case
studies
PRINZ
2012
These case studies represent the winning & highly
commended projects from the 2012 PRINZ Awards
Peter Heath – TextWrite
Category: Corporate Public Relations
Project: Good Guys or the Grinch?
Helen Cook – New Zealand Transport Agency
Category: Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
Project: Victoria Park Tunnel: how we turned complainants into champions
Jan McCarthy, Michael Flatman and Ray Tye – Christchurch City Council
Category: Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
Project: Central City Plan – Share an Idea
Jacquie Walters, Jeanette Colman, John MacDonald and Stacey Doornenbal – University of Canterbury
Category: Not for Profit Public Relations
Project: University of Canterbury Quake Response 2011
Ann-Marie Johnson – Tourism Industry Association New Zealand
Category: Not for Profit Public Relations
Project: Tourism Future 2011-14 – The Visitor Economy: Creating Wealth
Daniel O’Regan – Convergence
& Louis Brown – Social Innovation
Category: Special Event or Project
Project: Student Volunteer Army
Bill Rundle and Alexandra Speedy – Porter Novelli
Category: Special Event or Project
Project: WilliamsWarn – ‘The best beer-porn you’ll see all day’
Christl McMillan, Margaret Horner and Simone Walker – Scion
Category: Special Event or Project
Project: Science in the Park 2011
Fleur Postill – Haystac
Category: Sustained Public Relations
Project: SEEK New Zealand
Tiana Lyes, Jane Gilkison and Kathy Gieck – Acumen Republic
& Luke Schepen – Countdown
Category: Marketing Public Relations
Project: Countdown Food Rescue – establishing an ongoing programme of charitable giving
Angela Spain and Kimberly Kastelan – DraftFCB
Category: Marketing Public Relations
Project: Launch of Electricity Authority “What’s My Number” Campaign
Kate McEnaney, Matthew Vogts and Sue Hamilton – Spark PR & Activate
Category: Marketing Public Relations and Special Event or Project
Project: The Libra Design Project
Adrienne Schwartfeger and Katherine Trought – Environment Canterbury
Category: Internal Communications
Project: 2011 – New Faces New Spaces
Clare England, Megan Green and Jess Miller – Network Communication
Category: Limited Budget Public Relations
Project: ChildFund New Zealand Father’s Day – Family Ties
Scott McKee, Joanne Greggains, Randy Manickavasagar, Emma Bryant and Adam Winship – AUT, Outside the Square
Category: Paul Dryden Tertiary Award
Project: The Oldest Catwalk Models in the World
C AT E G O RY
Corporate Public Relations
Peter Heath | TextWrite
PR OJ E C T:
Good Guys or the Grinch?
This campaign used above- and below-the-line communication channels to help an electricity lines company
explain to a community a change it was making to an annual pay-out. And to prevent a potential backlash.
By treating the payment as a discount instead of a dividend, Top Energy could pay out nearly a million dollars
more. However, discounts had to be credited to electricity bills rather than distributed by cheque. Many
customers could see this as the loss of a significant cash injection just before Christmas. A cheque they had
become dependent on would no longer be appearing….
BA C K GRO UN D
Top Energy operates the Far North electricity lines network.
Each year it pays a return to local electricity account holders.
Traditionally, this took the form of a dividend cheque issued by
the Top Energy Consumer Trust just before Christmas.
Top Energy and the Trust wanted to change this system.
By returning money as a discount instead of a dividend, nearly
a million dollars more could be returned.
But regulations require discounts to be credited to electricity
bills. A cheque that people had become used to – and in many
cases dependent on – was to disappear. Many could see this as
the loss of a significant cash injection in the immediate run-up
to Christmas.
Likely reaction was clear. Top Energy had received over 1,600
enquiries/complaints in each previous year where changes were
made to the discount payment system.
By August 2011 enquiries were already coming into the Top
Energy call centre about when ‘Christmas Cheques’ would
be posted…
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
• Met with community leaders to assess reaction. Supportive
but expected comprehensive communication around
the change.
• Researched all community groups and associations, no matter
how small or localised, from where organised resistance
might come.
• Identified local leaders, in each level of government, who
needed briefing.
• Reviewed how similar changes in other regions had been
implemented and communicated.
• Call figures from previous years relating to the annual
payment provided a benchmark against which we could set
SMART objectives.
• Tested messaging/Q&As with call centre staff who deal daily
with the people we wanted to reach.
OBJ E C T IV E S
ORGANISATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
• Reduce the amount of time and money usually spent
dealing with queries and complaints about changes to the
dividend policy.
• Minimise backlash from a community with whom the
company had only recently built confidence and trust.
Desired PR OUTCOMES were:
• KNOWLEDGE: Customers and local media aware of change,
what it entails, and why it’s been made.
• ATTITUDE: Customers accept that change is fair and they are
not losing out financially.
• ATTITUDE: Customers, community leaders and local media feel
the company is taking care to ensure they understand what’s
going on.
• BEHAVIOUR: Customers take NO action against the company
as a result.
• RELATIONSHIP: Customers back the Trust’s recommendation
regarding this initiative.
• RELATIONSHIP: Customers feel they can voice concerns/
queries and obtain a meaningful response.
PR SMART OBJECTIVES relating to these desired outcomes were:
• By end of January 2012, Top Energy has had fewer than
800 contacts (50 percent of previous levels) from customers
requiring explanation.
• By end October 2011, all staff, local media and community
leaders fully conversant about the change, with access to a
written summary and Q&As.
• By end January 2012, at least 90 percent of customers who
know about the shareholders’ discount are “satisfied” with,
“accept”, or “don’t care” about, the new arrangement.
• By end January 2012 there is zero criticism of Top Energy in
any public forum for failing to communicate the change, or
for the decision to re-structure the way the annual discount
is paid.
• All queries and criticism about change – received from any
of the direct communication channels – are addressed to
enquirers’ satisfaction within two working days (Top Energy’s
standard response target is three working days).
A U D I EN C ES
Employees – Needed reassurance that they’d have information
they’d need during day-to-day community engagement. Also,
some cynicism around need for change.
Electricity customers – Many unemployed or under extreme
financial pressure. Complex financial arrangements are always
difficult to explain clearly. They’re never shy about voicing beliefs
if they feel they’ve been short-changed or disadvantaged.
Media – We had to demonstrate that what we were proposing
was not ‘spin’, but a genuine move to realise for the community
the maximum financial return.
Non-media commentators / influencers / community
leaders – Generally supportive but expected comprehensive
communication around change. Ongoing updates needed to
address progress of wider community communication plan.
M ESSA G ES
About the shift from dividend cheque to bill credit:
• “More people will get more than they would have under the
old system.”
• “This is a fairer way of doing things.”
Corporate Public Relations
• “Timing is unaltered. Customers will get their line charge discounts
immediately before Christmas.”
About Top Energy and the Top Energy Consumer Trust:
• “Top Energy is a vital part of the Far North’s infrastructure, owned by
people of the Far North through the Top Energy Consumer Trust.”
• “The benefit of local ownership is that expansion and development
takes place where locals from the Far North believe it should, and
profits are retained by the community.”
STRAT E GY
There was a danger of over-communicating and creating the noise and
confusion we wanted to avoid. Too much information and we would
confuse people. Too little and we would fail to convince – or worse,
appear manipulative.
We knew we needed to stress the human face of Top Energy and the
Trust. We couldn’t afford for this issue to become one of a faceless,
impersonal organisation riding roughshod over community preferences.
Care was taken in all work to avoid a ‘corporate’ look and feel.
Appealing to the community’s innate sense of fair play was also
important in addressing the personal impact of this change. We seized
the moral high ground – taking Top Energy quickly to the position
where anyone complaining could be perceived as being selfish.
The argument, supported by the figures, was simple and compelling
– why would anyone want to stick with a system that would deny the
community an extra million dollars?
The line we adopted was ‘More for More’: more people would get more
money; more low-usage customers, including the elderly, would receive
a greater discount.
We also stressed the fairness aspect – electricity users would receive
discounts that better matched the scale of their power bills.
Finally, in order to mitigate the complexity of the issue, we confined
explanation of benefits to simple, easily-understood graphics and charts.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
This programme was driven entirely by Public Relations. The budget
was $65,000 (fees and costs), of which 44% was spent on advertising
and DM.
C ATEG O RY
Help Desk
The Top Energy Help Desk would be the main ‘lightning rod’ for
complaint. It was essential that operators knew the arguments for
change, and how to respond to anticipated lines of criticism. We
secured their feedback on proposed talking points/messaging, resulting
in significant tailoring for the audience. Processes were put in place to
capture the scale and nature of feedback. This was monitored in case
messaging had to be altered.
Media and Community Leader Briefings
Other ‘lightning rods’ would be local media, community leaders,
politicians and consumer groups. Full briefings were conducted early on,
and buy-in secured.
Internal briefings and ‘Car Care’ packs
In this small community we knew Top Energy staff would play an
important role as ambassadors for this initiative. So, in addition to
internal briefings, ‘Car Care’ packs were developed for all Top Energybranded vehicles. These contained Talking Points, and enquiry and
feedback forms for passing back to the communication team.
Advertising
Adverts outlining the change ran on all the region’s commercial radio
stations. Special attention was given to Maori-language stations as this
section of the community was most directly impacted by the change.
Advertisements were developed in Te Reo, driving listeners directly to
the Top Energy website for further information.
Direct Mail
Two DM shots were sent to every electricity account-holder in the
region. The first introduced the change and explained the reasons. Its
arrival coincided with news coverage in local newspapers arising from
media briefings.
The second was designed to take the place of the actual cheque. It
repeated the messaging of the first, but also told of how the rebate on
December electricity bills came courtesy of Top Energy, not the electricity
retailer. Its arrival coincided with delivery of these bills.
Each was rich in graphics and low on text.
Website/Customer contact and response
We knew we needed to give people an opportunity to vent, and
wanted to provide an avenue for them to do so as an alternative to
phoning the Help Desk and shouting at an operator.
C AT E G O RY
Corporate Public Relations
A banner was added to the site’s homepage, driving people to a
dedicated micro-site. This contained an explanation of what Top Energy
was doing and why, and a comprehensive set of Q&As.
RESU LTS
It also contained an email template which delivered a message directly
to TextWrite for compilation and response. In most cases, customer
contact through this channel was responded to within an hour and in
the form of a telephone call. This quick and highly personal response
helped to defuse tensions and address confusion.
Only 10 percent of contacts were to complain about the change.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
By the time the change was unveiled in October 2011, all Top Energy
staff, local media and community leaders had been fully briefed and all
response materials were in place as planned.
Problem solving
• COMPLEXITY. Text-based messaging condensed wherever possible.
Main points explained graphically.
• RECEIVING THE MESSAGE. Significant proportion of DM in the Far
North is discarded without being opened. So:
1. Multiple mailings – the first when initial media coverage appeared.
The second when December power bills arrived.
Top Energy received only 360 calls or emails on this topic, bettering our
target by more than 100 percent.
In addition:
There was not one piece of criticism of Top Energy in any public forum,
for failing to communicate the change or for the decision to re-structure
the payment method.
All queries and criticism about the change were addressed to the
enquirers’ satisfaction within just one working day.
The only one of our SMART objectives that remains unproven is that by
the end of January 2012, at least 90 percent of all customers who know
about the shareholders’ discount would be “satisfied” with, “accept”,
or “don’t care” about, the new arrangement.
2. Different formats – the first in a clear wrapping. The second,
issued at the same time as cheques would ordinarily have been
sent, in a plain envelope with a Top Energy postmark. People
looking out for their cheques would be unlikely to discard this.
The other successes prompted Top Energy not to measure this particular
aspect. It may be measured in future perception research.
3. Provocative headline – ‘POWER CUT IN THE FAR NORTH!’
Ambiguity explained in copy.
The principal barometer of success became the call numbers log on
the Call Centre contacts database. This was combined with another
database logging contacts by email; directly to staff, through the main
website or via the dedicated microsite.
• CREDIBILITY WITH MAORI. Guidance from senior members of the
Maori community indicated that some would ignore our messages
in favour of a view that cheques were more useful. So we stressed
that the approach was fairer to the community as whole. We
also expanded the advertising and briefing components of our
programme to include Maori radio stations and Te Reo voiceovers.
• THE HUMAN ELEMENT. We used images of real Top Energy linesmen
and their families in both DMs. The landing page of the speciallydeveloped microsite featured a video clip of CEO Russell Shaw
speaking to camera, introducing the change and explaining the
reasons for it. Russell also travelled widely across the region to meet
with target audiences. A small gesture, but one which elicited a
number of comments about Top Energy taking the time and trouble
to brief the community properly. Finally, queries and criticism emailed
via the microsite were delivered directly to TextWrite and responded
to within the hour by phone.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
Results didn’t only benefit Top Energy. The volume of related calls to the
region’s largest electricity retailer, Contact Energy, was around half that
of the previous year.
Calls were recorded to assess how successfully they were dealt with.
Top Energy executives and board members conducted follow-up
conversations with the same community leaders, associations and
pressure groups. All resulted in highly favourable feedback.
At the outset TextWrite recommended that Top Energy should follow up
with opinion/perception research. Not only to judge the success of this
programme but, more importantly, to set PR benchmarks.
That recommendation remains under consideration.
Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
C ATEG O RY
Helen Cook | New Zealand Transport Agency
PR OJ E C T:
Victoria Park Tunnel:
How we turned complainants into champions
The NZ Transport Agency’s Victoria Park Tunnel project was the largest, fastest paced, most complex motorway
upgrade ever in New Zealand. For 30 months it impacted day and night on the lives of 5000 residents of
St Marys and Freemans Bays in central Auckland. The work site was also the motorway, used by 150,000
vehicles a day. Using open, honest communication, the project got the community through chaos and
disruption – exceeding expectations about how people’s issues and concerns would be dealt with. It turned
project cynics into champions, as evidenced by the more than 200 unsolicited compliments received.
BA C K GRO UN D
Value for money and behavior objectives set were:
The Victoria Park Tunnel project (VPT) increased motorway
capacity over 2.2km of the busiest section of road in the country.
More than 150,000 drivers watched its progress daily on their
drive between the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Auckland’s CBD,
a nationally important link to jobs and markets.
• Satisfy or exceed the reasonable expectations of the affected
community (how their concerns and issues will be managed)
Also watching were 5000 residents of Freemans and St Marys
Bays, some living within five metres of physical works. They
would bear the full brunt of the noise and disruption.
As the first of the government’s roads of national significance,
VPT also had a political audience. Its ability to manage the
project’s extraordinary stakeholder tensions would be keenly
watched from Wellington.
Against this background, VPT had the unenviable job of
completing $340m worth of construction within three years
– requiring a pace of construction never before achieved in
New Zealand. Potentially noisy work on five nights of almost
every week, more than 250 disruptive local road and motorway
changes, changes on one of Auckland’s busiest pedestrian
routes, heavy trucks and machinery on local streets and five
major traffic switches required region-wide communication and
driver education.
On a positive note, VPT would result in better and betterconnected local spaces and places; and would also protect two
heritage buildings, including the famous “Birdcage”.
The project was delivered by an alliance comprising the NZTA,
Fletcher Construction, Beca, Higgins and Parsons Brinkerhoff.
The alliance’s stakeholder team lead by Darren Utting planned
and implemented the public relations, supported by NZTA’s
regional and national communications and engagement team.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
Detailed analysis contributed to development of VPT’s
Stakeholder Management Plan. This identified the project’s
communities of interest: individuals, businesses and groups
who would be affected by the project and could influence its
success. Six targeted consultation meetings were held before
construction began. “Drop in” sessions for the general public
followed while one-on-one meetings were held with key
individuals (influencers) in the community, statutory agencies,
schools and utility providers.
This research identified people’s key concerns. It also allowed
VPT to get feedback on how it proposed to manage construction,
mitigate potential disruption and to keep the community
informed. And it started the stakeholder register for
future communication.
OBJ E C T IV E S
Overarching objectives for the project, set by the NZTA, were
summarised as Quicker, with Least Fuss, for Most Gain. Public
relations, including stakeholder relationships and communication,
were critical to completing the project with Least Fuss.
• Minimise delays caused by stakeholder issues
• Be open to stakeholder’s enquiries and complaints
• Deal with all communications to the public seriously
and professionally
• Commit to taking all reasonable steps to minimise impacts
on stakeholders
• Enhance the reputation of the NZTA for customer service
Specific communication objectives were:
• Inform stakeholders of all upcoming works to minimise the
level of complaints that could slow works down
• Form genuine relationships of trust
A U D I EN C ES
Stakeholder and issues mapping identified the key stakeholders.
Road users – Approximately 150,000 vehicles a day on SH1, most
commuters from north of the Harbour Bridge, freight vehicles
and buses. Local traffic also included commuters, pedestrians
and cyclists.
Landowners and neighbours – Auckland Council was the main
landowner, neighbor, regulator and consenting authority.
Others included Westhaven Marina (5000 berth owners),
Victory Christian Church, Waterfront Auckland (developer of the
Wynyard Quarter), Victoria Park Market and Air New Zealand
head office.
Residents – Approximately 5000 residents in St Marys and
Freemans Bays were directly affected. Resourced, educated and
knowledgeable about the project and its history, they include
well-known activists and media and legal professionals.
Businesses – Auckland’s busiest supermarket (Victoria Park
New World), and businesses around Victoria Park Market were
directly affected.
Community – A strong relationship was developed with
Freemans Bay School, on the motorway boundary. Project
workers volunteered time and skills to improve the buildings
and grounds. The project also participated in Franklin Road’s
Christmas lights and fished massive concrete blocks out of the
harbour at Westhaven.
Victoria Park users – Much of Victoria Park was unusable during
tunnel construction – affecting skateboarders, joggers and
dog walkers.
Project – The project’s Least Fuss objectives could not be achieved
without buy-in from workers on site. As this was a multi-national
audience, English was a second language for many. With varying
education and literacy levels, good use of imagery and “story
telling” was essential.
C AT E G O RY
Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
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Freephone 0508 VICPARK (0508 842 7275)
MESS A GE S
VPT used macro and micro messaging to suit its activities and audiences.
The following were consistent throughout:
• VPT is a NZTA project to remove the last major traffic bottleneck
on Auckland’s central motorway network
• As the first of the government’s roads of national significance,
VPT is critical to our economic prosperity
• The VPT will benefit the economy through its $340m construction
spend and after construction
• VPT commits to doing everything possible to minimise disruption
to residents, businesses and road users
• We will share information openly and engage with people
on the tough decisions affecting them
• We will respond to issues and concerns promptly and with
genuine sensitivity
STRAT E GY
VPT was required to establish and meet monthly with a community
liaison group representing key interests in the community. In this
relatively formal environment, the project team reported progress
and heard the community’s issues and concerns.
However, VPT sought to go beyond compliance. Its strategy was for
targeted, proactive and consistent dealings with stakeholders, resulting
in a reputation of trust.
The everyday focus was ‘no surprises’ – informing those directly
affected by the project of any potentially disruptive activity coming up.
The channels differed. While a newsletter in the letterbox sufficed for
most, there were others who required a phone call, text or personal
visit, depending on the nature of the disruption.
The strategy was also to build the large bank of goodwill to get the
community through 30 months of disruption and avoid delays.
We therefore sought to “engage” the community through events
like moving the historic Birdcage Hotel and tunnel walks as well
as in our written communications and direct dealings.
It would be impossible to avoid complaints with very intensive
construction activity so close to residents and businesses. Processes
were developed to respond to these and remedy the causes, including
a 24-hour hotline monitored day and night by senior project managers.
Achieving the strategy required site-wide buy-in to the behaviours that
would make VPT a good neighbour. Good internal communication,
including worker recognition schemes, was therefore essential.
Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
The total budget for communication was just under $1m compared
to the total construction cost of $340m:
• Photography and videos: $270,000
• Informing (advertising, media releases etc for road closures and
traffic campaigns): $471,000
• Engaging: (newsletters, mail drops, displays and events): $248,000
The budget was tight. Traffic and driver education campaigns alone
consumed more than half of it but their success enabled a major
motorway onramp (Wellington Street) to be closed twice without
complaint. This in turn enabled the tunnel to open three months
ahead of schedule.
The tight budget and demands of delivering the communication
strategy meant every tactic used had to be strategic.
Over 150 Construction Updates (flyers) were delivered to residential
letterboxes and local businesses over the life of the project to keep
locals informed. These were written in-house to be easy to read and
understand, informative and engaging. Photographs communicated
progress and milestones were ticked off in a sidebar to keep the end
in sight for residents. At around 40c per copy, they could be written,
designed, printed and delivered in half a day and were also emailed
to 250 people.
Six-monthly newsletters provided in-depth information on initiatives
to leave better spaces and places, the staged opening of the tunnel
and protection of heritage buildings.
Major milestones and events triggered media releases, while traffic
campaigns used multiple channels: social media such as Facebook,
Twitter and viral emails as well as print and radio advertising, billboards,
posters and media liaison.
Events that resulted in considerable media coverage included
moving the Rob Roy Hotel (twice), a tunnel break-through, a tunnel
walk-through by the Minister of Transport, a gala charity dinner for
1,000 in the tunnel and the official tunnel opening by the Prime
Minister, followed by a 12,000 strong public tunnel walk-through.
Other tactics included the visitor drop-in centre, information boards
telling people “what’s happening here”, weekly website updates,
a pedestrian peephole into tunnel construction, a community open
day and community group presentations.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
The project’s complexity, pace and proximity to stakeholders meant
every moment could present a new potential PR disaster.
