Positioning ESP Play as a leader in the playground market

introduction

ESP Play, a UK playground manufacturer and installer, had bold ambitions to triple sales and widen reach beyond its stronghold in education to the lucrative commercial sector. But, the company faced a dual challenge: over-reliance on face-to-face sales limiting its audience reach and no clear comms strategy meant it was failing to stand out against other more established playground providers.

Smoking Gun’s mission was to create a distinct and memorable positioning for the brand that would excite both audience groups and establish ESP Play as THE playground experts.

Objectives

Increase brand awareness by dominating share of voice
Build trust and credibility by establishing ESP as the playground experts
Widen reach beyond its core education sector
Develop a comms positioning that will drive standout

strategy

The playground sector was saturated with rational communications, with providers pushing products and features. No one was innovating in a category meant to inspire play and imagination.

Smoking Gun identified an opportunity to be disruptive in the sector by shifting the narrative from what is made to why it matters and root comms in emotional engagement.

Amid this backdrop, Smoking Gun unearthed a powerful insight: Kids are being short-changed. At a time when physical and mental health is top of the news agenda, and we are more aware of the benefits of physical activity. Playtime is in decline.

This revelation sparked the birth of “The Playvolution,” a bold campaign aimed at celebrating the transformative power of play.

The campaign was part of a movement to rally educators, commercial stakeholders, and families around a singular mission: to reclaim playtime for children everywhere.

This campaign positioned ESP Play as more than just a manufacturer – they became champions for children’s right to play.

Campaign messaging focused on three core pillars:

Addressing barriers to playground access
Highlighting play’s role in child development
Establishing ESP Play as the definitive authority on playground development

implementation

The Playvolution campaign began with an authoritative piece of content – The Play Gap Report – spotlighting neglected playgrounds in deprived areas and advocating for essential safety inspections.

This report utilised Freedom of Information requests to gather data from every local authority in the UK, revealing how much was spent on building and maintaining playgrounds.

We collaborated with a leading expert in children’s mental health to analyse the implications of inadequate playgrounds on child well-being. Additionally, we conducted a survey of parents to capture their experiences with playgrounds, providing valuable news angles.Through the Play Gap Report, ESP Play aimed to educate communities on the value of investing in quality playgrounds.The campaign also included the community initiative ‘Play It Forward,’ where we partnered with Variety, The Children’s Charity, to pledge £50,000 towards designing and building a playground for a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school. This collaboration not only showcased ESP Play’s commitment to social impact but also generated significant engagement on social media, complemented by ESP Play representatives attending Variety events and connecting with influential figures in the property and SEND sectors.

By positioning ESP Play as industry thought leaders, Smoking Gun crafted compelling, authentic narratives that championed children’s right to play. This bold approach, combined with strategic partnerships, ensured a consistent presence across various media channels.

This disruptive approach not only elevated ESP Play’s brand visibility and sales, but also positioned them as a trusted playground brand on a mission to improve the lives of children.

results

258

pieces of earned media coverage, including nine national placements

238 million

estimated potential reach

Secured an industry-leading 47% average share of voice

with monthly peaks reaching 77%

60

average domain authority, boosting ESP Play’s online visibility

35% increase in year-on-year sales

with the campaign’s success translated directly into business results

client impact

"I was speechless when we landed national newspaper coverage and TV interviews.”

“We are very proud of the skill, experience and work ethic at ESP Play and Smoking Gun PR did an amazing job communicating that to potential customers across the UK. The work they did in securing coverage in construction and education trade titles was incredibly helpful to our business.”