news archive

may 2009

New website for the Equality & Rights Alliance which was designed and produced by our new media partners ThinkTwo. The site uses the inContext content management system, which we will be using to drive our own site in the near future. We are also currently working on two new projects with ThinkTwo that use this system to provide easy to manage, design independent content management services for our clients.

If you would like to know more contact Daragh.

We attended the National Fundraising Conference in Croke Park on Thursday the 26th of March. While we were there we conducted a quick poll to gauge the mood of fundraisers. You can download a PDF of our findings here.

We just finished a series of short motion pieces for the window of Fighting Words. We had lots of fun playing around with these and trying to learn After Effects! Look out soon for more of these by ourselves, Martello Media and friends.

This is a promotional piece we produced on our fundraising work. It's printed on a recycled card and paper. If you would like a copy just send us an email and we will pop one in the post to you.

February saw us working on several projects including a set of full page adverts for IMPACT. These adverts were targeted at the unions members and other key stakeholders and are part of their national lobbying campaign against the recent public pension levy. The adverts were very successful generating national media coverage and hundreds of responses. You can look at the full versions of the ads here and here.

We are also working on a new projects for the National Drug Strategy Team, GLEN, the Higher Education Authority, the Irish Hospice Foundation, Crumlln Children's Hospital, the Teen Parent Support Programme and the City of Dublin Youth Service Board.

In January Susan attended the recent IDMA seminar on how best to survive in the recession - she was there to see how the commercial sector is coping and what ideas they are testing. John, Susan and Charlie will be attending the Fundraising Ireland Conference on March 26th where PCC are sponsoring the morning teas and coffees (which means our clients get extra biscuits).

The CDYSB Good Practice Guide toolkit provides a clear and accessible blueprint for best practice in youth work and is designed to be used in all aspects of youth work delivery ranging from voluntary clubs and groups to regional youth services with employed staff. We designed the pack, materials for the launch and also provided copywriting services for a number of the policy development guides.

We’ve had the pleasure of producing YNOW for our bright and creative friends in the City of Dublin Youth Service Board and frankly it’s a labour of love. This is the fifth issue and it’s really making a huge impact in the youthwork sector. For us, it’s especially fulfilling as we were charged to develop the initial structure, format and tone of the magazine. We also sit on the editorial/commissioning team with Gerry and Mary in CDYSB and we subedit, design and layout the entire publication.

Dial to Stop Drug Dealing
Dial to Stop Drug Dealing is an innovative direct marketing campaign aimed at tackling drug dealing in local communities around Ireland. Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy and Community Affairs at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr John Curran TD launched the campaign on September 29th last.

Dial to Stop Drug Dealing is a freephone number that can be called at any time of the day or night. It provides a safe, confidential and completely anonymous way for individuals to pass on information on drug dealing in their local community. The individual is never asked for their name, their address or any other information which might identify them. The information gathered is passed on directly to An Garda Síochána. Altogether fifteen local campaigns will be run over nine months in three phases, five campaigns per phase. Phase 1 ran from October to November and generated over 800 calls. Phase 2 is scheduled to launch in mid February.

Christian Aid Ireland - Christmas Stocking Appeal
Last summer Christian Aid commissioned the development of a new Christmas schools appeal. We undertook qualitative research with school children and teachers and on foot of the findings developed the Christmas Stocking Appeal. The 2008 appeal is a test project and we targeted 250 primary schools. If successful the appeal will be rolled out and developed in 2009 and 2010. Early results indicate that the appeal is going well and final results will be known in February.

Since September we have developed two successful appeals for The Children's Medical & Research Foundation (CMRF).

The first appeal was a tax effective appeal and CMRF aimed to target their donors who are Republic of Ireland PAYE tax payers, who have given €250 or over in any one year and who pay tax at either or both the standard and higher rate. CMRF have audited their donor base and have identified thousands of donors who are eligible for the appeal. Donors were written to and asked to complete and return a revenue form so that CMRF may claim the tax back on the donation. The appeal is on-course to reach its target.

The second appeal was developed and launched at Christmas and involved two mailings, one to donors and another to possible new donors. Ireland's Littlest Heartbeat Appeal is a committed giving ask and aims to upgrade once off donors to regular giving and also to acquire new regular and once off donors. The appeal is set to exceed its target of raising hundreds of thousands of euros for vital services and equipment.

