Projects
Sepsis Research FEAT
Scotland
Stories save lives at heart of PR strategy to raise awareness of deadly sepsis
For Sepsis Research FEAT, we put human experience at the heart of its PR strategy, using powerful personal stories to amplify awareness of sepsis and its symptoms. By giving voice to survivors, medical experts and families affected, the campaign cut through the noise and helped inform and protect more people from a deadly but often misunderstood condition
What we delivered
- Campaign Management
- Content
- PR
- Social Media
Our Objective
Raise awareness of both the research charity and the deadly condition to all adults, potential supporters and volunteers.
As it turns out, and the results prove, stories are in our DNA. With a limited budget, and a competitive charity landscape, we wanted to continue to grow the charity’s profile in Scotland, whilst also improving awareness in England.
It was important to raise practical awareness of sepsis symptoms and the need to seek early medical help. Increasing support, signups and volunteers for the charity, website traffic and UK-wide print, online and broadcast coverage were strategic PR objectives but we never lost sight of the overall objective: to provide as many people as possible with information that could help save lives.
The Solution
Recognising the universal nature of the illness, we formed a timeline of strong content for media relations, in advance of and throughout Sepsis Awareness Month (SAM), identifying other relevant opportunities too, such as National Storytelling Week, for year-round coverage.
We identified a bank of powerful case studies, including of survivors and relatives of those passed away, and charity spokespeople and medical experts, setting up a system for interviews, always ensuring up-to-date media contacts specialising in health news, and researching and identifying journalists with a personal link with sepsis.
We created a constant feed of stories and messaging around sepsis, including how to get involved with the charity. We also worked with scientists from the GenOMICC study, putting out a ‘Thank you’ announcement paying tribute to those contributing DNA, attracting mass online coverage.
We were very proud to achieve these results for our colleagues at Sepsis Research throughout 2021 – the charity constantly punches above its weight and its team is personally known to the many volunteers and supporters that work with them:
- 378 pieces of coverage
- 57 billion online readership
- 71 million print circulation
- 5k social shares of articles
A predicted 4.22 lifetime million online views, based on reach and shares.
We achieved UK-wide coverage across all media, securing the charity’s best ever coverage during Sepsis Awareness Month and annually, and now seeing a halo benefit, with an increase in requests from media in England.
It turns out, many of us know someone who has been affected by sepsis. By focusing on these stories, underpinned by the voice of medical experts, we left all KPIs standing in bringing more awareness of, and help and support to, this life-saving charity.
