This case study demonstrates that sometimes PR can be a long game. Back in 1999 Guildford could boast no less than seven games development teams, four of whom were represented by Panache. Edge magazine is a high production value multi format magazine which is published by Future Publications. The magazine is very much a game industry bible and it is seen as being very prestigious to be featured in it.
Over a couple of months, I persuaded them that would be a good idea to write article on all these Guildford games developers. I naturally included everyone based in Guildford not just my own clients in order to secure the article.
The journalist duly came down visited all the companies and a photo shoot was arranged in the local Tescos (which is where everyone bumps into each other). This in itself, was pretty good PR for all my clients. Although when I was sent a box of the relevant issue to give out to everyone featured, I realised that there was still more PR mileage to be had in the proliferation of local developers. The article had turned out very well and I was sure that it was a good solid local media story as well as a games industry story.
Therefore, I held some of the copies back and sent them with a covering letter to a wide variety of local media to encompass local newspapers, radio stations and also TV news magazine programmes.
A piece in the Surrey Advertiser did appear but I heard nothing from any other outlet. Then about six weeks later I got a call out of the blue from a producer at Newsroom South East. Sega's Dreamcast console was due to launch in the UK and they wanted to tie this in with some local interest. So could they come at film at two of my clients offices the following day? They had noted everything I had sent them and were just waiting for the right tie in.
Naturally the answer was yes and filming took place at the offices of Lionhead Studios and Criterion Studios.
What I believe this case study shows is that results from any PR initiative may not be immediate but can ultimately be very substantial.