Oxygen Freejumping engaged Carswell Gould to develop a compelling and far-reaching creative narrative for the launch, on 14 December 2015, of its £1.5m trampoline park in a 25,000 square feet unit in Thornhill, Southampton. The elite venue offers 100 trampolines, an obstacle course, ferrying area and two dodgeball courts.
It was vital all PR work promoted Oxygen Freejumping’s new park in Southampton.
Research / planning
By embracing the spirit of Oxygen Freejumping and its fun, escapist, healthy and educational ethos, we worked closely with the OFJ team to create an exciting and comprehensive PR campaign to ensure maximum brand exposure and coverage prior to - and during - the launch.
Our powerful winning strategy included an integrated communications plan that incorporated media releases, brochures, posters, advertising, events, website content and social media, all used to full effect ahead of the launch to interest and attract potential visitors.
Tactics and strategy
A James Bond film star, Sebastien Foucan, a British Olympian, Billy Morgan, and a Christmas jumper competition were just three of the tactical highlights of our energetic campaign to launch Oxygen Freejumping in Southampton.
We secured a media partnership with the Southern Daily Echo and Capital Radio and managed media and press photographers at events, prior to and including the launch.
Our well-timed press releases received 100% media take-up and we placed media calls and coordinated the launch party invites. Our partnership with the Southern Daily Echo allowed us to maintain interest through frequent advertorial and editorial pieces. We also negotiated media, advertising and content placements.
Social media interaction was at the heart of the launch campaign. Using the hashtag #christmasjumper, people were urged to tag selfies, jumping anywhere and everywhere. Each photo won a free jump session for 10 local schoolchildren at the park.
In support of #christmasjumper, we designed golden tickets and discount vouchers in the form of pocket leaflets, which were awarded to the best photos, providing a free session for two. This was run in conjunction with Oxygen’s temporary jump-zone trampoline in Guildhall Square during the popular Southampton Christmas Festival, where Christmas shoppers were offered free jump sessions to promote the new park.
We arranged for the pioneer of freerunning and James Bond star, Sebastien Foucan, to visit two local schools and hold workshops for the pupils, to introduce them to freejumping and promote Oxygen’s proximity. The workshops resulted in print, online and broadcast coverage, with on-the-ground attendance from the Southern Daily Echo and ITV Meridian, who were further incentivised to attend the launch party at the park the following week.
In addition, we worked behind-the-scenes with Olympic snowboarder and keen trampolinist, Billy Morgan, to create an exciting trampoline park tour video for social media. Billy also posted a rave review of the Southampton site to his 26,000 followers and has visited the site several more times to promote the venue.
Launch event
We managed the launch event on 14 December which saw nearly 200 enthusiastic local schoolchildren, professional gymnasts, dodgeball players and local business leaders filling the park, across two freejumping hours, to celebrate its opening. From food and drink to live entertainment and demonstrations, we had it covered.
We invited the regional media, with ITV Meridian, the Southern Daily Echo and numerous university journalists - among other media - covering the event. The guestlist was filled and the public attended in their hundreds to watch Southampton Mayor Councillor Linda Norris and CEO David Stalker officially open the park and enjoy a freejump session.
Crisis support
When there was public concern regarding the positioning of one of the JUMP billboards, we leapt into action to turn the issue into a positive PR opportunity.
Within three hours we had organised the removal of the advertisement on the billboard and changed it to a charity poster, and liaised with Oxygen management to prepare an official statement to be distributed reactively to any press enquiries.
This effective handling of a difficult situation allayed public concerns, providing a highly visible platform for Macmillan Cancer Support and earned goodwill and additional awareness for Oxygen, through positive pick up in the media, winning the public’s approval.
Outputs:
We issued nine separate pieces of copy:
• Announcement press release
• Council pack method statement
• Schools pack release
• Freerunning workshop media call
• Freerunning workshop press release
• Launch party invitation
• Guildhall Square press release
• Launch party press release
• Billboard statement
• In addition, a Capital FM paid-for advert was featured from 14-20 December on the prime breakfast show slot
Outcomes:
The campaign achieved 60 pieces of coverage, including articles in the Southern Daily Echo, ITV Meridian, Wave 105, Capital FM, National Geographic Traveller magazine and Billy Morgan Facebook posts, with a total audience reach of 422,066.
The park was fully booked throughout the Christmas period and it was the must-have ticket in the area.
