Our challenge
The UK-IPO wanted a UK-wide primary school project to encourage innovation at a young age. A creative design partner developed a website with lesson plans, activities and a competition aimed at more than 22,000 primary schools in the country. Mason Media was asked to provide a comprehensive media relations campaign to promote Cracking Ideas – the biggest ever innovation project for primary schools.
Our approach
The theme of the site was led by Oscar winning film character Wallace & Gromit. Mason Media used interviews with their creator Nick Park to secure three high profile features. Specialist education magazines were provided with full details and sample lesson plans. An awards ceremony maintained the momentum until the end of the year.
Our results
The Cracking Ideas launch and subsequent national awards ceremony to celebrate the winning invention was the most successful the UK-IPO had ever held in terms of media coverage. It received coverage on Radio Five Live, BBC’s Newsround, The Times, Daily Mail, Have I Got News For You and the Chris Evans Radio 2 Show. There was also extensive coverage from regional TV, radio and newspapers. Overall the advertising equivalent of PR coverage generated by the entire campaign was independently evaluated at close to £1.2million.
On launch day, the Cracking Ideas website had more than 11,000 page views and 2500 visits, with other 2000 teachers downloading the lesson plans. Such was the success of year 1, a second year of the campaign was given the go ahead and which is already proving to be even more successful than 2007.