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‘Opt for Life’, a campaign by Dublin and Belfast based Aiken PR, won Best Campaign in Northern Ireland at the Public Affairs Awards.

The campaign, which was a pro bono project for the agency, involved an intense public and media relations campaign and political engagement at the highest level of government. It has resulted with firm plans now in place to amend public and government perception and practice on organ donation.

Aiken PR Client Director, Shane Finnegan, said: ”These awards build on Aiken PR’s influence in the public affairs arena across the Island of Ireland and we are delighted to have been recognized for best regional campaign in Northern Ireland at the UK Public Affairs Awards.

“We have invested comprehensively to ensure that we have the best team to support our public and private sector clients, building engagement with decision makers in Stormont and the Dail and growing their influence across regulation and policy issues.”

The below is Aiken PR’s original submission to the Public Affairs Awards:

Background

Joe Brolly, renownded GAA pundit successfully donated a kidney to fellow coach Shane Finnegan, Client Director at Aiken PR. After initial success, the kidney was removed due to complications. Both men later agreed to lobby for fundamental change regarding organ donation policy and practice across Ireland. Aiken PR’s brief was to develop a PA campaign supported by PR to deliver change across infrastructure, policy and education. 

Strategy & tactics:

  • Devise report which analyses medical thinking on transplants, advocating a system of opt-out, and explicit family consent, rather than opt in.
  • Develop plan to resonate and have traction with political stakeholders and media. 
  • Campaign to focus on 1. Education –inform why the system needed to change, 2. Policy – a shift from Opt-In, 3. Infrastructure - securing investment for specialist medics
  • Twin track approach aimed at the NI Executive to encourage legislative change & support Jo-Anne Dobson’s Private Member’s Bill (PMB) and extensive lobby of Irish government

Implementation:

  • Public affairs campaign to raise awareness & secure legislative change
  • Engage and motivate political stakeholders
  • Build relationship with key medics
  • Evolve media narrative
  • Develop website - (www.makelifeyourlegacy.com and #Opt for life) 
  • Set up media accounts – FB and Twitter for OFL and Joe Brolly. Over 50k followers.
  • Secured ambassadors Tommy Bowe, Peter Canavan, Trevor Ringland and Michael Darragh McAuley
  • Sports teams to use OFL logo on jerseys
  • Formed Organ Donation All Party Group at Stormont
  • Secured RTE documentary
  • Developed an OFL Cycle to drive awareness

Key messages:

  • NI’s & ROI’s organ donation lags behind Europe’s
  • Chronic shortage of organs
  • Family consent is key
  • Rate of family refusal is too high
  • Significant savings

Some key chronological steps included:

  • Private meeting with First Minister and Deputy First Minister
  • Interviews with BBC Nolan TV & radio 3 UTV Live
  • RTE documentary about Joe and Shane’s journey
  • Interviews on BBC GMU x2, BBC Talk Back x3
  • Series of ROI broadcast & paper interviews
  • Briefings with Health spokespersons of all political parties
  • Formed NI all party group
  • Press conference with FM & dFM & Opt for Life to confirm their support
  • Interview -RTE Late Late Show
  • Coverage within all NI print media
  • Launch of Ms Dobson’s PMB
  • Full lobby campaign ROI including Taoiseach FM & DFM confirmed as co-signatures to UUP’s PMB
  • NI Executive agree to launch annual, ‘Organ Donation Family Discussion Day’
  • Meeting with Health Minister & PHA
  • Amend drafting of Ms Dobson’s PMB
  • Interview -RTE’s Brendan O’Connor show
  • Joe Brolly – The Perfect Match documentary, RTE 1 

Research, planning, measurement & evaluation:

  • Commitment by NI Executive to change the NI system
  • FM & dFM co-signatures to Ms Dobson’s PMB presented to the Assembly
  • NI Executive commit to launch ‘Organ Donation Discussion Day’
  • ROI government adopt and implement policy
  • Political stakeholders informed with widespread support of soft opt out
  • Increased number of transplants performed in NI in 2013 / 2014 & ROI. Family refusal rates drop following Opt for Life campaign (ref: Dr. Aisling Courtney BCH)

Media coverage:

  • 82 pieces of print, 27 broadcast interviews, 1 hour documentary, online & Twitter reach 9,500,000

Budget

Pro bono.