Speaking the language of success - Regional Language Network West Midlands

Remit

The Regional Language Network West Midlands (RLN WM) is part of a national support programme. It acts as the definitive access point for businesses, language professionals and individuals seeking advice and information about language learning and training.

RLN WM commissioned a major piece of academic research into language usage in the workplace with Coventry University - the results of which would be drawn on for internal and external use including a PR campaign.

We planned a two-stage process: firstly a launch release and case studies connected to the research. Stage 2 entailed seeking out additional opportunities on RLN WM's business language ‘champion' scheme where MDs and CEOs demonstrate to pupils the importance of learning languages in the workplace.

Quest unearthed a statistic buried some 30 pages into the study which identified that Polish was the region's most widely spoken language in the workplace after English. We built a campaign linked to that providing pertinent and insightful comment in support of native Polish speakers in the workplace from RLN WM.

In addition, we identified an additional opportunity to translate a national story into a regional business feature, by piggybacking onto the publication of a report by Lord Dearing which recommended that all children should learn a language from the age of seven.

Objectives

• Increase awareness of RLN WM among businesses and funders
  
• Drive web and phone enquiries from target audiences
  
• Achieve the above through broadcast coverage and extended editorial in key media such as Birmingham Post
  
• Spark media interest on the topic of language learning
  
• Raise participation from schools

RLN WM would assess the campaign's impact on:

• Enquiries/leads generated from articles
  
• Coverage achieved - especially key messages and benefits
  
• Increased awareness among target audiences and decision makers
  
• Press enquiries generated and informal feedback from journalists
  
• Media turnaround when journalists seek out RNL WM for comment

Results

Awareness generated among target audience

The RLN WM website http://www.rln-westmidlands.com/ benefited from a 30% increase in traffic in March

• Advantage West Midlands, the Regional Development Agency and key funder of RLN WM - commented positively on the coverage and praised RLN WM on carrying out the research.

Enquiries/leads generated from the campaign

• A 400% increase in the number of businesses engaged with in just one month
  
• Three direct enquiries from businesses seeking support for their language needs in response to press coverage
  
• Three schools contacted RLN WM about its business language champion scheme following media reports

Media coverage

• Quest exceeded target delivery by more than 250 per cent
  
• We delivered 26 pieces of coverage: 10 broadcast and 16 print (plus online versions for each of the print media outlets). This included:
  
• three radio interviews (BBC and independent local radio) on the Lord Dearing report
• six print articles on the business language champion scheme
• extended articles in the region's two major dailies - Birmingham Post and Birmingham Mail
• RLN WM was extensively name-checked throughout the coverage
• On a budget of £4,000, AVEs totalled more than £47,000 with opportunities to see in excess of 2.1m.

Press enquiries generated/informal feedback/push-pull strategy

• Tapping into the mood of the nation, the story was also picked up on drivetime news programmes on Radio Five Live and Radio 1. Both carried the item as part of a package on the effects of immigration on the workforce. Although RLN WM was not name-checked in this coverage (and therefore not included in the above figures) it strengthened the potency of the regional coverage and at least one national business journalist commented to us that he had heard the piece on his drive home.
  
• Fran Abrams from The Guardian contacted RLN WM in May when writing an article on migrant workers following online research she had conducted into the issue and came across the news pieces. 

"The timing of the campaign worked well and continuity was achieved through following up stories in the local press. We also received positive feedback from our stakeholder Advantage West Midlands which was impressed with the level of coverage generated.

"Quest PR consistently delivers for RLN WM and the results speak for themselves. The network has reached a new stream of businesses and the PR activity has played a significant role in this."

"I would recommend Quest PR every time. The team's ‘journalistic nous' ensures that opportunities are fully maximised, with powerful results."   
Chris Everall, manager of RLN WM