Sensitive restoration of beloved children’s hospital gets a PR masterclass
THE WORD “iconic” may be overused, but there are times when it is entirely appropriate.
Indeed, the label fits perfectly when it come to the distinctive, former Royal Hospital for Sick Children building in Edinburgh, a renowned landmark where generations of youngsters were treated for more than 125 years.
Now the firm which is painstakingly redeveloping the important heritage site has showcased its careful and sensitive work – reaching a huge audience, including prime time TV viewers.
By working with the Digital PR experts at Holyrood PR, Square and Cresent was able to translate its messages into extensive media coverage and to achieve vital business goals, which included:
- A 50% increase in enquiries about homes for sale at the site
- An exclusive feature with STV News
- 14 other significant items of media coverage
- More than 3,279,007 opportunities to see
- Eye catching social media activity across its accounts
What’s more, Square & Crescent was able to achieve all this with the help of a grateful mum whose child was a patient and who also holds a prominent role with the much-loved charity which supports the work of the hospital.
The results for Square & Crescent were important for a host of reasons: firstly, demonstrating that it is exactly the right, expert firm to sensitively handle such a high-profile heritage project. It also wanted to achieve that while attracting the next generation of homeowners who want to live in the site after its transformation into new homes.
However, the most important aspect for the team at Square and Crescent was to showcase its links with the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), ensuring the connection between the old site and the new would be nurtured and maintained.
So, how were these stellar results achieved?
A powerful emotional connection
Until 2021 the hospital – which was known to generations of Scots simply as “the Sick Kids” – was housed in a highly-recognisable, red sandstone building, designed by architect George Washington Browne and opened in 1895. It is Category B Listed.
That landmark in the Sciennes area, is now being redeveloped by Square and Crescent, along with a number of other buildings in neighbouring Streets, creating a new residential area, known as Royal Meadows.
Acutely aware of the strong emotional connections and affinity the people of Edinburgh have for the main building, Square and Crescent was keen to showcase the meticulous and painstaking nature of its renovation and restoration work.
Powerful PR messaging had already showcased the firm’s commitment to delivering a stunning restoration – while also leading fundraising efforts for the ECHC, which was based on the site until 2021, when it moved to the modern, new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People at Little France in Edinburgh.
It was crucial for Square and Crescent to continue this connection and to put it at the hearts of its messaging – including by working with Kate Dixon, a prominent member of the team at the ECHC, who not only worked at the old site, but whose own child was a patient at the old hospital.
Delivering a broadcast breakthrough
To achieve the biggest possible cut through, we worked with national broadcaster STV to offer its filming crews a “first look inside” the building, while renovation work was ongoing.
It provided an unrivalled opportunity to highlight the expert craftsmanship and careful restoration work, reinforcing Square and Crescent’s commitment to preserving the historic significance of the former Sick Kids building.
However, this was no simple task – and involved an exhaustive, hands-on process to ensure all logistical challenges were met. We worked extensively with STV, Square & Crescent, and ECHC to ensure the STV team had access to key areas of the working site.
We also provided basic media training and prepared bespoke and extensive briefing documents for all of those likely to be appearing in front of the camera, to give them confidence, reduce nerves and to ensure messaging was consistent. Indeed, our team were on site to guide the filming, and capture some behind the scenes content.
This coverage aired on the STV news at 6pm showcasing Square & Crescent to over 134,500 people across Scotland.
Crafting a second wave of media interest
A carefully crafted media release, strategically timed to follow the STV feature, further amplified the positive messaging surrounding the development.
This generated substantial coverage in national publications like The Herald, showcasing Royal Meadows development as a symbol of luxury and elegance.
Across the coverage, that powerful messaging focused on the premium workmanship, setting the stage for a wave of interest, awareness, and potential sales.
Social media success
LinkedIn stands out as Square & Crescent’s most prominent social media channel, offering the chance to showcase thought leadership, share company updates, and engage with varied audiences.
Engagement is a vital pillar in measuring success and on LinkedIn, where the average post engagement rate is 1.27%. Since kicking off construction at Royal Meadows in Spring 2023, the content we have created for Square & Crescent has far exceeded that – with an average engagement rate of 13.8%.
In fact, engagement rates peaked at a huge 45.47% on Royal Meadows-specific content during our campaign, figures that really underscore how strongly people feel about the importance of this iconic Edinburgh landmark.
These exceptional results were down to our content strategy, which ensured posts were diverse, fresh and interesting. We were on top of all the milestones, from images showing progress on site, to key information on the benefits and highlights of living in the sought-after area.
Indeed, our post announce the start of construction gathered an impressive 4742 impressions and 2,156 engagements. A great starting point for raising awareness and building momentum around the development.
We also announced details of the partnership with ECHC and fundraising efforts. When the Square & Crescent team took on the Seven Hills of Edinburgh Challenge in September 2023, raising funds for ECHC .
The goal was to raise £7000, yet they exceeded this and raised and impressive £8000. Sharing this triumph for an incredible cause on LinkedIn smashed engagement, hitting a 44.82% engagement rate.
During the STV visit our social media and digital team captured a host of behind-the-scenes footage and visuals. As it came close broadcast time, we shared these photos and videos, urging followers to tune in to STV.
That behind the scenes post earned Square & Crescent’s highest number of reactions to date, with 4513 impressions and 564 engagements.
Overall, since spring 2023, Royal Meadows posts have garnered impressive engagement: 1365 reactions, 39,833 impressions, and 5821 clicks. This highlights the effectiveness of consistent messaging across diverse communication channels, reinforcing Square & Crescent’s unified brand representation.
The importance of an integrated approach
Modern PR success is measured against the PESO model – paid, earned, shared and owned. This story spanned three of those four important pillars.
Leading the way was extensive earned, media coverage, the most powerful of the four, bringing highly valuable, independent media endorsement. In this case media relations earned significant coverage, showcasing the development and its premium features. It also delivered valuable Thought Leadership for Square and Cresent, by positioning it as a top-quality developer.
In terms of shared success, the all-important reach, particularly on LinkedIn, ensured the coverage reached a huge audience of people who may not regularly check mainstream news sources, except where stories appear in their social feeds.
Social media played a pivotal role in creating buzz and connecting with the audience. Meanwhile, the collaboration with ECHC also strengthened ties with the community.
In terms of owned, the campaign also delivered big time. The visual showcase of the development, coupled with thought leadership and case studies all provide Square and Crescent with valuable collateral for its own website, brochures, newsletters.
These three pillars of media strategy – earned, shared, and owned – augmented the paid element, which sees Square & Crescent advertise online and across diverse other media.
Together, the four pillars of PESO create a powerful narrative that captures attention, engages the audience and creates a lasting impression of Royal Meadows as a leader in the realm of luxury living.
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