Broadcast Campaign for L&Q Barking Riverside
The Brief
Find a unique ‘newsworthy’ angle to raise awareness for L&Q’s Barking Riverside development.
The Barking Riverside development site is part of a massive development by L&Q and Greater London Authority to create 10,000 badly needed homes in East London.
With the area developing a poor reputation as a place to live, and the first phase of the L&Q Barking Riverside development receiving some bad press for being too remote, our brief was to generate some positive PR for L&Q.
The Solution
Create a ‘buzz’ and legacy content for the local community.
During a visit to the development, our team discovered a locked vault in the Switch Building – closed since 1981 with no record of its contents. The concept for a positive L&Q-owned story emerged that would show the housing development in a positive new light, by engaging with the past, the community and the future.
To develop the narrative, with a special focus on the mysterious locked safe, we developed a beautifully shot artistic/documentary led film that captured the reopening of the safe by a master locksmith.
Telling the story with gravitas, we interviewed a historian from Footprints of London, a Barking resident and two representatives from Barking Riverside; while subtly highlighting the development of the area for future generations. The film and footage was also earmarked for the existing library of content and landmark L&Q scheme.
As part of this campaign, we delivered the following assets:
- Video News Release (and broadcast news liaison)
- Cut news package
- History film
- 10 x stills
- Social media teaser
Importantly, we had an engaging, emotive piece of content that would raise a huge amount of PR exposure for the exciting discovery for the area.
The Mysterious Barking Riverside Safe
The Results
Engaging ‘newsworthy’ coverage.
Working alongside Faust PR, we generated a unique, newsworthy story that was successfully picked up by the mainstream media, with the event being attended by ITN’s Martin Shaw and his own film crew, following a period of media liaison leading up to the event.
Over 2 days, this achieved 6 minutes of ITV London News airtime (night one) plus a second consecutive night of coverage, circa 4-5 minutes.
Brendan McGowan, ITV News London News Editor, said:
“We are very impressed with the quality of the shooting on a story broadcast on ITV London about a mysterious safe being opened after many years. The shooting was slick, professional and creative.”
Social reach
- 500K+ views on ITV’s Facebook page (over 300% above average & rising)
- 578 shares
- 258 comments
- 1.6K+ likes
Print & online
- Total reach: 1,454,001
- Total AVE: £56,731.31
ITV Facebook Coverage
ITV Broadcast Coverage
Contact Us
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