At SASS media Ltd, we will support you in good times and bad when it comes to your dealings with the media.
In the last few weeks, we’ve accompanied Martins Ushie and his colleagues at Afro Kings Barbershop, as he was interviewed by ITV, the BBC and Zetland FM.
The media attention came after we put out a press release during mental health awareness week.
There was great interest in the former Army corporal’s safe haven, which he has created within his barber shop for men to talk about their mental health.
This is something which has been of paramount importance to Martins, who left the Army three years ago having witnessed the mental health struggles of his comrades.
Martins was one of the first members of the Black Creatives and Arts Network (BCAN), established in 2022 to be a community for black creatives to network, connect and collaborate in the North-east.
BCAN, which is part of Taste of Africa Northeast, includes musicians, writers, designers, filmmakers, content creators, chefs, and more.
The inaugural BCAN Showcase was held at Teesside University last year which was a celebration of artistic expression and entrepreneurship.
When the TV cameras arrived at Afro Kings, we were on hand to support Martins and his staff with what can be a nerve-wracking prospect.
We accompanied Martins to radio interviews to talk about what can be a delicate subject and we also took our own high-quality images for print media, to eliminate the need for press photographers to attend the shop.
Through Martins story, we have achieved some excellent media coverage for both the Afro Kings barber shop and BCAN.
This has been a fantastic ‘good news’ story about an entrepreneur who has created something unique within his business for the benefit of the local community.
However, we can also support businesses when something goes wrong and they find themselves the focus of adverse media attention.
When we take on new clients, we talk to them at length about any risks within their business and the potential for adverse publicity in scenarios where someone is unhappy with a product or service or if something terrible happens within their workplace.
Nobody likes to think about the things that can go wrong in a business, especially disasters that could attract media attention, but by preparing in advance for these scenarios ‘just in case,’ we can help you put your best foot forward, should the worst happen.
What’s more, we can deal with the media on your behalf during these times, by directing journalists’ calls to us.
Should a journalist visit your premises, we can also be on hand to help you deal with the situation calmly and effectively.
Of course, our favourite times are when we are able to proactively support businesses to achieve positive media coverage, like in the case of Martins, Afro Kings and BCAN.
We are looking forward to continuing our work with the charity A Taste of Africa Northeast and meeting some more interesting individuals and businesses through this work!
For a no obligation chat about how we can support your business or organisation with your publicity requirements, please contact Sarah Walker on 07896 894538.