The brief

Not-for-profit Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association wanted the publicity for its rickshaw and tandem meals-on-wheels challenge to move up a gear. We were charged with attracting the media to cover the challenge and find a way of ‘cutting through’ the myriad of other Tour de France stories.

 

Solution

We worked with the housing association to understand the best vantage points for filming and taking photos. We then issued a carefully crafted photocall notice to the broadcast/print media that would gain their attention while still also working in key messages about the housing association.

We followed up with phone calls placed to the newsdesks and helped the photographers from the Harrogate Advertiser and Yorkshire Post, together with the YP’s digital editor, get the film and photo coverage they needed.

We ensured other high resolution images were taken on the day and issued these with press information tailored to the different audiences – care home and catering trade magazines and local news media.

We supported with social media activity, particularly tweeting ahead of the event and during the challenge itself .

Result

• The rickshaw antics were covered in the Yorkshire Post including a two-minute video posted on the YP website, Yorkshire Times, Harrogate-News, Harrogate Advertiser plus a mention on BBC Radio York, Care Industry news and Independent Care Home.
• A flurry was generated on twitter with links to online stories tweeted to more than 10,000 followers helped by retweets from ITV Calendar and Care UK.
• Importantly, key messages were not forgotten in the Tour de France-themed coverage, particularly the fact that Harrogate Neighbours were fundraising for a new minibus.