Punch and Judy approach to creative media relations

A very small coffin, a very large meat pie, and a seaside bucket: those are some of the containers in which public relations students at Huddersfield University submitted their work this term.

There was also a Punch and Judy booth, a couple of picnic baskets, three treasure chests and a watering can.

All were used by students as part of an assessment designed to test their creativity as well as demonstrating some key practical skills. And each highlighted a town or village for which the students – at the end of their second year – prepared a publicity campaign.

Inside the novel and original “containers” were press releases, feature articles, business letters and an event plan, all designed for potential presentation to journalists in a press pack.

“We know that journalists will be more interested if we can entertain them, or provide them with something unusual,” said Sophie Fenna, creator of the Punch and Judy set, whose portfolio set out a PR campaign to revitalise the image and reputation of Blackpool.

“Of course it wouldn’t be possible to replicate these ideas for large numbers of journalists,” said course tutor Eileen Jones. “But we want to stimulate and encourage the concept of creativity, and the students respond with great enthusiasm to this assignment every year.”

Melanie Brydon’s giant meat pie was made by Lancashire manufacturers Holland’s Pies as part of a promotion for Accrington. Carly Newnham’s tiny coffin contained publicity material for a “ghost walk” which she had devised around Darlington. And Melanie Earle’s treasure chest contained plans for a children’s festival in Halifax, which has been adopted by the local tourism office and will actually take place in July.

Andy Green, director of Wakefield-based Green Communications and  the university’s visiting research fellow in PR, and author of Creativity in Public Relations, is a keen supporter of the portfolio assignment. “This tests the lively minds of the students and produces some ingenious results,” he said.

Photo shows Sophie Fenna with her Punch and Judy press pack