Best Independent Marketing Campaign

"SERIOUS yet innovative" was how the judges summed up the Royal College of Physicians when they decided it should win the award for Best Independent Marketing Campaign.

According to one of the judges, the £39,900 campaign "clearly got the message across." What particularly made it stand out from the rest was its clear financial targets.

One of its primary objectives was to increase conference and banqueting revenue from external lettings by 20% from 1998 to 1999.

This target was surpassed and 1999 external revenue leapt by 34% to almost £500,000. External food and beverage revenue jumped by 39% from £884,000 in 1998 to £1.23m last year, while room hire revenue climbed 27% from £562,000 to £713,000.

Another of the college's prime objectives was to establish a solid business base for 2000. Again this target has been met, with external revenue up 20% in the first three months of 2000, compared with the same period last year.

Weekend events have also more than doubled, from 17 last year to 38 this year. Business peaks and troughs have reduced and, according to the college, there is a strong base of business "on the books" for 2000/2001.

The Royal College of Physicians, a Grade I-listed building dating back to 1518, overlooks Regent's Park in central London.

In 1998 its new president established a change of direction which called for increased levels of activity in the college's medical role.

These new initiatives needed funding and, as a result, added focus was placed on increasing revenues from external lettings.

Research was undertaken to compare the college's conference and banqueting services against competitors in London and the study quickly revealed it could offer a good four-star standard.

It was felt a major selling point of the college was its setting and 480 years of history and the campaign therefore was themed "After 480 years".

The college contributed £13,400 to the campaign while the remaining £26,500 was paid for by the college's contract catering partner, Fare.

"What they did so well is they had a very strong product and they capitalised on their product and history and prestige and they turned it around and got their message across," one judge commented.

Research indicated the campaign needed to be targeted specifically at certain professions and industry groups such as the HCIMA and the London Tourist Board and Convention Bureau.

To get highly targeted prospects to visit the college three client hospitality evenings were held in May and June last year which attracted 150 guests. Following these evenings the college received a number of enquiries and many confirmed bookings.

It held 18 "one-on-one" client entertainmentsessions which initially converted into 11 confirmed events.

To promote these activities the college used a number of methods, such as publishing themed campaign brochures and advertisements.

The judges concluded: "From the outset they gave clear financial targets for what they wanted to achieve and what they did was really innovative for a body that has been going for 400 to 500 years." n