Ignite Communications is a PR Communications agency speclialising in sparking brand debate for its clients. The Royal Wedding provided a perfect case study to evaluate which brands won the headlines, and why. Enjoy

1. THE ROYAL WEDDING
Brands winning headlines: Ignite Communications Ltd
Ignite Communications Ltd

2. A PR Fairytale!
• News value
• Commercial opportunity
• Fully inclusive
• Global appeal
• Longevity
• Hype built in momentum
Ignite Communications Ltd

3. Story for all genres - print/online/digital
• News
• Fashion
• Health and Beauty
• Food
• Business
• Regional
Ignite Communications Ltd

4. First off the blocks?
• Lola Rose
• Debenhams
• QVC
• Issa
• Tesco
Ignite Communications Ltd

5. PR Audit
Old New
Borrowed Blue
Ignite Communications Ltd

6. ‘Old’ tactics
• Topicality - April Fools
Ignite Communications Ltd

7. ‘Old’ tactics
• Scarcity
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8. ‘Old’ tactics
• Humour / Controversy
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9. ‘Old’ tactics
• Statistics
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10. ‘Old’ tactics
• Photo-call
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11. ‘Old’ tactics
• Pets / Kids
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12. ‘New’ approaches
• 247 news
Ignite Communications Ltd

13. ‘New’ approaches
• Apps
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14. ‘New’ approaches
• Viral / digital content
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15. ‘New’ approaches
• Power to the people
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16. ‘New’ approaches
• Inside scoops
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17. ‘Borrowed’ credentials
• Patriotism
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18. ‘Borrowed’ credentials
• Talking heads
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19. ‘Borrowed’ credentials
• Strategic partnerships
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20. ‘Borrowed’ credentials
• Celebrity endorsements
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21. ‘Blue’ - bit of sauce!
• Pippa’s derrière! = 72k Facebook fans
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22. ‘Blue’ - bit of sauce!
• Sex sells
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23. ‘Blue’ - a prediction
• Baby names and birth boom for 2012 New Year stories
Ignite Communications Ltd

24. Handling a crisis
• Tsunami of criticism!
• Tackled head on
• Turned to a positive
• E-bay auction for UNICEF
• Raised £81k
Ignite Communications Ltd

25. ‘Implicit’ winners
• Monarchy
• Patriotism
• Security services
• Lookalikes = £1k a day fees
• Mid-market national press = circulation for April +2.84%
• UK Fashion = Burberry and Louis Vuitton 3 yr growth +29%
• Pippa Middleton = £5m ‘Playboy offer’
Ignite Communications Ltd

26. UK ‘brand values’ enhanced
• Organised / Recognised for quality
• Middle-class demographic
• Global appeal
• Safe and stable
• Attractive to investors / businesses
• Cash rich = £22m bill for wedding
Ignite Communications Ltd

27. Some numbers....
• Economy boost = £620m
• Grocery trade = £26m
• TV audiences = 2bn (3p for average 3 hours viewing)
• Google = record 400m vs 70m for Obama inauguration
• T Mobile = 27m hits
• Fake tan sales = +200% (source: Debenhams)
• UK Pubs and Restaurants = +4% sales (source: Coffers Peaches Biz Tracker)
Ignite Communications Ltd

28. Possible losers? Open to debate...
• London Vision Clinic
• Vauxhall
• BT
• British Cheese Board
• Business = £6m lost productivity (source: FSB)
• The Queen = Rumoured to be a funeral rehearsal!
Ignite Communications Ltd

29. Learnings
• Speed is key
• Integrate your communications
• Remain true to brand values / core offer
• Be relevant and topical
• Have some visual appeal
• Involve customers / staff
• Borrow other brands’ critical mass / values
Ignite Communications Ltd

30. PR tip 1: Retain your integrity
• Can you defend claims, stats, stories?
• Is your story truly compelling?
• Is it new and unique?
Ignite Communications Ltd

31. PR tip 2: Use these ‘ingredients’
• Topicality
• Human Value
• Visual appeal
Ignite Communications Ltd

32. PR tip 3: Plan how to spread the story
• Customer groups
• Experts
• ‘Talkers’
Ignite Communications Ltd

33. PR tip 4: Plan your social media strategy
• Listen
• Listen and inform
• Listen, inform, engage
• Listen, inform, engage, recruit
• Listen, inform, engage, recruit, reward
Ignite Communications Ltd

34. PR tip 5: Make it commercial
• Scarcity = demand
• Reciprocity = return favour
• Authority = belief
• Majority / Social proof = conformity
• Consistency = my lifestyle
• Liking = kinship
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35. Engage and enrol the whole business
• Buying
• Marketing
• Finance
• Employees
• Customer services team
Ignite Communications Ltd

36. And remember....plan for the worse!
• Agree tonality / personality
• Planned holding statements
• Agreed spokesperson
• Monitor for negativity
• Work with industry authorities / experts / bodies to neutralise story
Ignite Communications Ltd

37. Thank you for listening
Rachel Taylor
Ignite Communications Ltd
@ignitecomms
T: 01483 550 701
M: 07787 436395
Ignite Communications Ltd