In June 2016 markettiers worked with the RNLI on their annual Respect the Water campaign. It was the third year running we’ve worked on the story and the twelfth successive year we’ve worked with the charity on a flagship project.
With figures revealing that deaths around the UK’s coasts were running at a five year high, markettiers was given access to RNLI spokespeople in London, Cornwall and Scotland; celebrity ambassador James Cracknell; and the father and sisters of a twenty-three year old man who was swept into the sea by a freak wave. Tragically his body was never found.
We filmed the bereaved father at Polzeath Beach in Cornwall where his son was lost, together with one of the RNLI boats which took part in the search and the RNLI campaign spokesperson. This was edited into B-Roll and a news package ahead of the campaign launch.
Coverage began from early in the morning on Sky Sunrise, Radio 5 Live, and via a prerecord with Sky News Radio, on the news bulletins of many of the UK’s leading commercial radio stations.
Radio 1 Newsbeat, a key target, ran the story at lunchtime and their evening programmes, ITV filmed a package for their website, while Channel 5 News and regional TV in the South West and Scotland filmed for their lunchtime and evening news programmes.
Sky News ran the story in bulletins throughout the morning and ran a second live interview with an RNLI spokesperson in their flagship Live At Five news programme.
In total 205 items of coverage were secured across radio, TV and online.
Laura Haslam, RNLI PR Officer: “Another really big thank you to the team who worked on the Respect the Water sell-in this year. Another sterling job – we’re all extremely pleased with the results. We’re always impressed with how committed, efficient and professional you all are. A joy to work with, as always!”