Every November the nation stops to remember, and the Poppy Appeal set out to make it a record year: 300,000 volunteers distributing 46 million poppies, with the aim of raising 42 million pounds. For The Royal British Legion, we built a broadcast PR campaign around Remembrance Sunday and the official Poppy Appeal single, which was aiming for number one. We put the singer and songwriter behind the single on air across a radio day of interviews, telling listeners how the appeal supports the whole Armed Forces family. The campaign secured 16 items of radio coverage reaching 2.1 million people, from BBC Radio Solent to BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Norfolk.
The Royal British Legion wanted to raise awareness of the official Poppy Appeal single and position the appeal as support for the whole Armed Forces family.
The message
The Poppy Appeal mobilises 300,000 volunteers to distribute 46 million poppies, aiming to raise 42 million pounds, and the Legion spends 1.7 million pounds a week on welfare work.
The angle
This year's Poppy Appeal aimed to see 300,000 volunteers distribute 46 million poppies and raise a record 42 million pounds. The charity spends 1.7 million pounds a week on care and support, and an official Poppy Appeal single aimed for number one.
On air
The singer and songwriter of the official Poppy Appeal single
The result
16 items of coverage reaching 2.1 million, including BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Cornwall.
About Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday is held on the second Sunday in November to remember those who died in the two world wars and later conflicts. It is marked with services, parades and a two-minute silence at 11am, with the national ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Stations plan their coverage of it in advance, which makes it a strong hook for a broadcast PR campaign.
Planning Remembrance Sunday for 2027?
Remembrance Sunday next falls on Sunday 14 November 2027. Talk to the team about a broadcast PR campaign that gets your spokesperson on radio and TV.
