Charity client
The Clearly team was privileged to work on a major new campaign that is set to change the way we look at mental health – specifically suicide prevention. This is a story of hope and inspiration, and how collective action could prevent many (if not all) of the 6,000 deaths by suicide in the UK each year.
Client: Baton of Hope
How Clearly PR secured over 370 pieces of media coverage for a suicide awareness charity over six months in 2023.
Services provided:
Key results:
- An actual audience reach of at least 5 million people (across print and online media), thanks to widespread coverage of the Baton of Hope tour.
- Many more millions who saw or listened to broadcast coverage of the tour.
- 370+ pieces of media coverage in under six months.
- 45% higher brand presence than 70% of all consumer and lifestyle brands during campaign period.
Awards:
- WINNER – Marketing Campaign of the Year 2024 (Creative Bath)
- WINNER – Marketing Campaign of the Year 2024 (Business Exchange)
- FINALIST – Non-profit PR Campaign of the Year 2024 (PRCA)
Why did they appoint Clearly?
Clearly’s team has experience of delivering successful media outreach campaigns for charities and purpose-led organisations. That’s not much different to many PR agencies, so what stood us apart?
Simple: our team ‘got’ what the Baton of Hope was all about and the sensitivity of the subject. We were able to demonstrate how the organising committee’s vision could become a PR reality.
Moreover, the Clearly team was completely bought into its purpose. The passion and determination to ensure this campaign was a success was clear to see. And that proved to be a critical factor.
Objective
Support the Baton of Hope, a new national mental health charity focusing on suicide prevention, with its launch and a nationwide tour:
- ‘To improve the conversation around suicide’ – namely create the biggest suicide awareness and prevention initiative that the UK has ever seen and inspire people into taking action to help reduce the 6,000+ people who die each year in the UK from suicide, most (if not all) of which are preventable.
- Drive change – not only by overcoming stigma and prompting a new conversation, including in the workplace, but by engaging government and encouraging a new national focus on the issue.
Media of most importance and influence to the client
- Regional and national newspapers.
- Consumer and lifestyle magazines and websites.
- Broadcast media – radio stations and TV channels.
- HR-related publications.
Timeframe
- 6 months.
What would success look like to the client
Achieve top tier media coverage and generate awareness of the campaign across the UK.
How we delivered value to the client
- Delivered an initial messaging workshop to determine what the Baton of Hope IS, what the Baton of Hope DOES, and how to articulate the charity’s mission.
- Developed a media strategy around the lived experiences of those affected by suicide, engaging with both survivors of suicide attempts and those who have lost loved ones to suicide to unearth the stories that could be used as part of the media outreach.
- Centralised all communications across multiple stakeholder groups and multiple cities.
- Ensured consistency of communications across press outreach, social media activity, newsletters, and billboard and bus stop advertising.
- Proactively ‘pitched’ 100s of media outlets on an individual journalist, editor, and producer level.
- Engaged with multiple celebrities, sports stars and other influential figures. These included Norman Cook (aka ‘Fatboy Slim’), UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador, Dr Alex George, cyclist Chris Boardman, and footballer Will Vaulks.
- Created a series of motion graphics for use across the charities social media platforms in addition to creating the content itself.
Results we’re proud of
15 live broadcast interviews, 40 pre-recorded interviews and more than 100 news bulletins segments were secured.
- CoverageBook, the UK’s premier media coverage performance platform, estimated 5 million views of online and print coverage across 150+ online articles, ensuring the tour was seen nationwide and regionally.
- Social listening tool Brand24 scored the the campaign as having a 45% higher brand presence than 70% of brands, meaning that the poignancy of the Baton bearers’ stories ‘encouraged a new national focus on the issue’.
Key media coverage, including interviews, were secured with the likes of:
- Sky News (click image below)
- BBC Radio5 Live
- TalkRadio
- BBC Radio2
- BBC Breakfast TV
- Channel 4 News
- Channel 5 News
- HR Magazine
- Manchester Evening News
- Personnel Today
Plus over 300 more.
Praise for the campaign
Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister, recorded a piece to camera calling for support for the charity and its campaign (click image below to watch):
Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP:
“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has made this the biggest suicide prevention initiative we have ever seen.
“It’s tragic that suicide is the biggest cause of death amongst under 35s – but your Baton of Hope can change that. And this government will do everything we can to help you.
“The Baton of Hope [is] a true Point of Light in our country.”
Founder, Baton of Hope:
“I cannot thank you enough for the incredible power and professionalism you brought to our initiative. You delivered beyond any expectation.”
Stella Bayles, Director at CoverageBook:
“We wanted to celebrate the ‘Baton of Hope’ campaign because of its extensive reach and powerful message. [It] clearly demonstrates the incredible impact of strategic PR in fostering hope and saving lives.
“This campaign isn’t just an initiative for suicide prevention; it’s a campaign that leaves a mark on those it touches; the stories were clear in the lead pieces of coverage.
“The reach and engagement of the campaign further proves the unquestionable influence in the realm of mental health advocacy from this campaign.”
Baton of Hope organising committee member (1):
“Thank you. Your contribution has simply been outstanding and we are all incredibly appreciative of the dedication and professionalism the team put in. You handled everything we were doing with such sensitivity and that was really important.”
Baton of Hope organising committee member (2):
“Clearly have played a major part in the success of the BatonOfHopeUK! You swept in and pulled out all the stops knowing exactly what was needed! Thank you so much!”