The response to such extraordinary challenges was to develop a
site-wide culture of “doing the right thing”. Everyone on site was
charged with doing everything within reason to minimise construction
impacts. Initiative and innovation were rewarded by a ‘Ka Pai”
recognition system. Results of monthly stakeholder and communication
audits were communicated at smokos; and maps in main areas
displayed details of complaints and compliments.
Practical steps to minimise disruption, initiated by the stakeholder team,
included stopping trucks arriving on site before 7.30am, employing
ambassadors to help pedestrians navigate work areas and muffling
reversing beepers at night – the first time this had been done in
New Zealand. Popular wallet cards for workers showed site access
points and spelt out the site rules and expected behaviour.
Project videos communicated progress to workers and, via YouTube,
the community. Video animations were produced to illustrate the new
motorway configurations and reinforce traffic campaign messages
to “get in lane”. There were 30,000 views for the January 2012
southbound switch. Accompanying advertising and PR – including social
media – “drove” road users to the videos via a Driver Information tab
on the project website.
With multiple origins and destinations, motorway users were reached
with invaluable messages on motorway gantry signs as well as via
Facebook, twitter and viral email. On one campaign we delivered USBs
loaded with forwardable information to 200 major employers.
C ATEG O RY
People who feel “involved” with a project are more likely to be tolerant
of its impacts. Moving the historic Rob Roy Hotel out of the way of
tunnel construction and then back was a highlight in building goodwill
with neighbours. It attracted international and overwhelmingly positive
media attention. Hundreds of locals came to see the move via safe
viewing points.
An event the project will be remembered for was a gala charity dinner
for 1000 held in the tunnel before it opened, where we worked
closely with Ronald McDonald House Auckland. It raised approximately
$100,000, attracting huge media attention for the charity and
the project.
Massive logistical constraints were overcome to hold a tunnel
walkthrough for the public. To manage the enormous interest in the
event safely, an on-line registration system was used, preventing traffic
and parking chaos.
RESU LTS
VPT’s only show-stopper during 30 months of construction was wet
weather. The project built a bank of goodwill that ensured there were
no delays caused by stakeholder issues – although the deposits did
dwindle occasionally.
The 24-hour hotline was rostered to the stakeholder team and members
of the project management team, so everyone took ownership and ‘felt
the heat’ equally.
Last minute changes to plans sometimes meant it was not possible to
communicate potential disruption in advance with residents. There were
more complaints when this happened, invariably saying “you didn’t tell
us this would be happening” – proving our construction updates were
being read.
Over 100 positive media stories were written about the project.
The tunnel opening alone received over 50 media mentions. Unheard
of for a major construction project, VPT received 200 unsolicited
compliments, and 100 compliments via the stakeholder surveys.
Compliments exceeded complaints in three months.
About a third of all compliments commended our communication with
local communities.
For example:
“I would also like to say how fantastic you guys have been…
It’s great to be kept informed with what’s happening and also what
to expect from day to day.”
“Thanks to this great communication, it (the project) has been
such a positive experience…”
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
As a key result area for the project, stakeholder management and
communication was measured and audited, taking into account:
• How timely and well complaints were responded to
• Stakeholder opinion (quarterly surveys)
• What communication was done to pre-empt issues and prevent
complaints for disruptive works
While surveys included questions about how well-informed people
felt (consistently scored highly), they also helped fine-tune the
communications. For example, six months out from the tunnel opening
the survey indicated less than a third of local residents understood
the final motorway configuration. The communications strategy and
key messages for the tunnel opening were developed to rectify this –
95% of respondents to the next survey had no worries about using
the tunnel.
The final project survey will be completed in April 2012 and will be
tied back to the objectives for the project’s stakeholder management
and communication. The analysis will become part of the knowledge
transfer to future infrastructure projects.
C AT E G O RY
Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
Jan McCarthy, Michael Flatman and Ray Tye | Christchurch City Council
PR OJ E C T:
Central City Plan:
Share an Idea
Share an Idea was a continuing conversation with our community, launched just 10 weeks after the February
2011 earthquake, to get wide community and key stakeholder input into the development of the draft
Central City Plan to rebuild Christchurch’s Central City. This was achieved using a range of communication
and engagement tools, as well as reaching out into the community, to make it as easy as possible for the
community to share their ideas and keep engaged throughout the six-week campaign.
BA C K GRO UN D
The 22 February 2011 earthquake ripped through Christchurch,
killing 184 people, destroying homes, communities, much of the
city’s heritage and the Central City. The level of destruction saw
the Central City placed within a cordon – the heart of which still
remains inaccessible to the public.
Under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011, the
Christchurch City Council was given nine months to develop the
draft Central City Plan to rebuild the Central City following the
earthquake – a Plan of this nature would normally take at least
three years to develop.
aftershocks, engagement with the community needed to be easy,
inviting and a rewarding experience. Asking people to put their
personal circumstances aside and focus on the Central City was
always going to be a challenge.
Local government is often criticised for lack of consultation and
we knew the short-time frame could make attempts to consult
appear insincere.
We knew individuals needed to control how, when and to what
extent they interacted with Share an Idea, but most importantly,
our community needed to know that their ideas had the power
to influence the future of their city.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
As a start to the project, Council reviewed its existing strategies
relating to the revitalisation of the Central City – the Public Space
Public Life report, a City for People Action Plan, Central City
Revitalisation Strategy and Central City South Masterplan. This
ensured there were strong links with this work, which Council
had already been working on with the community for almost
a decade.
As this project rose from a natural disaster, there was limited
time to plan – only five weeks from instigation to launch. There
was early recognition that the success of the Plan was reliant on
getting wide input from all levels of our community.
We also looked at international examples of how other cities had
included their communities in taking ownership of the rebuild
or revitalisation of their city, in particular how they managed the
conversations and used the ideas.
It was also recognised that as many of our community were
still traumatised by the event, suffering personal loss (homes,
jobs and loved ones) and living with disruption and continual
Key directions from existing Council strategies were used
to start the conversation, our community being asked four
simple questions:
The Act of Parliament set out that the work was to be done in
partnership with CERA, Environment Canterbury and Te Runanga
o Ngai Tahu. Just as critical was involving the community to share
their ideas in the four months Council had to produce the draft
for formal consultation.
Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
• How do you want to move about the Central City?
• What public spaces and activities do you want to see in the
Central City?
C ATEG O RY
• We need to hear from you now – tell us what you are thinking you
want in your Central City.
There were also a number of messages about the realities of the project:
• What type of businesses do you think are appropriate for the
Central City?
• We do not have a blank canvas on which to develop a new Central
City – 50% of the buildings remain.
• What do you think is needed to attract people back to live, work
and play in the Central City?
• The Central Business District cannot be moved from its
current location.
Throughout the six weeks, the ideas shared by our community through
the expo, at the workshops and online were used to help define the
emerging themes, develop new questions and drill down for a more
detailed response from our community.
• The Central City’s existing street grid pattern will remain.
After the initial phase of the two-day Community Expo, the messages
focused on:
• Thanks for all your great ideas.
OBJE C T IV E S
• We need you to keep sharing your ideas.
The primary organisation objective was to successfully develop the draft
Central City Plan within the nine-month timeframe by engaging as
many of our community as possible in the process.
• Keep talking to us so we create a city in which you want to live.
The draft Plan was to provide a basis for integrated spatial decisionmaking for new buildings, public spaces and how people moved about
the Central City. While there was time pressure, it was also critical to
“get it right” with the decisions being made during this process laying
the foundation for future growth and prosperity in the city for the next
150 years and a legacy for future generations.
The secondary objectives were to coordinate and deliver a consistent
public message that positioned Christchurch as attractive, vibrant and
purpose-built to attract new and innovative investment; and to establish
a vision for the Central City that builds on existing strengths and seeks
to establish new directions.
The communications objectives were to:
• Create widespread public awareness of Share an Idea and get as
many ideas as possible
• To set the scene – build a picture of what had gone before and
ensure there was a clear understanding of what remained within
the Central City (the area being cordoned off)
• Ensure there was a broad understanding of what people
could influence
• Educate the community on the complexity of putting a Plan of this
nature together
• Create a positive media environment to get community input
• To build stronger relationships with our community by showing
we were listening
AUDI E N C E S
The Greater Christchurch community was the primary audience for
Share an Idea, with residents, and in particular, the business/property
development community. The two critical issues were ensuring
Christchurch developed as a city in which people wanted to continue to
live and equally important, that it was a place where business/property
developers would invest.
With Christchurch being the tourism gateway and centre for business
activity for the South Island, other key audiences were identified as
tourism, transport, education, health, sports/leisure and the media.
Central and local government were also seen as playing a lead role in
helping to restore confidence in the Central City by relocating their
offices back to the area.
With our residents, it was also important to consult with the young
people, who are the future of the city, and to ensure the new Central
City was accessible for everyone, ideas being sought from older
persons, people with disabilities and our ethnic communities.
Overall, more than 132 industry sectors and groups were identified as
having an interest in the redevelopment of the Central City and being
involved in the development of the draft Plan.
MESS A GE S
Messages for the initial phase of development of the draft Central City
Plan focused on getting the community involved:
• Your ideas are needed to help redevelop the Central City.
• Keep checking the website for emerging themes and continue the
conversation.
And we needed to ensure the community understood not all ideas
could be used:
• We are listening to our community and all ideas are being considered
and will influence development of the Plan.
• Not all ideas will, however, be able to be adopted.
STRATEG Y
The overall PR strategy was to make it an easy, inviting and a rewarding
experience for our community to be involved in Share an Idea.
We knew individuals needed to control how, when and to what
extent they interacted with Share an Idea, and most importantly, our
community needed to know that their ideas had the power to influence
the future of their city.
This was achieved by adopting a continuing conversation with our
community, which put the individual in control of the conversation and
motivated them to become involved in what was a collective action.
We knew the campaign needed a vibrant identity to stand out in the
National State of Emergency situation and a personality in line with a
public movement. The simple active wording of Share an Idea meant it
became a popular phrase that entered the local vernacular.
Placing social media at the heart of the campaign would make it easy
for everyone to become involved; and launching Share an Idea with a
Community Expo gave the community the chance to come together
– that sense of community being important following the earthquakes –
and to collectively share their ideas.
Critical with the campaign was making the experience interactive,
hands-on and inclusive.
I M PL EM EN TATI O N
Share an Idea was a continuing conversation with our community.
It was seen as the most practical and effective way for the community
to share their ideas and involved all sectors of our community.
It began with the launch of the shareanidea.org.nz website, a letterbox
drop to all 160,000 households of a 12-page tabloid to encourage
everyone to take part and a two-day community Expo where they
shared their ideas using Post-It notes, making a video clip, building the
city they wanted in Lego, filling in questionnaires, going online and/or
leaving a lasting thought as they left the venue.
Their thoughts were stimulated by panels of information and lots of
inspiring visuals, thought-provoking questions and a series of speeches
by respected community and civic leaders. There were also kids’ activity
sheets and opportunities for them to draw their vision of the city.
Material at the Expo was translated into Chinese, Korean, Arabic
and Samoan; there were also interpreters available and Sign
Language specialists.
The Expo was followed up with a series of facilitated public workshops,
key stakeholder meetings, on-site displays, a radio and advertising
campaign, media campaign and e-newsletters.
Share an Idea used traditional radio, print and web-based media to raise
awareness of the campaign, as well as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
C AT E G O RY
Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
An 0800 number was also set-up for people to call Council and record
their ideas, feedback forms were delivered to all households and
distributed throughout the city, with drop boxes conveniently located
in Council facilities throughout each ward. Displays were also taken to
tertiary institutes to stimulate the young to become involved.
The remaining 9900 ideas came through a variety of other channels
– email, the post, messages left on our freephone, Facebook,
Twitter and left in drop boxes spread throughout the city in libraries,
service centres and recreation and sports centres, and a series of
community workshops.
In addition, communications were targeted to the industry groups, with
more than 100 stakeholder meetings being held during the six-week
campaign, including one-off meetings with individual organisations,
weekly meetings with business representatives and various workshop
gatherings to formulate ideas.
In addition, many hundreds of other ideas were shared through the
extensive key stakeholder engagement programme.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
The innovation was in developing a continuing conversation with our
community – which put the community in control of the conversation
and motivated them to become involved in a collective action.
By having all the ideas shared online and having these accessible to all,
we were able to keep building on the conversation. Within minutes
of someone sharing an idea, it was uploaded onto the website for
others to see and share their own ideas. This generated another level
of ideas, which helped to define emerging themes and to go back to
the community with targeted questions to get more detail.
The conversation was kept simple by asking questions in four key areas
– move, market, space and life. These simple ideas made it accessible
to everyone.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
The evaluation framework for the project was four-fold and simple:
• To measure the level of community and stakeholder engagement by
the number of ideas shared.
• Review the volume and tone of media commentary, in particular
through social media.
• Ensure the successful publication of the draft Central City Plan,
which truly reflected the input from the community.
• Improvements in Council relationships with community.
The process was transparent, with all ideas uploaded on to the
shareanidea.org.nz – this meant our community could see the ideas as
they were shared, watch the conversation as it evolved and see how the
ideas were reflected in the draft Plan.
The methods used gave the community a strong sense of ownership of
the project by empowering them to influence the outcome.
Simple self-help kits – Christchurch Chats – were also developed and
distributed to community and resident groups to help get conversations
going in the community and for these to be recorded.
Comments on social media networks included: “well done for listening
to what people really wanted”; “it’s bloody brilliant to see such
integration of community consultation, not just lip service”; and “they
actually listened to people. It’s a really exciting plan... Let’s not leave”.
RESU LT S
There was predominantly positive media coverage during the six-week
campaign, aided by working collaboratively with key media, holding
media conferences at key stages and getting the media involved in
the process.
During the six-week campaign, 105,991 ideas were shared by our
community – one idea for every 2.2 residents aged 15 to 64 years.
This is thought to have generated a level of community involvement
that has never before been seen in New Zealand.
The Share an Idea Community Expo was attended by 10,000 residents
during the two days, who contributed more than 51,000 ideas.
The shareanidea.org.nz website had 58,533 visits during the six weeks,
with more than 45,000 ideas shared by 30,482 individuals. On average,
visitors to the website spent five minutes and 14 seconds on the site –
more than double the time spent on popular sports websites.
Anecdotally, the wider community felt there was a true sense of
partnership between them and the Council, while for some key
stakeholders they felt the process had opened the door for them into
the Council, which they felt had been closed for some years.
“I love the Christchurch City Council – they actually asked their people
what they wanted and they listened and are putting it into practice –
what a fabulous idea!” – Facebook message
Not for Profit Public Relations
C ATEG O RY
Jacquie Walters, Jeanette Colman, John MacDonald
and Stacey Doornenbal | University of Canterbury
PR OJ E C T:
University of Canterbury Quake Response 2011
On Tuesday 22 February 2011, while thousands of students enjoyed Orientation activities in their lunch
break, a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch. For the next six weeks the University’s
Communications and External Relations team was involved in an unprecedented level of crisis communications
and, in parallel, development of a communications strategy to retain current students and recruit new and
returning students for 2012. The success of these initiatives can be measured by a minimal drop in 2012
domestic student enrolments, a high student approval rating and international recognition for the University’s
emergency management.
BA C K GRO UN D
Public Relations objectives
Within minutes of the earthquake striking, the communications
team had assembled and set to work – many of them not
knowing whether members of their families and friends
had survived or were injured, nor the state of their homes.
As aftershocks rattled the University’s emergency operation
centre, the team gathered information, developed messages
and established a roster system to deal with an extended
crisis situation.
• Ensuring that campus was quickly and calmly evacuated.
Less than an hour after the earthquake the University announced
that, due to the impact on the city’s infrastructure and the
need to fully assess the condition of teaching and research
spaces, the campus would be closed for an indefinite period.
An announcement by the Vice-Chancellor posted on You Tube
on the afternoon of 22 February attracted 14,036 views.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
Prior to the September 2010 earthquake the University had
embarked on a major initiative to develop its emergency
response capabilities including a full Emergency Response
Plan and Emergency Communications Plan. The University’s
communications team, as part of this planning, had
been involved in tabletop discussion sessions and full-day
emergency exercises.
This planning informed our preliminary research which included:
• Impact of the earthquake on University property and
ICT infrastructure
• Likely impact on our teaching programme
• Security on campus
• Condition of on-campus student accommodation
The University’s processes had been refined following the
September 2010 quake and lessons learned from that event
helped shape responses in February.
OBJ E C T IV E S
Organisational objectives
• Informing students, staff and their families that the campus
was closed and that no serious injuries or fatalities or building
collapses had occurred on campus.
• Ensuring staff and students received the message to remain
off-campus so selected personnel could focus on the
recovery efforts.
• Continuously updating information for staff, students, families
(particularly those students who were away from home),
suppliers, contractors and other stakeholders. Information
changed on a daily and sometimes hourly basis as building
checks were carried out on the more than 400 built spaces
on the University’s 87ha campus split across two sites. New
details were uncovered as building checks were carried
out and this information affected communication of the
re-start programme.
• Communicating the re-start programme to ensure staff and
students were fully informed of how they could recommence
teaching, learning and research, when they could return
to campus and which buildings were re-opened for
general access.
• Managing the messages in the media to ensure understanding
that the University had been affected, and was responding
accordingly, but not to the extent that students (domestic
and international) would be deterred from studying at the
University of Canterbury long-term.
• Communicating the University’s commitment to delivering
a full, high-quality taught academic programme in 2011.
• Responding appropriately and compassionately to bereaved
members of the University community and those who had
suffered significant material loss and/or were living under
extreme stress of discomfort.
• Ensuring the University’s communications were appropriate
for the context i.e. aligned with that of Civil Defence and
the Christchurch City Council and sensitive to the needs
and mood of the wider community.
• Assessing and repairing the University’s infrastructure in
order to resume teaching and research activities as quickly
as possible.
• Ensuring the University’s annual report was completed and
results communicated.
• Assessing the impact of the earthquake and subsequent
aftershocks on staff and students, and their families.
A U D I EN C ES
• Informing staff and students of what was happening
on campus.
• Ensuring the University’s reputation did not suffer and
therefore impact on student enrolments, which in turn would
have ongoing severe financial implications.
• Reassuring stakeholders of the ongoing viability of the
University Of Canterbury.
With a staff and student population of approximately 20,000
people, plus external stakeholders – all of whom would have
been affected by the earthquake to varying degrees – the
communications challenge was considerable.
Our audiences were:
• University students and their families
• University staff and their families
• University Council
C AT E G O RY
Not for Profit Public Relations
UC Progressive
Re-start
Key student resources
Check these every day
Important messages are distributed to students daily
through the following platforms:
UC Website
Learn
UC Student Email
www.canterbury.ac.nz
www.learn.canterbury.ac.nz
www.outlook.com/uclive.ac.nz
Check these every week
These resources are updated and will change each week:
Course timetable (published by Friday each week)
www.canterbury.ac.nz/restart/timetable
Shuttle timetable
www.canterbury.ac.nz/restart/docs/shuttle.pdf
Campus map
maps.canterbury.ac.nz
Publication date: 21/3/11
Dear Ilam resident,
On behalf of the University of Canterbury community I wish to extend our condolences to those who have lost loved ones
or suffered other serious losses as a result of the 22 February earthquake. Here at the University of Canterbury we have
been assessing the safety of our buildings and working on re-starting our academic programme for 2011.
We will begin delivering some academic programmes on 14 March as part of our progressive re-start, and aim to be
delivering substantially all academic programmes by the end of this month.
In order to do this, we will be erecting some new interim teaching spaces on and off campus. We are doing this so that
we are able to take the time needed to fully assess the safety of all of the buildings on our campus and undertake
remediation work over coming months and years. At this stage only a limited portion of the Ilam campus will be available
to staff and students.
The four main interim working/teaching spaces will be:
Ņ
The Clyde Precinct (between Arts and Engineering on Clyde Rd). This facility will be utilised as a teaching space
starting 14 March. It involves erecting 14 marquees on the Arts and Law car parks.
Ņ
The Oval Village (adjacent to Ilam School on Ilam Rd). This facility will be utilised as a teaching and general
office space.
Ņ
Ņ
Big Top Too (adjacent to the NZi3 building on Creyke Rd). This facility will be utilised as a space for staff.
The North Dovedale Precinct (College Office, Otakaro, Waimairi area).
Car parking:
Ņ
Car parking for students will only be available at Dovedale Parks 1 and 2. Regular shuttles will transport students to
teaching areas in the Clyde Precinct.
Ņ
Car parking for staff will only be available in the Library Warehouse car park (off Clyde Rd) and at the College Office
park at Dovedale.
Ņ
We are engaging with the relevant authorities on the potential impact of these measures and contingency plans for
car parking.
We would like to give you the opportunity to learn more about our re-start plans at a special meeting for our neighbours.
This will be held on Monday 14 March from 6pm – 7:30pm in the NZi3 foyer, University of Canterbury, 69 Creyke Rd.
It will replace a residents meeting planned for 29 March that we had promoted prior to the earthquake.
If you would like to attend the 14 March meeting please RSVP via email to [email protected] or phone 366 7001.
