Chris Packham, known for his passion for animals and wildlife, was launching the UK’s first ever wildlife audit. His goal was to highlight the extent to which the nation’s species are under threat and this was to be the first independent audit of its kind in the UK.
Our task was to secure radio and television opportunities, so Chris could spread the word and get people involved in his campaign.
Shout! Communications worked on separate radio and television press releases. For TV we offered the chance to film with Chris from the Woodberry Wetlands in London, a more fitting setting than a studio. To be able to offer that, we needed to secure the necessary permits to film in the park and organise for access very early in the morning.
We organised all the logistics of the campaign, which was tricky to balance at times as Chris was in high demand.
On the B-roll shoot
Logistics were tricky to juggle for this campaign. Chris Packham’s time was valuable, and it was a long day, so we needed to time things well. He started off at the Woodberry Wetlands from 5am to film with Sky Sunrise and BBC Breakfast, then he came straight to our radio studio in central London for a packed schedule of regional BBC interviews, before heading back to the Woodberry Wetlands for a live cross during the ITV Lunchtime News. After that, he came back into central London to film with Channel 5, so it was a busy day indeed.
The main challenge was managing the popularity of the campaign while trying to keep all broadcasters happy too.
National TV appearances
All the hard work was worth it in the end! The campaign was a huge success and we secured four national TV and one regional TV opportunities, as well as 4 national radio and 14 regional radio slots. This included a series of live links into BBC Breakfast with their weather presenter Carol Kirkwood from the Woodberry Wetlands, and live links into Sky Sunrise and ITV Lunchtime News.
Chris also spoke with 13 regional BBC stations, spreading his message far and wide. Due to the prime time opportunities, the campaign reached over 49 million people in the UK in just one day!
