Lamb Watch Driving Business Out Of Season

Andy WoodwardChief ExecutiveFarm Stay UK20 April 2012

Lamb Watch - Requirement

Need to increase business in shoulder and low seasons, away from peak times

(summer, national and school holidays)

Bookings “softer” for business in Spring than Autumn, which is traditionally popular with

empty-nesters and couples

Idea to build a PR campaign around “New Life and Spring”

Lamb Watch - ConceptNeed to find concept attractive to consumer but

also deliverable by farmer

Concept to be low impact for farmers requiring minimal new investment

in time or expense

Need to consider Health and Safety issues of visiting guests

Lamb Watch - Concept

Being farms, lambs appealed as the most likely target to build a campaign around

The BBC have a TV series called “Lambing Live” which proved very popular with guests

and provides vehicle to deliver free publicity about

lambs, lambing and the countryside

“Lambing Live” averaged 2.5 millionviewers per night during run over 7 days

Lambing runs from January in the south of England to May in Scotland giving a programme longevity

Despite two popular series, BBC decided to cancel programme due to costs however we decided to use the “good will” of the programme to carry on and launch campaign, maximising current trend for the countryside

Lamb Watch – Action PlanShared concept with Members - not all livestock

farmers, some arable, fruit etc

Created website Icon for participating members and landing page on website

Identified members willing to participate with PR programme

Lambing part of advanced search options

98 members offered holiday options

Icon sits within facilities and is available as search

Lamb Watch – Action Plan

Created PR programme and offer for key journalists to visit farms that had started lambing

Utilised Social media to start sharing – Farm Stay

blog links to all key social networking sites

Lamb Watch - ResultsMajor PR articles in National Press such as Sunday Times,

Value EAV: £49,500

Lamb Watch - ResultsMajor PR articles in National Press such as Sunday Observer,

Value EAV: £64,000

Lamb Watch - Results

Mail on Sunday Travel Questions page= additional opportunity

Lamb Watch - Results

Sunday MirrorTravel Questions page

Lamb Watch - Results

Sunday MirrorOn-line

Lamb Watch - ResultsFarm Stay UK coverage Evaluation 2011 - 12

Date Media OTS Advertising value Editorial Equivalent Featured

18 March www.guardian.co.uk 63,589,633 - - Lambing

17 March The Times - Weekend 409,060 £16,500.00 £49,500.00 Lambing

17 March The Observer 266,659 £64,000.00 £192,000.00 Lambing

11 March Sunday Mirror 1,702,008 £15,040.00 £45,120.00 Lambing

11 March www.mirror.co.uk 3,800,000 - - Lambing

12 February Sunday Mirror - homes & Holidays 1,702,008 £4,680.00 £14,040.00 Lambing

11 February The Times - Weekend 409,060 £2,400.00 £7,200.00 Lambing

February www.countryfile.com - - - Lambing

2 January www.dailymail.co.uk 21,842,107 - - Lambing

TOTAL 93,720,535 £102,620.00 £307,860.00

GBP1 = 5PLN

Lamb Watch – Social Media

Lamb Watch – Social Media

Lamb Watch – Social Media Twitter feed shows interest for story – random and world wide but popular

Lamb Watch – Web Traffic32.88% increase in web traffic on 16 March, date of major article being printed

Lamb Watch – The Big QuestionQ. Did we get additional bed nights?

A. Undoubtedly yes, but as a referral business it is difficult to measure

Q. Would we do it again next year.

A. Absolutely, YES

Thank You