Launch of Muslim Converts report

December/January 2011

Read below to find out how Journalista launched Faith Matters’ report into Muslim converts living in the UK across mainstream broadcast, print and online media.

The Times

The Sun

Independent

Daily Mail

Tehran Times

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Strategy

To promote Faith Matters’ report A Minority Within a Minority: A Report on British Converts to Islam in the UK with the aim of:

• Raising awareness of how Muslim converts perceive themselves, their values and and their role in British Society.
• Promoting understanding of the growth and importance of the convert population.
• Increasing awareness of Faith Matters and its associated work.

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Implementation

Coordinated with BBC planning journalist ahead of release of the report to facilitate coverage across television, radio and online. The report appeared on the BBC website, the BBCs various regional and national radio stations, and across the world on the BBCs World Service TV news.

Coordinated with religious editor at the Press Association before the launch of the report. This facilitated coverage across the national and local media, as well as reaching media in the Middle East, Asia, North America and Oceania.

Creativity

Journalista’s cloesly established links with faith and religious media meant that we could authoritatively pitch this story in as a relevant and informative report.

We also engaged with a number of case studies to support media coverage, including convert Sarah Joseph, the editor of Muslim lifestyle magazine Emel.

What made the campaign stand out?

Muslim converts are often stigmatised by the British media so it was important to ensure that the positive ethos of the report was conveyed to journalists and the media.

Journalista helped shape the story by drawing out the most positive aspects of the report, engaging with converts to act as spokespeople and working closely with journalists to reduce the risk of scare stories emerging. The Press Association ran a very positive story which reached various national and regional publications, and The Times ran a two page spread calling for greater understanding and support for the convert community.

The depth and width of the coverage that the campaign received were testament to the strong press release and selling in of the campaign to the press by Journalista.

Evaluation and measurement

We aimed to get the report seen across the UK and to secure foreign media coverage to meet Faith Matters’ growing international aims.

Cost effectiveness

Journalista carried out this campaign within its retained fee for Faith Matters.

Final results against objectives

We secured wide coverage across national broadsheets, tabloids, international media, online, television and radio.

The report was received 195 pieces of coverage, including 21 pieces in national print media and 22 in national broadcast.

The story reached an audience of over 62 million and achieving an advertising value equivalency of over £600,000.

Media coverage:

The Times
The Independent
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Daily Mail
The Sun
Daily Star
Daily Express
Evening Standard
BBC World Service
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 5
BBC World Service
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 5
Times of Oman
Tehran Times
Sydney Morning Herald
Al-Jazeera

The report was also covered by various other national, regional, international, online, consumer and broadcast media outlets.