RICS Awards

THE BRIEF

JComms’s relationship with RICS spans over 25 years, and includes managing PR activity in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as supporting UK wide activity, such as the prestigious RICS UK awards. JComms was tasked with managing PR activity for the awards in 2024 across all UK regions and nationally. This involved managing and planning PR activity for the shortlist, regional awards ceremonies, and the Grand Final in London.

WHAT WE DID

JComms engaged with the client from an early stage regarding the timeline of activity, key messages, and alignment with wider marketing and comms activity. In turn, JComms created a PR strategy for the awards to profile finalists and winners, whilst also reinforcing RICS’s reputation as a leader in professional qualifications and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure.

This involved working with multiple parties and departments across the organisation to ensure that all activity on the awards was consistent and coordinated.

There were over 200 projects across the UK shortlisted in the regional stages of the awards. JComms wrote press releases for all 12 regional shortlist and coordinated photography across the projects. JComms issued press releases and photos to hundreds of media outlets across the UK and engaged with journalist to secure coverage across all 12 UK regions.

The winners were then announced at the regional ceremonies throughout May and June. A similar approach was taken. JComms wrote multiple press releases about the winners across the UK and engaged with both regional and local outlets, as well as trade media, to secure coverage for all of the regional ceremonies.

As the Grand Final approached, JComms continued to work with the event organisers to plan for announcing category winners from across the UK and the overall Project of the Year.

The winning and highly commended projects spanned England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and were awarded for their innovative and sustainable approaches as well as the impact that they have on local communities.

Throughout the entire process, JComms continued to refresh and explore media opportunities, regularly engaging with new and existing media contacts to profile RICS, the companies and projects recognised in the awards.

THE OUTCOME

JComms secured extensive media coverage for the awards across the UK, from BBC to ITV and multiple national and regional outlets. total, 230 pieces of coverage were secured on the awards, all in key target outlets, with key messages communicated across them.

For the Grand Final alone coverage spanned broadcast, online and print in national, regional, and trade press outlets.

For the overall winning project, Sheerness Dockyard Church in Kent, ITV commissioned a live, evening news broadcast, featuring interviews, drone footage, archive footage and live footage. BBC coverage included national and regional online coverage, reporting on BBC Radio Kent, and a BBC Sounds mini-documentary.

JComms continues to support RICS through NI, Scotland and Wales, and wider UK activity, which includes its Matrics awards, which celebrate up-and-coming surveyors across the nations and regions.