If you have any questions please contact our Community Relations Manager, John MacDonald, on 021 417289.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Rod Carr
Vice-Chancellor
University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. www.canterbury.ac.nz
• University alumni (graduates)
• Media
• Central and local government
• Civil Defence
• Local MPs
• Funding agencies
• Trade unions
• Contractors
• Campus commercial tenants
• International student recruitment agents
of the earthquake on their areas of the University; trade unions were
interested in ensuring the financial welfare of their members; campus
commercial tenants needed to know what was happening with
their premises; commercial partners and funding agencies needed
reassurance that University could deliver on research partnerships;
international recruitment agents needed reassurance that University’s
programme would not be affected.
M ESSA G ES
Crisis communications is, by its very nature, fluid. However, the key
themes were:
• Commercial partners
• The University of Canterbury is closed while it assesses the impact
of the quake on its infrastructure.
• Insurers
• No serious injuries or fatalities occurred on campus.
• Bond holders
• There were no building collapses or fires on campus.
Students needed to be reassured that their studies would not be
adversely affected and that facilities would be safe to return to;
staff needed to know that the University was doing its utmost to
protect their research areas; alumni were interested in the impact
• The University of Canterbury is committed to supporting its staff
and students.
• The University of Canterbury is progressively re-opening the campus
from 14 March.
Not for Profit Public Relations
• The University of Canterbury is committed to delivering a
high-quality, full taught programme in 2011.
• The University of Canterbury has been here for more 130 years,
it will be here for the next century.
STRAT E GY
The University was acutely aware that it was operating in an environment
where many people were under immense pressure. Many staff and
students were looking to the University to re-establish a sense of
normality to anchor their lives during a time when so much had been
lost or was uncertain. The University of Canterbury’s strategy was
to provide timely and complete information, using the University
website as the single source of truth complemented by multiple
communications channels.
At its peak, the Communications team involved rostering 12 people into
shifts of six for developing key messages, web postings, media relations
(proactive and reactive) drafting FAQs and providing updates to the
interactive communications environments (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube).
Communications messages needed to be consistent yet tailored to
particular audiences. To achieve this, core messages were disseminated
to members of the University’s senior management team for sharing
with their staff and students. The different audiences required different
language styles. But consistency of message and quality assurance
was critical.
Nightly updates from the Vice-Chancellor were emailed to every staff
member, every student and members of the external stakeholder
community and posted on the University website.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
With electricity supplies cut in most parts of the city, using a variety
of media (particularly radio) was critical in communicating with staff,
student and stakeholder community during the first days following the
earthquake. We also placed advertisements in newspapers to convey
key information.
The University’s Vice-Chancellor provided a steady stream of individual
interviews to local, national and international media. We were acutely
aware that whilst we were still in a period of crisis communications, our
messages needed to stabilise our national and international reputation
as a high-quality education provider so that we could retain and
recruit students and staff and reassure those with a financial stake in
the University.
It soon became evident that temporary teaching and office facilities
would be needed to decant staff and students from buildings that
would not be accessible while they were assessed and remediated.
The interim solution for the first term of semester one was to erect a
number of marquees and begin new builds known as the Kirkwood
and Dovedale Villages. Media were encouraged onto campus to see
the new solutions that were being provided so that teaching could
resume. We also arranged media tours of the library to show that the
new shelving system that had been introduced following the September
earthquake had worked.
The University produced two editions of a new publication called
‘Campus News’ which was delivered as an insert in The Press
newspaper. The publication reiterated key messages about the state
of the campus and the ongoing delivery of high-quality teaching
and research at the University. It also contributed to the 2012
recruitment campaign.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
People:
One of the team’s key problem solving achievements was how to
continue working under pressure when every aspect of our lives was
affected by the crisis at hand. We did not leave it at work, the crisis was
everywhere. Many staff had young children or other family members
who had been traumatised, but they continued to work despite
significant and serious personal challenges. Within two hours of the
earthquake we had established a roster system which meant staff
would work six-hour shifts, allowing them time to attend to personal
matters such as moving possessions out of damaged homes.
C ATEG O RY
Marketing:
The University launched its “UCan” campaign to convey a moraleboosting message to the local community and to reinforce the message
that the University was responding positively and effectively to the
challenges it faced. The campaign featured on billboards, buses and
t-shirts (worn enthusiastically by University staff!) and in newspapers
around the country.
Events:
University of Canterbury geologists, in particular Dr Mark Quigley, had
a strong media presence in the weeks following the September quake.
To leverage Dr Quigley’s media profile, and promote other experts, the
University hosted a six-lecture earthquake series which attracted nearly
4,000 enrolments from members of the Christchurch community.
The April Graduation ceremonies which were traditionally held in the
Town Hall were cancelled with degrees granted in absentia. In response
to student demand, a circus-style tent was erected on University land
and the graduate celebration (similar to a graduation ceremony) was
held attracting national media coverage – providing the University with
an important opportunity to showcase its resilience.
Fundraising:
At the same time the University launched an Earthquake Scholarship
Appeal. The appeal exceeded its fundraising target raising a total of
$312,000 over 12 months.
RESU LTS
Domestic student enrolments for 2012 are forecast to be just 1.7%
below the 2011 level.
Approximately three updates per day were posted on the University
website between from 22 February to 29 April (123 in total). Hundreds
of images were posted on the University website capturing events on
campus such as the visit by Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd,
the work of the Student Volunteer Army, building inspection work and
the ‘random acts of kindness’ campaign managed by the University’s
liaison team.
Video clips were posted regularly on YouTube between 22 February
and 7 March. The first video from the Vice-Chancellor posted on
22 February attracted 14, 036 views. Another video by Professor
Jarg Pettinga of the University’s Department of Geological Sciences
explaining seismic activity in Christchurch which was posted on 3 March
attracted 18,842 views.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
• The University was awarded the 2011 institutional preparedness
award for its Emergency Management programme by the
International Association of Emergency Managers.
• A survey of students, which attracted 4,300 responses over a 16-day
period, found that 96% of respondents found University updates
and news after the earthquake useful or very useful. 90% indicated
they would recommend the University of Canterbury to others.
• Domestic student enrolments for 2012 are forecast to be just
1.7% below the 2011 level.
• University experts made a massive contribution to supporting
understanding of issues such as seismic activity, engineering, land
remediation, psychology and resilience. This work is ongoing and has
been acknowledged at a national level with the University’s Dr Mark
Quigley being awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Science
Communicator of the Year.
C AT E G O RY
Not for Profit Public Relations
Ann-Marie Johnson | Tourism Industry Association New Zealand
PR OJ E C T:
Tourism Future 2011-14
The Visitor Economy: Creating Wealth
The goal of Tourism Future 2011-14 was to ensure the tourism industry remained at the heart of the new
government’s economic growth agenda post the 2011 General Election. It set out the tourism industry’s five
key priorities for action for the incoming government. The challenge was to create a campaign on a limited
budget that would cut through the Rugby World Cup/election hype to grab the attention of politicians.
Another critical outcome was to position the Tourism Industry Association NZ as the leading ‘voice’ of the
country’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry.
BA C K GRO UN D
Tourism is one of New Zealand’s largest industries, with
significant opportunity for growth. Central government support
is vital for the industry to achieve its potential and deliver greater
wealth and jobs.
In August 2011 the Tourism Industry Association released a
manifesto for the tourism industry in the run-up to the November
2011 Parliamentary General Election. Titled “Tourism Future
2011-14 – The Visitor Economy: Creating Wealth”, it set out five
priorities for action by the incoming government:
• Delivering value – Keeping the industry at the centre of
political and public attention
• Improving Infrastructure – Quality infrastructure is needed to
support the activities visitors enjoy
• Making travel easier – Creating seamless border experiences
and removing barriers for people travelling to New Zealand
• Providing relevant information – Dynamic changes within
the industry and economy mean the delivery of relevant and
timely information is critical for business planning
• Stimulating domestic tourism – Make a holiday at home
aspirational and help New Zealanders see their country
through an international lens.
Tourism pumps $61 million each day into New Zealand’s
economy. It employs almost one in 10 New Zealanders. It is one
of our biggest export industries, earning $9.5 billion (18.2%) of
New Zealand’s foreign exchange earnings. Reinforcing the value
of the tourism industry to New Zealand’s economy was a critical
aspect to the Tourism Future campaign.
With the 2011 General Election taking place just five weeks after
the Rugby World Cup 2011 final, we had only a small window
to generate interest in, and discussion about, the manifesto.
It was also a valuable opportunity to highlight the Tourism
Industry Association position as the leading private sector
organisation representing the tourism industry.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
With 2011 being an election year, the Tourism Industry
Association took the opportunity to review the industry’s
priorities, issues and challenges and to map out long-term goals
for the sector.
Tourism Industry Association team members travelled the length
of the country to conduct 11 roadshows in March and April
2011. These were attended by more than 700 tourism operators.
The roadshow series culminated in the Tourism Summit 2011,
held in Wellington on 13 July 2011. The Summit brought
together about 120 tourism industry leaders, representatives
from central and local government, and other key influencers.
They were presented with a summary of the key issues facing
the tourism industry as identified at the roadshows and debated
potential solutions.
We also reviewed the communications methods used for similar
campaigns by tourism organisations internationally, in particular
the US Travel Association, the Tourism Industry Association of
Canada, and Australia’s Tourism & Transport Forum.
O BJEC TI VES
Organisational objectives
• To raise awareness of, and support for, the priorities
outlined in Tourism Future, both with politicians and the
tourism industry
• To raise awareness of the value of the visitor economy
among stakeholders
• Highlight key opportunities and challenges facing the industry
• To enhance the Tourism Industry Association’s position as
the ‘voice’ of the tourism industry, the only private sector
organisation that represents the entire tourism industry
Communications objectives
• Achieve media coverage of Tourism Future
• Ensure Tourism Industry Association members were aware of
Tourism Future
• Encourage people to read Tourism Future (drive traffic to
the website)
• Create a campaign that would last through the three-year
term of government
A U D I EN C ES
• All candidates in the 2011 General Election – to raise
their awareness of the value of the tourism industry to
New Zealand’s economy
• Tourism Industry Association members and the wider tourism
industry – to win their support for the Tourism Future priorities
and encourage them to highlight the issues to their local
candidates and MPs; to increase support for the Tourism
Industry Association
• Elected MPs post-election – to raise their awareness of the
value of the tourism industry to New Zealand’s economy and
encourage action on the Tourism Future priorities
• Government agencies and local government – to raise
their awareness of the value of the tourism industry to
New Zealand’s economy and encourage action on the
Tourism Future priorities
• Media – to highlight the value of the tourism industry to
New Zealand’s economy and raise awareness of the Tourism
Future priorities
• The New Zealand public – to highlight the value of the tourism
industry to New Zealand’s economy and raise awareness of
the Tourism Future priorities
Not for Profit Public Relations
MESS A GE S
• A thriving tourism industry is critical to New Zealand’s economic
development – it is the largest foreign exchange earner, contributes
wealth to regions throughout the country, and is a major employer,
both direct and indirect
• The Tourism Industry Association is the voice and a leader of the
New Zealand tourism industry
• The tourism industry wants to work in partnership with government
to grow the visitor economy
C ATEG O RY
We also wanted to create a campaign that would extend through the
term of the incoming government and would not date.
It was crucial to achieve and demonstrate industry support for the
priorities, as well as encourage individual action. We posted videos from
Tourism Industry Association members such as Air NZ and Kapiti Island
Nature Tours, highlighting the importance of the tourism industry for
communities across the country and for future generations. We will
continue to encourage contributions during the next three years.
~ Improving infrastructure. Quality infrastructure is needed to
support the activities visitors enjoy
We also developed an online communication toolkit for members
to make it as easy as possible for them to lobby their local MPs and
Parliamentary candidates, to raise awareness of the importance of
the tourism industry to New Zealand, and priorities for government
support and action contained in Tourism Future. This toolkit included
information on how to contact MPs and build a strong relationship with
them, tips on writing to MPs along with a template letter, and how to
arrange a meeting with an MP.
~ Making travel easier. Creating seamless border experiences and
removing barriers for people travelling to New Zealand
I M PL EM EN TATI O N
~ Providing relevant information. Dynamic changes within the
industry and economy mean the delivery of relevant and timely
information is critical for business planning
The total budget for this project (including development of the Tourism
Future website and associated collateral, and the launch event)
was $25,000.
~ Stimulating domestic tourism. Make a holiday at home aspirational
and help New Zealander’s see their country through an
international lens.
Stage I – Launch Event
• Tourism priorities for central government support and action for the
next three years are:
~ Delivering value. Keeping the industry at the centre of political and
public attention
STRAT E GY
With no budget for paid advertising and a very small budget for printed
material, the Tourism Industry Association had to develop a creative
and cost-effective strategy to maximise industry and political awareness
of Tourism Future.
The Tourism Future website www.tianz.org.nz/nztourismfuture was
central to our strategy. All communications activity was designed to
drive traffic to the site, where visitors would find details on each of
the priorities.
Timing was key, with the 2011 General Election closely following
Rugby World Cup 2011. To maximise attention during this busy
period, we organised a two-stage launch, with a launch event taking
place 10 days prior to the Rugby World Cup kick-off, followed by a
communications campaign ramping up through the five weeks prior
to the General Election.
A launch event for approximately 60 tourism industry leaders and
political party leaders was held at The Langham Auckland on 30
August. We successfully secured the attendance of Prime Minister and
Tourism Minister John Key, Opposition Leader Phil Goff and Green Party
Tourism spokesman David Clendon.
Guests received a copy of the innovative Tourism Future ‘swatch’
booklet to take home.
Coinciding with the launch, we:
• sent a special edition of the Tourism Industry Association’s weekly
e-newsletter to members announcing the launch and inviting them
to visit the new website
• circulated a media release to trade and general media
• posted a blog on the home page of the Tourism Industry
Association’s website
• used the Tourism Industry Association’s Facebook page and Twitter
account to highlight the launch
C AT E G O RY
Not for Profit Public Relations
To facilitate and encourage Tourism Industry Association members
to promote the Tourism Future priorities to their local Parliamentary
candidates, we developed an online toolkit which included information
on how to contact MPs and build a strong relationship with them, tips
on writing to MPs along with a template letter, and how to arrange
a meeting with an MP.
RESU LTS
Results against objectives:
1. National’s tourism policy reflected many of the priorities listed in
Tourism Future.
2. The Prime Minister has retained the tourism portfolio – supporting
one of our priorities.
Stage II – Pre-Election
3. The Government has announced several initiatives which will help
create a more seamless border experience for travellers – another
key priority.
Following the launch, we continued to promote Tourism Future to
Tourism Industry Association members through our regular member
e-newsletter and contributions to trade media.
4. The Labour Party has introduced a Private Members Bill to
‘Mondayise’ Anzac and Waitangi Days – a key action point in
Tourism Future.
The communications plan ramped up from late September:
5. The Tourism Industry Association’s Chief Executive was invited to
speak about Tourism Future at a number of industry events, including
the 2011 NZ Airports Association conference, the Hamilton Waikato
regional tourism seminar, and the Inbound Tour Operators Council
December 2011 Forum.
• Copies of the Tourism Future booklet were pasted to the cover of
Tourism Business Magazine (Oct-Nov 2011 issue), to put it directly
in the hands of over 3300 subscribers, including Tourism Industry
Association members
• Copies of the booklet and a covering letter were posted to
approximately 300 election candidates of each major party in the
week beginning 14 Nov 2011
The Tourism Industry Association produced seven media releases and
four contributed columns were published in trade media.
• The Tourism Future logo and a link to the website were incorporated
in all Tourism Industry Association staff email signatures
Media coverage:
• Each week, a media release highlighting one priority of Tourism
Future was circulated, using angles designed to spark media interest
• 6 radio items, including 2 live interviews
• 2 live TV interviews (TVNZ & TV3)
• Significant trade media and general press coverage
• We contributed opinion pieces to leading tourism trade media
(Tourism Business Magazine and Inside Tourism)
Website:
• Social media channels were used to support our media releases,
including regular Tweets and Facebook updates.
In the week following the August 2011 launch, 257 unique
individuals visited the site a total of 429 times, spending an average
of 5.52 minutes on the site.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
Due to a limited budget, we needed to find creative ways to make our
campaign stand out. We had to capture the attention of our target
audiences and get the industry’s key priorities across.
Working closely with our designer, we developed a unique ‘paint
swatch’ booklet with a bright, contemporary look and feel that would
encourage people to keep it on their desks for a long period.
It highlighted each of the priorities, supported by images, and
encouraged readers to visit the website at every point to find out
more information.
The booklet included a QR code allowing Smartphone users to link
directly to the website.
The website look and feel was in keeping with the ‘swatch’;
it looked great and was easy to navigate.
The Tourism Industry Association’s articulate and respected Chief
Executive, Tim Cossar, was the ‘face’ of the campaign, with his image
appearing on the swatch and website.
A two-stage implementation plan was used to avoid the campaign
being lost in the hype around Rugby World Cup.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
Post-election meetings with political party leaders and tourism
spokespeople indicate they have read Tourism Future and support a
range of its action points.
Media coverage has continued since the election, particularly after
a Private Members Bill to ‘Mondayise’ Waitangi Day and Anzac Day
was drawn in February 2012. The Tourism Industry Association was
approached for comment by media who recognised this as a key action
point in Tourism Future. Articles appeared in the mainstream and trade
media and items on TV and radio.
Since the election, we have continued to take every opportunity to
promote Tourism Future through the media and to the tourism industry.
Future plans include sending the booklet to all mayors, council chief
executives, and key government agencies. Our aim is to continue the
campaign throughout the term of this government.
We are continuing to monitor the Tourism Future website, which shows
spikes in visitation each time we highlight the campaign through our
communications channels.
Special Event or Project
C ATEG O RY
Daniel O’Regan | Convergence and Louis Brown | Social Innovation
PR OJ E C T:
Student Volunteer Army
The 22nd February 2011 is a day that will never be forgotten by the people of Canterbury or indeed
New Zealand. While the earthquake-ravaged central city was the focus of Civil Defence, an army
spontaneously assembled to serve the hardest hit suburbs. The Army was the vision of Sam Johnson who had
a desire to help those most affected, and show the value students add to community. The public relations
campaign was like no other in New Zealand’s history. It exploited new media tools alongside traditional media
methods, was designed and staffed in 72 hours and was carried out during seismic activity. It mobilised
thousands to volunteer for back-breaking work in harrowing conditions, gained the trust of earthquake
victims and officialdom, and captured the world’s hearts.
BA C K GRO UN D
Immediately following the Darfield Earthquake on September
4 2010, Sam Johnson set up a volunteer Facebook page for
students wanting to help those in need. The drive behind Sam
was his desire to help those most affected, and change the
public’s perception of students as ‘drunken couch-burning louts’.
Initially dubbed ‘Siltworms’, the now familiar Student Volunteer
Army, organised volunteers to clean up silt-hit suburbs in eastern
Christchurch. Within a week it had attracted 2,500 members, and
streets and properties clogged with 65,000 tonnes liquefaction
were cleared.
The Student Volunteer Army then turned its attention to serving
the greater needs of the Christchurch community. In November
2010 the Student Volunteer Army partnered with Louis Brown,
from Te Wai Pounamu Trust (now Social Innovation) to remove
trash from Christchurch beaches as part of the annual week-long
student Orientation party.
As the tragedy that was February 22nd unfolded, it was quickly
decided resources would be repurposed to disaster recovery
and the White Elephant Trust was called in to help manage
the project.
At 4am the following morning, the respective lead organisers
reunited. In that short 16 hours, they had recruited 1000 people,
created a plan, established an HQ and were ready for the huge
challenge that had presented itself.
At this point in time, the entire scope of the public relations
requirements was unclear. We did not know the extent of the
destruction across the city. Nor the proportion of our aspiration
we could actually fulfil. However, the crosshairs firmly rested
on one target and purpose – serve the needs of Christchurch
residents in non-life threatening situations fast.
An appeal for communications assistance was put out and by the
following morning a team of professionals from Convergence
Communications was on hand to help out.
The Student Volunteer Army was highly regarded within
emergency response circles and Civil Defence called on it to be
the first response for incoming calls for (minor) help. The Ministry
of Social Development, Ministry of Housing and Ngai Tahu called
on the Student Volunteer Army to distribute much-needed
information to residents, more often than not Student Volunteer
Army members were the first contact residents had with those
behind the recovery efforts.
The scope for public relations started with the simple exercise
of recruiting volunteers to fill busloads to help remove silt from
specific locations in eastern suburbs. The Student Volunteer Army
machine grew to four operations with public information and
public relations support required for each one:
1. Bulk deployment of busloads of volunteers from campus to
eastern suburbs to remove silt with wheelbarrows and shovels.
Result: Thousands of tonnes of liquefaction were cleared in
75,000 volunteer working hours
2. Street-teams of carloads of volunteers from campus to eastern
suburbs to distribute pamphlets and collect feedback from
residents to relay to Civil Defence EOC.
Result: 500,000 pamphlets distributed, six reports of collated
feedback given to EOC
3. Squadrons of self-organising volunteer teams who were
matched to triaged, individual requests of help from residents.
Result: 3,000 jobs were logged and completed through a
world-first online service linked to mobile phones
4. Two headquarters: Field HQ (marquee on campus) and
Coordination HQ (Office and warehouse complex in Hornby)
to muster and coordinate volunteers, warehouse incoming and
outgoing food and equipment and run a call centre staffed by
up to 40 people.
In hindsight, the scope was large and involved communications
from the grassroots to the highest levels of government. It
required lightening speed, a high standard of accuracy and rapid
decision-making in harrowing circumstances.
