This was an on-going, news hijacking programme, the brief for which was to secure opportunities across national and regional television and radio for “Feel Good With Lavina.”
We began working with personal trainer, Lavina Mehta MBE early 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic really began to take hold, promoting her fitness brand “Feel Good With Lavina.”
The highlight of the programme was when Lavina was recognised in the Queen’s Honours 2020 and awarded an MBE, for services to health and fitness during Covid-19, with special interest to the Asian community and older people.
Lavina was inspired by statistics saying Asians are less physically active, with a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, in comparison to the white population. Just before lockdown she launched a national campaign to “Get UK Asians Fit”. During lockdown she provided free daily virtual workouts aimed at keeping people healthy, physically and mentally.
We focused on the best characteristics of Lavina’s new business, emphasising who would benefit the most from the online workouts, in particularly Asian and elderly people. This gave a new twist to what broadcasters might otherwise think was just another fitness story.
We introduced Lavina to key news and programming producers, across national and regional television and radio and reminded them about her whenever a suitable story broke in the news. In addition, we brainstormed and pitched story angles for feature ideas.
At the start of our retainer programmes we agree the number of hours we will work and the minimum number of opportunities we will secure, over an agreed period of time – normally a minimum of six months. As was the case with Lavina, we nearly always exceed targets.
Prior to embarking on our retainer programme, Lavina had a following as a personal trainer, but her digital brand, “Feel Good With Lavina” was unknown.
There’s a lot of competition in this sector. When Lavina was awarded her MBE, so was youngsters’ fitness guru Joe Wicks and there are a myriad of other online fitness providers competing for similar audiences.
Lavina’s home workouts for seniors, in English and Gujarati, which her 72-year-old mother-in-law joined in with, featured on national television and BBC Radio 4. She also provided a series of workouts aimed at the Muslim community who were fasting during Ramadan.
Lavina wanted us to secure mainly national, and some regional broadcast media.
Over a period of 10 months we have secured 32 pieces of coverage and her media opportunities have included IITV News at 10, BBC London TV and LBC radio.