In the first six months of 2009/10, we delivered £290,000 in tracked sales for the BBC through online PR alone
The challenge
Working with TV Licensing, we need to make sure that anyone who needs a licence, buys one. This means working with a complex web of media and stakeholders to ensure that the TV-viewing population has the information it needs to stay within the law. Having worked with the BBC since 2001, we also need to show that fresh-thinking remains constant.
Our response
We delivered a strong message through the media to would-be fee evaders with a range of stories, from the most creative excuses used for not having a TV licence to publishing local statistics of people caught without a licence. For the majority who pay the fee, we developed distinct audience-specific campaigns, working extensively with gatekeepers.
We worked with universities, to inform students leaving home for the first time about their obligations under the licensing law. We briefed money advice organisations, on how to advise clients to spread the cost of the fee. We helped those seeking information on the fee in social media forums by introducing an online community manager.
Results
Evaders got the message: kicked off by a feature in the Mail on Sunday, our Excuses campaign reached 15.8m, followed by 400+ pieces of local coverage for our evader statistics.
Working with more than 150 stakeholders across the UK in 6 months, we reached over 70,000 customers with TVL literature. 81 universities carried TV Licensing information and a link to our website. After just two months on the job, our community manager had reached over 20,000 tweeters online.