PREL I M I N A RY RESEA RC H
In effect September’s earthquake was a rehearsal for February’s
more devastating event. Several factors identified from that
experience helped:
• Social media could be used to create an army of volunteers
that could be marshalled through Facebook but that the
messages had to be managed to ensure volunteer expectations
were matched.
• Media coverage is intense and time consuming and needs to
be managed.
• Strong relationships with the authorities is paramount when
operating in a Civil Defence emergency.
• Messaging to victims of the earthquakes has to be clear and
direct to avoid further disappointment.
• Messaging with the general public has to be clear and
direct to ensure the correct donations (food, money, drinks,
wheelbarrows etc) are made.
Convergence drew on its recent experience:
• Pike River Mine – strategic communications and media
management leading up to receivership.
• Civil Defence – providing relief to the communications unit the
wake of the Darfield Earthquake.
Social Innovation drew on its recent experience:
• Planning and mobilising over 2,000 volunteers across
22 events to plant over 5,000 trees and remove six tonnes
of trash during the near-month long festival A Day at the
Beach (September, 2009).
C AT E G O RY
Special Event or Project
• Planning and mobilising over 6,000 volunteers across Auckland,
Wellington, Christchurch and West Coast to remove nine tonnes of
trash as the launch of Love your Coast (December, 2010).
OBJE C T IV E S
Organisational objectives:
• Stay true to itself as a student focused volunteer
organisation focused on promoting students as
valuable members of their communities.
• Allow the organisational committee to focus on
delivering help to those in need, ensuring the
well-being of volunteers and the co-ordination
of donations.
• Stay afloat financially throughout clean-up.
Public relations objectives:
• To ensure victims understood the purpose of the
Student Volunteer Army and their expectations
were matched with the service provided.
• To ensure media coverage was maximised yet
did not hinder Student Volunteer Army efforts.
• To ensure public saw and heard positive student
stories in the wake of the earthquake.
• To position Sam Johnson and Louis Brown as
key spokespeople (altered to Sam Johnson towards the end of the
project).
• Secure support from sponsors and donations from general public to
ensure the Student Volunteer Army could meet its obligations.
• Secure support from Civil Defence, both local and national
government and ensure that support is maintained and supports
other government relations.
AUDI E N C E S
Prospective volunteers (not just students!) – were communicated with
via Facebook. Messages about events and requirements were posted
throughout day and night by the Student Volunteer Army team. The
Student Volunteer Army Facebook page already had support from
students and the enormity of the nature of the crisis and subsequent
media coverage allowed for the Facebook page to grow exponentially
providing an ideal avenue for the Student Volunteer Army to
communicate with volunteers.
Earthquake victims with minor land and property damage – Initial
communication via media and social media, which was followed up by
face-to-face contact on their own property.
We were aware the eastern suburbs of Christchurch were without
power so our concentration went on gaining radio and Press coverage,
which managed to get through even the day after the earthquake.
Civil Defence and other government and local government agencies
– The Student Volunteer Army team members were in contact with
the authorities on a daily basis in most cases face-to-face debriefs
were held.
Sponsors – initially media and social media followed up by telephone
conversations.
Students elsewhere – were communicated with via social and traditional
student media.
General public – were communicated with via traditional media in
particular television, social media and face-to-face.
M ESSA G ES
As in all crisis situations, the importance of key messaging is crucial if
the objectives are to be met. Convergence ensured the messaging was
simple and adaptable for the changing situation:
• The Student Volunteer Army is available to help residents clean up,
remove sand and rubble in low risk areas and low risk situations only.
• You can register for help, or volunteer on www.sva.org.nz or text
#HELPME, 0508 STUDENT, Facebook.com/StudentVolunteerArmy or
as a last resort call 021 082 36359.
• The Student Volunteer Army is collaborating with www.eq.org.nz to
provide live reports on services availability in local areas.
• Please be patient and we will respond to all requests for help, even
with thousands of volunteers we are under no illusions that this will
take weeks to clean up.
• The Student Volunteer Army is run by a charitable trust.
• The Student Volunteer Army’s Facebook page gained 10,000 fans in
just over 24 hours.
Special Event or Project
Once fully operational, the messages above were adapted to the new
norm and others were added.
New messages were crafted for the post clean up phase when the
University of Canterbury resumed classes.
PLAN N IN G
As the scope changed, so did the way in which the communication
strategy was employed to fulfil the objectives of the Student Volunteer
Army. The following principles sum up the strategy:
• Regular contact (daily) with targets and be quick to respond to
enquiries particular to media outlets.
C ATEG O RY
• Ensuring key messages made it through: In the initial stages media
concentrated on Civil Defence Headquarters so we supplied
Christchurch mayor Bob Parker with the Student Volunteer Army’s
key messages to include in his briefings, which he did.
• Providing talent for media: All media requests went through
Convergence who arranged times and locations to talk with either
Sam Johnson or Louis Brown; Regional and Maori broadcast media
requests to talk to students from their home town/city/iwi were all
met via Facebook; Television crews (many foreign) were directed
to suburban locations where Student Volunteer Army members
were working.
• Educate the public via media of the Student Volunteer Army’s
purpose, what it was achieving and where they were operating to
ensure earthquake victims’ expectations were realistic.
• Ensuring the latest key messages: TVNZ, TV3 and Stuff were
monitored to ensure the correct key messages were being used and
when old messages were prominent they were approached with the
updated key messages.
• Employ military terminology such as squadron and battalion to create
a sense of purpose and responsibility among members, and trust
amongst victims.
RESU LTS
• Work collaboratively with key government partners: including
Civil Defence and Ministry of Social Development to ensure
communications and messaging were coordinated.
• Be opportunistic. Take as many opportunities to distribute press
releases and deliver messages to as many audiences as possible.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
Media coverage
Media coverage achieved locally, nationally and internationally was
phenomenal. Student media alongside everyone else gained access to
spokespeople.
Multiple appearances by Sam Johnson, Louis Brown, other core team
members and Student Volunteer Army volunteers occurred on all
television networks in New Zealand.
Media
Features and articles appeared in most daily newspapers in New Zealand
as well as multiple community newspaper articles.
Nightly media updates about what had been achieved and what
was required for the following day were sent out to all media and
influentials.
Regular Radio interviews occurred on Radio New Zealand, Newstalk
ZB and Radio Live alongside other interviews on 91.3ZM, Radio Active,
Tahu FM, 95bFM and Classic Hits.
In order to gain media attention and deliver the key messages to the
audiences, Louis Brown door stopped media gathered at Civil Defence
Headquarters every morning during the first week.
International coverage included: BBC5, Radio Australia, Radio France,
The Guardian (UK), Newsroom America, and various South Korean and
Japanese television agencies.
Social Media
Online media activity was prevalent throughout the two weeks
of operation.
Facebook was used as a communication tool to motivate people to
volunteer. It was also used to find talent for media requests. A website
was established as an online portal for information.
Specialist features included: CBS Special with Phil Koeghan, Greenstone
Pictures “Unsung Heroes, Listener, Fair Go earthquake special.
Cloud-based software
Sponsors and donations
In collaboration with GEOPs, a cloud-based piece of software was
created in four days to match individual requests for help logged with
the call centre or online were matched with self-organising teams of
volunteers using their mobile phones. Access to this was through the
SVA.org.nz website, making it clear people had two choices. To register
a need or register to volunteer. A day-long meeting was held with
Google to benchmark this invention.
Donations were handled by the Social Innovation Trust which
developed a budget for the Student Volunteer Army. $100,000 was
received in donations via direct bank deposit into Social Innovation
bank accounts, online donations via givealittle.co.nz/Socialinnovation
and larger amounts of over $5000 from large corporates and
government organisations.
Government relations
More than 26,000 people liked the Student Volunteer Army Facebook
Page. Thousands of messages of thanks and support were received from
Christchurch residents, New Zealanders and hundreds of people from
around the world.
Door stopping politicians, both the Minister of what is now the
Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority, Christchurch Mayor Bob
Parker, the Civil Defence Controller and the various media relations
representatives of each.
Facebook
An Student Volunteer Army handbook was developed to help students
replicate the organisation.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
• Maintaining clear communication with the core team: Daily debriefs
were held at 8am every morning and again at night once teams
returned from the field; iPhones were sought allowing everyone
access to Student Volunteer Army Google calendar.
• Processes had to be established immediately to ensure the
smooth running of the operation: Sign-off protocol for all written
materials; templates for releases created: a distribution list accessed;
distribution network established; contact list established of
core team.
• Ensuring commitments could be met: Aware of the extent of the
damage and the potential for the project to continue beyond an
initial two weeks, Convergence sought help. Mercury Energy agreed
to pay $10,000 towards the costs of employing Convergence
staff with the rest being provided pro bono by Convergence.
Convergence’s commitment extended throughout 2011 and to date
is costed at $23,500.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
Media coverage was collected and evaluated and the report was sent
to sponsors.
The Student Volunteer Army’s efforts were recently acknowledged by:
• Coca Cola Amatil Young New Zealander of the Year – Sam Johnson.
• Sir Peter Blake Special Leadership Award – Sam Johnson.
• The University of Canterbury’s decision to capitalise on the Student
Volunteer Army’s success with a new marketing strategy around
“U Can”. Advertising and billboards feature students wearing green
Student Volunteer Army t-shirts, leaning on shovels with the tagline
‘Make a difference’. The message ‘U can make a difference’ cleverly
summarises Sam’s contribution to society.
• Love Christchurch marketing strategy included Sam Johnson.
C AT E G O RY
Special Event or Project
Bill Rundle and Alexandra Speedy | Porter Novelli
PR OJ E C T:
WilliamsWarn
‘The best beer-porn you’ll see all day’
Kiwi brewmaster Ian Williams and school friend Anders Warn invested seven years of their lives into
developing the WilliamsWarn – the world’s first Personal Brewery. Mortgaged to the hilt, Ian Williams
approached Porter Novelli to develop a cost-effective media launch that would generate global media
coverage and social media buzz, with the goal of generating sales and securing further investment.
Porter Novelli developed a comprehensive PR campaign which led to more than 200 offers of distribution
in 50 countries, resulting in the first batch of the WilliamsWarn selling out (at $5,600 a pop!).
BA C K GRO UN D
More than a third of New Zealand males have tried
home-brewing, but most have not carried through with it due
to the time involved and the low-quality beer produced.
Kiwi brewmaster and inventor, Ian Williams, has solved
this problem as well as the 12 problems associated with
home brewing, leading to the development the world’s first
personal brewery.
Porter Novelli was commissioned to launch the WilliamsWarn,
with the goal of achieving international media coverage and
social media buzz, particularly among beer enthusiasts.
There was no other marketing activity, WilliamsWarn launch was
100 percent PR-led, and Porter Novelli was given a budget of
$18,000 for the launch.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
Porter Novelli researched suitable venues and launch event
logistics, as well as developing a list of key stakeholders and
beer-loving celebrities/enthusiasts that could be invited to
the event.
Porter Novelli also developed a list of key beer and tech
influencers, journalists, bloggers around the world.
Existing brand collateral was analysed, and it was during this
time the instructional video caught Porter Novelli’s attention.
The slick video was designed to show people how to make beer
in a WilliamsWarn Personal Brewery. However, the soft-focus
close-ups and slow tilt shots of frothing beer, combined with the
routine instructions read by a cheesy yet suave voiceover resulted
in what could best be described as a ‘beer porn’ – the type of
content with the potential to go viral, given the right placement.
OBJ E C T IV E S
PR objectives:
• Launch the WilliamsWarn Personal Brewery in a way that
achieves global media and social media exposure with a
mainstream audience and beer enthusiasts
• Drive social media engagement, creating talkability and
awareness of the product
Organisational objectives:
• Generate sales of the WilliamsWarn Personal Brewery in
New Zealand and overseas
• Attract further investment in WilliamsWarn to assist
with expansion
• Drive traffic to the WilliamsWarn website
A U D IE N C E S
• Beer enthusiasts – people who have tried home brewing,
or enjoy unique craft brews
• Home technology enthusiasts – early adopters of new
technology for the home, including architects, builders, and
interior designers
• Beer and tech media/blogs – opinion leaders on the subject
of beer and technology
• Investors – Breweries, distributors and venture capitalists
• News media – Local and international broadcast, print,
online and social media
M ESSA G ES
• Kiwi beer-thinkers Ian Williams and Anders Warn have
developed the world’s first personal brewery, capable of
creating commercial quality beer in as little as seven days
• The patented all-in-one brewing process makes WilliamsWarn
beer the freshest beer in the world
• For more information visit www.williamswarn.com
PL A N N I N G
• Launching the WilliamsWarn product and brand by telling the
story of its inception through an appropriately themed launch
event to attract media and influencers from key audiences
• Raising the profile of Ian Williams and positioning him as a
leading master brewer and entrepreneur via key media
• Positioning WilliamsWarn as the world’s leading ‘Beer
Thinkers’ through key opinion leaders and social media
engagement
• Enabling media to quickly find WilliamsWarn by way of a
media centre on the website including high-resolution images,
broadcast and web quality video, and media releases
I M PL EM EN TATI O N
1. The Grand Reveal
The launch event was designed to generate interest from media
and promote the WilliamsWarn Personal Brewery with those
in the beer community. Media and influencers in the beer
community were sent a teaser invite (a WilliamsWarn branded
pint glass) inviting them to come along to the unveiling of a
world-first Kiwi invention set to revolutionise home brewing.
The event was held at 2.30pm on a Thursday afternoon at
The Auckland Art Gallery Art Lounge, which ensured good
media turn out and optimum conditions for coverage in
weekend newspapers.
Guests included Minister of Science and Innovation, Wayne
Mapp (who also gave a short speech); Auckland Central MP,
Nikki Kaye; Comedian, Leigh Hart; actors from Shortland Street
and The Almighty Johnsons; as well as food & beverage, tech,
business and general news journalists (including 3News).
Five WilliamsWarn machines were set up around the room with
customised lighting, with one on stage as the central focal point.
Porter Novelli developed a runsheet which incorporated the
instructional video (identified earlier as potential viral content),
speeches and mingling. Guests were given a WilliamsWarn
branded glass and encouraged to pour (trial and engagement)
their own drinks from one of the five machines around the
Special Event or Project
room, with each machine offering a different variety of beer. Pub food
accompanied the beer.
Media were provided with WilliamsWarn media kits upon leaving
the event and directed to the WilliamsWarn website’s media centre,
giving them access to broadcast and web quality video, high-resolution
images, fact sheets and the media release.
2. Media Relations
Porter Novelli pitched to key media before the event to offer further
information as to what would be unveiled – without giving it all away.
The invite led to such intrigue that the Sunday Star-Times investigated
the WilliamsWarn patent (the WilliamsWarn site wasn’t set to go live
until the day of launch) documentation and wrote a speculative article
discussing the technical specs of the machine. With digital playing a
significant role in the launch, Porter Novelli invited 3News.co.nz website
editor Chris Whitworth to interview Ian Williams under embargo, and
3News reporter Tony Reid was given the television exclusive for the
6pm News. The website story and video were key pieces of coverage
when driving online buzz, with many people sharing links to the
3News coverage.
A media release was distributed following the event. Media were
directed to the media centre of the WilliamsWarn website for broadcast
and web quality video, high-resolution images, fact sheets and the
media release.
3. Online media centre
To reduce the amount of time handling media queries, Porter Novelli
recommended WilliamsWarn create a media centre on the website to
host high-resolution images and media materials, as well as broadcast
quality and web-res video footage, making it easy for media to
find resources. The URL for the media centre was referred to in all
media materials and the majority of media enquiries were able to be
handled by simply responding with the link, reducing time and costs
for WilliamsWarn.
4. Social media integration
Porter Novelli recommended WilliamsWarn create a Facebook and
Twitter account prior to launch and include links to these in all of its
media materials. These social media profiles needed to be authentic,
C ATEG O RY
becoming a key outlet for building the WilliamsWarn brand online.
With this in mind, Porter Novelli recommended Ian Williams manage
these accounts. Ian had no social media experience, so Porter Novelli
ran a social media 101 workshop with him, advising on platforms and
engagement and introducing him to tools such as TweetDeck and the
various smartphone applications.
As WilliamsWarn had a limited budget, Porter Novelli made use of free
social media tracking tools such as Tweetreach and Social Mention to
monitor online chatter and estimate reach.
To seed the instructional video that we had identified as viral content,
Porter Novelli selected a well-written article about the WilliamsWarn,
complete with instructional video on a blog called The Noisecast. This
link was submitted anonymously to social news engine, Fark with the
caption – “The best beer-porn you’ll see all day. Spoiler alert: climax
occurs at 2 min 57 sec, lots of head!” The link received more than
12,000 hits in 12 hours.
The entire $18,000 budget was spent on the PR initiatives mentioned
above, with no additional advertising support.
PRO BL EM SO LVI N G / C REATI VI TY
While the traditional launch event and media relations activity was
highly effective in generating widespread coverage in New Zealand, it
was the digital initiatives that launched WilliamsWarn onto the global
stage and developed massive interest with the global beer enthusiast
community and gadget-geeks.
Porter Novelli understood the way in which information spreads
through social media channels, and the often unseen power of the
social news engine, whose audience includes traditional media and
online influencers as opposed to the masses. Targeting these social
news engines was a key factor in getting online influencers (the Twitter
elite) tweeting about the WilliamsWarn to their thousands of followers
and starting a snowball effect.
A social news engine like Fark receives more than 2,000 link
submissions per day. Only five percent of links submitted are posted
– having good content is often not enough. It is essential to caption
links in a way that is creative, intriguing and humorous, to ensure they
are posted.
C AT E G O RY
Special Event or Project
“The best beer-porn you’ll see all day. Spoiler alert: climax occurs at
2 mins 57 sec, lots of head” referred to the WilliamsWarn instructional
video, which resembled beer-porn in the way the way the video was
shot and the resulting desire to have a beer. It referred specifically to a
close up shot of a beer, slowly being poured with the foam rising up
and spilling over the top of the glass.
The link and caption stuck a chord with the Fark audience and received
more than 12,000 hits in 12 hours. It’s important to note at this stage
that these 12,000 hits were from global media and social media
influencers who were then sharing it with their audiences.
RESU LT S
The traditional media activity around the launch was highly effective
generating coverage on 3News, TVNZ Breakfast, Sunday Star-Times,
New Zealand Herald, nzherald.co.nz, Stuff, 3News.co.nz, Get Frank,
Idealog, The Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, Wired, as well as many other
beer, lifestyle and technology publications.
Ongoing international coverage for the WilliamsWarn has included
articles in Cigar Aficianado, Popular Science, US Men’s Journal, Business
Punk, GQ France and many more.
But it was the social media activity that generated the most impact for
WilliamsWarn. Googling WilliamsWarn prior to launch resulted in zero
hits. After launch, Google results showed more than 100,000 hits. After
three and a half months the instructional video had been viewed more
than 170,000 times. The WilliamsWarn website had received more
than 370,000 hits. The launch activity generated more than 20 million
impressions (conservative estimate based on Tweetreach and Social
Mention data) across social media channels.
This activity has directly affected Ian William’s business and following
the launch he received more than 200 offers of distribution in
50 countries, including offers from three US department stores.
WilliamsWarn sold out of his first batch of 60 units at $5,600
each. WillliamsWarn has been able to attract further investment
since launching.
All of this was achieved via Porter Novelli’s PR activity, with no further
advertising or marketing support, on a budget of $18,000.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
If we match the results to the WilliamsWarn launch objectives, one can
only conclude that this was a highly successful campaign.
• Launch the WilliamsWarn personal brewery in a way that achieves
global media and social media exposure with a mainstream audience
and beer enthusiasts.
~ More than 100,000 results on Google. Coverage in mainstream
news, beer and technology publications globally. Discussions
around WilliamsWarn in beer forums and social media (more than
20 million impressions).
• Drive social media engagement with WilliamsWarn, creating
talkability and awareness of the product.
~ Instructional ‘beer porn’ video viewed more than 170,000 times.
Discussions around WilliamsWarn in beer forums and social media
(more than 20 million impressions).
• Generate sales of the WilliamsWarn personal brewery in
New Zealand and overseas.
~ Sold out of the first batch of 60 machines. 200 offers of
distribution in 50 countries. US distribution deal in the pipeline.
• Attract further investment in WilliamsWarn to assist with expansion.
~ Further investment secured.
• Drive traffic to the WilliamsWarn website.
~ 370,000 hits in just over three months.
Special Event or Project
C ATEG O RY
Christl McMillan, Margaret Horner and Simone Walker | Scion
PR OJ E C T:
Science in the Park 2011
Ever wondered what a strawberry’s DNA looks like? Ever wondered what ice cream and rockets have in
common? These were just some of the questions answered at the Science in the Park event in March 2011.
The open day, held at Crown Research Institute Scion in Rotorua, gave 2,786 members of the public a rare,
hands-on insight into a science institution and increased their awareness of Scion’s role in the community.
The event also sought to demonstrate the key role of research, science and technology in improving
New Zealand’s economy, environment and our everyday way of life.
BA C K GRO UN D
PR objectives:
Scion is unique in being the only Crown Research Institute
outside a main centre. It is a big employer in Rotorua, well
hidden inside a large tree-lined campus next to the famous
Redwood Forest. The purpose of Science in the Park 2011 was
to open the campus doors and show the Rotorua community
what Scion and its many scientists do, and help remove some
of the mystery of science. The success of the event relied on
the voluntary effort of science staff to create and man the
science exhibits.
• To attract over 2,000 visitors.
