safefood Christmas Campaign
Brief:
The economic burden of gastroenteritis on the economy on the island of Ireland is estimated at over €135 million per annum¹ and figures have revealed that up to 100,000 people could suffer from acute gastroenteritis over the festive period.
WHPR/ SMARTS was asked to devise an intensive media relations programme to support the wider marketing activity for safefood’s Christmas campaign addressing this public health issue by generating mass awareness for minimum investment and with little support through the line, aside from online advertising and search.
Solution:
The single minded campaign focused on heavyweight traditional media relations and online activation to reach the widest possible audience for a minimal investment. Credible consumer research, which highlighted the challenges consumers experience when cooking the Christmas dinner, was used as a media hook to underpin the media relations activity. A celebrity with strong media and consumer appeal was secured to spearhead the campaign photography– one that was inextricably linked to turkeys - Dustin! To ensure integration with the wider marketing activity and provide additional media relations opportunities, celebrity chef Neven Maguire was also secured to drive the campaign and ensure Dustin’s involvement did not detract from the gravity of the public health issue. The campaign needed to embrace digital media and by introducing an iPhone app, Neven’s online footage, blogger engagement activity and working with boards.ie the campaign reached a new level of consumer interaction.
safefood spokespeople were put forward for an intensive programme of broadcast media interviews to secure strong media coverage throughout the campaign. Prior to the campaign launch, intensive media canvassing and targeting on long media was undertaken to ensure the safefood campaign was to front of mind for media planning Christmas features and segments.
For further information on safefood go to: www.safefood.eu/
