The Stripy Company PR

Background:

The Stripy Company specialises in beautiful and affordable natural lambswool and cotton knitted blankets, shawls and accessories for newborns and children.

Objectives:  

The ongoing PR campaign had two firm objectives; to increase sales through the website by targeting primarily Grandparents and to gain monthly coverage in national newspapers and supplements.

Actions:

apt presented the products to the core grandparent market by targeting regional lifestyle magazines, mature lifestyle, heritage and homes & gardens publications as well as associated websites. The shopping editors and stylists for all national newspapers, magazines and women’s interest publications were offered blanket samples for gift guides and photoshoots to include as the perfect gift for children and babies. 

Magazines for parents and families were offered blankets for review and health journalists contacted with suggested features outlining the important benefits of natural fibres for its hypoallergenic properties, preventing asthma and repelling dust mites. 

Mummy bloggers, mums websites and parenting forums were also researched and introduced to the benefits of the natural, machine washable and high quality blankets and accessories. 

We encouraged celebrity endorsement by contacting the agents of celebrities who were either expecting or who had young children, offering blankets and gift sets in return for testimonials, reviews and photographs of their little ones enjoying the blankets.  

Results:

The campaign started off with a bang with product placement secured in a Christmas Gift guide in S Magazine, the weekend magazine distributed in The Daily Express and an advent calendar style competition giveaway in Fabulous magazine, distributed to the millions of readers of The Sun on Saturday. The Cheltonian placed the blankets in its essential gift guide in the run up to Christmas and gift sets were publicised in Families First Magazine as a competition prize and Family Food Magazine for the launch of its online magazine. The Little Green Mag praised the blankets eco credentials and a number of mummy bloggers have included the products in posts and forums online.