Science in the Park was held on Saturday 12 March 2011,
from 9am to 3pm at Scion’s Rotorua campus.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
Open days had been held previously, coordinated by an external
contractor. Our brief from the Executive Team was to host a
more dynamic event with good staff buy-in and attract over
2,000 visitors with the entire event to be run in-house by the
Marketing & Communications Team (MarComms) and led by the
team manager.
The MarComms Team was relatively new, so our first research
need was to understand how the event had been implemented
previously. Staff who had helped previously or attended as visitors
with their families could provide valuable information so we ran
some open invitation meetings to learn and gather suggestions
for improvements. Staff who couldn’t attend were invited to
email us. Much helpful information was obtained this way.
We also sourced photographs of previous days from our library
and examined them.
Financial records of a previous event were also reviewed to
provide a starting point for the budget.
OBJ E C T IV E S
Organisational objectives:
• To raise awareness within the Rotorua community (including
residents, industry, local businesses and local government
bodies) of what Scion does.
• To actively demonstrate the economic, environmental,
social and cultural contribution that Scion makes to its local
community and the rest of New Zealand.
• To create a collective focus for staff and foster a sense of pride
in working for Scion.
• To showcase Scion’s scientists as being leaders in their fields.
• To position science as a challenging and rewarding career
choice, and Scion as a great employer.
• To increase awareness of the role of science and technology in
contributing to New Zealand’s economy.
• To support government’s strategic priority of embedding
science and technology in New Zealanders’ lives.
• To actively engage children (primary and secondary
school aged).
• To build widespread staff enthusiasm for the day to ensure a
wide range of exhibits representing all our science capabilities.
• To involve two or three relevant community partners.
• To stay within the allocated budget.
• To deliver a successful event for Scion.
A U D I EN C ES
Our primary target audience was predominately the local
community – families, adults, children, members of local industry,
and local government bodies. Rotorua is a destination town
with a very busy events calendar, particularly in summer, with
much to offer locals as well as tourists. Our event would be
competing with other free activities, such as the Community
Walking Festival.
Our secondary target audience was staff. We required their buyin, expertise and volunteered time (on the Saturday) to make the
event a success and also ensure they regarded the event as theirs
(not a PR event run by MarComms). As a non-revenue generating
activity some science staff and managers could not see the value
in this project.
M ESSA G ES
The key messages used to promote the event externally were:
• Excite your mind and discover a world of scientific wonder at
Scion’s free open day on Saturday 12 March.
• Come along to Science in the Park and enjoy an interactive
showcase of activities, displays and experiments.
• Scion’s research, science and technology play a big part in
improving New Zealand’s economy, environment and way of
life. We’re proud of our science and keen to show it to our
local community.
• Ever wondered what 300 scientists do in the Redwoods?
Science in the Park makes science alive and people get a rare
chance to see scientists in action.
PL A N N I N G
This was a huge event for Scion in terms of staff involvement
and direct costs, with MarComms tasked with full responsibility
for a delivering successful event on top of business as usual.
Good planning was crucial. Planning started with a paper to
the Executive Team six months before the event for approval
to proceed. The paper stated the purpose, business objectives,
audience, project plan, budget and evaluation methods.
Following approval, the next action was to establish a Project
Team (led by the MarComms Manager) and assign responsibilities
to each member according to their strengths and interest.
C AT E G O RY
Special Event or Project
Key areas of responsibility were:
• Marketing & promotion
• Design creative & printing
• Internal communications
• Programme (of exhibits, demonstrations, activities & tours)
• Partner organisations
• Equipment, facilities, car parking, security and health & safety
• Catering
• Wet weather alternative (being an outdoor event)
• Budget
• Reporting.
Individual tasks were mapped for each activity, and milestone dates set.
The project team met 2-weekly initially, then weekly and finally daily in
the fortnight before.
Separate detailed plans were developed for critical success factors that
related to target audiences. These included:
• An internal communications plan
• Marketing & promotion plan
• Health & safety plan.
Also, we prepared a response plan for possible protest actions to our
research into genetically modified trees.
A checklist, 5-day run sheet and pack down sheet provided all the
logistical details to ensure nothing was overlooked.
Our routine MarComms monthly reports to our executive manager
included Science in the Park progress updates.
A formal project status report was provided to the Executive one month
before the event, and this included an appendix describing 33 displays
and activities. Finally, the Executive received a post-event report three
weeks after the day, including evaluation results.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
Internal communications plan tactics comprised: a new charge code
for staff timesheets, posters inviting staff participation, information
provided in staff newsletter and new Science in the Park 2011 intranet
page, three Science in the Park staff bulletins, several meetings,
templates for staff to use develop display concepts & identify materials
& budget needs, on-the-day briefing sheets for each of the various roles
staff played, final pre-event briefing; thank you morning tea hosted
by the CEO.
Marketing & promotional tactics included creating a distinctive,
engaging look and feel that would be used on all promotional materials
to support the catch phrase “Discover the wonders of science”;
developing promotional messages; implementing an advertising plan
using local radio, press and TV; billboards; postcard drop for retail
counters; a series of media releases, with different angles; and direct
invitations to local VIPs. A schools campaign was also implemented with
two drops of targeted information packs & template material for school
newsletters. To engage young people, we developed two key activities
with prizes – an interactive science trail for primary school children and
a photo competition for secondary students (entries were displayed and
winners announced on the day).
Three local research partners/clients were invited to participate to
showcase the relevance of science locally: Rotorua District Council, Bay
of Plenty Regional Council and ZESPRI. To add a gala flavour we selected
relevant external exhibits: a forestry skidder, traditional carving and
weaving, wood chopping and a steam traction engine.
The event budget was $98,900 comprising $38,900 for event hosting
costs (eg, marketing, display materials, equipment hire, catering,
printing and photography), and $60,000 for science personnel time.
PRO BL EM SO LVI N G / C REATI VI TY
Problem solving occurred throughout the project, from financial through
to final execution. Initially scientists and their team leaders were
concerned that non-chargeable time to prepare exhibits for Science in
the Park would impact on revenue generation. The project manager
obtained approval from the Executive to work with Finance to create a
special Science in the Park charge code for science staff personnel costs
and materials. This removed any uncertainties for team leaders around
their team budgets.
Obtaining staff buy-in was critical to the success of the day, so
much effort was put into internal communications aimed to create
a buzz, provide regular information and offer support (eg, exhibit
concept templates).
Special Event or Project
C ATEG O RY
and 602 science staff hours pre-event were spent on preparing
displays. 33 displays in total including a busy Scion careers tent.
The event needed to appeal to young people and we had to involve
them constructively in some way so that they would truly be ‘exciting
their minds’. We developed two targeted activities to achieve this – a
Science Trail booklet for younger students handed out at the Welcome
Desk, and a photography competition for older students launched
a month before the day so that entries could be displayed and
winners announced.
• To involve two or three relevant community partners. Rotorua District
Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and ZESPRI joined us with
their own materials to demonstrate our collaborations.
We worked closely with science staff to ensure that the exhibits would
have wide appeal (eg, liquid nitrogen rockets, strawberry DNA, huhugrub hunting, lab and tree tours).
• To deliver a successful event for Scion. The Executive Team was
delighted with the result.
Only one issue needed troubleshooting on the day – a missing PA
system for our ‘Singing Scientists’ entertainment was quickly replaced
thanks to a few early morning phone calls to staff.
The overarching issue for the MarComms Team was that we were
responsible for this event on top of business as usual. To ensure that
we continued to deliver on other projects yet meet objectives for this
event, the team manager wore two hats. As Science in the Park project
manager she maintained a schedule of Science in the Park project
meetings, while continuing the team’s separate work-in-progress
meetings. At times she also needed to keep the team motivated and
supported when priorities collided.
RESU LT S
PR objectives:
• To attract over 2,000 visitors. Despite Science in the Park competing
with five other events in Rotorua over the weekend, 2,786 visitors
attended.
• To actively engage children (primary and secondary school aged).
Children were actively engaged – 607 Science Trial activity booklets
were completed end entered into the prize draw, and 40 entries
were received for the student photography competition.
• To build widespread staff enthusiasm for the day to ensure a wide
range of exhibits representing all our science capabilities. Staff
enthusiasm – 111 staff volunteered on the day (over 1/3 of staff),
• To stay within the allocated budget. The event came in under budget
– total cost was $87,655 (budget was $98,900).
Achievement of the PR objectives contributed to achievement
of the organisational objectives: raising awareness within the
Rotorua community of what Scion does; actively demonstrating the
contribution that Scion makes to its local community and New Zealand;
creating a collective focus for staff and pride in working for Scion;
showcasing our scientists as being leaders in their fields; positioning
science as a challenging and rewarding career choice, and Scion as
a great employer; increasing awareness of the role of science and
technology in contributing to New Zealand’s economy; and supporting
government’s strategic priority of embedding science and technology in
New Zealanders’ lives.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
Much positive and congratulatory feedback was received from exiting
visitors at the gate, external participants, and thank you emails received
after the event.
Seventy people (out of 111) completed the post-event staff survey,
and overall gave resounding support for a future event, with 94% of
respondents stating they would like to be involved again. Feedback was
overwhelmingly positive and good suggestions were given to future
enhance or improve the day should it be repeated.
There were clear benefits to the event being organised in-house.
Across Scion staff there was increased staff buy-in and a greater
sense of ownership. Benefits for the MarComms Team included team
building, growth in event management skills, expanding our community
connections and pride in a job well done.
C AT E G O RY
Sustained Public Relations
Fleur Postill | Haystac
PR OJ E C T:
SEEK New Zealand
SEEK launched in New Zealand in 1999 with the clear objective of becoming the trusted jobs expert.
It rapidly established a strong foothold in the New Zealand employment market and now holds the enviable
position as the number one job-seeking website in the country, who better to be the expert spokesperson
on employment? Haystac and SEEK joined forces in 2009 and for the last three years we have built
substantial media profile for SEEK. We created a media relations juggernaut to cement SEEK as the nation’s
expert voice on employment.
BA C K GRO UN D
SEEK is an exceptional brand, a clear category leader by every
measure and New Zealand’s largest online employment website,
yet it has faced stiff competition during its rise to fame in
New Zealand.
Haystac was briefed by SEEK in 2009 to develop a public
relations strategy that clearly positioned SEEK as the trusted jobs
expert. At that stage, SEEK was establishing itself as the category
leader but lacked any consistent, on-brand media presence.
• Use the unique SEEK tools and data to develop news, which
will cement expert status
• Identify opportunities to position the General Manager as an
industry spokesperson and build her profile
• Bring the SEEK personality to the fore and move beyond
traditional SEEK media – primarily broadcast and online media
where the greatest opportunities lie
• Enable a platform to counter skewed market claims by
competitors and third party organisations
The appetite within SEEK for a SEEK ‘voice’ in the media and
creative initiatives to achieve cut through was palpable.
• Substantially increase share of voice over competitors
A critical factor was the challenge around fending off aggressive
competition to maintain leadership (the risk was that over time
perception would equal reality), significantly increasing SEEK’s
share of voice and building a public profile of expertise – aligned
to the truth of their leadership position.
A U D I EN C ES
Since 2009, Haystac’s scope of work on the SEEK business
has evolved from press office functionality to fully integrated
communications partner, developing and implementing creative
solutions to keep SEEK in the media spotlight.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
• Thoroughly researched all of the voices in the employment
mix from an editorial perspective – tracking and anticipating
releases and commentary
• Ensure that SEEK (and competitor PR activity) is being
benchmarked, monitored and reported to measure objectives
Jobseekers – a wide and varied target market that is not defined
by demographics but by psychographics and position in the
job lifecycle
Employment and business media – nationwide media set across
all mediums. Employment issues and information are of interest
but previous exposure to SEEK is limited
Lifestyle media – a variety of media across all mediums where
employment stories have less focus and appeal
Advertisers – potentially all employers in New Zealand
• Daily monitoring and in-depth analysis of topics covered and
brands mentioned
M ESSA G ES
• Establish current perceptions around SEEK with a
stakeholder audit
• SEEK has more jobs than anywhere else
• SEEK is New Zealand’s job expert
• Research topicality and timings for spokesperson opportunities
• SEEK provides the best jobseeker experience with more tools
and insights than any competitor
• Topline research with key media targets on topics and angles
of interest
• Brand personality messages: dynamic, optimistic, expert with
personality, fun and down to earth
• Benchmarking of SEEK’s previous editorial hits to set KPIs
STRATEG Y
OBJ E C T IV E S
Business objectives:
• Connect people with jobs that fit their wants, needs
and ambition
• Leverage existing and suggested activity to support SEEK NZ
being perceived as the job expert throughout New Zealand
• Enable a platform to counter skewed market claims by
competitors and third party organisations
• Make SEEK the number one stop for advertisers and
job seekers
• Maintain and increase unaided offline and online
brand awareness
Public relations objectives:
• To position SEEK as the market leader and ‘jobs expert’
through regular and timely expert commentary on
employment and related topics
Our original strategy developed in 2009 was focused on creating
a robust media relations campaign that elevated SEEK to the
forefront of the media’s mind, positioned them as the ‘jobs
expert’ and provided strong, tangible opportunities for coverage.
Eliminating industry jargon, competitive aggression and
‘corporate speak’ all served to reposition SEEK as the champion
of the everyday jobseeker while warming up the brand in the
eyes of the media.
Over time, and with the success of the initial PR plan, the
strategy evolved to reflect SEEK’s new status as a co-operative,
insightful, credible voice of the New Zealand employment
industry. Consolidating SEEK’s expert status was critical to
drive media coverage that cemented the reputation of industry
leadership and further lift the profile of the company.
The most recent strategic approach focuses on maintaining
SEEK’s media profile. Simply put, our strategy is about engaging
media (and through them jobseekers and advertisers), more often
and more insightfully than anyone else.
Sustained Public Relations
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
Over the last three years, we have developed and implemented a variety
of creative, insightful tactics to achieve our PR objectives and contribute
positively towards the SEEK business objectives. The intelligent,
astute and positive SEEK tone formed the cornerstone of media
communications across all channels.
Initial tactics were devised to achieve swift cut through and quality
coverage in high profile media outlets.
The first initiative launched, which continues to deliver exceptional
coverage results today, was the SEEK Employment Index (SEI). The SEI
provides a regular reason for SEEK to speak to media, give insightful
market updates worth paying attention to, reinforces leadership and
expert positioning.
Mined from the extensive data and insights at SEEK’s fingertips, the
SEI reveals trends around employment and communicates them in a
tangible yet understandable way. The SEI is also a relevant platform for
SEEK’s key spokespeople to share their expert views.
An editorial calendar was also introduced to provide a structured and
strategic approach to media relations, allowing us to anticipate and
track competitor activity, set media expectations and drive proactive
media enquiry.
SEEK intelligence and data gives SEEK a competitive advantage. With
more jobs and more applications than any other job source, the robust
data provides the ability to regionalise results, tailor angles to topical
events or seasonal trends and enables SEEK to provide insight and
commentary quickly and accurately.
We identified that tapping into the attitudes and experiences of
seek.co.nz visitors was a creative way of developing new media
C ATEG O RY
angles and extending coverage beyond the traditional business and
employment pages. The Watercooler index, a daily online poll hosted on
seek.co.nz, was introduced to motivate SEEK users to share their own
opinions on the hottest employment/job-related issues of the day.
As well as an engagement tool, results were then turned into media
opportunities allowing us to engage consumer media with an up-tothe-minute temperature check on the nation’s views on issues.
The Satisfaction and Motivation survey is a data tool that provides
a measure of the “mood” of jobseekers. Not only has it been used
effectively for a substantial media engagement opportunity but it
provides data that is used throughout numerous communication pieces
and as insights to jobseeking behavior throughout the year.
PRO BL EM SO LVI N G / C REATI VI TY
Prior to the engagement of Haystac, media coverage focused mostly
on unemployment rates, redundancies and international trends. The
strategy and tactics developed by Haystac have helped drive increased
reporting on employment in a more varied fashion.
The SEI is a unique tool that provides a measurement of both supply
and demand in the New Zealand employment market – a measure
that no other organisation can produce. The unique data provides
both an opportunity and a challenge; finding space for coverage to
appear and soliciting understanding from media of the measures meant
intense and detailed briefings needed to be conducted with media.
But the opportunity to build profile of the tool as a distinct and SEEKspecific monthly measure has meant that media now proactively seek
the information.
The development of data tools and the ability to mine data that is
engaging and interesting to media has been key to the success of the
C AT E G O RY
Sustained Public Relations
SEEK public relations campaign. While the SEI has certainly increased
SEEK’s expert credentials and profile in more traditional media the
creative development of data tools like Watercooler and Satisfaction
and Motivation survey have seen us successfully secure SEEK coverage
in the general news and consumer media space.
The creative use of language and positive tone, varied dependent on
topic and content has allowed us to build the SEEK personality within
media coverage.
Personnel changes at a management level have meant that
spokesperson profiling has been challenging. By using international
resources and moving towards written commentary and phone
interviews, it allowed us to leverage all opportunities and continue
to build profile despite the absence of an appropriate spokesperson.
By closely monitoring SEEK’s and key competitors coverage we have
been able to devise an in-depth editorial calendar that allows us
to strategically release information to SEEK’s advantage and usurp
competitors’ opportunities.
RESU LT S
Haystac’s work on the SEEK business in New Zealand now leads the
way for SEEK’s PR approach in other markets – a proven formula for
delivering consistent quality coverage.
Achievement against objectives has exceeded client expectations year
on year.
Bring the SEEK personality to the fore and move beyond traditional
SEEK media – primarily broadcast and online media where the greatest
opportunities lie:
• The use of Watercooler to drive personality based media coverage
achieved 82 articles in a 12 month period. 52% of all coverage has
been generated by media opportunities that aren’t linked to the
SEEK Employment Index, the main ‘expert’ data tool.
Enable a platform to counter skewed market claims by competitors and
third party organisations:
• The press office functionality established a new level of structure
for SEEK, enabling rapid response commentary and information for
live stories as they developed. We have also seen SEEK’s biggest
competitors exclusive share of voice significantly decrease over the
three years, with it currently sitting at 8%.
Ensure that SEEK (and competitor PR activity) is being benchmarked,
monitored and reported to measure objectives:
• A robust monitoring process was introduced to track and measure all
SEEK and competitor activity against set criteria. A bi-monthly report
is prepared and presented to SEEK to form industry intelligence
and track performance. This report covers total media generated
over the reporting period, share of voice for SEEK and competitors,
spokesperson features and readership.
Substantially increase share of voice over competitors:
To position SEEK as the market leader and ‘jobs expert’ through regular
and timely expert commentary on employment and related topics:
• SEEK has achieved an 82% exclusive share of voice in all media
coverage since September 2009.
• SEEK has achieved an 82% exclusive share of voice in all media
coverage since September 2009. SEEK has featured in 1017 articles
more than double the 50 articles (or 200 total) per quarter required.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
Use the unique SEEK tools and data to develop news and as an
opportunity to cement expert status:
• Of the 1017 articles secured, 84% of these have been driven by,
or feature, SEEK data. These 854 articles help cement SEEK as the
expert in the eyes of the media and consumer.
Identify opportunities to position the General Manager as an industry
spokesperson and build her profile:
• A SEEK spokesperson has featured in at least 71% of all SEEK articles
generated over this three year period across all mediums – TV, radio,
print and online.
Substantial and in-depth media monitoring and coverage analysis
has formed the basis of our evaluation. It covers daily monitoring of
all mediums and both SEEK and competitors’ activity and looks at
the following:
• Share of voice
• Number of articles
• Spokesperson inclusion
• Readership numbers
• Set and agreed KPIs
Each year, a thorough post-analysis of all communications activity is
undertaken to measure success, garner insights and form the basis
of the coming year’s strategy. In conjunction with SEEK, we work to
determine key areas of focus for the year ahead aligned to business
objectives and continue to measure performance and review these
throughout the year.
Marketing Public Relations
C ATEG O RY
Tiana Lyes, Jane Gilkison and Kathy Gieck | Acumen Republic
and Luke Schepen | Countdown
PR OJ E C T:
Countdown Food Rescue
Establishing an ongoing programme of charitable giving
Countdown Food Rescue is a national waste minimisation and food donation initiative. Countdown stores
donate unsalable, but consumable, food to their local Salvation Army centres. Food Rescue ensures food
reaches families in need while reducing the volume of food that goes to landfill, addressing two prominent
social and environmental issues. Acumen Republic and Countdown established the programme formally
across 160 supermarkets nationwide in 2011, reaching hundreds of local communities with the Food
Rescue message. The programme was launched over Christmas via the Countdown Food Rescue Christmas
Appeal, raising $36,000 in customer donations and $80,000 in Countdown food donations.
BA C K GRO UN D
• Reduce volume of consumable food to landfill
Countdown wanted to minimise its waste stream and ensure
that usable food reached people in need. The aim was to identify
a platform and a partner that all 160 stores could engage with.
In addition, Countdown wanted to invest a concerted effort
around the Christmas season during which they could invite
customers to become involved.
• Reduce business costs of waste – to zero ‘general waste
stream’ food by 2015
We considered a range of potential strategic partners to inform
the design of the programme and collaborate with long-term on
implementation, ultimately formalising a relationship with The
Salvation Army. The Salvation Army offers a wealth of knowledge
in social welfare issues and highly reputable and established
mechanisms for ensuring food donations get to where they
are needed.
