"I have no idea what this exposure would have cost us in above the line marketing but I truly believe we got fantastic value for money and that this campaign truly delivered sell out."
Karl Massey, Managing Director
Manchester based PR agency Bird has launched and delivered a successful PR campaign for one of the region’s most iconic jewellery stores.
The owners of Prestons of Bolton appointed Bird when the decision was made to close the store’s doors at the end of the year after 147 years of trading, due to changing conditions on the high street.
Bird launched a regional PR campaign to announce the closing down sale, which resulted in widespread print, online and broadcast media coverage; reaching an estimated audience of over 50 million people and 143,000 online views in the first two weeks.
Chris Bird, CEO and founder of Bird, commented: “Prestons of Bolton is one of the most famous stores in the North West with an iconic history so we were delighted to get involved in this project. Our PR activity resulted in front page headline news in The Bolton News, and broadcast media interviews with BBC Radio Manchester, ITV Granada Reports and BBC North West Tonight.”
The opening day of the sale saw hundreds of customers queuing outside the store before it opened and in the first few weeks £2m of revenue was generated.
Bird also delivered a social media campaign to support the closing down announcement, which reached 2,500 people and had 1,500 engagements in the first two weeks. The media coverage generated 8,000 social shares.
Karl Massey Managing Director of Prestons of Bolton commented:
“We knew the closure of Prestons of Bolton would be a story and Bird PR confirm this. We just didn’t expect them to deliver front page news in local press and prime time regional TV and radio with interviews and footage filmed in store. Bird PR delivered some and more. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them as Chris and his team deliver without the fluff and drama I’ve encountered before.
“I have no idea what this exposure would have cost us in above the line marketing but I truly believe we got fantastic value for money and that this campaign truly delivered sell out. The queues were real and our eight tills were ringing constantly.”
Bird continues to drive the PR and social media activity for Prestons of Bolton, until the store closes on 31st December.
Now in its 26th year, Bird is one of Manchester’s longest established independent PR agencies. Based in the City’s digital hub, The Sharp Project, Bird offers clients a mix of PR, social media, content marketing and creative services.
