2018 PR plan

Our plan for the first six months of 2018 is split into four sections of activity, followed by a look at the media titles and influencers we’re targeting this year.

Press office

the ‘always-on’ day to day pitching – from calendar dates to events and news

Photocalls

the natural news hooks and events perfect for big Brighton pictures in the papers

Press trips

the themes for group and individual media trips we’ll focus on

Influencer activity

how we’ll engage influencers outside Brighton & in our home city

Press office

Here is a selection of the news, events and calendar hooks coming up we’ve selected to give us great opportunity to shout about Brighton’s unique offerings.

Naturally, some of these stories will be more popular than others so our ‘always-on’ press office will mean there is never a shortage of content we can pitch out for ‘what’s on’ slots and bigger features.

FebruaryDuke of York Cinema is the oldest cinema in continuous use in Britain. We’d like to shout about this using the BAFTAs as a calendar hook (18th Feb), pitching historic imagery of the institution.

MarchThe Big Cheese Festival (3rd March) gives us the perfect opportunity to sell in a feature to foodie press on the ‘Best places in Brighton for the cheese lover’!

MarchOnce Brighton Gin’s art prize has come to a close, we’d like to show off the city’s creative spirit by pitching photo stories of the beautiful bottle design entries to arts media.

MarchFor Mother’s Day, we’ll sell in Brighton’s best afternoon teas for treating your mum such as The Salt Room’s and other lovely Brighton days out

AprilThis month sees the launch of Rathfinny’s new sparkling wine. We’ll use this exciting news talk to national media about the great wine Sussex has to offer and encourage people to visit our various vineyards.

MayNational Vegetarian Week (14th – 20th May). With more options for vegetarians than most cities we will use this calendar hook to boost about Brighton’s vegetarian choices.

MayThis is the month to talk about art and culture in Brighton. We’ll put together a culture trip round-up of all our incredible events & pitch a feature on the ‘Top home-grown acts to see at the Brighton Fringe in 2018’

May/JuneWe’ll start pitching out summer features on why Brighton is a great summer holiday family staycation early to get into longer-lead family and travel titles, including the cultural events and rainy day options.

JuneTo celebrate National Beer Day (15th June) we’ll put together a piece on how to celebrate in Brighton including Brighton specific beers, breweries and tours.

JuneBlack Rock Lido was demolished 40 years ago but with the new Sea Lane due to open this year we’d like to do a piece on ‘the history of outdoor swimming in Brighton’ for a national broadsheet.

JuneVolk’s Electric Railway was built 135 years ago. To celebrate we’ll create a gallery of the railway to see how it has changed over the 135 years.

Summer 2018We’ll pitch a ‘breaking ground’ photo story of the work beginning on Madeira Terraces to national picture desks.

Photocalls

These are the key calendar dates and events we’d like to use to as hooks for Brighton picture stories. These are all events we know would sit perfectly in the papers as beautiful images & require no additional budget to arrange.

Working with the partners/events organisers where necessary, we’ll arrange dates and locations and use our contacts with papers and news agencies to get national photographers along to show off Brighton at its best.

Brighton Tattoo Convention, 24 Feb

Lagoon Watersports’ first social SUP, early March

Sussex Beer and Cider Festival, 22 March

Easter egg making at Choccywoccydoodah,1 April

Gilbert and George exhibition, 28 April

Saltdean Lido reopening, Spring tbc

Artist Open Houses, 5 May

Brighton Music Run, 19 May

Luna Beach Cinema opening night screening, 14 June

National Picnic Week on Hove Lawns, 16 June

First day of summer, Yellowave volleyball, 21 June

TAKEPART Festival of Sport & Physical Activity, 24 June

Press trips

In 2018, our themes for press trips will focus around the umbrellas of ‘culture’ and ‘wellness’, whilst also trying to target a slightly older audience to 2017.

The trips suggested in the next slides are a mixture of what we’ll be pitching to journalists for individual trips and also a couple of group media trips.

