Brighton bomb anniversary gains global exposure

On October 12, 2009, The Grand in Brighton held a memorial service and ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the IRA bomb in 1984 that killed five people at the hotel.

Hotel general manager Michael Knox-Johnston invited more than 250 people to the event. High profile guests included Norman Tebbit and his wife Margaret, who was paralysed in the blast, and Jo Berry, the daughter of Anthony Berry who was killed.

Cobb PR was brought in to manage the media interest and began planning for the day weeks in advance. It was our objective to keep media attention focussed on The Grand while not appearing to glamorise the incident.

In preparation we arranged for many of the key figures to attend a media briefing at the hotel three days before the anniversary.

On the day of the event, several TV crews including the BBC and ITV ran the story whilst several local, national and international journalists also attended. This resulted in widespread coverage the following day. We also welcomed Roger Spottiswoode a documentary filmmaker for US television to The Grand.

Overall, Cobb PR managed to balance the integrity of the event with the needs of the media, and ultimately maximised a valuable opportunity to promote the hotel.

Hastings College

Cobb PR Client: Hastings College

Hastings College in East Sussex draws students from an area that includes some of the most economically deprived in the UK. The college has historically suffered from a poor reputation. Following a Learning and Skills Council review of post-16 education in Hastings and Rother, it was decided to close a number of local sixth forms and build a new college. The £120 million development is well underway and Sussex Coast College will open in September 2009.

Campaign title: Inspiring Futures, Changing Lives - July 2006 to date: on-going

In July 2006 Hastings College welcomed a new principal. Sue Middlehurst quickly engaged Cobb PR to work intensively on improving the reputation of Hastings College amongst all target audiences.

Campaign Objectives

• Enhance the reputation of Hastings College amongst all target audiences
• Launch Academy 6 and help achieve the required first year enrolments
• Make Sussex Coast College a first choice for students in the area

Target Audiences

Residents of Hastings and Rother Students and staff at all local secondary schools Local and regional politicians Business leaders and opinion formers Hastings College staff and students.

Campaign Strategy and Tactics

The strategy was based on the development of stronger media relations with all local and regional print and broadcast media. Sustained and positive media coverage across all channels and intensive stakeholder liaison with key groups and individuals.

Budget

£30k per annum on media relations wider PR support

Results and Evaluation

Surveys show high levels of awareness and local pride in the new college development. Enrolments are higher than ever before at Hastings College. Academy 6, in their first year, is exceeding expectations for student applications.

The campaign is regarded as a major success by the College Governors and senior management team. 

Save the DGH

Cobb PR Client: Save the DGH Campaign

In December 2007 the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) decreed that Eastbourne District General Hospital would see the dramatic scaling down of its maternity services, forcing expectant mums with life-threatening pregnancies to travel 20 miles to the nearest hospital in Hastings. Cobb PR was drafted into support the Save the DGH campaign team in an effort to overturn this decision.

The result – the Health Secretary overturned the PCT’s decision. To date, our campaign is the only one in England that has been successful in gaining Government intervention to overturn a PCT ruling.

Campaign Objectives:

Raise awareness of the campaign amongst key sectors of the community by constantly generating fresh opportunities to keep the media interested
Put East Sussex Downs & Weald PCT in the spotlight … and keep them in the harsh glare
Lobby the Government and take the fight to their door-step

Target Audiences:

Women of child-bearing age who would be affected by the downgrading of the unit
GPs and other healthcare workers
Business leaders and opinion formers
Local and regional politicians
Campaign Strategy and Tactics
Too many campaigns lose public support by becoming tired and dull so Cobb PR employed a range of communications tools to reach the audiences. We assisted with a petition signed by 45% of the local population; marches which saw 10,000 protesters take to the streets; the Battle Bus tour - Cobb PR borrowed a vintage bus, drove it around the industrial estates and demanded cash; a nappy walk (grown men walking through town in nappies) and a Nurses Day when the Cobb PR team raised £1,050 for donning nurses’ outfits. The business community was invited to the company’s offices for coffee and cake in exchange for a donation.

Budget:

There was no budget for this PR campaign, but between them the Cobb PR team delivered the equivalent of £27K of work at zero cost.

Results and Evaluation:

Our objective was to do the unthinkable … overturn a Primary Care Trust decision. We did it. Job done!