Case Studies - BBC

Client: BBC

Campaign: Pride and Prejudice Big Read Campaign

Brief:

To encourage people to vote / take part in the BBC's Big Read competition to 'Find the nation's favourite book'.

Target Audience:

• Everyone!
• Literature lovers
• Shoppers (all ages)

Campaign Description:

Link Communication's professional acting staff dressed as characters from one of the leading novels (Pride and Prejudice's Lord Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett); handed out free copies of the book (which had stickers on the front detailing the competition) - alongside leaflets detailing each of the other novels in the competition, with methods of how people can vote.

The activity was executed on busy shopping days - in historic market towns such as York, Leamington Spa, Bath and Chester, and timed to coincide with the final weekend of the much-publicised TV competition campaign.

Results:

• Over 10,000 leaflets and 4,000 copies of Pride and Prejudice where distributed over the activity locations.
• The costumes and street theatre enabled the teams staff to speak with all passers-by and on-lookers to explain the basics of the BBC Big Read as well as telling them how to vote.
• Local press coverage was achieved in each of the four towns were the activity was scheduled.
• Concourse owners in several cities such as York Train Station and premium shopping centre managers invited the teams inside to perform the activity - because they were so impressed by the promotion.
• Pride and Prejudice was voted the 2nd greatest book of all time, behind Lord of the Rings.