Aston University
Targeting news coverage to inform political debate
As the UK navigates its post-Brexit landscape, understanding the impact of trade agreements on the economy is crucial for policymakers and businesses.
The Aston Centre for Business Prosperity conducts research on trade policy, strategy and resilience, providing insights for policymakers on global trends and dynamics. Centre Director, Professor Jun Du and her colleague Dr Oleksandr Shepotylo have developed a model which shows the impact of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on UK EU trade relations.
“This is an amazing result and underpins the value of what you and your team do beyond the media coverage itself. We are really appreciative of our partnership with Campus PR.”
Sue Smith, Head of Press & Communications, Aston University
The brief
As part of Campus PR’s ongoing work supporting the Aston University Press team, we were asked to publicise the latest report by Professor Du and Dr Shepotylo: “Unbound: UK Trade Post Brexit.”
The 2024 report follows on from an earlier report in 2022, which was supported by Campus PR and attracted significant media interest.
The 2024 analysis revealed a 27% drop in UK exports to, and a 32% reduction in imports from, the EU, as well as a 33% decrease in the variety of products exported from the UK. The report included several recommendations for policy interventions to mitigate these impacts.
Our response
After securing top-tier coverage in 2022, including the FT and BBC Newsnight, we refined our media strategy to maximise impact. We worked closely with the research team, led by Professor Du, to define key messages and target audiences - timing the report’s release just before the 2024 Labour Party Conference to maximise visibility among policymakers.
We developed a press release and secured exclusives with the FT and BBC ahead of publication, working closely with journalists to shape the story.
We also prepared the lead researcher for media interviews and supported media enquiries.
The results
The report was covered on the front page of the FT and on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, where Professor Du was interviewed live. Professor Du was also interviewed across the wider BBC, for Times Radio, ABC (Australia) and DR (Denmark).
In the 24 hours following publication, there were 493 media mentions of the report internationally, including coverage on CNN and in the Independent.
The report was later cited in the House of Commons as part of a Prime Minister’s Question about Government support for small businesses.