MS&L Worldwide

MS&L London won a European Excellence Award in the Health category for its work on the Health & Safety Executive (HSE)’s ‘Asbestos - The Hidden Killer’ campaign at a gala event held in Vienna last week.

The objective of the campaign was to raise awareness amongst workmen of the dangers of exposure to asbestos. Around twenty workmen a week die in the UK from asbestos-related diseases. MS&L was asked to work with HSE to try and stop another generation of workmen having their lives cut short. Using a simple football analogy to generate interest among the target audience, ex-England footballer, Ian Wright spearheaded the campaign. The story featured on the news agenda-setting BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and generated blanket TV, press and online coverage. By the end of the campaign the HSE saw a 1000% increase in enquiries to the information line and a six fold increase in page requests on their website.

Steve Coldrick, HSE’s asbestos programme director said: “Asbestos remains Britain’s biggest workplace killer, but with the perception that it is largely a risk of the past we needed a hard-hitting PR campaign that would capture the imagination of tradesmen, particularly young ones. Using Ian Wright, a former plasterer, ticked all the boxes for us and delivered great results.”

“We’re pleased that our approach has been recognised and commended by experts in the communications industry. The award is a testament to the good working relationship between HSE’s communications and asbestos programme teams and MSL”

The European Excellence Awards honour outstanding achievement in the PR profession on an international scale. Bringing together the finest work, the awards are coveted by all PR professionals across the region and are presented for only the most outstanding accomplishments within this arena.

The HSE campaign has been shortlisted three times and it is the second time it is an award winner, making it MS&L London’s most celebrated campaign of 2009.