Rory Best - Freedom of the Borough
Client
Brief
Maximise media coverage of Rory Best’s Freedom of the Borough
Secure BBC documentary
Co-ordinate and compile content from council, IRFU, Rory Best and former and current players
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council tasked us with maximising and managing coverage of the council’s conferment of the Freedom of the Borough on Ireland and Ulster Rugby Captain Rory Best.
We were asked to raise awareness in the runup to, during and after an event to confer the honour in Armagh Palace. That included securing a half hour documentary with a major television network.
Lanyon were also tasked with publicising a mini rugby event being held in Rory Best’s honour at City of Armagh Rugby Club in an effort to help drive footfall to it and to an exhibition of memorabilia.
In addition, we were charged with providing video testimonials from former players for a video presentation to be shown at the event and interviews to be taken during it.
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42
pieces of coverage
678
online readership
1.1m
estimated coverage views
970
social shares
Strategy & Tactics
To raise awareness of the event we arranged an eye-catching photograph of Rory Best with the Lord Mayor and a herd of sheep on Armagh mall to highlight the tradition that those conferred with the Freedom of the Borough honour can graze their sheep on the borough’s land.
We arranged a further shoot with Rory Best along with a member of each of the mini rugby teams who would be taking part in the competition and communicated with rugby journalists throughout the island of Ireland and beyond.
In addition, Lanyon filmed, produced and compiled a video testimonial which included past and former players including Syd Millar, Willie-John McBride and Tommy Bowe, as well as a booklet with written testimonial from senior council members and Ireland rugby coach Joe Schmidt.
Outcomes
We achieved coverage across all media in Northern Ireland and the Republic including The Times, BBC, UTV Irish Times, Belfast Telegraph, Irish News and a host of local papers, facilitating interviews in the run up to, during and after the event.
Lanyon secured a documentary with the BBC which included footage of the Freedom of the Borough event as well as of the memorabilia exhibition in Armagh Palace.
And there was capacity attendance by the public at the mini rugby event which proved a huge success for the council.
