMEs and not-for-profits—all with their own challenges and opportunities.
Our clients operate in diverse sectors such as food & farming, environment, industry and science & innovation—areas where a scientific background or technical appreciation of the subject is important.
We create bespoke programmes using experience, skill, ethical rigour and strategic nous.
The result is obstacles unblocked and crises tamed; making sure organisations are properly positioned, strengths are presented and your most important people are influenced; ensuring that your reputation is safeguarded—and you’re famous for the right stuff!
Don’t avoid the elephant in the room. Let us help you identify and face up to any reputational weaknesses and tackle the issues head on. And if the worst – a crisis – does happen, we’ll have you comfortable and clear about saying and doing the right things.
“Amy has displayed not only an ability to plan at a strategic and tactical level, but also to anticipate potential developments. This would apply for both for proactive PR and reactive issues management.”
Amanda Ball, former Head of Strategy, AHDB Dairy
Havin an authentic reputation depends on walking the talk. We’ll look constructively at what you’re doing now, and where you want to be, and talk honestly about how you live your brand, inside and out.
“Amy has deep knowledge of the farming industry and how it works, strong communication skills, and an understanding of the most important audiences and what makes them tick. These give her a strong perceptive ability to foresee obstacles and opportunities, and present an argument or message so that it delivers the desired outcome.”
Tim Brigstocke, Policy Director and ex-Chairman RABDF, Chairman Cattle Health and Welfare Group, Executive Director CHECS
Having the right people behind you can make a world of difference. Whether they’re employees, local communities, media, customers, regulators or government, we can create a plan to build long term relationships and turn critics into advocates.
“Everyone has been impressed with the way Amy has worked. She is enthusiastic yet very practical and realistic in what can be achieved. She is also sensitive in the way she deals with people, always getting the best out of them.”
Ian Hobson, Malling-Holmesdale Federation
Make sure people think of the right things when they hear your name. Let us look at your strategy, uncover what you’re really about, and build you a strong reputational brand that makes you famous for the right stuff.
“Amy is a highly experienced and enthusiastic communicator, and bought a strategic vision to our communications. Any Communications Director who can get you on the sofa of Breakfast TV has to be good at her job!!”
Kevin Bellamy, formerly Chief Executive of the Milk Development Council, and Global Sector Head Dairy at Rabobank
Agribusiness, farming and food chain are our bag. We’ve worked on a wide range of livestock, arable and produce projects, clarifying strategy, protecting reputation and promoting messages.
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We’re with you whether it’s GHGs or PV, conservation or waste, natural capital or recycling, using our technical skills to steer the debate, promote good practice or even compile hard-hitting reports.
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Industry is a key component of the UK economy—but not everyone sees it that way. Disaffected stakeholders can create challenges on anything from emissions to traffic, fuels to planning.
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Do you compromise your integrity by oversimplifying the message—or do you lose your audiences in a web of jargon? Science communication is an area where many struggle to strike the right balance.
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Oxtale is led by Amy Jackson. Amy frequently collaborates with other freelance specialists or consultancies to add technical or subject specialism, insight into specific media, top class web design—or just an extra pair of hands. Whatever the need, Oxtale can supply the appropriate level of expertise to maximise the effectiveness of your project.
Oxtale is led by Amy Jackson. Amy frequently collaborates with other freelance specialists or consultancies to add technical or subject specialism, insight into specific media, top class web design—or just an extra pair of hands.
Whatever the need, Oxtale can supply the appropriate level of expertise to maximise the effectiveness of your project.
Amy has nearly 30 years’ experience in communications and PR, in consultancies and in-house, working for a huge range of organisations from charities to blue chip businesses, international NGOs and SMEs. Throughout, she has been a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, with which she is now an Accredited Practitioner.
Amy advocates a ‘bottom up’ approach ensuring communications are underpinned by the right actions, and reputation reflects reality. While Amy has hands-on skills in farming and the land-based industries, she also completed a PhD examining public preferences for dairy farming in 2022 at the University of Nottingham vet school, and has co-authored several peer-reviewed papers published in high impact journals.
Amy currently chairs the Dairy Technical Advisory group at Red Tractor and sits on the Appeals Panel for Quality Meat Scotland. In addition to these, she regularly speaks about issues and crisis management, combining her observations from research and practice to highlight the need for engagement to build bridges with a changing society.
See some of Amy’s more recent activity under “What’s new” (link)
You might be a plc or small commercial operation, membership or not-for-profit organisation, farm business or college. And you could be in science or agribusiness, environment or renewables, waste or industry. You could even be a PR agency looking for a specialist to work with your team.
Whatever and whoever you are, let us pick the best ways to communicate the right message to your most important people to generate the outcome you want.
We’re not info fluff. We’re straight-talking which means we’re not afraid to challenge the status quo—or you, if we think you’re on the wrong track. We believe this clarity and honesty is why our clients come back time after time.
We love working on projects with defined targets, short or longer term.
We can develop strategy, trouble-shoot, train, or implement bigger change programmes.
We’ll listen to your needs, research our options and create a proposal to deliver against your objectives. And we’re whizzes at the whole range of PR tools—whether media, direct, events, digital or social. Which means we don’t choose what’s most familiar—we choose the combination that’s best at reaching your audiences.
Our communications campaigns also measure success with clarity, in a way you value, and we invoice simply with no add-ons.
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