Green Party's mayoral bid secures agency help

by Kate Magee, PR Week UK 11-Jan-08

The Green Party has called in a PR agency to aid its London mayoral candidate Sian Berry in her bid to achieve a strong showing in this year's election.

As well as devising the campaign's PR strategy, Global Tolerance will
advise the three-strong internal press team on implementing a number of
planned stunts and events ahead of the election on 1 May. The agency

specialises in working with religious and ethical clients.

Agency founder and MD Simon Cohen said a key priority would be to raise
Berry's personal profile by positioning her as an ordinary young
Londoner, separate from the 'celebrity-oriented' London political
scene.

He added: 'We want to show that the Green Party is interested in a range
of issues including sustainability, transport, policing and affordable
housing'.

Berry will be arguing that a greener London is a more affordable one.
'She wants to show that you do not need to be loaded to be green,' said
Cohen.

The campaign team will mainly focus on the broadcast media, but will
also expand the campaign's use of social networking.

Cohen identified The Guardian, The Independent and The Daily Mirror as
priority press for the campaign. Berry currently writes a blog for the
New Statesman.

Meanwhile, Conservative mayoral candidate Boris Johnson is preparing to
spend up to £1m on his battle to oust Ken Livingstone as Mayor of
London, it was reported this week.

The Australian election guru Lynton Crosby, who masterminded the Tories'
2005 general election campaign, was recently hired to oversee the
campaign and Johnson is thought to be planning to unveil a string of
high profile advisers during the coming weeks to counter his image as
gaffe-prone.

Labour will also pour resources into the drive to keep Livingstone in
office, and his campaign is one of the party's top priorities.