Fighting Words is a new creative writing centre inspired by 826 Valencia in San Francisco. The centre helps students of all ages to develop their writing skills and to explore their love of writing. PCC helped out with signage, web and various bits and bobs. Working with the very talented team at Martello Media we also developed a nifty projection-based 'shop window'.

If you are an Illustrator and are interested in the project have a look at this?

www.fightingwords.ie

FOMACS - Moving Worlds: Cinemas of Migration
The Forum on Migration and Communications (FOMACS) is a collaborative public media project, producing film, photographic, digital storytelling, radio, animation and print stories on the topic of immigration and integration in Ireland, with the aim of reaching and engaging diverse audiences. We designed material for the Moving Worlds Film Festival in late 2008 and are currently helping to develop a new educational resource pack.

We were very happy to help design and write the first ever Annual Report for Christian Aid Ireland in late 2008. You can download the full report from www.christianaid.ie

PCC designed this Annual Report to help mark the centenary of the Probation Service in Ireland. As part of this project we worked with the Service to create a visual timeline that illustrates the history and development of probation alongside significant events in the history of the state. www.probation.ie

youngballymun PCC has been commissioned to work with youngballymun on the implementation of an extensive programme of communications activities over the next three years. youngballymun is a completely unique, ambitious and locally-rooted initiative to transform the learning and wellbeing of children and young people in the area. It works with local, national and international partners offering six new crucial services to children and young people from pre-birth up to 21 years. PCC will be assisting youngballymun in producing key communications materials and in planning and organising a number of important events. www.youngballymun.org

Dolphin Decides is a truly unique and exciting project. PCC won the tender to assist the community of Dolphin House, the largest inner city flat complex on Dublin's southside, to define and present their informed vision around their own regeneration. PCC partnered up with Community Action Network and the task involves best practice community consultation, communications and the drafting, design and print of key communications tools.

news archive 2008

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland (CFAI) together with Public Communications Centre (PCC) won a coveted award for excellence in communications for the CFAI ‘“Sick Waiting” campaign.

The Public Relations Institute of Ireland awards sets the industry benchmark for excellence across all areas of PR.

The CFAI commissioned PCC to generally raise public awareness of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and in particular to launch its 'Sick Waiting' campaign for decent minimum services for people living with CF.

The aim of the 'Sick Waiting' campaign by CFAI was to secure decent minimum services for the 1,100 Irish people who are living with CF – Ireland’s most common life-threatening inherited disease. It highlighted that individuals with CF are sick waiting at home for admission to hospital, for admission to ward, for adequate and safe ward facilities, for the required number of professional staff and, in some regions, for even the most basic facilities.

Following the launch of the “Sick Waiting” campaign in April 2007, PCC and the CFAI worked together to meet media demands for information and interviews. CF patients and families themselves played a central role in the campaign and took up opportunities to speak on radio and TV and to write articles on their experiences.

Pictured above (Left to Right) are Godfrey Fletcher (CEO of CFAI), Susan Smith (Project Manager, Public Communications Centre), Brendan Lonergan (Secretary of CFAI and also PWCF (person with cystic fibrosis) and Martin Cahill (Fundraising Manager of CFAI).

www.cfireland.ie

An end to the personal, social and economic loss of underachievement in education

PCC designed the New National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education, which was published by the HEA in July. www.hea.ie

Recent work for the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme included this newsletter and booklet. www.hospicefriendlyhospitals.net

Materials designed for the Irish Heart Foundation active@work programme. More details here.

New work for Samaritans Ireland included this general information leaflet. We also created a radio ad and supporting press ads for the Samaritans 25:7 national fundraising day www.samaritans.ie

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Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week took place from Monday 28th January to Saturday 2nd February 2008. Awareness Week is to help promote general awareness of Cystic Fibrosis and the fact that it's Ireland's most common life-threatening inherited disease. Approximately 1 in 19 people are carriers of the CF gene and where two carriers parent a child together, there is a 1 in 4 chance of the baby being born with Cystic Fibrosis.

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Visual identity and promotional poster for www.heritageknowhow.ie a heritage toolkit compiled by An Taisce.