• Formalise the programme of food donation and create a base
from which to engage with local communities
Each Countdown store has established a formalised relationship
with its local or regional Salvation Army centre, channeling food
and monetary donations to their respective local partners.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
In developing the Countdown Food Rescue programme,
we undertook the following research:
• Analysis of quantitative data from The Salvation Army
• Discussions and interviews with The Salvation Army
• Media reviews
• Internal analysis of Countdown waste procedures
• Discussions with Countdown store managers
The Salvation Army advised us that the distribution of food
parcels had increased from 24,000 in 2006 to 55,000 in 2010
and there was an increasing number of ‘working poor’ accessing
food banks.
In addition, media had extensively reported on the increasing
levels of food waste (“Study: $750m wasted on food”,
NZ Herald, 18 April 2011), and that Food Safety Authority
guidelines were increasingly strict about saleable food.
We also identified that many Countdown supermarkets had
ad hoc arrangements with local food banks to donate food,
however this was not consistent or measured.
Each of our research-based findings, informed the programme
design in key ways, particularly our selection of charity
partner, rigour around internal policies and procedures
and communication with media and stakeholders.
OBJ E C T IV E S
Countdown’s desired business result was to:
• Strongly and measurably deliver on community and
environmental platform; demonstrating commitment to
leadership in CSR
• Provide social benefits to help lift standards and feed
New Zealand families
Our strategy to help Countdown achieve this was to:
• Create a charitable platform whereby each store forged a
strong relationship with its local Salvation Army centre
Our communications objectives for this platform were to:
• Connect stores with their local Salvation Army Centres
• Equip stores with communication tools for all stakeholders
• Enhance the reputation and CSR credentials of Countdown
• Build the profile of Countdown in the context of the recent
consolidation of the Foodtown and Woolworth’s brands into
a singular Countdown brand
Our communications objectives for the announcement of the
partnership and Christmas appeal were to:
• Raise awareness about the number of people in New Zealand
struggling to put food on the table
• Raise awareness about the amount of food sent to landfill by
households, retailers, restaurants and businesses and the need
for waste minimisation
• Position Countdown as a leader in waste minimisation within
the food industry
• Inform consumers about Countdown’s Salvation Army
partnership and invite them to get involved
Measurement of success:
• Store participation – target 160
• Customer donation value
• Level of customer awareness – in part measured by
customer donations
• Level of public association between the Countdown brand
and the food donation / waste reduction initiative
• Scale and spread of media coverage we achieved around the
Christmas appeal, and mention of key messages
A U D I EN C ES
The Salvation Army
• Has supported New Zealand families at a time when
recessionary pressure has put strain on budgets
• Has become a symbol of the struggle a growing number of
families are facing
C AT E G O RY
Marketing Public Relations
Store managers and team members
• Managers critical in ensuring messages are delivered at the coalface
• Obtaining buy-in from store managers key to ensuring team
members understand the Food Rescue programme and essential in
forging relationships with local Salvation Army contacts
• Countdown Food Rescue an important opportunity for team
members / Countdown staff to play a part in social and
environmental issues in their community
• Success of the campaign depends on staff members being advocates
Supermarket shoppers
• Realise there is a problem with hunger, but not its extent; want to
reduce environmental impact, but wonder how much their ‘little bit’
is having an effect and, to some degree, suffer from charity fatigue
Key messages for the announcement of the partnership and the
Christmas Appeal
• Many New Zealanders struggle to put food on the table and charities
like The Salvation Army are over-stretched
• Because Christmas puts extra strain on households, with many
families having to choose between presents and food, we’re running
a Food Rescue Christmas Appeal. Each one of our stores will donate
$500 of groceries to their local Salvation Army store (in addition to
the ongoing donation of non-saleable food). This represents a total
national donation of more than $80,000
• You can help us by donating non-perishable items to the in-store
bins or making a donation at the counter
STRATEG Y
Retail and grocery industry
Overall Countdown Food Rescue Programme
• Food retailers need to comply with strict food safety codes, however
many non-perishable foods that cannot be sold are still edible and
can be put to good use instead of going to landfill eg, a canned item
with a dent or a rip in the label
The project team of Acumen and Countdown devised a strategy to
position Food Rescue as a core function of the Countdown business
– from Managing Director down. The goal was to create an internal
passion for Food Rescue by design in order to meet food waste goals
and support communities. As part of this, each store was charged
with forging a direct relationship with its local Salvation Army centre.
Food Rescue has been introduced into the business as a key platform
influencing the way Countdown does business, talks to government
and its customers.
• An opportunity for Countdown to be a leader amongst its peers and
create a step-change in the way the grocery industry does business
MESS A GE S
Key messages for the overall Countdown Food Rescue Programme:
• Food Rescue delivers food that we can no longer sell to people in
need, AND Food Rescue means we put less food in the bins and in
the waste stream
• Where food cannot be sold, our first choice is to donate to food
relief organisations
• Countdown has a target of zero food waste by 2015, and Food
Rescue is designed to facilitate that target
• Households, retailers, restaurants and businesses throw out tonnes
of food each year which is still able to be eaten – this food goes to
landfill, which is not environmentally sustainable
• Countdown does the right thing, socially and environmentally
Recognising that Countdown had an existing but ad-hoc relationship
with the Salvation Army, we identified them as a strategic partner who
could bring knowledge, credibility and implementation support to a
formalised Food Rescue partnership.
Media relations strategy for announcement of partnership
and Christmas appeal
The team identified that community support was critical to the
programme’s success. Our strategy was to leverage key programme
milestones in national and regional media and to personalise the issue
by telling the stories of the people involved, from volunteers to food
parcel recipients.
Marketing Public Relations
C ATEG O RY
We took a phased approach and seeded these stories throughout
December to maximise the amount and spread of coverage.
On the problem-solving front, as the campaign unfolded, we found that
appropriate ‘case studies’ were very hard to obtain for the purposes of
profiling in the media. This was due in large part to working through
the sensitivities involved in profiling people in need in the limited time
frame we had available. To maintain momentum, we reallocated
our resource into the presentation opportunities, liaising with store
managers, local Salvation Army representatives and media to create
more than 15 previously unidentified media presentation events.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
RESU LTS
Partnership Programme
Food Rescue Programme
Together with a project team from Countdown and The Salvation Army,
we designed programme guidelines and a recommended approach
for establishing the relationships between the local supermarkets and
Salvation Army centres. Where possible, we connected a Salvation Army
centre with a supermarket; in instances where the Salvation Army was
not present in a community, we identified other Food Banks to match
with supermarkets.
• The Salvation Army and Countdown have a formal written
agreement and a commitment to the success of the programme
To launch Countdown Food Rescue, $500 grocery donations were made
by every store nationwide. These donations were in part designed
to facilitate introductions between store managers and Salvation
Army centres. Each store was required to contact centres directly to
arrange donations, forging relationships in the process. This meaningful
engagement created a vested interest from each store manager in the
success of the programme.
• All 160 stores donated groceries to their local Salvation Army, and
as stated above, 91 have signed the ongoing agreements
Key milestones included:
• Partnership announcement: Countdown and the Salvation Army
• $500 grocery donations from each store
• Presentation of groceries and customer donations to the Salvation
Army food banks
The team developed a comprehensive communications approach
and materials including:
• Branding of the Food Rescue programme
• Engagement with local Salvation Army centres
• Detailed store information packs
• Marketing and in-store promotional material
• Advertising design and collateral
Media Relations
We drafted and issued a national media release based on our research
and discussion with The Salvation Army. However, because we deemed
local community engagement to be so important to the campaign’s
success, we localised the release in ten different regions.
For each region, we interviewed The Salvation Army coordinator and
determined specific regional information, for example, trends, historical
patterns, local statistics, influences. We crafted localised releases, which
we distributed to local media (broadcast, print and online). We also
distributed the national release, and followed up with key targets across
the country, setting up interviews for the local Salvation Army contacts
and store managers.
To raise awareness of the in-store customer donation appeal, we
worked with corporate, social media, marketing, advertising and
store management representatives from Countdown to ensure that
as much public attention was drawn to the campaign as possible, and
to encourage public donations. We supported this with media activity,
and profiled different people involved in the campaign as a device to
‘personalise’ the campaign.
To ‘announce’ the donations, we arranged grocery presentations,
creating a series of photo opportunities for media to attend.
Marketing support
The Christmas Appeal was supported by marketing material including
mentions in mailers, in-store point of sale and the ‘@Countdown Today’
TVC slot on Breakfast. The public relations aspect of the Christmas
Appeal budget was $7,000 of a budget of $12,000.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
A key piece of creative thinking applied to the design of this programme
was transforming what could have been a “behind closed doors” waste
minimisation initiative into a public, community collaboration that
raises broad awareness of key environmental and social issues facing
New Zealanders, and invites people to become actively involved.
Also, by giving store managers and teams ownership by design,
we have in-built critical factors for long-term success.
• There are now 91 Countdown stores which have signed Food
Rescue agreements with their local Salvation Army centre, and many
more underway
Food Rescue Christmas Appeal
• The ‘Tomorrow’s Shopper’ Countdown customer survey results
(sample size 1,643) showed:
~ 89.5% recognition of the Food Rescue brand belonging
to Countdown
~ 72% recognition of The Salvation Army’s involvement.
• The Campaign raised more than $36,000 in customer donations in
December, which was used, along with $80,000 worth of groceries
donated by Countdown stores, to create more than 1,000 food
parcels for Kiwi families over Christmas
• In total, there were 38 pieces of print and broadcast coverage and
52 online hits. This coverage featured in national and regional
publications nationwide
• Coverage included:
~ Segments on TVNZ Breakfast and TVNZ 7 news
~ Interviews with The Salvation Army Chief Executive on Newstalk
ZB, ZM, Radio Rhema, and Easy Mix
~ Articles, capturing the majority of key messages, in The
New Zealand Herald, Press, Waikato Times, Otago Daily Times,
Southland Times, Bay of Plenty Times and Manuwatu Standard
The Food and Grocery Council also issued its own media release
praising the Food Rescue programme (FGC Welcomes Food Bank
Programme, 6 Dec 2011), commending Countdown and noting “the
programme is a classic case of Kiwi ingenuity building on the strengths
of both programme partners”, an excellent third-party and industry
endorsement of Countdown Food Rescue.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
For the Christmas Appeal, we used Countdown’s internal measures
to gauge store participation, the level of customer awareness, the
quantity of customer donations, and level of association between
the Countdown brand and the Food Rescue initiative. This included
qualitative (store feedback) and quantitative methods, including market
research of more than 1,600 people around New Zealand.
We analysed the media coverage on a regular basis throughout the
campaign, ensuring the key messages were accurately reflected and
we had a good geographic spread of coverage. Where we identified
that the key messages weren’t getting through or were receiving limited
local coverage, we moved swiftly to target other media outlets in
the area.
As a result of the partnership platform’s success, the launch and
Christmas appeal, we have a mandate to develop an ongoing
programme of work around Food Rescue.
C AT E G O RY
Marketing Public Relations
Angela Spain and Kimberly Kastelan | DraftFCB
PR OJ E C T:
Launch of Electricity Authority “What’s My Number” Campaign
The Electricity Authority had to create a more competitive electricity sector and improve price convergence.
They were only going to achieve this when providers felt the pressure financially. We needed consumers
to take action and check out their electricity bill versus other providers and consider switching electricity
retailers or actually switch. However, our audience was comprised of a mass apathetic group (78%).
We had a mass problem, so we created a mass solution – a movement for the masses, an iconic campaign
that got everybody talking and switching.
BA C K GRO UN D
Specific PR Objectives:
The Electricity Authority had to create a more competitive
electricity sector and improve price convergence. DraftFCB was
hired to develop a campaign to make this happen. The Electricity
Authority were only going to achieve this when providers felt
the pressure financially. DraftFCB needed to create a campaign
encouraging consumers to take action and check out their
electricity bill versus other providers and consider switching
electricity retailers or actually switch. However, our audience
was comprised of a mass apathetic group (78%). We had a
mass problem, so we created a mass solution – a movement
for the masses, an iconic campaign that got everybody talking
and switching.
• Further amplify the above the line campaign and help create
a national movement to find out “What’s My Number”
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
Insight
Do you like to shop around for power companies?
Neither did the rest of New Zealand, so market forces weren’t
working – companies were charging what they thought could
get away with, and New Zealand households were paying, on
average, $150 a year more than necessary for their electricity.
One of the Electricity Authority’s roles is to promote competition
in the electricity market for the long-term benefit of customers,
whose combined overpayment exceeded $200 million dollars
per annum.
But electricity customers had become their own worst enemy.
Research identified they likened it to other arduous switching
experiences like banking, with a range of rational barriers,
summed up as a perception that the process was too onerous,
for too little reward. Research confirmed we were dealing with
2,190,000 people who stated they were either indifferent or
unlikely to switch.
So we had a massive group, with negative preconceptions, who
hadn’t responded in large enough numbers to the ongoing, and
various, switching messages from Powerswitch, running since
2004, and the electricity industry, that spent $9.4M in 2010
trying to influence New Zealanders choice of company.
OBJ E C T IV E S
Campaign Objectives:
• Raise awareness and increase propensity to switch:
Measured by visitors to campaign website:
~ 50,000 unique visitors in first three months
• Increase number of switchers:
~ 40% switching increase for June/July 2011 vs
June/July 2010
• Drive response from electricity providers:
~ Increased price-focused marketing, price reductions
by highest priced providers in year one.
• Ensure that key journalists and influencers fully understand the
campaign and therefore support it through editorial coverage
• Position the Electricity Authority as the consumer champion
when it comes to promoting competition
• Ensure that our audience understands what the Electricity
Authority, and this campaign, is trying to promote, for
their benefit
• Mitigate any risks that may arise through a proactive media/
journalist engagement strategy
• Create editorial opportunities for “What’s My Number”
stories to be told.
A U D I EN C ES
Based on Roy Morgan research that informed this campaign,
our target market was the majority of New Zealand. Specifically,
research and insight told us that there are 2,190,000 people
who are either indifferent to switching electricity companies
or unlikely to switch. The overall campaign seeks to engage all
of these audiences and all public relations activity had to focus
on mass-market coverage to achieve this goal.
M ESSA G ES
1. There is a financial benefit to consumers
2. The website allows consumers to calculate savings
3. Consumers have a choice of provider
4. Consumers can save by taking control and shopping around
5. It will enhance retail competition
6. Consumers are urged to check their power use before the
winter bill
STRATEG Y
We had to make reviewing your electricity provider topical,
and engaging. We had to create the impression that, for a few
months, everyone was doing it and thousands were switching
providers to get the best price.
We conducted agency research, and reviewed Electricity
Authority research reports. We uncovered the following insights
that informed our strategy:
• People did not identify with the type of person who saves
money by switching electricity provider
• One of the greatest causes of apathy is complexity
• People only talk about things they find interesting
• People think their monthly costs are less than they are.
A major breakthrough: we would overcome apathy by
persuading electricity consumers to commit to taking one small
step and calculate out how much their households could save.
We created a campaign website for the Electricity Authority which
enabled consumers to take that first step, calculate their saving.
Marketing Public Relations
C ATEG O RY
MEDIA
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
The PR execution had to address four areas in order to be effective:
1. Be engaging and worth reading
2. The Electricity Authority had to maintain a neutral and objective
stance on the retailers so we needed other advocates to speak
favourably about the campaign on our behalf
3. We needed consumers to feel like they were part of a “mass
movement” so through PR we had to demonstrate that “everyone
was doing it”
4. We had to go mass market and therefore mass media. Roy Morgan
research told us we needed to engage with 2.1 million people who
are either indifferent to switching electricity companies, or unlikely to
switch.
In order to achieve this we split activity across five streams with the
overarching message to consumers to find out “What’s My Number.”
The activity included:
1. Preparation: including a comprehensive risk management plan,
identifying risks, suggested mitigation, drafting a holding statement
bank based on those risks and agreeing all of the above with the
Electricity Authority. During this phase, two sessions of media
training were undertaken with CEO, Carl Hansen for the target
media identified through our media target list. Background media
materials were prepared including media releases, Q&As, fact sheets
and background briefing papers for stakeholders. A retailer-briefing
document was drafted with the intention of briefing the retailers on
the campaign, but not conducting this until the week before launch
(to minimise any naysayers ahead of the campaign launch).
2. Launch: Pre-briefing key journalists from across the energy, electricity
and consumer affairs sectors to ensure that they understood the
campaign and what the Electricity Authority was trying to achieve.
The launch was timed with the first on air screening of the TVC
(Sunday 29 May) and an exclusive organised in advance with the
Sunday Star Times to be published the same day as the launch. Prerecorded interviews were also organised with broadcasters, placed
under embargo for release on the Sunday. One News and TV3 were
also given interviews with the CEO and Sue Chetwin from Consumer,
organised on the Friday prior. This addressed our mass market reach
objective.
3. National media: We targeted four key journalists across the main
daily newspapers to again be pre-briefed about the campaign.
Close Up, Campbell Live and Newstalk ZB were included in this list
and also the news editors of the Radio Bureau and Radio Network.
CEO Carl Hansen was offered for interview. This helped us build
credibility and again mass awareness for the campaign.
4. Eleven regional newspapers were also targeted in the same way
as the National activity with specific regional stories and case
studies of locals who had made the switch and reaped the rewards.
An important part of this process was highlighting the availability
of regional electricity retailers so consumers in that area were aware
of the choices they had.
5. Local media: Local media were targeted with a media release only
tailored for that specific area, also highlighting the local retailer
options and potential savings through whatsmynumber.org.nz.
This ensured that we had covered the full spectrum of our audience
and had done everything we could to reach our 2.1 million target
New Zealanders.
6. During launch phase, social media was extensively monitored and
any issues or comments directly responded to. The Campbell Live
piece generated 351 comments. Social media engendered the “mass
movement” approach as people encouraged other New Zealanders
to get involved via social forums. It allowed the debate about
preferred retailers, pricing and savings when switching to continue
independently of the Electricity Authority.
The public relations activity during this phase was designed to create as
much awareness of whatsmynumber.org.nz as possible and articulate
the key messages of the campaign. It was also designed to give further
editorial explanation of the campaign so when consumers saw the TVC,
which was on high rotation, they further understood what they were
being asked to do and what the opportunity was. Through the activity
outlined above, we created a feeling of a mass movement – a simple
process to save yourself some money.
C AT E G O RY
DOMINION POST ,
26
OCTOBER
Marketing Public Relations
TVNZ BREAKFAST ,
29
MAY
2011
3
29
MAY
2011
2011
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
This campaign was an example of how PR can work in parallel with an
above the line campaign to amplify the story and create a conversation
around the issue. The motivating factor was that if they are saving
money so could you. The television campaign could not prove this in
isolation. PR was most effective in telling the story in more detail, from
an editorial perspective, so it gave the proposition more credibility and
allowed us to gain coverage and exposure in publications that were not
covered by the media spend, making sure we had mass market reach.
Also responding in the social media space to questions or comments
about the campaign in real time created further discussion and helped
to give the launch phase longevity.
NEWS ,
Some providers would also mimic our creative concept and wording,
and therefore directly extend our campaign.
RESU LT S
• Contact Energy lost 7,679 customers in one month
The “What’s My Number” campaign has been spectacularly successful
in putting electricity prices and switching on the national agenda, and
driving massive switching numbers. It has caused a dramatic response
from the electricity industry, to the benefit of New Zealand households.
• On Stuff.co.nz Contact Energy attributed price discounts to
the campaign
The PR campaign worked in conjunction with the advertising campaign,
so overall results cannot be solely attributed to PR activity. However,
the campaign was extensively covered across print, online, radio
and TV news media across the country. Seven “What’s My Number”
television stories went to air, including coverage across TVNZ and
TV3. “What’s My Number” news items featured on 46 radio stations,
in 27 online stories (including the website URL), and 66 print stories.
The coverage was extremely positive. Of the 149 stories only two were
even slightly negative. (The server crashed and, Why is it the consumer’s
responsibility to switch providers?).
Our key messages achieved significant cut through in all publications:
• Objective: 50,000 unique visitors in three months
• The campaign drove Contact to drop prices by 10%
These results we hadn’t expected to achieve for at least six months.
Two months into the campaign Contact Energy increased its prompt
payment discount from 12% to 22%. Sue Chetwin, CEO of Consumer
New Zealand announced victory on the Consumer blog.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
Specific analysis of the media coverage and PR results
• A total of 114 stories across print, online and broadcast media
covered the “What’s My Number” campaign for the launch only
(June–August 2011)
• 30% of the stories were covered in print, 12% online and 58% in
broadcast media.
~ 336,394 unique website visitors in two months. The 3 month
objective was reached in 3 days.
•
~ 19,668 people visited on the first day of the campaign, which was
as a result of the Sunday Star Times article, radio interviews with
the CEO, Carl Hansen and the One News and TV3 new pieces.
The TVC also went to air that night at 6.30pm.
• The total combined readership, listenership and viewership was
2,551,300
~ The vast majority of visitors (97.9%) stayed at least long enough
to get their number, which added to a total potential savings of
$54.7M p.a. or an average of $177 each.
~ After just two months we had helped 329,395 consumers realise
how much money they could save.
• We increased switching by 39%
The goal for June/July 2011 was an ambitious 40% increase from the
same period 2010, or an increase from 58,000 to 81,000 switchers.
In June 2011, switching reached the highest number ever recorded,
at 43,920. However, it remained at this record level for July at 43,176.
This was the dramatic change we needed to get the electricity
providers’ attention.
The return on investment for Public Relations (for the launch only)
was 8 to 1 (excluding online).
