Underwriters Laboratories  

Brief
Underwriters Laboratories is the company behind the UL mark, which is recognised internationally as the world's leading safety mark. UL has a reputation for integrity going back over 100 years and is called upon to provide an expert voice on a range of health and safety issues, with fire prevention being a key speciality.

Colbear has been charged with positioning UL as a reliable source of safety information in the UK and to make their good name and safety campaign as successful here as it has proved in the US and worldwide.

The Tactics
Colbear responded by developing a local media landscape report to bring UL up to speed on the workings of UK media and by devising a marketing and PR plan on how best to take the UL message forward. Colbear also advised on media training to help UL's UK spokespeople to communicate with the media as effectively as possible.

The Results
Throughout 2007 Colbear issued releases for UL highlighting their safety message and introducing the organisation to the UK media. UL also entered into partnerships with charitable organisations in order to assist them with safety projects of mutual interest.

Information on the differences between safety marks provided by UL led to calls for a review of the CE mark amid fears surrounding toy safety. Articles appeared on PA News and UL’s aims were also covered in local media.

In October UL assisted the Charity CO-Awareness with Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, in order to highlight the dangers of CO poisoning and campaign for CO alarms with recognised safety marks.

The resulting campaign attracted national media interest throughout the UK, gaining over £253,000 of media coverage in PR equivalent terms in just one week.

UL spokespeople contributed to events throughout the UK, in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and including the launch event at the House of Lords in London. UL experts were called to give interviews and expert opinion in numerous media outlets, on TV, radio and in both regional and national press.