Summary
A B2B PR campaign that told the story of Katy Small and scored big results!
Mercury West Associates (MWA) Insurance specialises in insurance for high net worth companies. Associations representing sport and media professionals, QC’s and business leaders come to MWA for a high-end service that matches their client’s high-end lifestyles.
MWA reaches its niche audience by building relationships with relevant business communities. But during a time when big insurance players were continually eyeing up potential new revenue streams, MWA had to hold on to its position in the marketplace and concentrate on building its profile.
Since turning to Eulogy!for a brand-building trade PR campaign, MWA has:
- Exceeded growth targets by 10 per cent
- Receiving 120 business enquiries (target 25)
- Won seven new clients (target 1)
- Achieved an ROI 3:1
PR is the ONLY marketing initiative MWA has ever employed
Mercury West Associates: Who are they? What do they do?
Established in 2004, Mercury West Associates (MWA) Insurance is a specialist insurance broker for high net worth individuals. It looks after the business insurance needs of Premiership footballers, media and sports professionals, QC’s and business leaders.
Its niche business offering does not target the high-street consumer. Rather, by establishing partnerships with organisations such as the Professional Footballers Association, it sells its products to niche business communities to match their specific insurance needs.
Objectives
Addressing the challenge
- Get in front of major UK Insurance Brokers or financial institutions – Secure one new business partner.
- Raise awareness of mwa within niche B2B sctors such as tax and automobile – Drive 25 new business enquiries resulting in one client win.
- Maintain MWA’s market position – Hold growth levels.
- Create a personality for MWA to build its profile amongst the insurance and wider business community – Secure quality coverage that will reach many people – score national, business and insurance media in major titles with large reach.
- OTS 100 million (a tough target for a trade campaign).
Target audience
The campaign was designed to appeal to organisations representing key business professionals n the insurance, sport and legal sectors.
Media, channels and techniques: How we beat our objectives
After conducting a Strategy Council (one of Eulogy’s preparatory planning tools designed to interrogate business objectives and positioning) and an analysis of the media landscape, Eulogy! created a campaign platform that would effectively position MWA in the marketplace and achieve its communication objectives.
The campaign focus centred on MWA’s owner and MD, Katy Small. The campaign became known as ‘The Katie Small story’
Eulogy!ensured key MWA spokespeople received thorough media training, managed corporate photography and prepared all collateral to confirm key messages and positioning. After this a rolling media relations campaign kicked in. Through a series of tactical media briefings with key trade and national media, high profile interviews were secured in key titles designed to tell the story of MWA and raise the profile of Katie Small.
Media targets: National, business and insurance trade publications (print, broadcast and online)
National:
For example, Bloomberg TV, London Evening Standard and The Sunday Times
To reach potential partners in their living rooms, on their commute to/from work and at the weekend, plus its client base of affluent individuals.
Business:
For example, EN – The magazine for Entrepreneurs, Business XL, Business Insider: To raise profile amongst peers and reach fellow business owners.
Insurance:
For example, Insurance age, Insurance Times
To establish a voice in its core industry press, reaching potential insurance partners and key influencers.
Timescales of the campaign
Phase 1. Laying the foundations
Research and planning, February 2011
- Strategy Council and analysis of the media landscape.
- Media training of MWA spokespeople, photography and preparation of collateral including key messages and positioning.
Phase 2. Campaign in action
March 2011 onwards
- Media relations focussed on profiling and launching MWA’s North West branch.
- A series of tactical media briefings with key trade and national media secured high profile interviews in key titles.
Client testimonial
“Following the two articles in the Evening Standard and The Sunday Times, we have registered in excess of 120 different enquiries; the enquiries are still coming in, even this week. The result in our business has seen Mercury West achieve a record month in April (beating the previous record by 10 per cent) along with growth in every other month since the articles aired of over 20 per cent. The exposure to the CEO’s and MD’s of major Insurance Brokers in the UK has been priceless. PR is the only marketing initiative we have ever employed. The success of the campaign speaks for itself. Eulogy! has tackled our challenge perfectly and placed us in a excellent position for e success. The ROI we’ve achieved through PR has far exceeded any results I’ve seen from PR to date.” Katie Small, managing director, MWA Associates