• 98% of the stories which covered the campaign were positive.
• The “What’s My Number” website was mentioned in 53% of reports
and was the leading topic discussed.
• The leading messages tracked in coverage included that there is
a financial benefit to consumers (145 mentions), that the website
allows consumers to simply calculate savings (68 mentions) and that
consumers can save by taking control and shopping around (47
mentions).
• Coverage of the “What’s My Number” campaign appeared across all
media types and all regions of New Zealand. The reporting was very
favourable, and included clear and consistent messages that were
promoted by the leading stakeholders.
Marketing Public Relations
Marketing
& Special Public
Event or
Relations
Project
C ATEG O RY
Matthew Vogts and Sue Hamilton | Spark PR & Activate
PR OJ E C T:
The Libra Design Project
Libra needed a big idea, something that would shift perceptions and make girls think twice about their
tampon choice in a very low interest category. We needed to create star status for Libra, get girls falling in
love with the brand, and above all, drive sales. So, we created The Libra Design Project; a national project
which would showcase New Zealand’s best young fashion talent and get the audience to take notice of our
brand in a new and exciting way. It worked! Market share shot up and 30,000+ girls connected with Libra
and made their voices and votes heard.
BA C K GRO UN D
A U D I EN C ES
Talk about tampons is usually ‘off-limits’, even with young, savvy,
liberal, Facebook-following females.
Broadly our audience was young Kiwi females 18 to 34 years old
with a ‘bulls – eye’ of 18 to 24. We could also divide our target
audience into two main camps:
As a result, tampon marketing tends to be safe and formulaic
– you know, empowered women doing star jumps and
roller blading through life without a care in the world. Libra
communication had become wallpaper.
Libra’s goal was to grow its share of the market by two share
points to 22.3% (equating to NZ$1.2million), and to do so Libra
needed to get women to be actively involved with the brand.
• existing users with whom we could reinforce the Libra
brand message
• non Libra users who we would need to convert
Understanding the girls’ attitudinal behaviours was also key to
our approach and we found that our girls were:
The challenge given to us was to get women to listen to and buy
into what Libra had to say about their unique product benefits.
That way we’d increase Libra’s chance of being the consumer’s
first pick, which would ultimately drive sales for Libra.
• largely single (75%) and placed a priority on their social life
and career,
We also needed to be everywhere our target hangs out and also
in places where they wouldn’t expect a brand like Libra to be.
• this means that they often work the system – entering a range
of competitions and giveaway promotions,
Our campaign needed to be multi-faceted and incorporate media
relations, activation, events, social media, digital and broadcast.
• into fashion and image in a big way with over 85% of them
wearing clothes to look stylish and get noticed.
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
For media habits, both online channels and TV were the key
choices in our target’s media day.
We met regularly with the new product development teams at
Libra and uncovered a hugely salient point about tampons – they
are, in fact, meticulously designed. Tampons are an underrated
design ‘object’.
M ESSA G ES
We conducted focus groups with our audience and, in
encouraging the girls to get personal, we realised that the whole
category had been far too soft and subtle and PC.
When discussing Libra’s design features and design in general,
our women became surprisingly animated. We discovered
a burgeoning interest in design, led by TV shows like Grand
Designs and Project Runway, with almost half of our target
audience choosing to watch these types of shows.
Finally, we collected attitudinal data on our core audience to
better understand how they think and what matters the most to
them, building a profile of the girls’ habits and mind-set.
From this we derived our key insight: women want a
well-designed world and this extends to virtually everything.
OBJ E C T IV E S
The core organisation objective was to grow market share by two
share points to 22.3% (1 share point = $600K) by May 31 2011.
• shopping mad, despite a low personal income (average
NZ$15,000.00 per annum),
We know that innovation drives growth across the feminine
product category and so we had to make sure that our
audience knew about Libra’s innovations and how these would
benefit them.
We also had to make sure that our key messages were
connecting with the girls on their own terms and inspiring action.
Our key messages were:
• Libra offers unique product benefits which make it the best
choice of tampon
• Libra gets girls
• Libra has all of the features that girls love
Within the content we created we had to carefully integrate our
brand messages to ensure a strong link between fashion and
Libra.
For our media relations component we had to make sure that the
brand messaging was not lost within the competition and the
excitement generated by the hosts and the fashion show.
To help the Libra reach this goal, the PR objectives were:
PL A N N I N G
• To increase brand awareness within the target audience by
15% over the campaign period by May 31 2011.
Our overarching strategy was to celebrate the new Libra
Tampon design features by creating a link with design that really
resonated with our audience – fashion.
• To encourage a cumulative total of 30,000 target-specific girls
to interact directly with the brand, by May 31 2011.
• To run a loud and effective media relations campaign,
generating at least NZ$100,000.00 of media coverage (EAV)
by May 31, 2011.
To get cut-through we chose to deliver the fashion theme in an
exaggerated way by having our targets create their own catwalk
designs – each would be based on a story about Libra.
We’d been inspired to explore this activation idea by avidly
following the first riotously successful online ‘pick a path’ drama
in the world – Reservoir Hill. We knew a format that allowed
viewers to shape what happens next, through interactive
features, would be popular.
C AT E G O RY
Marketing Public
Public Relations
Relations& Special Event or Project
We created a local concept where girls could influence the lives
of real people, giving them the control that they crave in their
digital community.
Libra Tampons needed to celebrate their product features, our audience
loved to shape their own content and The Libra Design Project was
the outcome.
The Libra Design Project was a ‘reality TV style’ design contest housed
online (where our audience lives these days) and actively driven by
consumers voting each week on the best designs. The Libra Design
Project pitted aspiring designers against each other to create weekly
catwalk designs. The designer who made it through would be awarded
professional recognition and a helping hand with their career.
Episodes were filmed, edited and posted online within 48 hours.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
Viewers controlled who won each challenge by voting online,
eliminating a contestant each week.
We realised that content was key to this strategy’s success – we had
to create an awesome show and make sure the girls knew about it.
We separated our approach and tactics into four main streams:
• Media Relations: securing reach and credibility
We invited young designers to come on board and key to this was
getting our call to action picked up by a host of mainstream media.
They responded to a comprehensive media relations campaign
comprising press releases, information kits, product samples and
audience insights.
Media Relations also secured significant coverage for our Libra Design
Project hosts and finalists, helping to build their respective profiles and
our audience’s connection with them.
• Content Creation: creating an engaging and brandrelevant show
• Partnerships – building fashion credentials
We knew that reaching these design savvy girls and inspiring them to
act would require more than press office functionality, so we formed
a partnership with the Kiwi fashion chain Bling – a favourite of this
audience. Girls could learn more about the competition in store and
also find out results after the show had started.
This partnership also lent Bling’s fashion credibility to our webisodes and
the brand and its product was woven into each episode. The stores also
ran a competition with one lucky shopper receiving a dress made by our
Libra Design winner.
• Event – garnering attention and publicly resolving
our quest
We created a six-part online series following six aspiring fashion
designers as they battled it out to win their own runway show, cash,
fabric and the coveted title of Libra Design Project winner.
To close the project we created and managed a fashion show for
the winner. Most unexpectedly, the supreme winner was a young
man, voted for by thousands of young women, who gave him the
opportunity to show his first collection to an audience of 60+ media
and key influencers.
The six contestants were given themes each week and asked to create
designs and a catwalk show, in 48 hours. The themes were one of
Libra’s unique design features eg, click lock closures, tapering, and
pocket packs.
The Libra Design Project Fashion Show was the perfect visual and
media-focused opportunity to tell everyone how our story ended.
It also afforded us the opportunity to have Libra ‘give back’ by building
the winner’s profile and setting him off on his fashion career.
Show hosts were ‘it girls’ Jessie Gurunathan and Deanna Didovich (head
designer of Ruby) to give the project strong design credentials.
Our total PR budget for implementation was NZ$100,000.
Marketing Public Relations & Special Event or Project
C ATEG O RY
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
As we were operating in a traditionally low-interest category we had to
talk to girls in a completely novel way to shake them out of their inertia.
We needed to increase sales/share off the back of this programme
and to do this we needed to drive deeper engagement with the brand.
Libra needed to become top of mind (measured by brand awareness)
and a preferred brand via consumers’ engagement with The Libra
Design Project.
Somehow, we had to get girls to think about the brand they
were already reaching for and our competitors’ customers to stop
automatically reaching for another product and to consider Libra.
Simply put, we overcame a natural reluctance to ‘talk tampons’ and
‘talk Libra’ by focusing on design. We showed our audience that Libra
is to tampons what Alessi is to toasters and Alexander McQueen is to
the little black dress.
RESU LT S
Through our initiatives we were able to achieve the following:
1. In just six weeks, 32% of our target were aware of The Libra
Design Project.
2. It delivered deeper engagement. 55% of all viewers interacted with
the show page and voted for their favourite contestant. 43,888
entries were received via the instore activity to attend the final event.
Over 300 video submissions were received.
3. Libra’s tampon share grew to 24.3%; a 4 point increase by year end
worth $2.4M and well above our initial two point goal due to their
range of activity.
In the words of Kelly Gardner, Brand Manager – Libra & Tampons
“The Libra Design project was an imaginative solution that delivered
some great results.”
We approached evaluation with a methodology which would tick each
of these off:
• With our client, we worked with an independent research
company, TNS, to measure the brand awareness shift. To achieve
an accountable result, engagement was measured before and after
the campaign.
• We worked with TVNZ to collate all metrics associated with the
webisodes, such as number of views, votes and entries, and compiled
this into meaningful metrics, which showed not only how many girls
were watching but how many were driven to engage.
• Brand share is the currency of the FMCG world so we worked with
Aztec New Zealand to interpret transactional data and measure the
strides Libra had made.
C AT E G O RY
Internal Communications
Adrienne Schwartfeger and Katherine Trought | Environment Canterbury
PR OJ E C T:
2011 – New Faces New Spaces
Environment Canterbury welcomed a new Chief Executive in June 2011. Prior to this, the organisation’s
reputation had been under attack, in the media spotlight and had faced unprecedented levels of change
for more than 18 months. A new Chief Executive signalled a new beginning, so a five-week internal
communications plan was developed to create avenues for staff to freely engage in two-way dialogue
with the Chief Executive, to foster openness and collaboration, provide timely access to information
and to showcase the new Chief Executive’s capabilities and leadership skills. The plan’s implementation
was subject to extraordinary circumstances requiring creative problem-solving. Nonetheless, it achieved
four of its five objectives.
BA C K GRO UN D
Environment Canterbury needed strong internal communications
after a sequence of events put the organisation’s reputation
under attack:
• Government intervention – in October 2009 the Government
announced a review of the organisation, a report was released
in February 2010 and in May 2010 a new Environment
Canterbury Act was passed and Government appointed
Commissioners replaced elected councillors.
• Low morale – was a result of Government intervention
and criticisms made in the aforementioned report of a
‘dysfunctional’ organisation. Parts of the organisation were
restructured throughout 2010.
• Change in leadership – the outgoing Chief Executive of five
years departed in January 2011 and the new Chief Executive
arrived in June 2011.
• Earthquakes – the region experienced more than
10,000 earthquakes since 4 September 2010. The February
2011 earthquake immediately closed Environment
Canterbury’s central city offices. More than 400 displaced staff
moved to six temporary offices around the city’s perimeter,
necessitating different ways of working and communicating.
Post the earthquake in February, communications of the day
were immediate and focused. The arrival of a new Chief
Executive signalled a new beginning, and was a way to
establish new communications with new spaces of operation
and new faces in the organisation.
• Staff Survey May 2011 – Deloitte conducted a staff survey
which looked at staff concerns, opinions and behaviours after
the February earthquake.
• Online articles – researched best practice examples of
introducing a Chief Executive to an organisation.
• Media research – a media distribution list targeting Canterbury
region media and national dailies. The media coverage was
categorised by volume and tone.
• Online Staff ‘Pulse Survey’ – gathered feedback after the
‘Take 2’ staff event to gauge its success.
• Website statistics – measured the success of the online
tactics by plotting increased traffic to the intranet site and
email usage.
O BJEC TI VES
Organisational Communications Objectives:
1. For staff to know and understand Environment Canterbury’s
strategic direction.
2. To ensure staff have access to information in a timely way.
3. Create avenues to engage staff and promote two-way
dialogue.
4. Promote open collaboration and cohesiveness across the
organisation.
5. Create a sense of pride in the organisation and to work for
an employer of choice.
A five-week internal communications plan was developed (the
week preceding the new Chief Executive’s start date and the
month thereafter) to create new channels and tactics to foster
openness and collaboration, provide timely access to information
and to showcase the new Chief Executive’s capabilities
and leadership skills. Key messages were also woven into
media communications.
6. Employees have avenues for transmitting information and
questions to others within the organisation.
The plan’s implementation required creative problem-solving.
Volcanic ash cloud generated from Chile and two significant
earthquakes centred in Christchurch had an impact on the events
of the Chief Executive’s first day. The adverse situation, however,
did create extensive media coverage.
Specific Communications Plan Objectives:
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
3. Develop a minimum of two communications channels to
encourage two-way communications and to keep up to date
with Chief Executive news.
• Internal Communications Survey 2011 – audited the
effectiveness of existing internal communication about
channels, frequency and reach.
• Staff Demographics – staff segmentation by age, longevity,
tier split, turnover, geographical split and gender split.
• JRA Staff Engagement Survey – particular interest in results
around staff confidence in leadership and creating a sense of
common purpose.
7. Employees are well informed, especially about news that may
be distributed to the public.
8. Employees can learn about senior management and leaders’
views on issues that affect them.
1. At least 50% of staff attend an event to welcome the new
Chief Executive at Environment Canterbury.
2. At least 70% of the Senior Management Team attend
a powhiri event at Rehua Marae to welcome the new
Chief Executive.
4. Develop a programme for the Chief Executive to visit all
20 Environment Canterbury sites before 13 July 2011.
5. At least one positive media story in a mainstream newspaper
containing at least one key message.
Internal Communications
C ATEG O RY
–
ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY CE BILL BAYFIELD MEETS TA TIPENE O ’ REGAN
–
OF NGA I TAHU AT REHUA MARAE , CHRISTCHURCH ON
13
JUNE
2011.
AUDI E N C E S
M ESSA G ES
Staff: Environment Canterbury employs 517 staff, most of whom
worked at the Kilmore Street offices in Christchurch. After 22 February,
400 displaced staff moved to six different offices around Christchurch.
It has a large Southern Area Office in Timaru and 15 small depots/
offices covering Kaikoura to Twizel. Communications challenges were
compounded by the increased number of offices, fragmented staff, new
working arrangements and the unavailability of computer services.
Key messages were tailored to audiences and linked to the
organisation’s values. The Chief Executive was appointed by the
Commissioner Chair, and from outside the region, so it was important
to showcase his competence, motivations and connectedness to the
Canterbury’s region and its people.
Staff demographics show staff have a variety of backgrounds and
expertise, is a male dominated, aging workforce and the majority have
worked for the organisation between 2 and 5 years.
Other communications challenges include differing technology
requirements at each site, rosters/part-timers, desk bound staff, or staff
out of the office on farm visits, testing water levels at rivers, clearing
drains with noisy machinery. Staff turnover figures in the last year rose
to 12.62% in February 2012 from 10.49% at the same time in 2011.
Preliminary research showed that since February 2011 Environment
Canterbury had a greater proportion of its staff working from home,
travelling greater distances to work, using different modes of transport,
working in different offices, in different teams, in different roles and
working different hours. Behaviours changed with staff having to adopt
new technologies and applications to access their computer network
drives from home. Staff used mobile phones to replace nonexistent
landlines. Christchurch staff were diverted away from work to meet
basic needs; fixing broken homes, loss of property, loss of essential
services, loss of drinking water, injury and stress related illness. Satellite
office staff stepped in to provide increased support.
Media: Canterbury region media and national dailies. There was
potential for increased media attention in light of the heightened
political interest in the organisation. The release quoted Commissioner
Chair Dame Margaret Bazley and interview requests answered by the
Chief Executive.
Internal – staff specific
• I am here to lead you, I am good at what I do and I have
great networks.
• I am excited about leading a highly professional group of staff who
are talented, resilient and passionate.
• Together we will take this organisation where it needs to go.
• Together we will work hard, but also have some fun.
Internal – Senior Management specific
• I like to work collaboratively, discuss and debate with me and come
to me with solutions to problems.
• I want to hear about the things that interest and concern you; let’s
discuss them openly.
• I have some likes and dislikes, let me tell you them so we can work
well together.
External – Media
• Environment Canterbury has appointed a new Chief Executive.
• He has a varied background, with expertise in this industry and a
wealth of knowledge to use in a Canterbury context.
• The appointment of a new Chief Executive is a milestone for
Environment Canterbury.
• An experienced Chief Executive, who will provide valuable leadership
for Environment Canterbury during a critical period in the region’s
direction for resource management.
• Strong and respected leadership and ability to bring people together
in a collaborative way, along with his experience across both regional
government and public sectors, will serve Environment Canterbury
and the region well.
C AT E G O RY
Internal Communications
STRAT E GY
1. Lead by example and promote as a positive, open and approachable
Chief Executive; do this by creating positive media interest and
establish new channels to communicate with staff.
2. Showcase the Chief Executive’s capabilities and knowledge of the
organisation and industry; weave key messages into media articles
and communications.
3. Facilitate two-way communications between the new Chief Executive
and staff; use proven communications tools to create opportunities
for access to freely engage.
4. Create a sense of togetherness and fun between the new Chief
Executive and staff; provide staff with opportunities to network and
come together by providing interesting agendas and food.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
• Chief Executive welcome letter – sent to staff and their families
at their homes the week prior to the Chief Executive starting to
introduce him and his wife to Environment Canterbury staff and their
families and to update staff records due to recent emergency events.
• Powhiri at Rehua Marae – a powhiri to welcome the new
Chief Executive was organised as a joint welcome between key
partner Ngai Tahu and Environment Canterbury.
• Staff event hosted by Commissioner Chair – a face-to-face
opportunity to meet the new Chief Executive. The event was
postponed due to the two earthquakes. The ‘Take 2’ event five
weeks later ran smoothly and although successful, did experience
reduced numbers.
• Media Release and Backgrounder – on the Chief Executive’s first day,
a media statement was sent to staff, Canterbury media, national
daily newspapers, stakeholders and put on the organisation’s
website landing page and Facebook page. A photo was made
available. The Commissioner Chair was quoted in the release and
the Chief Executive interviewed. A backgrounder was emailed to
Customer Services.
• Chief Executive Intranet – C-Suite was set up on the staff intranet
site. Its content included a welcome message with a link to the
welcome letter, a Chief Executive weekly blog, the Chief Executive’s
weekly schedule, photos, video clips, answers to interesting
questions, a feedback email, and an email for staff to post their
favourite South Island spot to the Chief Executive and his wife as
new residents to the region.
• Chief Executive Blog – a weekly online blog sent to staff mid-week
covering organisational news as well as personal news, with a chatty
and familiar tone.
• Site Visit Programme – the Chief Executive visited all 20 Environment
Canterbury sites within the first month allowing for a more intimate
opportunity to meet and greet staff.
• Attend Senior Management Meeting – the new Chief Executive
attended the monthly Senior Management meeting in week two
to deliver leadership messages.
• Branded Collateral – new desk pads and mouse pads were
distributed to all staff in parallel with the arrival of the new
Chief Executive to provide a visual reminder of the organisation’s
vision, role and values.
Contingency plans were implemented, with staff support for the
welcome events spread across three locations – the marae, the venue
for the staff event and Environment Canterbury’s main office. This
triangle of representation proved invaluable when staff needed to be
advised of changed plans.
• Time, commitment and budget constraints – planning to reduce
budget overruns and reduce attendance apathy by seeking early
approval, buy-in and direct Microsoft Outlook appointments ensured
commitment to the welcome events.
RESU LTS
Objective 1 was not achieved as 36% of staff attended the ‘Take 2’
event. The volcanic ash cloud disruption, two earthquakes brought
the powhiri to a close and postponed the first staff event. The
postponed event, ‘Take 2’, was run five weeks later on Tuesday 21 July.
Approximately 185 staff attended ‘Take 2’, and a smaller than expected
turnout was due to:
• Post earthquake environment.
• The new Chief Executive by this stage had visited all remote sites and
staff in areas outside of Christchurch felt they had already met him.
• Staff attendance was not mandatory.
• The postponed event was run in the school holidays against
communications advice to run it outside of holidays.
Objective 2 was achieved with 89% of the Senior Management Team
attending the powhiri. The delay of the manuhiri enabled the Senior
Management Team to discuss work priorities and challenges since 22
February. In addition, Maori leader Sir Ta Tipene O’Regan provided
valuable supplementary commentary to the day. Positive comments
were received from Ngai Tahu, the new Chief Executive, Senior
Managers and Bay of Plenty staff.
Objective 3 was achieved with the development of the Chief Executive
Intranet site C-Suite, feedback email and the Chief Executive blog
established and updated regularly. Web traffic spiked after each weekly
Chief Executive blog post. Two-way communications was either using
the online tools on the intranet site, emails and face-to-face meetings
at the staff event and site visits.
Objective 4 was achieved one week ahead of schedule. Visits were
arranged for all 20 sites and anecdotal feedback was positive. In
hindsight, the success of this objective was to the detriment of the
first objective.
