Kathryn Jones' marketing experience
Staffordshire Police, Media and Marketing Manager
While working as Media and Marketing Manager at Staffordshire Police, Kathryn led the public engagement strategy in relation to the environmental protests about the M6 Toll Motorway. A highly emotive subject, the protestors at the time – including the notorious Swampy – had gained sympathy and public support, so reputation management and media relations were critical.
Kathryn developed a communications campaign, which was focused on messaging around the safety aspects and dangers of such protests, including the risks to protestors and emergency services posed by underground barricades. She was responsible for developing the PR strategy adopted by all three forces affected (Staffordshire, West Midlands and West Mercia). This culminated in an unprecedented collaborative press conference – ‘Putting lives at risk – the price of peaceful protest’ – in partnership with the Staffordshire Fire and Ambulance Services, praised by both the Home Office and Central Office of Information.
She also received a Divisional Commanders’ Commendation for successful media strategy she devised for the G8 Summit Retreat for world leaders when it was held at Weston Park in Staffordshire in 1998.