The Bristol office of placemaking PR agency Social Communications has helped highlight the work of an educational charity launched by TV architect George Clarke to encourage children and young people to pursue careers in the built environment.
Launched by the presenter of Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces in 2017, the Ministry of Building Innovation and Education (MOBIE) runs new technical and vocational courses alongside schools’ outreach programmes. 
Social Communications, which opened its office in Bristol last year, supported MOBIE in sharing the love for well-designed homes and neighbourhoods with heart and soul – helping to create the strategy for the charity’s #lovehome agenda.
An Instagram and Twitter-led campaign, #lovehome was designed to generate conversation and engagement around the spirit of home and robust communities on the run up to a key government summit on the built environment.
MOBIE posed two questions across social media: first asking the general public ‘What makes your house a home?’
Responses ranged from family and friends, to watching children playing, Saturday brunches, Sunday lunches; through to dogs, cats, even comic book collections.
The question was asked the day before the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s ‘Better Design for Better Places’ conference and on the stage itself – as George, pictured, also asked influencers a second question directly during his keynote speech the: ‘How do we design and make homes our kids will love when they grow up?’
Social Communications led the social media engagement, created and populated a campaign microsite and coordinated guest filmed content from members of the public and several schools.
George Clarke said: “The agency’s social media and influencer connection strategy celebrated both the spirit of home and the importance of people-first design to the shaping of strong communities of the future.
“Social Communications helped highlight my charity’s agenda by posing pivotal questions to influencers and the general public alike as the crux of the content strategy. MOBIE has collated these valuable responses and will continue to use this key user generated content across its activities in 2019.”
Social Communications director of PR Ben Lowndes added: “We believe in work that changes lives and love creating impactful campaigns. Given our agency’s planning, property and placemaking credentials, George’s charity is a cause close to our heart.”
Social Communications also has offices in Manchester and Leeds.
