Awards expert Mark Llewellyn-Slade discusses his predictions, the winners and how people win Queen’s Honours
Challenge:
In December 2015, Awards expert Mark Llewellyn-Slade enlisted markettiers to secure interview and comment opportunities for him around the time of the announcement of the Queen’s New Year Honours. With the list embargoed until the evening of the 30th December, and most media owners running on a skeletal staff over the festive period, opportunities were necessarily ad-hoc.
Solution:
We began the sell-in to media without the list ahead of the Christmas break, instead giving Mark’s predictions for who might win Honours. This led to us securing a number of interviews for 30thDecember, with Mark set to give a preview of the list ahead of the announcement. Mark undertook these on a landline from his office on the South Coast before travelling to London to participate in ISDN interviews from the markettiers studios on Thursday 31st December.
Results:
Opportunities were secured with BBC and commercial stations across the UK, with BBC Scotland and BBC Wiltshire taking interviews on both the 30th and 31st for a preview and then reaction. In addition BBC 3 Counties took two interviews, for Breakfast and Drivetime, on the 30th December and BBC London spoke to Mark early on the 31st for his thoughts on the list.