Campaign: History in Technicolour
Client: English Heritage
PR team: Freerange Communications
Timescale: July-August 2009
Budget: £80,000
After a two-year research project, English Heritage transformed and reopened the Great Tower at Dover Castle.
Objectives
- To raise awareness of the New Great Tower at Dover Castle
- To drive visits to the venue.
Strategy and plan
An intensive month of activity involved radio promotions, local newspaper competitions and securing preview coverage.
It included the creation of the world's biggest colouring book, which was taken on a regional tour so that families could colour in the pages. A colour-in wrap was also put on the Kent Messenger.
The climax of the activity and the central focus for the opening was a light projection display using the castle as a gigantic canvas. Special guests, including competition winners and the media, were invited and given the chance to use 'visual painting' technology to create their own images on the tower walls.
Measurement and evaluation
The campaign generated 113 items of editorial coverage and secured more than 30 minutes of TV airtime. All local media covered the opening at least once.
Results
Paying visits increased by 27 per cent compared with the same period in 2007 - without any paid-for advertising.
