The Story
This campaign for Slimming World was based on the UK’s first study into the relationship between weight loss and mental toughness. The research, conducted by the University of Lincoln, showed that over a six month period, those that joined a Slimming World group lost an average of 2 stone 5 lbs – an amazing 2 stone MORE than their solo counterparts.
What We Did
The story ran in January, a competitive time for diet related stories, the challenge therefore was how to make the campaign stand out. Extracting the most news-worthy nuggets from the six-month long study was crucial. Writing tailor made press releases for different stations, we stressed the uniqueness of the study and the relationship between mental toughness and weight loss.
We linked the story to government figures suggesting that more than 40% of adults in England had gained weight during the pandemic, with an average increase of half a stone. Furthermore, over half of adults and two thirds of youngsters said their mental health got worse during the pandemic. Linking the story to official statistics added further credibility to the campaign.
Case studies are critical to stories like this, and a compelling personal tale appeals greatly to broadcasters. We ensured each were fully briefed about Slimming World’s key messages, as well as what they should expect from the journalists interviewing them. Most had not prior experience of being interviewed for broadcast.
As is our norm, we sold in to national and regional, commercial and BBC radio stations offering two spokespeople: Dr Elizabeth Stamp, a lecturer at Loughborough University and Dr Jacquie Lavin, Head of Research & Scientific Affairs at Slimming World. Sophie Higginbottom, who had been named Slimmer of the Year after halving her bodyweight by losing nine stone, was the best used of our case studies.
Outcome
A unique top line along with strong case studies resulted in national and country wide coverage on regional stations. Campaign highlights included Sky Radio, six BBC regional radio stations and on television, GB News. There was a total audience reach of over 36 million people.
“Shout! Communications are the go-to broadcast agency for us, we’ve had great results when we’ve worked together to share our research findings and they’re a friendly and professional team to work with!” Helen Smith, Public Relations Consultant, Slimming World
Listen to some of our radio coverage here:
