Imagine This: A Nationwide Campaign Putting Children’s Mental Health in the Spotlight
The Brief
The PC Agency was tasked with managing the national relaunch of The Murray Parish Trust as Imagine This, a leading UK charity supporting the mental health of children with serious illnesses and their families. The challenge was to raise the charity’s profile beyond Hampshire, showcasing its nationwide expansion, enhanced leadership team, and continued success in providing crucial hospital support, including funding an Assistant Clinical Psychologist at Southampton Children’s Hospital. The campaign also linked the relaunch to a key milestone: the founders Jim Murray and Sarah Parish receiving MBEs in July.
The Strategy
The PC Agency developed a comprehensive PR strategy focusing on traditional media outreach. The agency crafted press releases, Q&As, and interview briefings for high-profile media, including This Morning, BBC Breakfast, The Guardian Saturday Magazine, Daily Mirror, and Country & Town House. The team secured print and digital coverage in both mainstream and lifestyle publications such as Woman & Home, S Magazine, OK! Magazine, Daily Express, Daily Record, and Irish Daily Mirror. To amplify awareness, PCA leveraged the public profiles of the founders and their recently received MBEs, as well as the authoritative voice of Professor of Palliative Care and Child Health, Lorna Fraser, who came on board to help the charity. The messaging strategy emphasised the dual meaning behind the new name - “Imagine this happening to your family” and “Imagine what’s possible after diagnosis” - while highlighting success stories that demonstrated the charity’s tangible impact.
The Results
The campaign exceeded expectations, generating 25 confirmed media pieces to date, with two additional features pending. Highlights included The Guardian Saturday Magazine (print and online), the S Magazine cover, and features in OK! Magazine and HELLO! Magazine, alongside nationwide interviews in Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Daily Record, and Irish Daily Mirror. Television coverage on BBC Breakfast reached an estimated 6.8 million viewers, while This Morning reached approximately 4 million viewers. Across all channels, the campaign achieved a combined media reach exceeding one billion impressions.
By delivering an authentic and emotive narrative around the founders’ mission and the charity’s nationwide expansion, The PC Agency successfully positioned Imagine This as a leading force in children’s mental health support. The campaign generated substantial awareness and engagement and set the stage for the charity’s ongoing programmes and national initiatives.
