PLMR Group Media Snapshot: May 2024

The May headlines have been dominated by the elections, and with campaigning by all parties now in full swing, all eyes are focused on the month ahead…

The PLMR team, as well as keeping clients briefed on the changing political landscape and providing strategic advice, has been hard at work delivering excellent outcomes for our clients. This was reflected by the PLMR Group rising six places in the PRovoke Media Global Rankings, ranking 21st on PR Week’s top 150 UK PR agencies for the Healthcare sector and retaining our place in the top 10 for PR Week’s top 150 UK Public Affairs agencies. Three of our consultants were also named in PR Week’s 30 under 30 and Newcomer lists!

The PLMR insights events series have also continued at a great pace, as our clients heard from Rachel Cunliffe, Associate Political Editor at the New Statesman, who gave a sharp analysis of Labour’s readiness for government just hours before PM Rishi Sunak announced the 2024 General Election. We also delivered a highly attended webinar on ‘Communicating your Impact’ for over 100 organisations across the education sector, in partnership with ImpactEd.

Alongside these activities, we also continued to secure an excellent array of media coverage for our clients across national, trade and regional outlets. Without further ado, take a look below at our media highlights for May 2024!

We’ll be back next month with PLMR Group’s latest media hits, but in the meantime, you can read more about PLMR’s award-winning PR services over on our case studies page: https://plmr.co.uk/case-studies/.

The Independent: Rishi Sunak begins commemorative torch relay ahead of 80th anniversary of D-Day

Client: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Sector: Culture

Throughout May, PLMR collaborated closely with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, as they look to engage younger generations in the commemorations of the future ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6th June.

This saw their torch of commemoration take the country by storm, travelling the breadth of the UK before making the crossing to Normandy. Each stop offered the chance for veterans to share their stories, and symbolically pass on the torch of commemoration to younger generations.

From the launch event with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ceremonies across the country, PLMR has consistently drawn on our network of media connections to continue providing fresh angles for journalists looking to cover the event and ensure the torch has remained at the forefront of the commemorations.

Whether it’s in an opinion article in The Times, or broadcast coverage on ITV, the media and wider public have been enthusiastically engaged with this powerful initiative to help ensure we continue to mark the sacrifices made 80 years ago with poignant commemorations for many generations to come.

The Telegraph: More Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are seeking mental health support

Client: Combat Stress

Sector: Charity / Healthcare

PLMR worked with Combat Stress, the veterans’ mental health charity, to support the launch of their first major awareness-raising campaign in May 2024. The project sought to shine a light on the small but significant number of veterans who require specialist mental health support, and that the charity – the only specialist care provider in the UK – was largely reliant on public donations to meet this demand.

PLMR developed the central creative media idea – an unprecedented letter to the nation from a selection of former Generals, coupled with public polling on attitudes to veterans’ mental health and the enduring need for demand.

We worked to prepare the text of the General’s letter, develop the public polling questions, review the data and write the supporting press release bringing these elements together with Combat Stress’s latest referral statistics. We also led on engaging with journalists across key target national media outlets. This culminated in some excellent high-value coverage for the charity, including in The Telegraph.

Mail Online: Pensioners to get JUDO lessons to improve their balance and teach them how to fall safely

Client: British Judo

Sector: Sport

PLMR Advent has worked with British Judo to launch its ‘Finding Your Feet’ programme which aims to use judo to help tackle fall-related hospital admissions by teaching elderly people how to fall safely.

This involved working with stakeholders, including the University of Hertfordshire and Anglia Ruskin University, to agree on a PR strategy, create a press release, identify key targets and pitch to relevant journalists – with incredible success.

The programme has been featured on Mail Online, Talksport, LBC, ITV News Anglia and BBC News.

Financial Times: Educators warn AI must be a teaching — not a cheating — aid

Client: NCFE

Sector: Further Education

NCFE is an educational charity, awarding body and leader in vocational and technical learning. PLMR spotted an opportunity for NCFE to utilise their expertise in AI for an article on how schools can embrace technology while also being cautious of the impact it will have on learning and assessment.

PLMR effectively pitched a comment to the Financial Times from NCFE’s Assessment Innovation Manager about how the fair use of AI will vary by learning outcomes. This was then included within the article, helping to position NCFE as an expert in their field.

This opportunity was secured following PLMR’s work to promote NCFE’s Assessment Innovation Fund, which provides funding to colleges to conduct research into how innovative technology can be used to enhance assessment methods.

Business Green: Foodsteps and Good Food Institute team up on alternative protein impact assessment tool

Client: Food Steps

Sector: Food and sustainability

Foodsteps’ mission is to make food a solution to the climate and nature crises. Its platform and database enable food businesses to accurately measure, understand, reduce, and communicate their environmental impacts from farm to fork.

To promote their new tool for measuring the carbon offsets of alternative proteins which was created in partnership with Good Food Institute, PLMR crafted a comprehensive press release and pitched it to an array of media contacts.

Our efforts resulted in Foodsteps securing an exclusive feature with Business Green for the launch. This initial success was followed by additional coverage in prominent publications such as Vegconomist and The Plant Base. Moreover, our work has sparked further opportunities for Foodsteps, as other media outlets have approached us, inviting Foodsteps to contribute op-eds, thereby expanding their reach and influence within the industry.

In other news...

Supporting The Suffolk Show

Client: The Suffolk Show

Sector: Hospitality / Food

The Suffolk Show is the county’s largest two-day celebration of Suffolk’s people and history which takes place on the 300-acre Showground of Trinity Park, Ipswich every year. On the day visitors enjoy the county’s very best in food, farming, agriculture and local business with over 800 trade stands.

PLMR Genesis has been supporting the Show for nearly 10 years, leading on Show’s earned media presence to raise awareness and drive ticket sales. This year, we secured seven pages of editorial, including the front cover, in Suffolk Norfolk Life Magazine which is one of the region’s largest lifestyle publications.

You can read the article in print.

We’ll be back next month with PLMR Group’s latest media hits, but in the meantime you can read more about PLMR’s award-winning PR services over on our case studies page.

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