Feature

Public Sector: Met Office turns in a storming display

October 2012 marked the 25th anniversary of the Great Storm, which hit the south of England causing widespread damage and disruption. Although a storm was forecast, its strength and track were not well advised to the public, with comms from the Met Office rated as poor.

by Kate Magee / December 13, 2012

Met Office: Marking 25 years of improvement

Campaign: The 25th anniversary of the Great Storm
Client: Met Office
PR team: In-house
Timescale: October 2012
Budget: £2,000

Objectives

To raise awareness of improvements in forecasting

To raise awareness of warnings and forecasts to help keep people safe

To raise awareness of how the Met Office is trusted to provide authoritative and accurate services.

Strategy and plan

The campaign was designed to promote the significant improvements in weather forecasting during the past 25 years. A wide range of comms was used across all media channels. These included dedicated web pages and infographic, a YouTube video, a blog post, a 'share your memories' social media campaign and case studies of recent high-profile weather events.

Measurement and evaluation

The campaign received widespread coverage on TV including BBC News, BBC Breakfast and Channel 4 News. In total, there were 237 pieces of online and print coverage.

Results

The video received 2,792 views and the Met Office's YouTube channel gained another 100 subscribers. Online content was retweeted 93 times.