The London Mint Office has launched a PR campaign based around the creation of a new landmark memorial at Waterloo Station to reflect its status as a leading expert in producing commemorative coins and medals in the UK. Working as a partner with charity Waterloo 200 it has created the UK’s first War Memorial to honour the ordinary soldiers of the Anglo-Allied and Prussian soldiers who died at the Battle of Waterloo.
The installation and VIP launch event was orchestrated by PR agency Loudmouth PR, with the 9th Duke of Wellington unveiling the Waterloo Memorial in front of a live audience, and press from around the world including BBC News and ITV News, as part of the commemorative activity taking place to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. The campaign also featured pre-launch press activity to build awareness and interest in the event and build relationships with key stakeholders including Ambassadors, descendants and media to optimise attendance on the day and a radio day with multiple interviews across regional and national radio stations.
To demonstrate its skills and expertise, the London Mint Office created a replica of the Waterloo Campaign Medal (the medal commissioned by the Duke of Wellington to be given to every soldier or their family) in solid bronze to a giant 65cm diameter to form the centrepiece of the new Memorial. The Waterloo Memorial features a dedication to the soldiers who gave their lives, carved in stone, along with a poignant quote from the ‘Iron Duke’: “My heart is broken by the terrible loss I have sustained in my old friends and companions and my poor soldiers. Believe me, nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.” The Memorial also has a permanent dedication to The London Mint Office.
The Waterloo Campaign Medal is currently being marketed by The London Mint Office in its portfolio of products created with charity Waterloo 200 as part of the bicentenary commemorations for the Battle. It is giving away 500,000 free medals to UK households as a joint initiative with Waterloo 200 and Worcestershire Medal Service.
The launch event also featured talks from veteran broadcaster John Snow, Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter, Chairman of Waterloo 200 and James Deeny, Managing Director at The London Mint Office. A number of descendants of soldiers who fought at the Battle of Waterloo also attended and gave interviews to the press about their descendants’ stories and what the London Mint Office’s new memorial meant to them. Ambassadors and embassy representatives from the countries representing the Allied forces (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Russia and the Netherlands) also attended.
James Deeny, Managing Director of The London Mint Office, said: “Loudmouth PR thought big with this project and have pulled off a major PR event that has got us noticed in global media – and which will ensure that our name is seen – along with our medal – by the millions of people who visit Waterloo Station every year, for years to come.”
Susan Perolls, Director at Loudmouth PR, added: “The London Mint Office is passionate about history and medals. So what better way to demonstrate this than with a stunning memorial that showcases their expertise and reflects their enthusiasm for medals and history.”
Coverage for the event is still coming in, but on the day the story was covered extensively throughout the day by broadcasters including BBC news channels and radio, ITV news and London Live and on the following day across national press titles.
The 200th Anniversary of Waterloo is on 18th June 2015.