1. Charging Into The Future with the MG Cyberster
Tuesday morning. Westminster Bridge. A soprano sings. The Royal British Legion brass band plays. Identical twin adventurers The Turner Twins drive on an epic 10,000 mile cross continental road trip in an electric sports car, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in their wake. Hugo and Ross have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean and tackled Greenland’s Ice Cap: now they’re undertaking the mammoth range anxiety-inducing road trip from London to Shanghai in MG’s newly unveiled all electric Cyberster sports car. We’ve been working on an integrated campaign to share the story- creating a brand, website, and social channels as a platform to follow an adventure that will celebrate MG’s centenary in 2024. The journey has already captured the imagination of the media with BBC, ITV, Daily Mirror and more reporting on the boys’ bon voyage. We’ll be following the Turner Twins all the way through the UK, Europe, Middle East, South East Asia, India and onto Shanghai. Check out the first films from their trip here.
2. Breaking the Silence over Male Suicide
This week we helped launch Helpu. – a men’s mental health hub connecting men to resources, groups and each other by sensitively showcasing the personal experiences of men from all walks of life. Father and son Ian and Jake Smith are both cameramen and launched Helpu on Sunday’s World Suicide Prevention Day, spurred on by the suicide stat for men in Wales being nearly four times higher than suicide rates for women in Wales and higher than males suicide rates in England. Ian struggled with conversion and reparative therapy when he was coming out, which led to him considering taking his own life. We helped launch the documented conversation he and Jake had about both experiencing suicidal thoughts: In conversation. We also placed interviews with firefighter Will, a therapist with Helpu, who became homeless during the pandemic. BBC Radio Wales, WalesOnline, South Wales Echo and the Western Mail all supported the cause.
3. Four in five Welsh women and girls tormented by online violence
A recent report into online violence against women and girls (OVAWG), conducted by researchers at the Open University, has revealed that four in five women in Wales have received text-based abuse on social media (81%), making Cymru the country most affected by the societal crisis alongside Scotland. The report – a first of its kind for our client – the Open University in Wales – and the largest in the UK to-date, highlights a growing concern around virtual violence that, motivated by anonymity (50%) and lack of prosecution (48%), sees women and girls commonly targeted for their gender and personal views shared online. We secured media coverage for the report launch in titles and on outlets across Wales including: BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, ITV Wales, Greatest Hits Radio and in Herald.Wales, Wales 24/7, Nation.Cymru, BB News Online and Western Mail.
4. Celebrating £1bn in Start Up Loans across the UK
Since its launch in 2012, the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme has now delivered over £1bn worth of loans to smaller businesses across the UK, and Welsh businesses have received a share of more than £46m in Start Up Loans to date. Quite an achievement! So this week, we’ve been shouting the news across Wales and have achieved coverage in Business Live, Insider and Business News Wales, which all feature recent Start Up Loan recipient, Dave Cushley, owner of an independent wine shop in Pembrokeshire. Here’s to the next £1bn!
5. Coleg y Cymoedd learner’s success in European competition
Coleg y Cymoedd plumbing apprentice Ruben Duggan has done the college proud after being selected to represent the UK and the EuroSkills competition held in Poland this month. Talented Ruben was the only Welsh young person to represent the UK in the plumbing category and has come home with a medal. You can read more about Ruben’s experience in News From Wales and PHAM Newse. Da iawn, Ruben!
