Cactus appoints US PR agency - and builds media buzz

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As part of its stateside marketing drive, Cactus recently appointed PR consultancy, MDP Publicity, to design and develop a US media campaign: http://www.mdppublicity.com/. 

MDP Publicity is a highly successful communications agency with a special focus on the travel market. The Agency brings vast experience, in–depth knowledge and perceptive insights to each campaign it undertakes and its principal, Meryl Pearlstein, is a specialist in media relations.

The appointment has already started to generate initial media interest in the states, with an article on Travel News Gazette: http://ftnnews.com/tour-operators/12127-cactus-language-training-vacations-around-the-world-mix-classes-with-culture-and-activities.html. 

Cactus also received a mention in The Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/ct-trav-0417-news-to-use-20110416,0,7835476.story

Tinka Bose, Head of Marketing at Cactus, comments: “Cactus has always been aware of the power of PR in engaging with customers, generating interest in our services and building the Cactus brand.  So we’re really pleased to have a US team dedicated to PR and are looking forward to seeing how the campaign grows and develops in the months ahead.”

Footprint Guide to Colombia - March 2011

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Cactus gets a special mention in the Footprint Guide to Colombia, which gives unrivalled, in-depth travel information about the country, from places to stay, to regional and national tourist attractions. 

Cactus Language Travel Holidays, T0845-130 4775, http://www.cactuslanguage.com offers Spanish language courses often combined with activities such as salsa or gastronomy in different parts of Colombia, including Bogotá, Cartagena and Leticia.

The Cultural Expose - March 2011

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The Cultural Expose is a popular website for Londoners interested in exciting cultural events. Cactus set-up a competition to win evening course, and promoted its taster events via the site:

…So I opted to do French last year (J’ai deux lapin et un chien…et tu?) and learned, amongst many things, how to tell people I have two rabbits and a dog - pets which I actually, er, don’t have - and to ask the French to repeat what they say more slooooooooowly (est-ce que vous pourriez repeter lentement, s’il vous plaît?). And yes, I did pass! However, I wouldn’t mind brushing up on my language skills - and if you feel the same way, this competition is totally for YOU.

Thanks to Cactus Language training, you could be in with a chance to win a free 10-week evening course to learn a language of YOUR choice, worth £200. They’re one of the leading language training companies in the world and you can learn everything from French, Spanish, Japanese to Italian and Farsi (subject to availability).

For your chance to win it, simply enter via our special Facebook and Twitter pages or our microsite. Encourage a friend to enter too!

**The competition closes at 10am March 13th and winners will be informed by the 14th. Good luck!**

ALSO - Cactus Training will be holding a free language taster evening on March 23rd. You can try out beginners French, Italian, Spanish and Mandarin AND there’s wine and nibbles 😉 To book your place, click here.

http://theculturalexpose.tumblr.com/post/3580330782/competition-win-a-spot-on-a-language-course-of-your

Goodtoknow.co.uk - February 2011

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Cactus set-up a special competition on the GoodtoKnow.co.uk website to win two evening language courses.  The website is a hugely popular women’s lifestyle site published by IPC media. 

Enter this competition and you could be speaking a new language in a few months time!

With spring in the air and summer holidays just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to try your hand at a new language.  Cactus Language Training is offering one person the chance to win a 10-week evening courses in Spanish, French, Italian or German - and one for a friend!

Evening classes are a great way to meet like-minded people and absorb a new language, whether you’re learning before jetting off on holiday or want to impress friends or colleagues.  And with Cactus courses available at 47 locations around the UK, there’s sure to be a location to suit.

Cactus is one of the world’s leading language training companies and every year we help more than 15,000 people learn over 30 languages in 60 countries and at 500 destinations worldwide.  To find our more about all our courses visit http://www.cactuslanguagetraining.com.”

MyDaily.co.uk - 4 January 2011

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Whether it’s learning a language, making jewellery, writing your novel or, um - beekeeping, the easiest way to keep you New Year’s resolution this year is to sign up for a trip away with an expert. Learn Italian in Sicily: There’s no better place to learn a language than in the country itself, so sign up for a learning holiday with Cactus Language Training, which offers courses in 500 destinations.  http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2011/01/04/holidays-to-keep-your-new-years-resolutions/?v=2

The Independent.co.uk - 4 January 2011

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To celebrate the release of the iconic film ‘Gainsbourg’, the Independent is offering a very special holiday to one lucky reader.  We’ve teamed-up with Cactus Language Training and Optimum Releasing to give one Francophile the chance to jet-off and spend a week learning French in the very heart of Paris at one of their top partner schools, Ecole France Langue. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/win-a-unique-trip-to-paris-to-learn-french-2175789.html

Language Travel Magazine - January 2011

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This article by Gillian Evans takes an in-depth look at language schools in Latin America and student trends over the last five years.  Alex Wolfson from Cactus is quoted: “Clients realise that Latin America offers much better value than Spain for courses of three weeks or more,” he says.  Argentina is their number-one Latin American destination because, says Wolfson, “there are son many things to do there and because you get European quality at Latin American prices”. 

Get off the Beaten Path - December 2010

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This article written by Anna Downing includes a round-up of interesting and unusual gifts ideas.  “Bonjour! Hola! G’day! If you want to know what these words mean, sign-up for a language courses. You can get gift vouchers from Cactus, which will pay for a language holiday anywhere in the world, or for evening courses in the UK. perfect pressies for adventurous travellers.”

The Independent - 30 September 2010

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This full-page article by Virginia Matthews takes a look at ways in which people can improve their language skills without having to sign-up for formal lessons.  It forms part of a larger supplement all about how language skills put employees and businesses at a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.  “Chris Moore, Head of Cactus Language Training, says there is no substitute for good teaching in getting to grips with an unaccustomed foreign language. Self-study and online training courses can only grow, given the internet, but whether you are footing the bill for a language course or your employer is bearing the cost we find regular, targeted feedback from a fully qualified teacher remains the key for the majority of people.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/career-planning/getting-job/language-lessons-online-or-in-person-choose-what-suits-you-2093270.html

Cactus launches specialist DELE exam preparation evening course

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Cactus Language Training, the world’s leading language training company, today announced that it has developed a new, 20-hour Spanish course helping students to achieve their Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera. The course offers expert tuition for students and professionals looking to take language learning to the next level and attain this internationally recognised certificate.

Cactus has designed the course to be taught by qualified and experienced exam preparation teachers over three terms with one, two-hour class per week. Classes focus on the DELE exam tasks and cover the key skill areas of reading, writing, listening, speaking, grammar and vocabulary, with students advised to undertake four hours of additional home-study a week.

The next course is scheduled to start on April and will take place at one of Cactus’ top partner schools in Holborn in London. Students will then be prepared to sit their DELE examination in August.

Richard Bradford, MD of Cactus Language Training, commented: “We’ve designed this course to cater for any students of Spanish who are looking to achieve the diploma but can’t study during office hours.  The evening programme will prepare them for the DELE exam by providing small, friendly classes and a thorough grounding in all the key skill areas. We’re pleased to be adding this new course to our existing training portfolio which offers the best possible choice and teaching methods for anyone wanting to learn Spanish.”

For more information about this, and other exam preparation courses, simply visit: http://www.languagecoursesuk.co.uk/courses/exam-preparation.php