Ferry operator DFDS won a silver award in the Consumer Relations Campaign category at the CIPR Pride Awards for the North East, which was hosted in Newcastle on Friday 8 December.
The company won the accolade for its ‘Freedom of Ferry Travel’ campaign, which saw professional Red Bull and extreme sports free runners perform a series of stunts and free running tricks on board one of its Newcastle-Amsterdam ferries.
More than 950 entries were submitted for the awards from 337 companies, 604 campaigns, 14 teams and 48 individuals across the UK. The winners were selected by a panel of expert public relations professionals.
Michelle Ulyatt, PR Manager for DFDS, said: “We’re thrilled to have won a silver award in the CIPR Pride Awards this year. The Freedom of Ferry Travel campaign was a huge success for us and we’re delighted that it has gained recognition from industry experts.”
In mid-2016, DFDS identified an opportunity to attract a younger audience in the North East of England to the concept of travelling from the UK to continental Europe via ferry. Alongside their PR agency Rooster PR, the ferry operator looked at trends and content that had tended to go viral amongst that market and identified a campaign to target this audience.
Partnering with specialist film producers All Conditions Media and free runners Ryan Doyle (Red Bull) and Will Sutton (extreme sports), Rooster created a storyboard that allowed the athletes to show off their skills while showcasing the variety of services and facilities provided on DFDS’ ferries.
The film achieved more than 117,000 views, raising awareness of the ferry brand. The content was featured in key regional, travel trade and specialist media titles, with a combined reach of 13,244,388.
View the award-winning campaign film at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4D8kFQ3_Ig
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For further press information, please contact:
Katie Raby/Alex Fenton/Rachel Sewell/Stuart Fyfe
Rooster PR
T: +44 (0)20 3440 8930
E: [email protected]
About DFDS
DFDS is Northern Europe’s largest integrated shipping and logistics company, with a network of around 30 routes and 50 freight and passenger ships.
DFDS prides itself on offering world-class facilities and services and the widest choice of ferry routes into northern Europe.
In the UK, the company operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Newhaven to Dieppe.
DFDS has been named the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for the last five years (2011-15), as well as ‘Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator’ at the prestigious 2014 and 2015 World Travel Awards.
DFDS currently operates up to 54 sailings a day between Dover and France on its Dover-Dunkirk and Dover-Calais routes. DFDS also offers two daily sailings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. In addition, the DFDS network includes a passenger and freight service between Newhaven to Dieppe, which has four daily sailings and is operated by Transmanche Ferries.
For further information about DFDS, or to find out about the latest sailing times, fares and offers across all routes from the UK, visit www.dfds.co.uk.
