For those who don’t know Hopscotch, can you set out what you do?
Hopscotch is a global communications agency. Our roots are in France, and we have a footprint of 40 agencies in 32 countries, including here in the UK. We have over 1,000 team members who are experts in PR, events, digital, content and public affairs.
Hopscotch One's managing director in the UK Rebecca Wilson has been able to combine a past career in travel and tourism with food and drink
What makes us tick? We call it Relational Capital. We’re all about building genuine, trusted connections that help brands grow and thrive. With offices across the globe, we blend local know-how with international flair to create strategies that truly understand a client’s product and audience.
In the UK, we have over 60 years of food and beverage marketing experience. We’re always evolving, bringing fresh ideas and a big heart for making a positive difference to the planet and the people behind the brands we work with.
With all the pressures on cost and capital, what is your overall pitch for why PR, trade and media communications is still so important?
In a world pushing for efficiency, one thing remains crystal clear: strong relationships drive success. Investing in PR, trade, and media communications isn’t a cost, it’s a powerful catalyst for trust, visibility, and brand loyalty that delivers lasting value beyond budgets.
Good communications cut through the noise, distinguish your brand, and create emotional connections with your audiences. Combined, this builds reputations that withstand pressure, opens doors for growth, and transforms customers into champions.
Simply put: your relational capital is your greatest asset, especially in challenging times and its ‘relation capital’ the basis that we build our client strategies on.
What makes Hopscotch’s approach so different?
Hopscotch works on a number of generic wine campaigns that look to find new ways to engage with key wine trade influencers
We don’t just communicate, we innovate, connect, and inspire. Hopscotch blends PR, digital, marketing, events, and influence into one seamless, future-focused offering, driven by trade expertise and a true passion for the meaning given to positive consumer, trade, media and stakeholder relationships.
Our global network ensures a local heartbeat in every project, delivering consistency with authenticity. We’re also deeply committed to responsible business, embedding CSR and sustainability at the core of everything we do, so our work not only talks the talk but leaves a positive footprint.
How does having an international reach impact that and allow you to offer a wider perspective?
Thanks to our extensive international network across five continents, we’re able to offer unique local insights combined with global reach. This means we can unlock new opportunities for our clients, providing access to markets and expertise that many other agencies simply can’t match.
Are you working with AI and how do you see it as being relevant and an asset for your type of business?
Absolutely. Our talented, multidisciplinary AI team - including data analysts, developers, and strategists - leverages AI to boost efficiency, innovate our services, and spot trends before they emerge. AI helps us be smarter, faster, and more insightful, freeing us to do what we do best: crafting meaningful stories and connections that truly resonate.
We do it responsibly, always respecting privacy laws like GDPR and championing ethical use, so AI is a trusted partner in delivering smarter, more impactful communications.
AI is a game-changer, no doubt. But it’s not about replacing human creativity, intuition, and empathy. Those uniquely human qualities are at the heart of real relationships.
As a business, we’ve invested heavily in this space and developed unique agency AI tools that power all our campaigns. These tools embed deep data and research right at the foundation of our strategies, so when it’s time to sprinkle some creative magic on our clients’ briefs, everything is grounded in real insight.
Talking to customers, producers and generic bodies, what do you see as their main communication issues they need to focus on?
Hopscotch worked with Provence producer Sainte Marguerite on a number of PR and digital campaigns
Reputation, engagement, digital evolution, and standing out in crowded markets consistently top the list. Plus, today’s audiences expect brands to stand for something. Aligning communication with CSR and social values is no longer optional.
Clients need authentic, adaptable strategies that build trust, nurture communities, and respond swiftly to the ever-changing digital and social landscape.
How do you go about setting out the right communications strategy for a new customer?
We dive deep. Understanding our clients’ ambitions, audience, and unique challenges is our first step. Then, drawing on our vast sector expertise, our internal data tools and global insights, we craft bespoke strategies that build connections and make an impact locally and globally.
Our extensive AI tools, supported by our HQ, play a key role in this process by providing data-driven insights. We also stay closely connected to real-life cultural trends to ensure our recommendations are relevant, timely, and resonate authentically with our clients’ audiences.
Is it important for you to decide which companies are the right ones to work with so you can be effective?
Absolutely. Partnership is everything. When our values and vision align with those of our clients, magic happens. That’s how we deliver authentic, powerful, and sustainable high-delivering campaigns time after time.
What are the key questions you ask prospective customers to best understand their needs?
- What are your current business goals and communication challenges?
- Who are the key people or audiences you want to reach and engage?
- How do you measure success—through reputation, growth, loyalty, or something else?
- How do you connect with your audiences right now? Where do you think there’s room to improve?
- And what’s your best-case scenario for partnering with us? Are you looking to drive sales, boost visibility, get consumers talking, or something else?
How have you seen the role of PR/media communications strategy changing?
It’s shifting from simply sharing messages to creating authentic experiences. Successful communication today builds lasting relationships, embraces digital innovation, and stands proudly alongside sustainability and social responsibility. It's less about pushing content and more about meaningful, two-way conversations that genuinely engage and inspire.
What is your own background, as you have worked in other sectors?
I have been working in marketing and communications for some 25 years. I started my professional life in tourism marketing with tour operators and tourism boards, before finding my way into food and drink, which is a natural evolution, as there are so many synergies between F&D and tourism.
In tourism, we talk about destination, whereas in food and drink we talk about provenance – it's two sides of the same coin.
Hopscotch also works with a number of food clients like here helping to promote Pecorino Romano PDO
Specifically, to wine, we have been delighted over the years to work with more Spanish wine regions and brands. From a personal point of view, I have a natural affinity to Spain as I am half Spanish, so a crisp glass of premium Cava is always first on my hit list!
What do you find so interesting and different about wine and beverages?
Wine and beverages are a perfect fusion of tradition, culture, and sensory delight - rich stories waiting to be told. Balancing heritage with innovation and connecting diverse markets with evolving consumer values around authenticity and sustainability make this sector endlessly exciting and uniquely challenging to communicate.
* You can find out more about Hopscotch at its new corporate website here.
