Why choose Riot Communications?
At Riot Communications, we believe that successful publicity campaigns require time, thought, creativity and edge. These are the principles that guide every project we undertake, no matter how large or small.
Whether you have a one-off project, are looking to develop a product or brand over time, or simply need an extra pair of hands, we can work to your needs. We can step-in at the last minute and can also offer daily rates. Because we treat each campaign individually, our fees are flexible and competitive.
Preena Gadher, Founder & Co-Director
Preena Gadher worked in one of the country's leading publishing houses, Penguin Books (Allen Lane imprint), for over five years, before looking for her next challenge: to start her own PR business.
She has a reputation for delivering high-profile publicity campaigns across genres but her particular passions are current affairs, music, business, brand campaigns, festivals and paperback reinvention.
Preena has won three national Publishers' Publicity Circle Awards for her work on Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (2012), The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein (2008) and The Islamist by Ed Husain (2007). She was also shortlisted for Publicity Campaign of the Year 2012 at The Bookseller Industry Awards for Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (2012) and for several Publishers' Publicity Circle Awards including: Best Second Edition Paperback campaign for Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (2012), Best Paperback Original Fiction campaign for Good As Gold by Louise Patten (2011), Best Children's Book Campaign for The Truth About Leo by David Yelland (2011), Best Paperback Campaign for Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky (2010), and Best Paperback Campaign for her work on Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (2006).
Preena loves: Annie Hall; Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie; cities (her favourites are Berlin for its breakfasts and Tokyo for its architecture and glasses shops); and is passionate about all kinds of music.
Anwen Hooson, Founder & Co-Director
Anwen started her career at Penguin Books, working for three years on literary and commercial titles, before moving to become National Press Officer at Waterstones. In January 2009, she and Preena opened the doors at Riot Communications.
Anwen won two Publishers' Publicity Circle Awards in 2006, for Newcomer of the Year for How To Fish by Chris Yates and Best Paperback Campaign for Bollocks to Alton Towers by Robin Halstead et al. At Waterstones, she was part of the three-strong team who devised the Writer's Year initiative, which scooped the Book Marketing Campaign of the Year award at the 2008 Bookseller Retail Awards. Since being at Riot, Anwen has received The Bookseller Industry Award for Publicity Campaign of the Year 2012 as well as the Publishers' Publicity Circle Award for Hardback Non-Fiction for Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin. Anwen has also received three further PPC nominations, all for Best Generic Campaign, for her work on the Announcement of the Children's Laureate (2012), Children's Laureate Shape Game project (2011) and the 10th Anniversary of the Children's Laureate (2010).
Anwen loves: George Gershwin; the Olympics (especially athletics & gymnastics); Roald Dahl; Jonathan Franzen; the seaside; theatre; playing the piano; cooking; the excitement of flying to New York; and Seinfeld.
Ceri Maxwell, Publicity Assistant
Ceri grew up in Wiltshire and later in South Wales, thereby keeping the Welsh tradition in the Riot team alive! She graduated from the University of Exeter with a degree in English Literature. Whilst there, she also edited the Books pages of the student newspaper, Exeposé, and was on the committee of the Literary Society, which involved arranging and publicising literary events. After university, Ceri travelled to Australasia and South East Asia before taking up a variety of work experience placements in the publicity and marketing departments of a range of publishing houses including Dorling Kindersley and Random House. Ceri officially joined the Riot team at the beginning of 2011 after completing an internship. She was shortlisted for the PPC Award for Best Second Edition Paperback campaign for Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (2012).
Ceri loves: classic novels, especially those by Jane Austen; strolling along the Seine in Paris; watching rugby at the Millennium Stadium; afternoon tea at The Angel Hotel in Abergavenny; and absolutely anything to do with Audrey Hepburn.
Maura Brickell, Campaigns Manager
Riot's newest recruit, Maura Brickell, comes with five years of commercial fiction and non-fiction experience. After a stint in the Bloomsbury Editorial Department, Maura worked for Headline Publishing for over four years. As Publicity and Digital Communications Manager she worked across a range of authors, from Jo Brand to Jed Rubenfeld. Maura has worked on a number of debut novels using her commercial experience to create that elusive 'word of mouth' buzz. Her ever-growing use of all things social-media and online was recognised by her appointment to the Digital Strategy Board at Headline.
In 2009 Maura was shortlisted for Best Celebrity Non-Fiction Campaign for Jo Brand's autobiography, Look Back in Hunger. In 2012 she won the annual Publishers' Publicity Circle Award for a Hardback Fiction Campaign and was shortlisted for The Bookseller Industry Awards for Publicity Campaign of the Year for her work on Sarah Winman's bestselling debut, When God Was a Rabbit.
Maura loves: Singing 80's ballads at karaoke; dogs (specifically a mongrel called Flossie); Turkish breakfasts in Dalston; Jon McGregor, Maggie O'Farrell, Sarah Waters and anything written about, or by, the Brontes.