We often say to the businesses that we meet that we are more than just a PR agency but this can be difficult to substantiate. It doesn’t mean that we are professing to be a full service agency – we aren’t – we are specialists in PR but we also make recommendations that we feel will add value to the brands we work with even if this falls outside of our typical remit.
Ok, so again, what does that mean? Well, as an example, last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of spending an evening with 192 seriously ill and disabled children. As the PR agency for POM-BEAR we were contacted by the team from Dreamflight, a charity that takes poorly children on the trip of a lifetime.
At a cost of almost £750,000, the team fundraise throughout the year before chartering a Boeing 747, which then takes the children all aged between 8 and 14, along with a team of volunteers and medical experts, to Orlando in Florida.
Initially the team were just requesting snacks, and as an agency that deals with many food clients we are used to these calls. We always make a judgement and put forward our recommendations to the client to provide a rationale for offering free products. In this instance, it seemed to make perfect sense – it was a party setting and as POM-BEAR are gluten free, suitable for vegetarians and have no artificial flavours or colours it was a treat that many of the children could enjoy.
In addition to offering snacks we also suggested that POM-BEAR make an extra special guest appearance to add some more magic to the pre-flight party, which took place at the Renaissance Hotel in Heathrow. So that’s what we did. From 6pm – 9pm POM-BEAR danced, ‘high fived’ and hugged as many children as he was able to. It was a little warm for him at times but he certainly got into the spirit and was even handed a glow stick by one of the children – an honour in deed.
I have to admit that I was a little nervous before joining the team at Dreamflight. I was concerned that I may get upset, on the basis that the children are seriously ill and disabled, but the look on their faces said it all – they were absolutely delighted to meet with POM-BEAR and to have him come along and join in at their party, and who was I to start blubbing – they certainly weren’t.
It was a fantastic event and I can’t reiterate enough how much work and effort clearly goes into this event. As a PR agency we do provide recommendations on sponsorship, brand buddying and product donation and this is one activity that I would happily be involved with again and again.
The children have now set off on their once in a lifetime trip to America and I hope that they have an absolutely fantastic time – each and every one of them truly deserves it.