Ulster Bank Check In and Chat

We created a campaign to help Ulster Bank communicate its involvement in and support for Age NI's Check In and Chat service.

Check In and Chat was launched in 2020, with the support of the Commissioner for Older People, as a way to help address loneliness and isolation resulting from COVID-19 restrictions. 

A team of Ulster Bank’s staff had been volunteering for Check In and Chat and the bank agreed to help Age NI kick-start a new fundraising campaign to help the popular service become a long-term fixture.

The campaign

We worked with Carl Frampton on our campaign. As part of this, we brought Carl into Ulster Bank to join team members in making calls to older people.

We created video content of Carl making a surprise call to 75-year-old Jim from East Belfast, and with Jim's permission, used it on social media, including on Carl's channels, the bank's channels and Age NI's channels. We also wrote a press release and organised a photo and engaged media with the content.

Jim, who is 75, thought he was getting called by a volunteer & being filmed for a promo.

Really enjoyed being part of this as I joined @UlsterBankNI's team to make calls to older people as part of @Age_NI's Check In and Chat service. pic.twitter.com/nhAB4nWlJL
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) June 24, 2021

The results

The emotive social media video was watched over 100,000 times, was commented on by hundreds of people, including NI Executive Ministers, sports people, broadcasters and others.

Media coverage was prominent and widespread across online, print and broadcast media in Northern Ireland.

The campaign won Best Use of Content at the CIPR PRide Awards 2021 and has been shortlisted for both the PR Moment Awards and CIPR Excellence Awards.

The PRide Awards judges said:

This campaign was a real favourite amongst the judging panel. Not only was the creative execution utterly brilliant, and the wraparound plan to drive social reach and media coverage solid, but the judges were particularly impressed by the level of insights used – to both identify the target audience, and inform influencer selection, to ensure both the messaging and content landed as intended. A great campaign, and a richly deserved Gold award winner.