Objective 5 was achieved with positive news stories in The Press,
The Otago Daily Times, Christchurch Mail, The Courier, and Mainland
Press and on TV1, TV3, Radio New Zealand and Te Karere. Video
footage taken during the powhiri showing responses to the shaking
saw the story take hold across social media channels, TV, radio and
in print. The video footage appears in the movie ‘When a City Falls’.
Media coverage was varied, extensive and mostly had a positive tone.
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
The communications plan was a success. It achieved four of its five
objectives while being altered to respond to extraordinary events;
volcanic ash cloud, earthquakes and an organisation operating in
a post-quake environment.
• Negative media – a media statement had the potential to dredge
up old media commentary about the Creech Report and the
‘dysfunctional’ organisation. Media with an interest in regional
council were identified.
Furthermore, research showed staff confidence in the leadership of
the organisation increased nearly 15%, from 46.7% in 2011 to 61.4%
2012. The success of the initial plan built confidence and trust between
the Chief Executive and the Internal Communications Advisor and this
has longer-term benefits for the organisation.
• Managing expectations – a number of parties were involved,
so expectations were met with weekly meetings held with
key influencers.
Since the completion of the plan many of the tactics remain in place
with great success, driving staff engagement and stronger confidence
in the leadership of the organisation and its future direction.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
• Event management and earthquakes – contact information and run
sheets were distributed to key players. Volcanic ash cloud generated
from Chile and two significant earthquakes centred in Christchurch
had an impact on the events of the Chief Executive’s first day.
Limited Budget Public Relations
C ATEG O RY
Clare England, Megan Green and Jess Miller | Network Communication
PR OJ E C T:
ChildFund New Zealand Father’s Day
Family Ties
For ChildFund New Zealand, Father’s Day 2011 was an opportunity to profile its Gifts that Grow range of
alternative gifts, while creating the opportunity to raise awareness of the Horn of Africa famine. Called
‘Family Ties’, the strategy was to source as many neck-ties as possible from well-known Kiwi dads, providing
a value-add incentive for purchasers of an essential nutrient package gifted to a child in Africa. This unique
marketing/stakeholder engagement campaign had limited budget, but built relationships with high-profile
influencers, increased gift purchases, and contributed to the most successful month of fundraising for the
wider Famine Appeal.
BA C K GRO UN D
A U D I EN C ES
ChildFund New Zealand has achieved strong results in past
Gifts that Grow campaigns, and Father’s Day is typically more
challenging due to its low key, highly commercial nature.
High profile Kiwi fathers
One month on from the peak of the Horn of Africa coverage,
ChildFund sought to re-engage the public on the long-standing
famine and bolster interest in continuing to support the Appeal.
The ‘Family Ties’ theme was developed to connect Kiwi families
to families in Africa, using Father’s Day as a springboard to
generate ongoing support and awareness of the aid being
delivered by ChildFund.
• Medium-lead print: supplements, weekly magazines
The campaign gained essential cut-through amidst the media
saturation of the Rugby World Cup, using Dads to connect Kiwi
families to those in need overseas.
Network and ChildFund leveraged an entirely PR driven
campaign on the strength of strong relationship building and
a compelling theme.
Media
• Short-lead print: daily, regional and community newspapers
• Radio: news and entertainment
• Online and existing social media channels
Classic gift buyers, specifically:
• Children, teens and young adults looking for a fresh and fun
gift for Dad
• Women buying for/with their children and for their own father
– socially minded, family focused, time poor
• Men looking for a quick but meaningful gift for their father,
likely to be most interested in the high-profile fathers involved
• Overall, higher socio-economic groups with internet access
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
Research to identify the most appropriate and well-networked
high-profile Dads was undertaken, to best support the
ChildFund brand.
Existing ChildFund supporters and sponsors.
M ESSA G ES
Consideration was needed around other not-for-profit and
high-profile events at this time, particularly the Rugby World
Cup, which dominated the minds of many Dads. This research
was key to ensure cut through and that the campaign hit
the mark.
• Well-known fathers are helping dads in developing countries
by encouraging Kiwis to purchase a ChildFund Gifts that Grow
gift this Father’s Day.
OBJ E C T IV E S
• The first 50 Father’s Day gift buyers will receive a special tie
donated by a well-known Kiwi Dad as a further thanks.
ChildFund’s specific goals for this campaign were:
• Continue to raise awareness of the Horn of Africa famine, one
month after media coverage had peaked.
• Support equal or increased Gifts that Grow sales on
previous years.
• Help strengthen relationships with existing Ambassadors and
develop new connections with other key influencers and
opinion formers.
• Find a way to better connect Kiwi families to those in need
overseas at a time New Zealand’s own ‘back yard’ was
suffering economically.
Once a group of supportive high-profile fathers were secured,
the PR objectives were to:
• Generate media coverage of the ‘Family Ties’ promotion that
shows the relevance of ChildFund’s Gifts that Grow range for
Father’s Day.
• Make your gift matter. This Father’s Day, give Dad a neck tie
that’s a real conversation starter – a ‘Family Tie’ that makes a
difference.
• ChildFund’s Gifts that Grow programme provides practical
items such as food, farming equipment and livestock,
books and more that are guaranteed to help families in the
developing world.
STRATEG Y
As this was a limited budget campaign, Network developed a
straightforward, two-fold strategy:
• Garner media attention and awareness for ChildFund with a
fun approach to Father’s Day gift giving, involving high profile
Kiwi Dads.
• Engage target audiences through a media and online
campaign that promotes the Gifts that Grow range as the
ideal Father’s Day gift solution; convert them to purchasers
through a value-add incentive.
• Drive key audiences to the ‘online Gifts that Grow store’ to
make purchases.
I M PL EM EN TATI O N
• Create a touch point with the public that was meaningful
and relevant.
• Outreach to existing contacts and networks to appeal to wellknown fathers to participate by donating a tie.
Ambassador relations
C AT E G O RY
Limited Budget Public Relations
• Regular liaison to secure donated tie and other requirements
(eg, signature on certificate of authenticity).
• ChildFund knowledge building through communications to develop
basis for future support.
• Maintenance of relationships through regular updates and a
thank you at conclusion.
Media relations
not used a ‘give back’ element to entice purchase, and at minimal
cost, the Father’s Day ties were a successful in mobilising purchasers
for something money just couldn’t buy – a tie their Dad would proudly
show off and talk about.
Outside the core objectives for the Gifts that Grow programme,
garnering the support of so many well-known and respected
New Zealanders has been beneficial for ChildFund in its ongoing
efforts to establish a suite of ambassadors and high profile supporters.
• Target media list.
• Medium-lead outreach for Gifts that Grow mentions and product
placement, through ‘poster Dad’.
• Short-lead media mentions and product placement, driven by media
release and quirky direct mailer with tailored pitching and follow-up.
Less traditional media outlets were approached based on the
fathers involved.
• Additional media opportunities generated through the fathers
involved (either due to sheer newsworthiness or opportunities within
their own networks), and additional announcements if more ties are
donated and available.
• Develop a ‘certificate of authenticity’ to verify the tie donor with
their signature/autograph.
Online & social media
• Regularly updated list of the fathers and pictures of their donated
ties hosted on the website, and via Facebook and Twitter.
• Photos of ties as they are collected (ie, Dads holding their ties and
wearing in unique ways)
ChildFund is a not-for-profit organisation that prides itself on the ability
to send 80% of all child sponsorship funds to communities in need, not
soaking up funds in administration and marketing. This was an entirely
PR driven campaign.
RESU LTS
Over 30 well-known Kiwi fathers donated ties to this campaign,
including high profile politicians, influential 6pm TV Newsreaders and
other media personalities, Masterchef judges, iconic NZ singers and
sports stars.
A tight budget meant media were selected by maximum audience
outreach. Coverage exceeded expectations and included The Dominion
Post Weekend, Sunday-Star Times, Sunday News, TV Guide, Weekend
Herald and Herald on Sunday.
A feature was secured in the lead up to Father’s Day in the NZ Woman’s
Weekly with a group of tie-donor Dads, building strong links with
ChildFund’s Horn of Africa Appeal.
Tangible public response showed a 400% increase in number of gifts
purchased between 1 August – 4 September from the previous period
in 2010. Website visits also increased by 27% on the previous period.
The contribution to delivering on-the-ground aid in Africa (through the
nutrient package as the ‘Family Ties’ gift) was equivalent to providing
over nine years of food to a child in need.
Coverage reached 3 million+ people over the course of the campaign
(based on readership).
Money raised for ChildFund’s Horn of Africa Appeal was higher this
month than any previous month due to a focus on PR and marketing
activity that included the Family Ties campaign.
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
The ‘Family Ties’ campaign involved a creative approach to secure over
50 well-known Kiwi Dad’s ties. The concept was simple in attracting
support to gain over 50 ties, signed certificates of authenticity and
fun photos of each Dad as efficiently as possible, while using these
to incentivise Gifts that Grow purchases online.
The success of this campaign relied on disciplined planning and
implementation processes, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in
a short time frame. Previous Gifts that Grow based campaigns had
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
• Detailed media monitoring and review to ensure mentions included
ChildFund branding, key messages and details to the online store.
• Review of results against initial objectives set by client and the PR
goals agreed to collectively.
Supporting fathers were thanked throughout the campaign and in
follow-up communication on its success, as well as using our Christmas
campaign as an opportunity to continue each relationship.
Paul Dryden Tertiary Award
C ATEG O RY
Scott McKee, Joanne Greggains, Randy Manickavasagar, Emma Bryant
and Adam Winship | AUT, Outside the Square
PR OJ E C T:
The Oldest Catwalk Models in the World
We gave Abbeyfield, a senior housing charity, an extreme makeover. This innovative campaign,
strategically placed to follow New Zealand Fashion week, brought some excitement and old world
glamour to a conservative organisation and proved age is no barrier to looking and feeling great.
The cornerstone of the campaign, a packed catwalk fashion show supported by key designers including
Zambesi, highlighted in style the benefits of shared living. The unique, highly creative campaign
successfully challenged age perceptions in New Zealand, captured the public’s imagination, and provided
our client with unprecedented levels of profile and new supporters, exceeding its business objectives.
BA C K GRO UN D
Abbeyfield is a small not-for-profit society, which provides
supported, shared living for older people in 11 houses across
New Zealand. Its model is to establish community-based,
volunteer-led societies offering seniors companionship and
dignified living in affordable, family-styled housing – think
flatting for seniors.
Its new, modern 11-room Auckland house in Sandringham was
not well-known, and therefore experienced low tenant demand,
which threatened its financial sustainability. With practically no
budget, it sought innovative ideas from AUT’s postgraduate PR
and communications students.
• To increase Abbeyfield’s website traffic by 25% within four
weeks of the launch
• Create a social media presence and gain at least 50 friends
on Facebook by mid-October, and achieve a minimum
15 conversations on Twitter
• Attract 300 views of the campaign’s YouTube video, within
a month of the event
A U D I EN C ES
Stakeholder analysis was conducted and target audiences
identified. Two key publics were defined:
The campaign – devised and delivered in ten weeks with a
budget of $500 – created a memorable theme reflecting
Abbeyfield’s unique community offering.
Primary – Aucklanders over the age of 65 and:
P RE L IMINA RY R E S E AR C H
• Auckland residents or those considering living there
We conducted full situational analysis, informal and formal,
looking at internal and external influences. We interviewed
Abbeyfield committee members and residents, researched online
and conducted competitor analysis. We looked at demographic
statistics and quizzed people about Abbeyfield. All this provided
baseline information, while primary research in the form of a
survey provided quantitative and qualitative data.
• Self-sufficient (not requiring nurse care)
Some results worked in Abbeyfield’s favour: there is a shortage
of affordable housing options for older people, coupled with a
rapidly aging population. However, while research suggested
Abbeyfield’s model is appealing, it lacked a public profile. It also
struggled to differentiate itself from traditional retirement villages
and rest homes.
Secondary – The adult children of New Zealanders over the age
of 60 and:
Our goal was to raise its profile and establish its reputation
as an affordable, high quality accommodation provider for
independent seniors.
OBJ E C T IV E S
Organisational objectives:
• Increase awareness and public recognition of the
Abbeyfield brand
• Single males and females
• Low-to-middle income earners
• Those considering retirement living options
• Those suffering from loneliness and/or wanting
companionship but wishing to retain independence
• Those not wanting the stigma of living in a traditional
retirement village or rest home
• Male and female
• Low-to-middle income earners
This segment was critical. Research suggested adult children
often actively influence their parents’ decisions on future
retirement living options.
M ESSA G ES
The following key messages were designed to foster a fun and
appealing image, challenge age perceptions and motivate people
to find out more about Abbeyfield:
• You are as young as you feel
• Target Auckland as a growth market
• Abbeyfield provides independent, affordable and social living
for seniors
• Establish more Abbeyfield houses in Auckland
• Abbeyfield empowers seniors
• Increase the number enquiries to Abbeyfield
• Abbeyfield is like flatting for seniors
• Increase the tenant waiting list
• There is no age limit for flatting
Communication objectives:
• Abbeyfield is not ‘just another rest home’
• Increase expressions of interest in Abbeyfield’s Auckland house
by 50% within three months of the campaign starting
Opinion leaders were used to communicate these messages:
• Secure media coverage – at least one television piece and
two print articles – within two weeks of the launch. All to be
100% positive
Zambesi: this renowned New Zealand fashion house was highly
influential in capturing media attention and lending credibility
to the campaign.
C AT E G O RY
Paul Dryden Tertiary Award
Kath Johnstone: 93-year-old Abbeyfield resident, competitive swimmer
and our oldest model, offered a compelling angle for journalists.
STRAT E GY
The strategy was to challenge age perceptions and give seniors a voice
by leveraging New Zealand Fashion Week – which was about to take
place – in order to position Abbeyfield as an accommodation option
of choice for retirees.
Linking the campaign to Fashion Week presented the opportunity to
do something creative and, considering our publics’ demographic, a
little ‘edgy’. It was also intentionally controversial; it was pitched as
a protest against ageism in the fashion industry in order to generate
harder news angles. The campaign would portray Abbeyfield and its
residents in a positive light, offer an interesting narrative and carry key
messages to our audience in style.
To achieve attitudinal and behavioral objectives, we needed to create a
powerful emotional connection with our target audiences. Hence the
strategy involved initiating a public debate on age issues in New Zealand
and bringing this into the open domain using traditional and social
media channels.
I M PLE ME N TAT ION
Catwalk fashion show
To show that flatting at Abbeyfield keeps you young, we enlisted 20
current and former residents as models and devised a red-carpet fashion
show. Because of budget constraints, almost everything was borrowed
or donated including: venue space (LynnMall), red carpet, sound
equipment, designer clothing, make-up artists, hair stylists, jewelry
and accessories, photography, videography, goody bags and a hip hop
dance troupe. Actress Theresa Healey agreed to MC the event for free.
A notable achievement was pitching the concept to Zambesi, who
embraced the idea wholeheartedly. This proved a catalyst for other top
designers to come on board and offer clothing.
The event was scheduled for October 1, 2011 – the UN International
Day of Older Persons – to provide a strong news angle for media.
Invitations were sent to local retirement villages, age care organisations
and journalists. LynnMall promoted the event on its PA system from a
script we wrote. Press packs were designed and distributed and publicity
generated by pitching the models’ pre-show fittings to media as well
as utilising community radio bulletins. We media trained Abbeyfield
spokespeople and secured support from Academy Award winning
actress Dame Judi Dench, patron of Abbeyfield UK. Dame Judi gave
permission to quote her in our press releases, which attracted much
media interest.
National survey
We designed an online survey on New Zealanders’ perceptions
of growing old using SurveyMonkey. From the results, the most
newsworthy angle was Kiwis over the age of 50 feel 20 years younger
mentally than their actual age. This formed the basis of another press
release, which was embargoed until the day after the event in order to
capture maximum media interest and prolong the campaign. The story
was pitched to APNZ with the view that a national survey would be
picked up by media across the country. The strategy worked and the
story received widespread attention.
YouTube video
To further increase audience reach we created a video entitled
‘New Zealand’s Next Top Oldest Model’, a play on the popular reality
Paul Dryden Tertiary Award
TV series. Using Justin Timberlake’s ‘Sexy Back’ as the theme song, the
clip was designed to give a modern, humorous take on the Abbeyfield
show. To generate interest, we set up a Facebook page and Twitter
account for Abbeyfield, and ran a promotion to give away LynnMall
vouchers for the clip’s best comments.
C ATEG O RY
EVA L U ATI O N A N D F O L L O W -U P
Circular evaluation methodology was employed to monitor the
campaign, reviewing progress at each stage to understand its reach and
confirm objectives had been met. Particular focus was applied to:
Relationships
PR OBL E M S OLV IN G / CR E AT I V I T Y
Despite having little experience with event management, a tiny budget
and few resources, we produced a professional show that attracted a
big audience, top designers, celebrities, media and rave reviews from
attendees. Research indicated nothing else quite like it had been done
anywhere in the world.
An issue arose several days before the planned release of the age
perception survey which threatened to derail it. We only had 100
respondents and three days to find a solution or the story would be
dead. We quickly identified several age care organisations and pitched
the campaign to them. Grownups.co.nz agreed to plug the survey
on its national e-newsletter, which went out to 15,000 subscribers.
Within 24 hours we had 611 responses – a brilliant result and an
excellent sample.
RESU LT S
The campaign was an overwhelming success, surpassing all expectations
and achieving every objective.
Event
Over 450 people attended the show at LynnMall, 85% within the target
demographic (60 and over). Key stakeholders attended including age
care organisations, Abbeyfield committee members and Neville Findlay
of Zambesi.
Media
We attracted an impressive amount of local, national and international
coverage. 3News broadcast a three-minute story during its primetime 6pm slot, and the Sunday Star Times and Weekend Herald ran
prominent stories with colour photos of Kath Johnstone, both ‘onmessage’. The Western Leader, representing an important demographic
for Abbeyfield, devoted its entire front page to the story. Other articles
appeared in The Aucklander, Eastern Courier, Gisborne Herald and
Otago Daily Times.
The campaign made the front pages of Stuff.co.nz, NZherald.co.nz
and TV3.co.nz. Media commentator Brian Edwards blogged about
it, Ponsonby News ran a photo spread and Lucky Break magazine
published a two-page feature reinforcing all key messages. We had
mentions on Newstalk ZB and Radio Live. The story went viral, with
international news and fashion websites picking up the quirky story
of the ‘glamorous grannies’.
Website
Hits to www.abbeyfield.co.nz increased by 50% during the campaign,
doubling our 25% target.
We developed relationships with new supporters, including LynnMall
and several leading fashion designers. We built relationships with
associated organisations such as SeniorNet, Age Concern, Age Care
Association, ElderNet and Grownups. In doing so, Abbeyfield now has
allies and a voice in the ongoing discussion of age-related issues.
We cemented relationships with key stakeholders, including Abbeyfield’s
Auckland Society, which wrote to us expressing its appreciation.
All feedback from event attendees was positive.
“Thank you ladies and gentlemen for an inspiring show.
You are awesome!” – Facebook comment.
Media content analysis
Media Monitors and our own research confirmed we reached a
combined print circulation of 400,000 and readership of 1,200,000.
Online readership reached over 2,000,000, the 3News audience was
375,000 and radio reach was 800,000.
Tone of media coverage was 100% positive and included all key
messages, summed up aptly by two headlines: “Over-75s all the
fashion” (Western Leader) and “We’re not that old, seniors tell
survey” (Weekend Herald). Every story mentioned Abbeyfield in
connection with the event and survey and gave an explanation of its
services. The ‘flatting for seniors’ message appeared 25 times across
multiple mediums.
Striking visual imagery in print and TV stories of the models in bright,
glamorous clothing communicated the message that Abbeyfield keeps
you young.
Social Media
Abbeyfield’s Facebook page generated an average of 20 views or
interactions per day during the campaign. 3News reporter Jane
Luscombe (2,000 followers) tweeted about Abbeyfield. The video
ranked 6th in the non-profit section of YouTube New Zealand in its first
week. Tweetreach, Facebook Insights and Socialmention.com showed
sentiment was 100% positive.
Out of scope services and recommendations
We designed and produced brochures and pull-up banners for future
promotional use and encouraged the establishment of a toll-free
contact number. We provided technical training for the residents to
manage their Facebook and Twitter pages, resulting in continued social
media interactions. Other recommendations included a ‘donate now’
button on their website and SEO advice.
Outcomes
Social media
Abbeyfield is delighted with the campaign and its success in raising its
profile. While not an expressed objective, Abbeyfield now has several
people wishing to be on its waitlist, fulfilling a crucial business goal.
We attracted more than 50 followers on Facebook (a considerable
achievement considering the age demographic) and there were more
than 15 conversations on Twitter. The YouTube clip was viewed more
than 300 times and the online version of 3News story was viewed 4,000
times on TV3.co.nz
The fashion show may also have a lasting legacy – Abbeyfield has
shown an interest in making it an annual event. LynnMall is keen to be
involved again and Britomart, which wanted to host the 2011 show,
invited Abbeyfield to participate in Fashion Festival 2012. This ensures
the sustainability of the campaign.
Donor contributions
Finally, we made a difference to the wonderful residents, who put their
trust in us, took a leap of faith and bravely placed themselves in the
spotlight for an organisation they love.
We generated more than $7,000 worth of donations to help produce
the event.
Interest in Abbeyfield
As a direct result of the campaign, enquiries to Abbeyfield have more
than doubled.
“Let’s do it again!” – Joan Addisson, 78, Abbeyfield.
© PRINZ Award Entrants, 2012
www.prinz.org.nz