Remembering the Fallen | Freedom Media

Project: Remembering the Fallen: Poppy Appeals 2017 & 2018
Client: The Royal British Legion, Jersey Branch
Deliverables: Campaign, Design, Video and Website

Royal British Legion Jersey chose Freedom Media for a sustained, distinctive and memorable PR and brand building campaign for the 100-year anniversary of the end of WW1. Our challenge was to engage an apathetic audience, with limited knowledge of WW1, across a range of platforms, channels and media within a small budget.

The hook was the story of the “Jersey Contingent”, a 300-strong band of brothers whose part in WW1 was largely unknown. We sought to publicise their story and create an emotional bond with the community by featuring stories by the descendants of the soldiers. Facebook was chosen as the primary channel due to high levels of usage in Jersey amongst all age-groups, with video and photography key to engagement. Print and broadcast media, RBL Jersey’s website and other social media channels would support this platform. For further awareness, we also:

Secured partnerships with Jersey’s major events to include RBL as lead beneficiary, including the Jersey Boat Show and Battle of Flowers
Launched a local ‘Plant a Poppy’ initiative with Jersey Plants Direct to include schools, parishes and the national RBL charity
Promoted numerous Poppy Appeal initiatives
Filmed a documentary highlighting the role that the Jersey Contingent played in WW1 and featuring their descendants, which was premiered at an event we also organised and managed
Launched a poppy recycling scheme, a first for the Channel Islands.

The campaign went on to win a national CIM award for ‘Best Use of PR’ and was a finalist at the National CIPR Awards.

The Royal British Legion in Jersey asked us to deliver powerful new brand imagery and a redesigned website to help boost their fundraising efforts. The refreshed brand, combined with a strategic public relations plan, helped the charity far exceed their fundraising target for the year, and they even went on to win a national CIM award for ‘Best Use of PR’. The Royal British Legion in Jersey have retained our services so that we are now responsible for all their social media activity.

Commemorating the 100 year anniversary of the end of WW1, we were commissioned by the Royal British Legion in Jersey to film a documentary highlighting the extraordinary, but little known role that the Jersey Contingent played so that the 326 volunteers who left the island to defend our freedom are not forgotten.

We delicately uncovered stories which had been passed down to generations of surviving family members and in doing so, repeatedly found that many of the stories had missing pieces. The aim of the documentary was to fill some of these blanks, while bringing some resolution and closure for these family members who bravely agreed to share their stories on film.

Being entrusted to tell these highly personal and emotive stories was both a privilege and honour, and the campaign went on to win a national CIM award for ‘Best Use of PR’ and was a finalist at the National CIPR Awards.

What our client said

On every level Freedom Media exceeded our expectations. We have been amazed at the response to what was a well-thought through and impressively executed campaign. The Jersey community really got behind it in a way we’ve never seen before. The increased audience we now have will allow us to promote our services for ex-service personnel and their families so more come forward in the future. The campaign will make a huge difference to lives in Jersey.