The brief

Surf Life Saving Northern Region covers the largest Surf Life Saving Region in New Zealand, which extends from Auckland to the Far North, and as far south as Raglan. As the 2015/16 summer holiday season approached, it faced a funding shortfall that would have forced it to reduce lifeguard services at Northland and Waikato beaches, placing the lives of beachgoers at risk.

The Wright solution

Addressing the funding shortfall was a top priority when Surf Life Saving Northern engaged Wright Communications for PR services. Wright Communications provided strategic advice to the Chief Executive and created a media release outlining the funding challenges faced by Surf Life Saving Northern in these areas.

Wright Communications pitched the story into key local and national media to gain coverage. The story received considerable pick-up within targeted media, drawing the attention of the public and key decision-makers to the organisation's plight.

Following the media coverage, individuals and local authorities stepped forward with additional funding in Northland and Waikato ensuring there would be full lifeguard services for the entire season. Wright Communications issued a follow-up media release alerting the media and community and thanking the funders for their generous donations.

Client satisfaction

"Wright's involvement in the architecture and delivery of our stakeholder communications has allowed SLSNR to clearly communicate the necessary messages to our community while not detracting resource from our key business 'between the flags'."