One Conference, one party, one CF!!
If you went to conference you are probably just recovering from the dreaded conference flu – I know I am! If you didn’t make it I’m sure that you saw all the fantastic media CF managed to get. This year’s coverage portrayed us a competent, united, professional and national organisation – coined as “media savvy and strategic” by the Guardian.
So what were the highlights?
We kicked it all off on Saturday with a stunning pre conference performance by Christian May on LBC. In the debate in Nick Conrad’s Young London show Christian really held his own – taking the wind out of his opponent’s sails. In fact the Saturday after he was invited back for a post conference discussion and he is set to become a regular on LBC!
We started the Conference on Monday with Michael Rock and Emma Carr (Regional Chair for the North East) on the Today Show, Radio 4. In a discussion with Evan Davis they talked about Conservative Future and also exactly why the Conservative Party does appeal to younger voters.
There was no time for Michael to relax and later that day he talked to Radio 5 – on the Victoria Derbyshire show.
Tuesday was marked by Rowenna Davis’s article in the Guardian – which proved that we are united and professional. Having spotted her as a media plant at our curry night we made a good impression and highlighted our determination and commitment – in Rowenna’s words we are “refreshingly unpresumptuous and non-complacent.”
On Wednesday we got a prime time slot (5.30pm!!) on the BBC News Channel with Hugh Edwards. Regular media mogul Emma Carr chatted to Hugh with two CF delegates, one from Yorkshire CF and one from Aberdeen University CF. This highlighted that CF is not London centric but a national organisation. In fact Hugh said to me afterwards how impressed he was with the professionalism and answers given by our team – not bad coming from a man who has interviewed an array of world leaders!
Michael Rock also gave an interview with Tory Radio later that day – who got it spot on when he labelled him “one of the good guys in politics.”
On Thursday Cameron’s speech inspired an army of proactive CF delegates to talk to the media – from the Wink Ball Wall to BBC news – Sophie Fernandes and Owen Meredith were amongst these bright sparks.
Those were the highlights but that is not to mention the various blogs we got – including plugs from the legendary Tory Bear about our NO2ID rally. Plus we seem to have set the fashion world alight with a certain Cameron accessory featured on the front page of the Metro!
The overall message from this year’s conference media coverage is that we are a united front and must build upon this and work together to ensure victory in the election. There are going to be lots of great media opportunities coming up over the next few months and we can create many more so this is just the beginning.
I will be posting soon regarding the media plans moving forward but in the mean time please do contact me regarding any media and press queries that you have.
michelle.donelan@conservativefuture.com
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