Keyline’s initiative was framed within its “Breaking New Ground” marketing strategy, emphasising big conversations, sustainable leadership and innovative thinking.

The primary objectives of the campaign included:

– Raising awareness about road runoff pollution and its environmental impact.

– Establishing Keyline as a thought leader and resource for sustainable drainage solutions to key audiences (tier 1 contractors, design engineers).

– Encouraging collaboration among contractors and the supply chain.

–  Achieving at least 50 whitepaper downloads to grow Keyline’s network of relevant contacts.

To kick off the campaign, OneAgency organised a roundtable event that brought together industry leaders, academics, and government representatives. Chaired by Gavin Pearson, editor of New Civil Engineer, this event facilitated critical discussions on road runoff pollution.

Logistics, room dressing, merchandise, media briefings and filming were coordinated and delivered by the OneAgency team.

The insights gathered during this four-hour session were invaluable, with attendees expressing their surprise at the depth of knowledge shared. Alasdair Reisner, Chief Executive of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, remarked, “I’ve learnt more in the last two hours about this subject than I have in the last ten years.”

This gathering set the stage for Keyline to emerge as a leading voice on this pressing issue.

The discussions from the roundtable were distilled into a detailed whitepaper that served as an educational resource for industry stakeholders.

This document highlighted the challenges posed by road runoff pollution and proposed actionable solutions.

To maximise reach, OneAgency designed a dynamic landing page featuring engaging content from the event and infographics. By gating the whitepaper, Keyline captured valuable audience data – 90 downloads from key prospects were recorded shortly after the launch. 

The campaign also leveraged targeted email marketing and social media strategies, achieving 113,774 impressions on LinkedIn with a modest ad spend of £750.

The campaign’s success was bolstered by strategic media outreach. Keyline secured editorial features in top trade publications such as New Civil Engineer, Highways UK and Smart Water Magazine, generating significant interest in road runoff pollution.

This coverage reached an impressive total circulation of 2,190,560, ensuring that Keyline remained at the forefront of industry discussions.

To further solidify its leadership position, Keyline established several working groups post-roundtable to continue addressing road runoff issues collaboratively.

The impact of this thought leadership campaign has been profound:

– Increased visibility for Keyline as an expert in sustainable drainage solutions, elevating the brand to its key audiences
– National Highways is moving forward with its Water Quality Plan, and Keyline is well-positioned to support and advise
– Enhanced relationships with design houses seeking information on sustainable drainage practices.

The Technical Team is building industry connections and receiving greater interest; George Woollard, Technical Director at Keyline, stated “We have gained significant attention and attracted support and interest from a much wider range of the relevant demographic than we would have believed we could. We’ve found SuDS can be underspecified on some projects and we’re helping to change that.

Keyline’s proactive approach has positioned it as an essential player in discussions surrounding road runoff pollution. This initiative not only highlights Keyline’s commitment to sustainability but also strengthens collaboration within the civil engineering community – an inspiring legacy for all involved.