As part of the new Stamp out Stigma campaign we undertook benchmarking research into public attitudes to people with HIV and Aids. For more information see www.stampoutstigma.ie

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We have just produced the second of our fundraising dm appeals for Vita. On this appeal we developed the branding, the pack, the mailing database and a radio ad. The appeal targets both current and potential donors. For more information see www.vita.ie

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This September, October and November the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO) is working with more than 1,000 schools and training centres to hear the views of thousands of young people. Using the mechanism of the 'Big Ballot' young people will directly influence the work of the Ombudsman over the next few years.
PCC were delighted to have worked with the OCO on this exciting project. We developed all the print materials, teaching manuals and Irish and English language packs, along with directing, producing and authoring content for the Schools DVD.

As part of the project we also planned and project managed a nationwide tour by Emily Logan to over 30 schools and centres.

You can find out more about the Big Ballot by visiting www.oco.ie

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It's been a busy few months! We produced Annual Reports for The Probation Service, The Irish Human Rights Commission, Léargas, Coolmine Theraputic Centre and GLEN.

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Once again we devised the branding, and produced and placed the advertising, for the Heart Foundation's Heart Week public information and education campaign. For more information on the importance of daily exercise and a healthy heart see irishheart.ie

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We've just edited, designed and produced the second issue of YNOW, the
exciting new large-format magazine of the City of Dublin Youth Service
Board. The publication – its content and design – is getting a hugely
positive reaction from the sector.

news archive 2007

We project managed a series of benchmarking surveys for the new campaign STAMP OUT STIGMA. Altogether five surveys were undertaken, one targeting the general public and four a series of niche audiences. For more information on the campaign see www.stampoutstigma.ie

We developed the branding, edited, designed, print managed and coordinated the pr launch of the CDYSB’s new magazine Y NOW. For more information on CDYSB  see www.cdysb.ie If you would like a sample of the magazine email John@pcc.ie

A radio advertising campaign about eating disorders was launched on June 11th and ran for 2 weeks on RTE Radio 1 and Newstalk. It was aimed particularly at teenagers just finishing exams. Orla Barry of Newstalk launched the campaign with a photocall outside St. Stephens Green.

PCC devised the PR for the campaign and produced the radio ad. The photocall got a great picture on the front page of the Times Health Supplement on Tuesday 12th June. Other coverage for the campaign was on local radio and national press.

In March PCC won the tender to design the branding and the materials for the
Irish Hospice Foundation's Hospice Friendly Hospitals (HfH) Programme. For more information go to www.hospicefriendlyhospitals.net

During April we undertook eight focus groups in four centres for the Touring Experiment. This is the first of three phases of audience research which we will be undertaking. The Touring Experiment is an initiative of the Arts Council and is a two year action research project which seeks to identify the key factors affecting touring in Ireland in relation to music, the visual arts, literature, the traditional arts, theatre and dance. The Touring Experiment will present its recommendations in early 2008.

For further information go to www.thetouringexperiment.ie

For more info see www.tascnet.ie

For more info see www.cfireland.ie

For more info see www.rade.ie

The campaign ‘Public Services: Frontline Quality, Backroom Dedication’ which was was created for Impact, aims to debunk some of the myths about the numbers, performance and pay of public servants and create a more balanced debate about service quality and staff performance.

For more info see www.qualitypublicservices.ie

For more info visit www.oco.ie

Five organisations have come together to work for equality for older people under the banner of the Older and Bolder campaign. The groups – Age Action Ireland, Age and Opportunity, Irish Hospice Foundation, Irish Senior Citizen’s Parliament and the Senior Help Line – are calling on each of the parties and all of the candidates in the next election to commit themselves to introducing a National Strategy on Older People during the lifetime of the next Government.

At PCC we developed the campaign branding, advertising, materials and undertook print and fulfillment management.

For more info see www.olderandbolder.ie

We developed Sightsavers new Christmas dm appeal to corporates. Sightsavers are significantly developing their corporate support base in the Republic of Ireland and each year undertake a number of acquisition appeals. This is our third appeal in the last 12 months.

