PCH Prize Team
Background
In September 2011, US based company, PCH (Publishers Clearing House), launched a UK website, pchprizes.co.uk , which is owned and operated by casino giant, Genting Alderney Limited under license from PCH.
pchprizes.co.uk enables consumers across the country to enter its free prize draws and win cash prizes ranging from £10 to £100,000.
Although the company is very well recognised in America, having been established for 55 years, giving away over £130,000,000 to lucky winners across the US and Canada, they were relatively unknown in the UK.
Objectives
Increase brand awareness and create trust in the brand with consumers.
Engage, drive understanding and coverage with key media titles.
Drive consumers to sign up to the website.
Achieve national and regional coverage of the website and bring the first £100k draw to life.
Strategy and Tactics
A launch event, held in London, was the starting point of an intensive media relations and social media campaign to raise awareness, understanding and trust in the pchprizes.co.uk offer and launch the first consumer £100k prize giveaway.
Chosen for his previous association with prize giving on his GMTV Down your Doorstep segment, TV presenter and personality, Keith Chegwin, was secured for a launch photocall and to host the event to announce the launch of the website and the £100,000 prize draw to the media.
Journalists from a range of national, online, women’s, men’s and trade titles were invited to the event for opportunities to interview Keith, a Q&A with PCH and Genting representatives and to trial the website live.
The photos and video content were then maximised post-event, featured on the pchprizes Twitter, Facebook and YouTube social media channels.
A few weeks after the launch, Keith Chegwin and the PCH Prizes Team surprised the first £100k winner after tracking her down at work, generating content for the website and media coverage with target media.
Outcome
The launch event was attended by journalists from national newspapers, online and trade media, including the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Cosmopolitan and E-gaming review.
The launch event and subsequent £100,000 giveaway generated 38 pieces of coverage across a range of national, regional, radio, online and trade titles with an OTS figure of 3,800,423.
Social media interaction and engagement during the £100k giveaway resulted in new comments, likes and followers across the various channels.
The event and £100k giveaway coverage raised awareness amongst the media and the general public, resulting in a spike of visitors to the website.
