Burgess Pet Care

Burgess Premier Small Animal Show – The Rabbit Grand National

Background

Hatch was tasked by Burgess Pet Care and the Bradford Small Livestock Society to carry out a sponsorship maximisation PR campaign for the 89th Burgess Premier Small Animal Show, the ‘crufts’ of the small animal world. Held annually in January, it’s the biggest show of its kind in the UK, but only drew in 3,000 visitors in 2010.

Objectives

  • Increase the appeal of the show to a wide visitor and exhibitor audience, without alienating existing exhibitors and long standing show supporters

  • Increase overall attendance by 30% on the previous year

  • Gain one national and ten regional media hits

Strategy and Tactics

  • Create a spectacle that would attract new visitors and provide a platform for standout media relations, driving awareness and engagement in Yorkshire

  • Support and showcase Burgess Pet Care’s sponsorship of the show

  • Be in keeping with the competitive nature of the show thereby being of interest to existing and new exhibitors

  • Introduced an entertainment area at the event, sited at the heart of the show’s exhibition area. This showcase square would play host to the UK’s first ever Rabbit Grand National.

  • Introduced rabbit agility, a mini version of horse jumping specially designed for rabbits and a huge sporting event in Scandinavia, the team flew in specially trained Swedish star rabbits to the UK, along with their owners, to battle with the best of British bunny jumpers.

  • The Rabbit Grand National, made possible by Burgess Pet Care’s involvement in the show, was pre-promoted as the star attraction and used as a hook to create national and regional media interest, encourage exhibitor sign ups and ultimately attract a wider variety of visitors to the show.

Outcome

  • Show was a sell out!

  • Hatch achieved six pieces of national coverage including ITV Daybreak - in the ‘Something Cool Before School’ segment, The Vanessa Show, BBC Radio Five Live, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, BBC online and Telegraph online

  • Secured 61 pieces of regional coverage including BBC Look North, ITV Calendar, Border and Tyne-Tees, Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post, Harrogate Advertiser and York Press

  • Opportunities to see/hear about the Rabbit Grand National were valued at 33,129,431

  • http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk Hits to the website increased by 400% in January 2011, compared to the previous month

  • As a result of Hatch’s activity, public attendance increased by over 300% compared to the previous year, the highest public attendance in the show’s 89th year history with over 10,000 visitors, the Rabbit Grand National being noted as the major draw

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