For more info on Sightsavers work see www.sightsavers.ie

Coolmine is one of Ireland's oldest drug rehabilitation organisations and
recently launched their first ever strategic plan. At PCC we developed their new identity, website and a set of publications. We also undertook publicity and event management for the launch of the plan document. For more information see www.coolminetc.ie

We completed the 2004 Snapshot for Ireland's legacies fundraising a copy of which you can download by clicking here.

Enable Ireland's mission is to enable those who use their services to
achieve maximum independence, choice and inclusion in their communities.
PCC worked on the development of their latest Gold Badge appeal. We developed the branding, the materials and planned and produced the media advertising. For
more info on Enable visit enableireland.ie

PCC for the first time has worked on the Heart Foundation's Heart Week public information and education campaign. We developed the branding, produced and placed the advertising, advised on the research and designed the materials. For more information on the importance of knowing your numbers see irishheart.ie

PCC is undertaking its biggest ever acquisition appeal for the Children's
Medical and Research Foundation at Crumlin Hospital. The appeal is a
committed giving ask of €5 per month and involves a national door drop,
press inserts and a cold personalised mailing. To date we have undertaken four very successful appeals for CMRF and they now have one of the fastest growing donor bases in the country. For more info see www.cmrf.org

We recently designed and print managed the 2005 Annual Report for Léargas, Ireland's National Agency for the management of National, European and International co-operation programmes.

PCC created an identity, a direct mail piece and a website for Art to Heart, an organisation that works with children in educational, community and art settings. Art to Heart believes in the arts' capacity to creatively enhance every child's learning potential and development. For more information go to www.arttoheart.ie

We designed and print managed this report 'Listening and Learning. Evaluation of Special Community Employment Programmes in Dublin North East' for the Dublin North East Drugs Task Force. For more information go to www.dnedrugstaskforce.ie

Last week PCC coordinated the launch of the new Irish Theatre Institute in the Abbey Theatre. We worked on national and regional publicity, advised on the event planning and management, helped develop the new identity and designed and print managed the research report. Last January we produced a new three year strategic communications plan for the Institute and since then we have been advising on its implementation. The Institute is setting out on a major new programme of work entitled 'Creating opportunities abroad strengthening resources at home'. For more info see www.irishtheatreinstitute.com

PCC is a long-time communications partner of Fatima Groups United, the community development representative body campaigning for the quality regeneration of Fatima Mansions and its people. We designed, print managed and assisted on the pr launch of this their latest landmark publication. Fatima is a completely unique regeneration project and Dream/Dare/Do provides an excellent road map for others with similar goals and ideals.

We recently completed this cover for 'GRIDLOCK. Dublin's transport crisis and the future of the city' by Prof. James Wickham, which was published by Tasc. For more info go to www.tascnet.ie

The Probation Service is part of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and has just launched a new vision for its work. Restorative Justice and a new Youth Probation Service sit at the heart of this new development. PCC won the tender to develop a new identity, a suite of literature and to assist on the launch event planning and management.
For more info on the Probation Service see www.probation.ie

We developed and implemented the Heart Foundation's first ever direct mail test appeal. The appeal is for funds for a wonderful new plan by the foundation to fund, train and supply a team of specialist nurses to benefit patients who have suffered stroke. The ask is for once off and regular donations and packs were sent to a combination of warm and cold lists. For more info on the Heart Foundation see www.irishheart.ie

We recently designed these two report covers for the Irish Human Rights Commission. The Human Rights Commission endeavours to ensure that the human rights of all people in the State are fully realised and protected, in law, in policy and in practice. It tries to ensure that Irish law and practice is in line with the highest international standards. For more info see www.ihrc.ie

Tasc is an independent think tank committed to radical thinking leading to progressive social change. PCC have worked with tasc since it was formed four years ago. We have advised on strategic communications, fundraising, publishing and designed their publication covers. For more info go to www.tascnet.ie

Bodywhys - The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland, offers support, information and understanding for people with eating disorders, their families and friends. We designed and print managed their Annual Report for 2005. For more info go to www.bodywhys.ie

Blanchardstown Local Drug Taskforce. Dial to Stop Drug dealing is Ireland's first non garda, confidential and anonymous phone line for information on drug dealing. The aim of the test project is to gather as much good new information as possible on drug dealing in the area and thereby help to reduce supply. It is a multi-media campaign involving national and local pr, direct marketing and local advertising.