Sue Ryder
Bringing the challenging topics of death and bereavement to the forefront of the news agenda
Sue Ryder, the charity for palliative, neurological and bereavement support, is on a mission to encourage people across the UK to talk more openly about end of life care and bereavement, with the aim of removing the stigma around these topics and ensuring that people seek the help and support they need.
We have been working with Sue Ryder to run a series of hard-hitting campaigns which address these subjects, alongside running an always-on proactive press office to position the charity as the ‘go to’ expert commentators in the sector across the mainstream media. Our goal has been to break down barriers with the press who traditionally view these topics as taboo and not something people openly discuss.
Using a series of PR tactics including consumer research and surveys, celebrity engagement, radio days, feature creation, case study placement and expert commentary, we have ensured Sue Ryder have been at the forefront of conversation – with our campaign activity helping to set the news agenda and providing a fantastic platform for Sue Ryder to share their expert insight and promote the ways in which they provide invaluable support.
Our key challenge has been changing media and consumer mindset around the topic and communicating why it’s so important for the traditional British ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality when it comes to death and bereavement to be addressed – especially during a time when, as a nation, we are placing more emphasis on mental health and wellbeing than ever before.
Our campaign activity has included a research campaign focusing on ways in which people across the UK can have better end of life care and what people’s end of life hopes are, an impactful celebrity led video campaign with fashion stylist Grace Woodward and social media influencer Lottie Tomlinson centered on real experiences of grief, an emergency funding appeal, the unveiling of celebrity ambassador – Lottie Tomlinson, and a survey led media ‘moment’ focusing on the views and feelings of those bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic – built around the six month anniversary of the first COVID-19 death in the UK.