Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 19.07.2024 
Carousel is a 30 strong team of in-house creative communicators, and though we are based in Manchester, we think, act, and deliver on a national and international scale for our geographically-spread clients.
The company first made its name in PR, representing clients including Selfridges, Dyson, People’s Postcode Lottery and Bestival. In the last decade, Carousel has also developed an award-winning social media, content creation and influencer marketing offering, working with renowned clients from Paddington Bear and Accurist to Bissell, Little Tikes and Moda Living.
Carousel previously took home Social Media Content Campaign of the Year in the 2021 UK Content Awards, alongside Best Use of Instagram in the 2022 UK Social Media Awards and Best Use of Social Media for Entertainment in the 2023 Global Social Media Awards. These continued wins and nominations demonstrate how the team is going from strength-to-strength to produce eye-catching social media content that drives measurable results.
Our nomination:
This year Carousel’s UK Social Media Award nomination for The Best Use of Instagram is for our work with People’s Postcode Lottery. The campaign “Linking Play & Purpose: Powering Charities with Millionaire Street,” aimed to address a significant gap in awareness. Despite People’s Postcode Lottery raising over £1.3 billion for charities, consumers at large were unaware that 33% of every ticket sale goes directly into benefiting charities. Our mission was to change this narrative and drive consideration among consumers by highlighting the charitable impact of playing.
Our strategy involved leveraging Instagram to create eye-catching, heartfelt, and informative content. We focused on a test-and-learn approach, adapting our benchmarks based on performance data. The campaign featured weekly content that highlighted local charities and their impact, resonating with both existing and prospective players.
Implementing this campaign required meticulous planning and creativity. Each week, we produced content featuring a local charity that benefited from people playing People’s Postcode Lottery. Our team travelled extensively, covering over 9,000 miles, to capture genuine moments and stories. Despite challenges such as unknown locations and camera-shy charity members, we adapted quickly to ensure high-quality content.
We utilised Instagram reels to showcase the “you win, they win” scenario, emphasising the dual benefit for players and charities. Our ad spend strategy involved A/B testing to optimise reach and engagement, ensuring the content resonated with targeted audiences.
Being nominated for the UK Social Media Awards 2024 is a significant honour for our team at Carousel. Here’s what of our team members have to say about this achievement:
Margarita McGrath, Social Media Director: “This nomination is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication. It’s incredibly rewarding to see our efforts recognised and to know that our campaign has made a meaningful impact on both the charity beneficiaries and the lottery players. We have enjoyed being an extension of People’s Postcode Lottery’s team and we look forward to continuing working with them on an ongoing basis.”
Tom Cummings, Strategy Director: “Working on this campaign was a unique experience. The stories we encountered and the people we met along the way have left a lasting impression on us. This recognition motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation in social media marketing.”
Want to hear more about Carousel? Stay connected with us through our socials, LinkedIn and Instagram, or contact us here. Follow us for the latest updates and insights into our award-winning campaigns.
