Umpf / Blog / PR Diary: November

PR Diary: November

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How did we get to the end of the year already? We started getting festive in November (let’s face it we’ve been working on Christmas since June), so read on to find out more about our HO HO Holiday campaigns…

Advent-ures in coverage

For the second year we partnered with First 4 Hampers to promote their boozy advent calendar offerings. Competing in a busy marketplace we ran a classic press office starting during the peak of the July heatwave. We teased this year’s new offerings (gin and flavoured gin advent crackers anyone?) to selected media who we know lead the food and drink agenda before securing coverage in long lead titles. Without our festive cheer fading we reached the end of our press office marathon at the end of November having generated over 292 pieces of coverage promoting hero products in a wide range of titles including ITV, This Morning, Metro (six pieces!), BBC Good Food, Country Life, iNews, Independent.co.uk, Daily Mail and Mail Online, Hello!, Good Housekeeping, Red, Good to Know, Her.Ie, Cosmpolitan, Daily Mirror, GQ, Town & Country, Evening Standard, Elle UK, Stylist, Delish.com, Unilad, The Sun and The Independent.

The greatest (branding) show

This year was the first ever Trinity Leeds Kissmas Spectacular. Held on the 3rd November to launch the Trinity Leeds’ annual Christmas Lights switch-on, the Kissmas Spectacular was a one day event with live performances that included: stilt-walking, super-sized ringmasters, flaming saxophone players and acrobatic performers to name just a few.

Taking inspiration from the popular The Greatest Showman film, our fab STUDIO team created branding, promotions and installations all following a circus theme with a festive twist. Some of the deliverables included: bus t-side advertising, digital animations and banners, pop-up stalls, signage, treat cards and social media promotions. Take a look at some of their handy work here…

Kissmas-Posters-Visual Kissmas-Website-Visual Kissmas-Screen-Visual

Bringing (Kim)-Joy to Trinity Leeds light switch-on

We’re big fans of the Great British Bake Off, so it was very exciting to invite our favourite finalist Kim-Joy to Trinity Leeds for the Christmas lights switch-on.

Just a matter of days after the GBBO’s nail-biting finale was broadcast, the Leeds baking star joined us to switch on the 60ft ‘Kissmas tree’ – so-called because when two people kiss beneath it, the circuit is completed and the 25,000 bulbs light up.

The festive celebration event on November 3rd included circus-themed performances, a VIP pamper parlour, slumber cinema, treat bars, a competitive eating challenge with YouTuber Beard Meets Food and a Kissmas coin drop game.

We didn’t think it was possible, but after meeting Kim-Joy in person, we love her even more!

 

Festive Festival Fiesta

November sees the launch of White Rose Shopping Centre’s Christmas celebrations, with its Festive Festival taking place on 10 November – a day of free family events including fairground games, the opening of Santa’s grotto, and the introduction of the Yorkshire Festive Market, boasting hot sausages or Yorkshire pudding wraps and gifts including Yorkshire-made beers and cheeses. Ahead of the Festival, Umpf held an exclusive pre-launch event with local influencers which comprised a visit to Santa’s grotto, dinner and a drink at the Yorkshire Festive Market, and tickets to a screening of newly-released film The Grinch at White Rose’s on-site Cineworld. A variety of fab influencers were in attendance, from foodie to family:

 

Lucky seven

This year we also attended the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire PRide awards (celebrating the creme de la creme of the PR industry). We were bowled over to walk away with no less than seven shiny awards (and a couple of silvers to boot).

Our latest gongs were:

Public Sector Campaign – The Twelve Days of Christmas for NHS Wakefield CCG

Integrated Campaign – ‘Up Yours I Quit’ for Multilotto.co.uk

Low Budget Campaign  – Calming Tears with ‘Teddy Goes For A Swim’ for Belling

Use of Media Relations –  ‘Up Yours I Quit’ for Multilotto.co.uk

Use of Photography or Design – Bike-on-the-Roof PR Stunt is 1st Glass for Trinity Leeds

Best Event – Private Gigs in Student Digs for Trinity Leeds

Best Publication – Calming Tears with ‘Teddy Goes For A Swim’ for Belling

If our work has filled you with Christmas cheer, get in touch via contact@umpf.co.uk or tweet @Umpf

Merry Christmas from us all!