Baby Week Bradford
Campaign Management 2018-2024
My work on Baby Week Bradford is up there with my proudest.
As Senior Communications Officer at Better Start Bradford I managed the marketing and communications for Baby Week Bradford for seven years, improving and developing it each year.
A campaign of this nature plays to my strengths as I love working on a whole project, managing and executing its many parts, and putting my creative stamp on the whole lot.
At a strategic level, this involved:
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Working in tandem with the Baby Week Bradford coordinator, and being part of a district-wide steering group
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Interpreting and packaging the annual theme, both visually and in writing, to make it accessible and engaging
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Planning and managing all marketing and communications activity, usually running from July to November each year
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Briefing and managing colleagues and external suppliers, including designers, photographers and videographers
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Reviewing, evaluating and developing the campaign year-on-year
On a practical level, it involved:
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Writing and editing – lots of it!
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Key messages and standard copy about the campaign, adapted for different audiences and channels
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Website copy for multiple pages
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Key message resources, using raw content from multiple sources to create cohesive resources for early years practitioners and parents
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Copy for leaflets, posters and adverts
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Newsletter articles
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Guidance and briefing documents
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Creating dedicated web pages and keeping them updated throughout
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With colleagues, creating social media posts, including bespoke images in line with the visual identity
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Producing information and resources for communications teams in partner organisations to help them publicise the week efficiently and effectively
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Producing event resources
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Collating website and social media statistics, comparing them to previous years and analysing the performance of specific posts
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Creating round-up videos and reports to capture the week
Inevitably, I strayed here and there into events management, and even delivered my own activity during Baby Week Bradford 2024 (with the help of a giant flamingo). I also had the original idea for The Baby Week Wiggle...
Mini case studies
Packaging the theme: 2024
In 2024, the theme chosen in Bradford was play. I came up with the title 'Playful Starts and Happy Hearts' and commissioned our designer to create a series of playful shapes, including a heart, of course.
This title and accompanying graphics were used across all marketing and communications activities and became the glue that held the campaign together. Its versatility meant it could be used in the title of the flagship family event 'The Happy Hearts Play Day' and the early years resource pack 'The Happy Hearts Play Pack'.
The title, graphics, core messaging — along with resources and templates — gave all partner organisations a foundation from which to organise and publicise their own events and activities without having to start with a blank page or reinvent any wheels. It also meant the campaign maintained a consistent voice despite being delivered by many different organisations.
The Babble Bundle (2022)
The Babble Bundle was the first resource pack for early years settings, and was named to reflect the theme of speech, language and communication.
I wanted a way that early years settings could take part in Baby Week Bradford without needing to attend events. This way they could create their own in-house activities tailored to their own groups. It had a secondary purpose as promotion for the week, with settings able to spread the word to the families they worked with.
It contained bitesize information and activity ideas around speech, language and communication, branded bunting, stickers, posters and a programme for the week. It was posted out to 120 settings.
The Baby Week Wiggle (2023)
The Baby Week Wiggle was the result of a creative collaboration, beginning with an idea I had while taking part in a dance fit class.
The theme was health and nutrition, and I wanted to think of a way that this could be brought to life in a really tangible and accessible way. What better way than a simple dance!
The idea was brought to life by Faye Kenny, resident genius at BoomChikkaBoom. She wrote the song (along with her nephew) and developed the dance moves. The brief was to focus on 'wiggly movements' inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Jack and the Beanstalk.
The brilliant video was made by Punjabi Roots. In 2024 it was rolled out nationally and now lives on the Baby Week website for anyone to use as part of their own Baby Weeks.
It's endlessly versatile, not to mention a lot of fun! (Go on, give it a go...)
History and toolkit publication
Better Start Bradford wanted to document and celebrate eight years of leading Baby Week Bradford on behalf of the Bradford district – a campaign I had been heavily involved in.
I wrote and designed the report, including a year-by-year summary, the key ingredients required to run a successful Baby Week - and the benefits of doing so - and some top tips.
My two favourite round-up videos
As part of the evaluation of Baby Week Bradford I created a number of round-up videos to capture the week. I'm no hotshot filmmaker – as you will see – but I used what resources I had (some data, some lovely photos, feedback from participants, PowerPoint and some simple video editing software) and these were the results.
The 2019 video was my first and still gives me goosebumps. It was only the second year we'd run Baby Week Bradford and so much was achieved that year. The 2024 video was my final one, and I'm really proud of it and all the work it represents.