May has been a particularly busy month, with a wide range of PR campaigns launching across our retail, leisure and lifestyle clients. From supporting the highly anticipated opening of Jerk Junction at Trinity Leeds, to welcoming KELOWNA to Buchanan Galleries, the team has been working at full pace to deliver engaging moments that hit the headlines, with plenty more still to come this summer.
Liverpool ONE Hits the Headlines: Retail Openings, Reactive PR and a Surprise Performance
We delivered a strong month of activity for our client Liverpool ONE, supporting a mix of experiential moments, reactive PR and major retail launches. The team facilitated a range of activity across the month, from Shaun the Sheep bringing playful street moments to the destination, to managing multiple journalist requests at pace and securing consistent earned coverage.
We also supported key brand openings including Lovisa and Accessorize, alongside coordinating a standout media moment featuring a surprise performance from Channel 4’s The Piano sensation and winner Brad Kella, adding a strong cultural highlight to the month’s activity.
The activity generated over 50 pieces of coverage, including this BBC piece, reaching a total audience of over 95 million.
Jerk Junction launches at Trinity Kitchen
We invited local media for a first look at Trinity Kitchen’s latest opening, Jerk Junction.
We secured 77 pieces of coverage with a reach of 20.4m from the launch announcement to the opening, including titles such as Yorkshire Evening Post, The Hoot and Leeds Live.
From sampling the menu to chatting with the journalists – this launch is one to remember!
4lite in the Spotlight in the Ideal Home Awards
Lighting brand 4lite won ‘Best Lighting’ in the Kitchen category at the Ideal Home Awards 2026 for its new Hampton range.
A standout product, combined with a gold-standard award entry, helped secure this recognition – which the client (and team Umpf) was thrilled with!
4lite’s own Matthew Claydon attended the Award ceremony in London to collect the coveted trophy – pictured here looking proud with a grin 😊
Shaun the Sheep Flocks to Shopping Centres
Seven Landsec shopping centres, including Bluewater, Liverpool ONE and White Rose, welcomed Shaun the Sheep in May. The Fun with the Flock augmented reality trail invited families to embark on a free adventure with Shaun and his farmyard friends brought to life in 3D. Guests hunted down several markers across the destinations to unlock interactive A.R. scenes, complete challenges and enjoy photo opportunities, alongside artist-designed Shaun the Sheep sculptures. The excitement didn’t stop there, as the centres also hosted a lineup of half-term workshops, including clay modelling, crafting clubs, and character visits to keep guests entertained.
The trail generated widespread media attention securing a total of 129 pieces of coverage for all the centres, along with several influencer partnerships including @meetthesonsfamily, @skye_jennifer_ and @bigadventureswithlittleones.
Buchanan Galleries Rallied National Pride Ahead of World Cup
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup, Buchanan Galleries welcomed Scottish rock band KELOWNA for a one-off live performance at the centre’s Busk Stop. Performing their latest single, Faith in the Gaffer – written to celebrate Scotland’s World Cup qualification and support MND Scotland. Our team supported with a media campaign to raise awareness of the event, securing 13 pieces of coverage across titles including the Glasgow Times, What’s On Glasgow and Glasgow News Today. On the day, the performance brought fantastic energy and entertainment to shoppers and attracted strong footfall and engagement, helping to raise awareness for both the band and MND Scotland, with all donations from the busking event going directly to the charity.
Xscape Yorkshire Lifted by Bold New Artwork from Nicolas Dixon
Leeds-based artist Nicolas Dixon returned to Xscape Yorkshire to complete his vibrant mural on the central lift shaft, introducing eye-catching, colourful, and contemporary additions that pay tribute to Castleford and Wakefield, celebrating the region’s rich heritage and matching Xscape’s bold and awe-inspiring atmosphere.
Dixon’s latest work, titled Castle in the Sky, extends the existing mural to the first floor and features 17 new elements inspired by Wakefield’s mining history, as well as local cricket and rugby icons. Among these is the number 7, included in tribute to the late Rob Burrow.
To mark the unveiling, we produced a press release alongside a new set of photography that captured the mural in full. The story was picked up by local outlets including Wakefield Express and Welcome to Yorkshire, helping shine a spotlight on the region’s proud heritage.
Christmas by Candlelight
During May’s heatwave the Umpf team were selling in the launch of a festive Christmas by Candlelight West End show in December for new client Concerts by Candlelight. The team landed 27 pieces of coverage, with a 11.7m reach.
Savouring the Flavour at the British Street Food Awards with Influencers at Gunwharf Quays
The highly anticipated Southern heats of the British Street Food Awards returned to Gunwharf Quays, the seafront outlet shopping destination, over the May bank holiday.
To support the event, we handed the mic to Portsmouth-based tastemakers and foodies, @portsmouthfinds and @elly.in.southsea, to spotlight the diverse range of food stalls from around the world through Instagram Story takeovers on the Gunwharf Quays channels, as vendors competed for the public vote and a place in the UK finals in Sheffield.
Both creators then published a collaborative Reel on their own platforms to maintain momentum throughout the sunny bank holiday weekend. So far, the content has generated more than 35.3K views.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYut1taoXk9
A month to remember for St David’s
May was a bumper month for St David’s Cardiff with 74 pieces of coverage and a total reach of 24.2 million, including titles such as BBC Radio Wales, Wales Online, and South Wales Argus.
We worked across a range of campaigns and launches, from announcement of a sparkling new Pandora store and the launch of a pop-up Super Furry Animals merch store to the much-loved Aardman Shaun The Sheep trail. From supporting on media outreach, photography, and influencer activity, all activity helped drive strong awareness and engagement for the centre.
June is already shaping up to be another exciting month, with new openings and exciting campaigns coming soon – watch this space! 👀
And Finally…
For our May Last Thursday Club session, Umpfers donned a special dress code in support of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) & Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) Awareness Month, a cause close to the team’s hearts.
We were kitted out in the Ehlers-Danlos Society’s colours of orange, zebra-print, and anything dazzling to raise awareness of the connective tissue disorders.
To find out more about the conditions, visit www.ehlers-danlos.com/ or www.ehlers-danlos.org/
