How to implement and co-ordinate a high-profile automotive media campaign for charity

Early in 2025, Red Marlin had the honour of being tasked by our client, H&H Classics, to draw upon our expertise in automotive media campaigns and generate high levels of media interest in order to help maximise charity proceeds around a very worthwhile auction lot.

The auction was of the motorcycle that Hairy Biker, Dave Myers, rode in his final TV series, The Hairy Bikers Go West, before he tragically passed away in 2024, with funds raised going to CancerCare North Lancashire & South Cumbria, NSPCC Childline and The Institute of Cancer Research.

It was a hugely successful auction, with the BSA Gold Star finding a new home for £15,800, three times the bike’s market value.

Read on to find out how to raise interest levels in the media, especially TV, around a charitable cause, ultimately benefitting those who need it most.

Setting the scene with previous experience in automotive media campaigns

While the H&H Classics’ charity auction is a more recent example of Red Marlin’s expertise in PR and media relations in the automotive charity sector, this work was built on firm foundations honed over many years.

For example, our work has resulted in high-profile coverage on the BBC, ITV and Sky for IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s leading road safety charity.

On one occasion our brief was to raise awareness and improve motorcycle rider safety through a targeted PR campaign to grant air jackets a 0% VAT rating, to make them affordable to even more motorcyclists.

Our work resulted in more than 50 pieces of media coverage, a government petition and a prestigious award win for Red Marlin, the ‘Best Not-For-Profit’ campaign at the UK Agency Awards.

Another occasion centred around positioning IAM RoadSmart as a leading voice on the issue of drug-driving, which involved organising a campaign broadcast day with briefing for key spokespeople and the media.

Results included more than 100 media cuttings, radio interviews as well as TV appearances, and a question raised in the House of Lords.

Meanwhile, our work for TyreSafe and its Tyre Safety Month, which involved co-ordinating an advance media and industry briefing, resulted in coverage on BBC News, ITV Good Morning Britain and The One Show, but more importantly it contributed towards a 38% reduction in tyre-related casualties.

New cause deserves same high level of attention

The charity auction of Dave Myer’s bike was for very different charities than that of IAM Roadsmart or TyreSafe, and deserved the same high level of attention for maximum media impact in the run up to the auction, and afterwards to leverage event interest.

Initial work involved managing a media relations campaign with press releases, while our insight identified the appropriate channels to reach people, whether that’s through the mainstream media or 1-to-1 conversations with influential journalists.

This activity prompted quick responses from mainstream broadcasters, among others, which called on Red Marlin’s expertise to handle the logistics for TV shoots, plus providing media training for spokespeople.

A multi-party approach to boost automotive media campaigns

Activity around the charity auction also involved co-ordinating a number of interested partners so each could have a balanced share of voice to promote the worthy cause.

Having multiple voices supporting a campaign not only provides a wealth of expert knowledge and insight, but also further weight and amplification to the messaging.

With Dave Myers’ bike, this meant liaising with various partners – H&H Classics as the auction house, the National Motorcycle Museum as the auction venue, BSA Motorcycles as the bike manufacturer, the three charities and individual spokespeople, including Liliana Myers, Dave’s widow.

Red Marlin’s project management experience of co-ordinating numerous parties, aside from the media, ensured the messaging had a clear voice, approval procedures were handled quickly and efficiently, all parties were constantly kept in the loop, and there was a clear call to action that everyone was agreed upon.

Results matter in automotive media campaigns

All this PR activity had the objective of raising the profile of the charity auction through a variety of media channels, encouraging bidders to dig deep into their pockets for the three good causes.

The result was mainstream national TV coverage on BBC Breakfast News, both ahead of and after the sale.

Other TV channels and programmes which promoted the auction included Channel 5 News, BBC Midlands Today, BBC North West Tonight and ITV Granada Reports.

Away from the small screen there was over 200 pieces of online and print media coverage in more than 30 countries.

Ultimately, the charity auction achieved what it set out to do, with the bike selling for much higher than its market value.

Speaking at the time, Liliana Myers, said: “I’m delighted that Dave’s bike has found a new home and raised proceeds for three very worthy charities close to Dave’s heart.”

Have your voice heard in the media

Red Marlin is proud to have worked on behalf of various charitable causes in the automotive sector.

If your charity could benefit from our PR and marketing expertise with an automotive media campaign, then we’d love to hear from you.

For a free consultation, no obligation chat, please get in touch with us here.