2008 British International Motor Show

Record broadcast coverage drives significant rise in visitor numbers

The UK's biggest consumer exhibition, The British International Motor Show, returned to London's ExCeL in July and August 2008.

Markettiers4dc were awarded the broadcast PR contract after a highly competitive four-way pitch. We were tasked to create a sense of anticipation and drive ticket sales in the run up to the Show, position it as an event rather than an exhibition, raise its international profile and significantly increase both the size and value of the broadcast coverage.

Our activity was immense, ranging from building two radio studios on manufacturer's stands, putting in a satellite truck for those TV broadcasters who wanted to go live but didn't have the resources to do so, managing all the logistical requirements of TV broadcasters with their own trucks at the Show, and filming, editing and distributing Press Day highlights footage worldwide. Underpinning it all was a comprehensive briefing process that began four months before the Show.

The results were spectacular helping drive visitor numbers from 415,000 to 472,000 compared to the 2006 Show. The BBC Breakfast, GMTV, Sky News, CNN, BBC World and CNBC all went live from 6am on Press Day, with the main BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 and Five news covering from lunchtime onwards. Regional coverage was significant, led by ITV London comprehensively covering the Show on six separate days. 24 foreign TV crews filmed at the Show and over 600 stations worldwide received our footage.

Presenters from Radio 4's Today programme, Radio 5's Wake Up To Money and Breakfast programmes and BBC Radio London all went live from one of our studios before 8 am on Press Day, while the other studio saw over 70 interviews with Show spokespeople or vehicle manufacturers, including with IRN and Sky News. Radio competitions with ticket giveaways ran across almost every commercial station within a 2-hour drive of ExCeL.

The Press Day Video Feature we edited for websites ran on the Sun, Telegraph TV, the Daily Express, Kiss FM, Tiscali and many more sites.

There were over 110 items of TV coverage, reaching almost 55 million people with an ad-spend equivalent of £1.65 million. Radio saw over 1,800 items of coverage, with an audience reach of 81 million people and an ad-spend equivalent of £1 million. The combined PR value was almost £8 million.