February, spa & foodie R&R themed trips for spa treatments and good food.

March, Brighton RockFinding out what this significant part of Brighton culture means 80 years on.

March, veganism & sustainability 2018 trend-based ‘City guide’ features

6-8 April, Group dog walking trip Hosting 3-5 media to explore the Downs with their dogs

April/May, The city of artTrips to see the new major exhibition and the other arts offerings Brighton has.

May, culture monthWe’ll host only top target media and work with the festivals to show off the city.

June, Family fun Trips for travel media with kids to position Brighton as the UK summer destination

29 June-1 July, watersports Hosting 3-5 media for a trip of kayaking, paddle boarding & sea swimming.

Influencer activity

You mentioned you’d like to work with more influencers in 2018, so we have looked at ways to engage those outside of the city, as well as those already on our doorstep...

This section looks at 4 ‘themes’ to attract top influencers to the city and ways to work with our influential Brighton residents …

Influencer activity

Our suggested trips to bring influencers to Brighton...

Mother’s Day, 11 MarchWe’d like to host 1 influencer with their mum (or daughter) for a weekend in Brighton to stay at a boutique hotel, have afternoon tea with one of our partners and perhaps take in a spa and some shopping.

Art in Brighton, 20-22 April We’d like to host 3-5 influencers to see the Gilbert & George exhibition out of hours, followed by an itinerary of local galleries, a street art tour & discovering art in unexpected places.

Food in Brighton, 5-7 May Over the weekend of Brighton Foodies Festival, we’d like to host 3-5 food/lifestyle influencers for a weekend of eating and drinking, with ‘behind the scenes’ access to some of our best kitchens.

Family trips, 1-3 JuneAt the beginning of June, we’d like to invite two influencer families –separately – to Brighton with slightly different itineraries to showcase how great Brighton is with kids.

Influencer activity

To work with Brighton influencers, we’d like to start what we’re calling a series we’re terming #PerfectBrightonDay…

We’ll select around 5 of our favourite Instagrammers who are keen to work with us – importantly ones who have different styles of accounts – and set them up days to do all of their favourite things in Brighton, from the best walks to best burgers

Influencer activity

We’ll work with them on the itineraries in advance and make sure they’re all unique and feel ‘off the beaten track’. We’ll cover food and activity costs for them.

We’ll ask them to document their perfect day in Brighton by taking over the @visit.brighton Instagram stories and telling their followers in advance that’s what they’re doing so people are anticipating it.

Influencer activity

We’ll also ask them to post a selection of images from their perfect day on their own Instagrams, using the hashtag #PerfectBrightonDay and linking to @visit.brighton

After they have completed their day, we’ll use the content to write an article of an insider ‘perfect Brighton Day’ for the VisitBrighton site, and pitch these guides out to relevant lifestyle media for features.

Media targets

A look at the titles we’ll be aiming to get coverage in this year, with a closer eye on UK regional media and titles hitting an older audience…

Regional media

National media

Lifestyle media

Influencers targets

A look at the UK-wide and local Brighton influencers we’d like to work with this year...

@tschang101kfollowers

@heartdrive38kfollowers

@roselladegori97kfollowers

@crazycatladyldn68kfollowers

@food_feels125kfollowers

@dresslikeamum99kfollowers

@hannahargyle239kfollowers

@charlottehuco38kfollowers

@clerkenwellboyec1172kfollowers

@foodieeshe2kfollowers

@allthatisshe468kfollowers

@aquietstyle80kfollowers

@icovetthee181kfollowers

@hurrahforgin111kfollowers

@nadiameli28kfollowers

@gabrieltirani62kfollowers

Finally, looking past June, some things we’re already thinking about a little further ahead for press trips and press office content…

Brighton Pride Dog Show, 29 July

Shakespeare’s Globe at BOAT, 11-16 July

Snail Space Brighton & Hove, autumn

Renovation of Brighton Dome, autumn