The Brief
We were tasked with helping Nordoff and Robbins successfully launch the inaugural Northern Music Awards, ensuring that the media coverage we achieved showcased the broad range of musical talent in the North, while celebrating the impact of Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapy services.
We also identified an opportunity to position Nordoff and Robbins as a champion of Northern music and highlight the wider role that music plays in society.
We developed clear communications objectives for the NMAs:
- Raise the profile of Nordoff and Robbins as the UK’s largest music therapy charity, while highlighting the services and impact the charity has in the North of England
- Create consumer interest in the new awards, leading to ticket sales for the event on 23 April
- Align Nordoff and Robbins with both breakthrough and established high profile artists and music of a range of genres in the region
Demonstrate Nordoff and Robbins’ commitment to working with the wider music industry in the North including labels, artists and live venues, positioning Nordoff and Robbins as THE music charity in the North of England.
Insights and Approach
We planned a three-phased approach to the event to maximise media coverage and achieve cut through for key messages:
Phase 1 – build up
Extensive media outreach in advance of the event included four press releases to national, regional and music media over several months to build interest and excitement. This included information about award winners and shortlisted artists plus artists performing at the event.
We pitched for media interviews with a range of headline, supporting and shortlisted artists, award presenters and N&R spokespeople. Offering a pre-event case study with shortlisted artists Antony Szmierek and Mica Millar taking part in a music therapy session at Heathlands Village Care Home led to an extensive broadcast on ITV Granada’s morning, lunch and evening news, with an extended article and video hosted on the ITV website.
Phase 2 – at the event
Barley managed the dedicated media room for interviews, photography and filming of artists attending including the VIP media table and balcony area for the awards show. We secured 14 media outlets for the media room; with 17 journalists attending the awards ceremony, including targeted media outlets that had not covered the charity’s work before, such as the BBC’s entertainment correspondent and The Guardian. We worked with a PA photographer which led to striking photographic coverage across the post-event pick up and secured international picture newswire Getty for exclusive show access. ITV Granada filmed the awards show for an extended news piece.
Phase 3 – post event
An exclusive with PA Media for the overnight post-event story led to extensive pieces featuring client Nadra Shah’s quote, artist quotes and messaging about the awards and the charity’s work. The articles included images from the night, and video clips of Mel C’s and Louis Tomlinson’s acceptance speeches.
The Outcome
- The volume and reach of high-quality coverage we generated meant that the NMAs became a trending talking point across the news agenda – even featuring as a quiz question on BBC Radio 1’s Breakfast show the next day, a discussion on Radio 5 Live, a request for a classical category on Radio 3, and a piece calling on Europe to celebrate its regions in Euronews.
- BBC2’s Newsnight’s ‘and finally’ piece featured live interview with Tim Burgess from the NMAs
- Lead entertainment story on BBC national news online
- Local radio across the North and wider UK, all northern BBC regional stations, Global outlets (Capital, Heart, Smooth, LBC), and Hits Radio
- As well as increased profile, sponsors were delighted. As a direct result of the media generated, one sponsor extended their sponsorship – worth an additional £100k for Nordoff and Robbins.
- The success of the awards means they will be held on an annual basis, and thanks to funds raised, the new music therapy centre in Greater Manchester is planned to open in 2025.
667
pieces of coverage
1.3
m+
opportunities to see
38
national radio pieces including BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Live and 6 Music
41
national print and online articles including The Guardian, The Mirror, Independent, Mail, Sun, Star, Yahoo and MSN
9
pieces on regional TV news programmes
284
regional print and online pieces