27 June, 2018

On hearing about the looming heatwave we thought about one of our clients, homelessness charity Evolve, and how the public can help those vulnerable to extreme temperatures in the summer months.

The hot weather was very much in the news agenda, but there didn’t seem to be much about the risks posed to rough sleepers in a heatwave. We saw an opportunity and worked with Evolve to draft a press release with a call to action for members of the public to help by donating items that may ultimately save lives, such as bottles of water, sun hats, sunglasses and sun cream.

We worked quickly to turn a press release around and get a spokesperson and case study briefed. Following sign-off, the Amazon team pulled together and sold the story in across national and regional broadcast, print and online media.

As a result, Evolve has been mentioned in approximately 273 articles, including coverage online on the BBC, The Telegraph, The Sun, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, and Metro. We also secured broadcast interest, with Rob Frier, the Area Manager for Evolve, appearing alongside a person who has lived on the streets in the heat on 5News. To date, the total reach figure of the coverage achieved is over 19 million, with an advertising equivalent of approximately £800,000.

By working with the news agenda, seeing an opportunity and then seizing it, we have been able to secure a vast amount of coverage on a topic which could ultimately help save lives.

For more information on Evolve Housing + Support, please visit: www.evolvehousing.org.uk

 Eleanor Wilson