Although the brand 118118 has high saliency, the challenge for the PR campaign was to ensure that the Company’s key messages were communicated clearly

The challenge
• The future growth of The Number and the 118118 service lies in it’s ability to prove its usefulness to people’s lives beyond DQ
• The success of the Company’s ubiquitous advertising campaign means that almost everyone knows the number 118118 as a directory enquiries service from which telephone numbers can be obtained quickly
• The PR campaign was not about getting the 118118 brand name out there – it was more important and beneficial to educate consumers about new service offerings
Position the Company as the premium provider of a “seriously useful” set of services

Result:
• Kevin Murray, Bell Pottinger Group’s Chairman, provides strategic counsel to Mark Horgan, the Number’s Chief Executive, whilst the Bell Pottinger team of corporate and consumer specialists provide ongoing advice and support to William Ostrom, the Company’s Director of Communications
• Working closely with the Number’s in-house team, Bell Pottinger developed a set of key messages which focused on innovation, the strong management team, the Company strategy, high performance and growth and a rolling programme of activity
• The corporate programme focuses on developing a well defined corporate profile and personality through targeted press meetings and selected profiles and articles
• The consumer programme focuses on the launches and ongoing promotion of specific products – ensuring that the Company’s core messages are always underpinned
This work combines to underpin the Company’s brand - shifting the perception to “seriously useful”

The Bell Pottinger Group: what could we do for you?