We are an award-winning communications team who believe that great relationships lie at the heart of our best-in-class work in the drinks industry
About Us
We're a bit different...
When I founded May Fox in 2012, I wanted to create a different way of working within PR and communications. One that was more flexible and one that fitted, not just more efficiently with my changing lifestyle, but much more effectively with my clients’ needs and ambitions.
Our way of working is smart and no nonsense – ensuring that the working day, week and month delivers the best results possible. No time wasting, no ulterior motives, no hidden costs – just honest best-in-class work alongside clients and brands we love, where we are all striving for the same goals.
We make a point of pledging to clients new and existing that May Fox will work exceptionally hard and passionately for you. We only take on clients whose brands we truly believe in and, as a result, are lucky enough to work with some of the world's leading luxury spirits, as well as some amazing and inspiring young brands... And we are never slaves to the bottom line.
We ask lots of questions, listen and learn so that we can advise and deliver what we believe is right for your brand and your business. The team you see is always the team you get.
We are proud to have won drinks industry awards in the last few years: The Spirits Business PR Agency of the Year in 2020 and runner up in 2024, plus shortlisted for
The Drinks Business PR Agency of the Year in 2022.
Real relationships and return are at the heart of our business values and all that we do.
Emily Harris, Founder & Director
Meet the Team
Personable, professional and highly experienced, have a read about us below...
Emily Harris
Founder & Director
Emily has 25+ years of experience working in drinks communication for some of the world's leading luxury brands and personalities behind them, including Moët and Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Hennessy and many more.
Emily leads the strategic side of the business and enjoys organising and hosting memorable press trips and brand experiences alongside brilliant clients.
She won the PRCA Frontline award during her early agency days and has since lead May Fox on to winning The Spirits Business Spirits PR Agency of the Year 2020 and being runner-up in 2024. Emily holds the WSET Level 2 in Wines & Spirits.
She loves a Whisky Sour and a good Gimlet (not together...). Running helps her think creatively. She loves a Scottish sunset with a dram in hand. Terrible at playing the drums, but will give it her best shot.
Ruth Mulcare
Senior Consultant
Ruth has a wealth of consumer PR and comms experience - she knows her stuff.
She previously managed numerous divisions in London's leading consumer PR agencies on high profile clients including Nestle and Unilever.
Ruth heads up the media communication side of May Fox and is the team's press liaison expert - usually found pitching stories and products to our favourite journalists and influencers.
Having lived and worked in France, she can have a chat in French. Loves the piano and live music (from pop to classical), as well as great red wine - sometimes together. She's a Zumba warrior and keen runner alongside her reluctant terrier.
Our Services
Media relations & press office
Getting press and influencers to engage with and write about your brand and business, how and when it matters to you...
Launches & events
Curating great launch events and trips with the right people in the right places, alongside content creation to ensure you're heard...
Strategic planning & ideas
Helping you achieve your business objectives through ideas, strategic planning and ongoing senior support around all areas of communications...
Partnerships & collaborations
Identifying the right partners for you and your brand, helping to bring them to life, whether it be via social media and influencers partnerships or brand and media title collaborations...
Testimonials
"May Fox has become an integral part of our team at Glencairn. Their deep understanding of the drinks industry and keen insight into our business needs make them a perfect PR partner for us. Their commitment and expertise have been invaluable, and we couldn't be happier with the results we've achieved together."
Kirsty Nicholson
Marketing Manager
Glencairn Crystal
"We’ve been working with May Fox since the very start of our whisky journey. Emily and Ruth have been lovely to work with and great PR partners, very knowledgeable and tuned in to all the fine details that make a big difference. They have a great network in the spirits industry built up over many years which has really helped us."
Claire Vaughan
Founder
White Peak Distillery
"Emily and the rest of the team at May Fox have been indispensable for us at Balcones Distilling.
They have always been reliable, professional, friendly and fun to work with and overdelivered for us."
Jared Himstedt
Head Distiller
Balcones Distilling
“I’ve worked with Emily and May Fox over the years and find them to be one of the best whisky PR teams in the business. There’s always a great personal touch, as well as professionalism and efficiency and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with her and the team.”
Charles MacLean MBE
World-renowned whisky writer and consultant
“May Fox are a dream to work with. Emily and Ruth understand what you need as a writer and editor, and pitch really useful, workable ideas. They’re also incredibly knowledgeable about spirits, so know what is actually a story and not just marketing spiel. They are always super professional - May Fox are great!”
Kristiane Sherry
Whisky writer, educator and consultant
“The Thinking Drinkers are huge fans of May Fox: the team has an acute understanding of the pressures on journalists and make sure we're on top of the news without hassling - this is a critical quality when you operate in a long-lead world, as well as more reactively. The team works on relationships that stand the test of time, both with us, but also with clients, so you know when they present you with a story it's based on established connections and a deep knowledge of the brands.”
Tom Sandham
Writer and presenter, The Thinking Drinkers
"Reliable, quick, understanding, enthusiastic and friendly – the list could go on. I have worked with May Fox for many years, and Emily and Ruth are two of the best PRs in the business. It's clear how much they value relationship-building. This is equally true for the large-scale, global brands they work with, and newer, up-and-coming companies. Emily and Ruth are worlds away from the 'pushy PR' stereotype, and it's always a pleasure to work with them."
Melita Kiely
Editor, The Spirits Business
"I've known Emily for years, ever since her LVMH days and whenever we work on something together it's never less than a complete pleasure. I know I'll be in safe hands and that whatever she says she will do, she will do, making my life immeasurably easier."
