Retailer wilko’s Christmas in July event is a highlight of the PR calendar..
Generating thousands of product-focused pieces of festive coverage during retail’s ‘golden quarter’. As with so many things, Covid-19 scuppered the usual event plans and meant a remote alternative was needed; wilko challenged Brazen to find a digital solution that would achieve the same great results, showcase the brilliant products the retailer has to offer and gain valuable face time with key media for the brand. Cue the Virtual Press Show!
Brazen created a virtual press show, inviting long lead journalists to join the team for an online event. The press office team at Brazen hosted the show, while wilko’s in-house design team acted as presenters.
The show took media through each of the instore trends for AW 2020 and Christmas, whilst also providing gifting inspiration, an insight into how the brand devises trends and some top tips on how to achieve a magical Christmas without breaking the bank.
All onscreen presenters donned festive garb and decorated their homes for the show so that the virtual experience was truly Christmasssy.
Followed by a live Q&A
Following the show, a live Q&A took place; and throughout media could comment on what products they liked best and vote in polls to provide real time feedback on the collections for wilko’s use.
The legacy of this event has continued, with the Brazen team hosting one-to-one press appointments via Zoom with media throughout the autumn months to gain that all important festive product placement coverage across national, long and short lead consumer and online titles. To build excitement for the appointment and to add a dash of Brazen magic, each journalist received a hamper complete with wilko Christmas treats to scent, festoon and dress their home – not to mention those all-important chocolate coins to nibble on while they chat with the team.
A second round, focused on long lead spring summer outreach, begins shortly!
Need some inspiration? Check out our top tips for hosting a virtual media event.
Results of our virtual press show
32 long lead journalists from titles including Ideal Home, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful and Woman & Home attended the event
100% of guests saw products that would work for their Christmas content; and this coverage has already started to land
100% of the press guests appreciated insights from the design team and the chance to learn more about the process behind the products
100% of media said they liked the virtual show format and would attend a future similar event
What the media said
See our virtual press show in-action!
