Greeting cards are well known to lift the spirits, well it seems this is especially true in the run up to a somewhat problematic general election. When the BBC showed a speck of interest in launching the GCA’s #cardtokeep Campaign (www.pgbuzz.net/gca-instagram-campaign-cardtokeep-shares-golden-moments-in-our-lives/) to the consumer, the greeting card trade association went all out to engage with the British public service broadcasting team to nurture the enthusiasm.
The #cardtokeep Campaign champions the special role certain cards have played in people’s lives. And it would appear that the feel-good nature of greeting cards is a perfect antidote to the draining pre-election brouhaha as yesterday (November 25), Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA took up ‘residence’ in London’s BBC Broadcasting House where she was interviewed by nine different regional BBC radio stations, the majority of which ran card-centric programmes involving input from their listeners about the role of greeting cards have in our lives.
“It would appear that it is not just in comedy when timing is everything!” stated Amanda, buoyed up by a hectic schedule of live and recorded interviews with BBC stations. “The proximity of the election has worked in our favour as the media is up for good non-political stories. The #cardtokeep Campaign is very much centred on wonderful non-political individual stories about true emotions and strong social bonds forged and celebrated by the simple act of sending a card to someone,” said Amanda.
This frenzy of media activity started, as reported on PG Buzz a few weeks ago, when Kathryn Morrison, a senior producer for BBC came to the end of the GCA’s centenary AGM and Conference to meet with PR maestro Sarah Selzer (co-owner of PR Direct who is working with the GCA in its centenary year) to discuss the #cardtokeep initiative as well as learn more about the industry. (www.pgbuzz.net/bbc-shows-interest-in-the-gcas-card-to-keep-initiative/).
Yesterday’s activity kicked off with Amanda being interviewed on BBC Norfolk, which went live at 7.50, before BBC Cornwall took up the baton followed by BBC stations in Wiltshire, Hereford & Worcester, Leicester, Cumbria, Merseyside, Shropshire and Tees.
Eager that the good news continues to spread, the GCA has encouraged the respective BBC radio stations to make contact with GCA publisher members in their area. Supportive PR material and useful back-up information has been loaded in the GCA members library if publishers are contacted by members of the press in connection with the #cardtokeep campaign or any other greeting card linked publicity.
“We’ve had such a great reaction to this first stage of our press campaign and are now looking to spread the message far and wide!” said Amanda. As well as other broadcast media, the plan is to now involve working with national and regional print and digital media. Amanda highlights “the strong message our industry has” to put across to the media, not just about the campaign, but the sector’s many other strengths. “It is also proving a really useful platform to talk about the strengths of our industry in general, about its creativity and also of course about its valuable contribution to the economy!”
Top: Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA in the BBC recording studio.
