So, it’s been just over a year since I returned from my travels around Asia and joined Launch Group in January 2009. All I can say is that I don’t think any other agency could’ve pulled me out of my post-travelling depression so quickly, and that a LOT has happened in those 12 months.

From winning fantastic new business – hello Advance VisionCare! – to doing excellent client work – Butlins Ocean Hotel launch, Jameson Cult Film Club, and Disney Twinned to name just a few – it’s been a rollercoaster year here at Launch Towers and I can’t wait for the next one.

Now, I admit that I didn’t actually work on the Disney campaign personally, but as one of the agency’s most successful projects we were all incredibly excited about the amazing results. I even called fellow Launcher, Elodie, and left her a far-too-over-excited voicemail when I saw the coverage on Jonathan Ross before realising that I was watching it on Sky+ and that she’d already known about it for two days. Oh well, she appreciated the Sunday morning call. I think.

Day-to-day work aside, we’ve had two unforgettable company parties – Summer and Christmas – where we all witnessed some very questionable dance moves, but I guess the less said about those the better. What happens in Soho, stays in Soho, after all…

So, what’s on the agenda for 2010? I for one am getting married – hurray!

And now that I’ve started planning The Big Day I’ve noticed that maybe us PR professionals don’t approach things in quite the same way as others. My laid back Devon family seemed to be shocked at my almost military-like approach to the preparations. From my time-maximising schedule of venue viewings to the eight tab excel spreadsheet that has become known as ‘The Wedding Bible’, the organisation skills picked up from years of juggling clients, suppliers, colleagues, and everything else look like they’re about to come in very handy indeed. I’m just going to have to try to remember not to send my parents a weekly update report, schedule regular conference calls or ask them to attend monthly status updates. Although, now that I mention it, that does sound like quite a good idea…

Bridezilla? Moi?!

Back in October I wrote about our latest campaign for Walt Disney World (‘you’ve got to be in it to twin it’, October 16^th) – to find a UK village, town or city to be twinned with the famous park in Orlando.

Well, the entire UK has since been touched by the Disney magic by, if we don’t say it ourselves (!), possibly the best PR campaign of the decade.

Unless you’ve been living in a box, we’re sure you will have seen at least some of the buzz we’ve created:

The campaign generated over 650 pieces of coverage including 43 TV broadcast items (32 of which were national!), 22 national newspaper articles, 97 radio interviews, 119 regional newspapers and over 250 online pieces.

On the day of the finalist announcement, the campaign was covered in every national newspaper and TV broadcast highlights included ‘Friday Night with Jonathan Ross’, the coveted ‘And Finally’ on ‘ITV News at Ten’ and ‘BBC Breakfast’.

The story was also featured on 75 blogs, discussed on over 100 Facebook, Bebo and MySpace groups and appeared on 650 Twitter feeds with a combined following of 465,599.  The campaign’s coverage led to over 13,000 people visiting the microsite.

We’re proud to have created a real ‘water-cooler moment’, and, if nothing else, have made the Mayor of Swindon a very happy man.  He was quoted in a local newspaper claiming that our campaign is Swindon’s “greatest achievement for this year.”  Mission complete.

It’s getting colder and darker, man-flu season is just around the corner and SAD is setting in.  As the UK is hit by the winter blues, we’re all looking for something to put the smiles back on our faces – a little fun, a little excitement, a little magic……

Fortunately for the UK, this week we unveiled that Walt Disney World in Orlando, perhaps the sunniest, most magical, most exciting location on earth, is searching for a UK village, town or City to be twinned with the famous Florida theme park!

The lucky winning location will not only boast a world-first Walt Disney World Twinned Town sign but will celebrate in style with a never-been-seen-before-in-the-UK party. Not bad, eh!

Nominations have been flooding in from all over the UK.  You can check out the entries so far or make your own bid at the microsite.

Good luck!