Member Article

North-West Agency Illustrates ‘Nicer Problems to Have’

Award-winning communications agency Influential brought the intu Trafford Centre to a standstill at the weekend to showcase The National Lottery’s ‘Nicer Problems to Have’ campaign, on behalf of its client, Camelot.

The tongue-in-cheek campaign to raise awareness of changes happening to the EuroMillions game highlights the ‘problems’ people face when winning life-changing sums of money. One such ‘problem’ is fitting their shopping in their luxury sports cars and other modes of transport.

To illustrate the #NicerProblemsToHave, Influential, the retained PR agency for Camelot across the North West and North East, brought in two of the region’s biggest EuroMillions winners who undertook a challenge to see if they could fit their shopping in a luxury mode of transport. Influential joined forces with the experts in private jet hire, Charter-A Ltd., to help to make it happen.

Sharon and Nigel Mather, from Cheshire, who won £12.4m in June, 2010, flew into the intu Trafford Centre in Manchester in a luxury helicopter, organised by Charter-A, and parked it outside the main entrance. It is the first time a helicopter has ever been allowed to land so close to the Trafford Centre. Social media was abuzz with speculation as to who would be landing. It even led some customers to believe Justin Bieber was coming to the shopping centre.

The pair landed to crowds of curious customers where they received a red carpet and champagne welcome. Influential’s UK Consumer PR Director, Jane Woodhead, arranged the entire stunt with the support of her team which even organised for a team of actor butlers and security staff to be drafted in to carry all of the shopping for Sharon and Nigel.

The couple then embarked on a shopping spree, buying a range of luxury items as well as a ticket for Friday’s £109m EuroMillions jackpot draw, before trying to fit it all into the boot of the helicopter.

As the giant teddy Sharon fell in love with and bought couldn’t quite fit into the boot space, the couple called a limousine which took all of their shopping home for them – allowing for them to board the luxury helicopter for their return flight home.

Sharon said: “It was just incredible! Three minutes in a helicopter is all it took from our house, allowing lots more time for shopping, and no problems with parking. Helicopter travel is definitely the way to do it!”

The stunt has received widespread coverage across TV, national, regional and local newspapers as well as massive social media traction. It was one of the Manchester Evening News’ most popular stories from across the weekend – causing a strong reaction on social media. The campaign also helped to raise awareness that a minimum of 208 millionaires will now be created every year on EuroMillions alone.

Jane said: “It is really exciting to be involved in a PR first, especially something as impactful as a helicopter landing at such an iconic location – and which has never previously been allowed.

“Many weeks of planning went into this stunt to ensure it ran efficiently and safely and communicated all of the key messages relating to the exciting changes to EuroMillions. We were delighted with the success of the campaign, with it receiving attention across all forms of media.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Henry Roberts .