Home » Insights » Media relations matter: three press-focused campaigns we’re proud of

Media relations matter: three press-focused campaigns we’re proud of

While PR now means so much more than seeing your business’ name in your favourite newspaper or magazine, great media coverage still matters. But, with many media titles under resourced, some titles sadly going under completely as a result of COVID, and so many brands vying for the same column inches, it’s getting trickier to secure placements. Creativity and finding the correct angle have never been more important. Luckily, this is the stuff we love. So, we wanted to share three short case studies of media-first campaigns that we’re really proud of.

Culture Shift

First up is our 2020 work with tech for good developer, Culture Shift. You might think mid-pandemic, when many of the media were up against it, would be a mad time to launch a media campaign. But we did, and it worked. Crucial here was the angle and content we created to achieve this – research (quantitative and qualitative) and engaging content around company cultures and how they’d been impacted by the pandemic. Clever, regular content, consumer data and offering up fast, reactive comments on high-profile stories allowed us to achieve a campaign with a bucket load of coverage.

Part way through the campaign and we’ve secured almost 100 pieces of targeted coverage for Culture Shift, including placements with BBC, Wired, Reuters, Raconteur, Legal Week, The Guardian and more.

You can read more about how we did it here.

Uponor  

Next up, is our work with building solutions manufacturer, Uponor. Re-introducing the business to key media was an important goal for this campaign, as well as building up its profile as a thought leader, so strong media coverage really mattered.

Coverage needed to influence specifiers working in the high-rise sector, a target group that can traditionally be more difficult to reach. Original research covering topical issues was used to create media content that positioned Uponor within a number of relevant conversations, such as the social housing crisis and skills shortages in the construction industry.

The campaign resulted in 38 pieces of media coverage, directly specifically at specifiers. Coverage highlights included an article on RIBA Journal’s website about tackling the housing crisis, as well as extensive exposure in construction media titles as well as key vertical trade titles, such as Construction News, Building Products, LABM and Housebuilder & Developer.

We also held media meetings with 20 individual journalists as part of a press trip we conducted to launch the campaign, which helped us present Uponor as an expert in its field that the media could rely on for expert insights into the news agenda.

Read more on that one here.

Manchester Digital

Last but not least, is our work with independent trade association for Greater Manchester digital and tech businesses, Manchester Digital. While media relations were just part of this multi-channel campaign – which also used community engagement and social media heavily – it was an incredibly important part. With the organisation needing to get 250 Greater Manchester businesses on board to play their part in strengthening the digital skills pipeline by signing up to be Digital Futures ambassadors, the sometimes-forgotten regional media was a crucial element.

Over the course of the project we secured 40 pieces of targeted media coverage, in key tech trade media, as well as the region’s 10 local authority areas, including Business Live, Manchester Evening News, Bury Times, Oldham News, Tameside Reporter, Bolton News, Prolific North, Business Cloud and Computer Weekly.

The campaign was recently named finalist in ‘Best Not for Profit’ campaign at the 2020 Northern Marketing Awards. Check it out here.

We’re continually really proud of our media relations work and the great journalist network we’ve built up over the past decade. If you need help getting your organisation seen in the media, get in touch!

Let us support you

Want to grow your business, change direction, shout louder, boost your sales leads, or keep your brand out of the news? Our door is always open. If you think we can help, get in touch.