When generating media interest in investment stories, adding human interest can make them relevant to key audiences.
Objective
Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC) was to announce a £1million investment in the start-up company Congenica, a spinout from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Congenica, has developed a diagnostic engine for Whole Genome Analysis, which provides new insights into rare genetic disorders. Although not a treatment, it would allow patients and their families to be better informed about their conditions and pave the way for development for improved therapies.
Both CIC and Congenica required coverage of the announcement to support their respective aims.
How we did it?
The technology being developed by Congenica was complex and the funding amount, although substantial for Cambridge, was not significant for City papers. Our media strategy therefore focused on the human impact of the investment, and what it would mean to families to gain a diagnosis and hence a prognosis.
Holdsworth Associates sourced patient case-studies, and quotes from patient support groups and experts to build a compelling PR story.
This approach gained coverage in wide range of media and enabled journalists from different disciplines to understand the potential of the technology.
Close working with key journalists ensured that the story was covered sensitively and all key messages were communicated effectively.
Results
- Extensive coverage on major online news sites, including Daily Mail Online, ITV News and on over 100 regional news sites
- Interview with Al Jazeera, gained international coverage, and an interview with Dr Tom Weaver was also broadcast on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
- BBC Look East report comprising a pre-recorded segment and a live interview with Dr Tom Weaver. The pre-record was also available to view online as part of BBC Health
- Regional print coverage across the country, including Eastern Daily Press and front page on Business Weekly
Some of the publications in which coverage was achieved included:
- The Journal of Precision Medicine
- Personalised Medicine
- Drug Discovery World
- Drug Target Review
- Engineering and Technology Magazine
- Labmate UK
- Laboratory News
- Manufacturing Chemist
- Financial Times
- Fortune
- Scrip Intelligence
- The Guardian
- The Herald
- The Telegraph
- The Times
- Angel News
- Belfast Telegraph
- Bio IT World
- BioSpace
- Business Weekly
- Cabume
- Cambridge Independent
- genomeweb
- Labiotech
- News Medical
- One Nucleus
- pharmaphorum
- Pharmafile
- Pharmiweb
- Science Business
- UK BioIndustry Association
- Yahoo Finance
- Muscular Dystrophy News
- Nature
- BBC Look East
- BBC North West Tonight
- BBC Radio 4
- BBC Radio Cambs
- Innovate UK
- ITV News
- Cambridge News
- Cambridge TV
- City AM
- Clinical Lab Products
- Closing Circle
- Computer Weekly
- Digital Health
- Eastern Daily Press
- Heart FM
- Fierce Biotech IT / Fierce Diagnostics
- Front Line Genomics
- Metro
- MSN UK
- PE Hub
- Pharmafocus
- PharmaTimes
- unquote
- BioPortfolio
- Biotech and Money
- Digital Media Net
- Driven by Health with Care
- Expert Review of Precision Medicine and Drug Development
- Innovation Nexus
- insider media
- Iowa Science Interface
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