Jonathan Ray
Drinks editor, The Spectator
Our promises to our clients
- The team you see is the team you get
- We are a small team with HUGE experience
- We act as a true extension of your team
- We love a no-nonsense approach
- We go out of our way to understand what you need
- We don't charge for any extra hidden costs
Our Clients
City skyline
Glenmorangie ‘A Tale of…’ series:
Building the storytelling
Brief:
Create awareness and excitement around the brand’s annual ‘A Tale of...’ series, driving the creative and playful side of the brand whilst reiterating whisky credentials.
Strategy:
Working with local and global teams to build an advocacy and media relations programme reaching top tier whisky media and influencers.
Using luxury gifting as a tool to draw attention to the product and key messages.
Inviting media for one to one interviews and tastings with the whisky creation team, to talk first-hand about the limited edition spirits.
For some launches, private events – tastings and lunches - have taken place in key on trade accounts, driving strong social media content, listings and buzz.
Results:
Over the course of five ‘A Tale of’ releases, each launch has delivered over and above KPIs, driving positive media and social coverage across key platforms – both whisky aficionados and consumers alike.
Reach averaging over 8 million people (UK only) via media and social placements.
Ardbeg:
Cask 3 record-breaking news
Brief:
Communicate Ardbeg’s value and exceptional quality aged liquid to widespread media, creating a halo effect across the entire portfolio.
Strategy:
A media relations campaign around the sale of Cask 3 – the most expensive cask of whisky ever sold….
Communicate the story clearly to key national, trade, drinks and regional press, with Ardbeg’s brand story always at the core.
Results:
Widespread global media coverage in all key leading titles, including the Financial Times, Forbes, Robb Report, BBC, Scotland on Sunday and many more.
Glencairn Crystal:
The Black Glencairn Glass smashes Black Friday
Brief:
Launch Glencairn Crystal's very first limited edition black Glencairn Glass for 'Black Friday', as a unique way to experience your whisky.
Activity:
Created huge industry buzz via leading bloggers and whisky influencer network, driving coverage, testimonials and social media globally.
Outcome:
Over 35 pieces of coverage + social achieved reaching widespread global audience, leading to a website crash due to a huge level of demand for the limited edition! The much-loved glass sold out globally within a few hours.
White Peak Distillery:
Putting Derbyshire on the whisky map
Brief:
Launch White Peak's long-awaited Wire Works Whisky to trade and consumers within the UK, whilst building the brand in both audience's minds beyond the launch.
Activity:
Curate a series of bespoke press trips, online tastings and a full media relations programme around the launch and beyond, driving media coverage and extensive social media noise.
Ensure the strategy can continue beyond the initial launch to drive ongoing brand advocacy and credentials.
Results:
Extensive media coverage, reaching over 10 million people in the first few months via widespread coverage and social media. First-class feedback from leading whisky media and influencers.
Balcones Distilling:
Creating the UK's first Texas whisky cocktail competition
Brief:
Build the brand organically within the on trade, encouraging cocktail listings and sales, via engagement with leading bartenders across the UK.
Activity:
Partner with the UK's leading on trade magazine to curate a bartender competition, asking entrants to work with the Balcones core range to create a cocktail list with a Texas twist.
Results:
Unprecendented amount of entrants for a new brand competition: double page spread in media title plus additional coverage and social media from wider trade. New listings generated in all of the bars that entered with on trade sales up 20% year on year.
Volcan Blanco Tahona:
Launching a luxury tequila via experience
Brief:
Launch the new luxury Volcan Blanco Tahona expression to specialist consumers via specialist media and influencers.
Activity:
Curate a stunning private lunch at restaurant partner KOL alongside client team for leading drinks writers and influencers, including a guided tasting and pairing menu. Gifting and media relations with core media titles post launch event to drive coverage and online buzz.
Results:
Event attended by leading spirit writers and influencers, all of whom either posted on social channels or wrote about the launch in the media outlets.
Glenmorangie:
The launch of the Lighthouse Distillery
Brief:
Launch and showcase the new Glenmorangie Lighthouse Distillery to leading whisky and trade writers and influencers.
Activity:
Curation of bespoke media trip for leading global whisky writers and influencers, one to one interviews with Director of Distilling, Dr Bill Lumsden and targeted media campaign.
Outcome:
Stunning media coverage reaching a global audience, including lead feature in FT How to Spend It, plus whisky audiences via Master of Malt, Whisky Magazine and core trade titles.
Lochlea Distillery:
Establishing and building a presence for new scotch
Brief:
Establish a press presence for Lochlea Distillery – an exciting, new and dynamic farm-to-cask scotch whisky to build advocacy, leading into maximum noise and coverage for the brand around its 5th Anniversary.
Strategy:
Launched with the brand's Cask Strength release, then feeding into ongoing stories throughout the year.
Profiling of the team behind the brand in key media.
Maximise coverage and social presence around the key launch: Lochlea 5th Anniversary, that sold out within hours via key retailers and featured in leading media titles.
Results:
Ongoing media coverage featuring in top media titles, with huge levels of reach around 5th Anniversary release, plus product selling out in a few hours when launched!
Eminente Cuban Rum:
A luxury Paris hideaway brought to life
Brief:
Raise awareness amongst the luxury consumer media about Casa Eminente - an stunning exclusive pop-up hotel, for those in the know about fine spirits and luxury travel.
Activity:
Host a select few key media at Casa Eminente in Paris, offering the ultimate experience for guests - a true taste of exquisite Cuban rum and cuisine for a limited period only.
Results:
Stunning PR coverage in leading titles: Conde Nast Traveller, City AM, Club Oenologique and Foodism, generated from the bespoke media trip and experience.
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