Making the most of Making the most of communications opportunitiescommunications opportunities

Debbie CurtisDebbie CurtisCommunications Development Communications Development

ManagerManager

Blue Cross Blue Cross

OverviewOverview

• Blue Cross communicationsBlue Cross communications• How communications can helpHow communications can help• Sharing some Blue Cross experiencesSharing some Blue Cross experiences• Opportunities and challengesOpportunities and challenges

About Blue Cross About Blue Cross

• The charity dedicated to helping sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897

• Today we run four animals hospitals and 12 rehoming centres across the UK

Our communications Our communications teamteamCommunications Team

Media team Digital team Creative Services

Media relations strategy

Reputation / crisis management

Advertising

Digital strategy

Website management

Social media

Search marketing

Publications / copywriting

E-marketing

Brand development

Print and production

How can communications help?How can communications help?

• Raise the profile of your work

• Engage with more supporters

• Engage with potential volunteers

• Change behaviours

What are you trying to do and What are you trying to do and why?why?

• Rooted in your corporate objectives

• Aims will influence attitudes and behaviours

Who are you trying to reach?Who are you trying to reach?

• Financial supporters• Rehomers• Political opinion formers• Volunteers• Staff• Teachers

What are you trying to get them to What are you trying to get them to think or do?think or do?

What ever the message, make it:

• Simple

• Creative/interesting

• Timely

What resources do you have?What resources do you have?

Telling stories using…..• Case studies• Video• Photos• Good copy• Engaging

spokespeople

How will you reach your How will you reach your audiences?audiences?

Seeing (and grabbing) the Seeing (and grabbing) the opportunitiesopportunities

• Reacting quickly• Taking a risk• Thinking how you can

maximise• Being creative• Seasonal opportunities• Tying in with world events

Now which one’s Geri? Guinea pigs named after red-headed stars

Blue Cross news stories…..Blue Cross news stories…..

Blue Cross news stories…..Blue Cross news stories…..

Visits to Blue Cross website: 48,701 in one weekend

Twitter: retweeted 90 times

Facebook: story shared 2,500 times

Links from news articles: BBC, Sun, Mail

Blue Cross news stories…..Blue Cross news stories…..

Blue Cross news stories…..Blue Cross news stories…..Youtube video had 94,000 views

Making the most of opportunitiesMaking the most of opportunities

Undercover BossUndercover Boss

Communications strategy

Traditional media

Social media

Internal comms

Fundraising

Target audiences

Target media

Key messages

News angles

Long-lead mediaLong-lead media

Website contentWebsite content

Website contentWebsite content

Undercover BossUndercover Boss

Short-lead mediaShort-lead media

2.3 million viewers

35,000 website visits

337 new Facebook friends

45 press articles

13 radio interviews

£7,000 cash donations

£4,000 in direct debits

ResultsResults

War Horse – the movieWar Horse – the movie

• With the worldwide With the worldwide launch of Hollywood launch of Hollywood film film War HorseWar Horse, we , we took the opportunity to took the opportunity to highlight Blue Cross’s highlight Blue Cross’s history helping horses history helping horses in the First World Warin the First World War

War Horse - our online archiveWar Horse - our online archive

• To make the most of the To make the most of the public interest in war public interest in war horses, we decided to horses, we decided to share the moving pictures share the moving pictures and stories from our and stories from our archives with the public archives with the public through our websitethrough our website

War HorseWar Horse• Features promoting the Features promoting the

archive appeared in the archive appeared in the Daily Daily TelegraphTelegraph, , Horse & Horse & HoundHound and on and on BBC BBC radioradio and regional papers and regional papers

Opportunities and challengesOpportunities and challenges

ChallengesChallenges

• Risking precious fundsRisking precious funds

• Finding the timeFinding the time

• Opening yourself up for criticismOpening yourself up for criticism

• Keeping up with the ever-changing worldKeeping up with the ever-changing world

OpportunitiesOpportunities

• Engaging content – animals!Engaging content – animals!

• Free and easy technologyFree and easy technology

• Changing communication allows direct access to supportersChanging communication allows direct access to supporters

Thank you!Thank you!