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Delivering high-impact results for highly sensitive stories

introduction

When Landwood Group was appointed to sell a Beaconsfield mansion under the Proceeds of Crime Act following a high-profile fraud case – they needed media specialists who could handle the complexities of a sensitive property story.

The property was linked to the high-profile fraud involving Royal Mail and emerged during the highly publicised Post Office scandal, making careful management of the narrative essential.

Landwood turned to Smoking Gun’s B2B team to create a media moment that showcased the property’s value and desirability while ensuring the challenging backstory didn’t dominate the headlines.

Objectives

  • Craft controlled messaging to present the property positively while managing the sensitive nature of its background
  • Secure coverage that drives enquiries 
  • Target national and regional audiences of potential buyers

strategy

Research revealed the property’s location in a high-profile neighbourhood, home to celebrities like Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, adding an extra layer of newsworthiness.

This combined with the property’s impressive value and features became the focal points of our messaging.

We developed a watertight client quote that emphasised the property’s desirability and market value, carefully addressing but not highlighting the sensitive backstory. By collaborating with trusted media contacts, we ensured the story was handled with precision, leading with the property’s appeal rather than its complex history.

results and evaluation

47

pieces of high-impact coverage across top-tier outlets

14 national hits

including ITV.com, The Independent, Sky News, Evening Standard, BBC News, MailOnline and The Mirror

Exclusive feature

 in leading trade media title Property Week

355+ million

readers reached, with an average Domain Authority (DA) of 60 

95%

of coverage including spokesperson quote

Successfully sold

property due to a spike in enquiries

client impact

“This coverage successfully increased enquiries and with our expertise, contributed to a successful sale.

James Ashworth, partner at Landwood, commented: “We’ve worked with Smoking Gun for some time and knew they were the right team to handle this story with the precision it needed.

“Given the controversial backstory we anticipated it would make headlines, but we relied on Smoking Gun’s expert guidance to turn it into a success.

“While the backstory was inevitable, our priority was ensuring the property was portrayed as highly desirable, which the coverage achieved and exceeded our expectations.

“As a well-established name in the North West, known for our expert property disposals from commercial lots to buy-to-let portfolios, this story has further cemented our position as the go-to property specialists capable of selling all kinds of high-profile and luxury properties. Smoking Gun has been a key partner in helping us communicate that expertise and drive our growth in the market.”

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