Leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses? New website offers help

Rachel Underhill, a former Jehovah’s Witness so committed to the religion that she refused a life-saving blood transfusion when the birth of her twins went wrong, launched www.exJW-Reunited.co.uk in 2007 to help former Jehovah’s Witnesses share their experiences, offer mutual online support, tap into new resources and contact old friends. The support site was a first for the UK.

Rachel approached marketing consultancy The Source for Website and campaign advice. The Source then teamed up with Aquarius PR to support Web development, provide specialist input into the Website and handle the press launch.  

Objectives

To offer advice regarding the content of www.exJW-Reunited.co.uk; to ensure exJW-Reunited was an intelligent, objective and helpful resource for those seeking information on the Jehovah’s Witnesses; to raise media awareness of the site; to publicise Rachel Underhill’s story of life in the Jehovah’s Witnesses and position her as a ‘go-to’ resource for journalists needing comment on the religion.

Strategy

The Source created the strategic plan for the exJW Website, restructuring the content and interest categories, adding advertising space to support the site financially and advised on alternative marketing communications to drive traffic to the site.

Aquarius PR were then called in to generate factual content for the exJW-Reunited Website. Aquarius PR helped Rachel Underhill write her own personal account of her experiences in the Jehovah’s Witnesses and create a database of useful links.

As Rachel Underhill herself was able to critique the JW religion without bitterness, Aquarius PR felt it was important to ensure exJW-Reunited was not seen as another of many resentful ‘ex-member’ sites littering the internet. To this end, Aquarius PR Religion Consultant David V Barrett (an established and respected writer on New Religious Movements) wrote an objective ‘Facts’ section for the site, exploring the history, beliefs and medical, social and theological controversies surrounding the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

When work on the Website was complete, Aquarius PR released three press releases targeted to the national, religious and local media, using as key messages Rachel’s own dramatic refusal of a blood transfusion; her desperation to leave the religion; the problems she encountered doing so and her determination to help others facing similar situations.

When, a few months after the launch, a young Jehovah’s Witness mother died refusing a blood transfusion in circumstances almost identical to those Rachel Underhill survived, Aquarius PR was able to use this albeit sad opportunity to further raise awareness of Rachel as someone who understood the emotions, heartbreak and practical considerations behind Jehovah’s Witness thinking on this controversial subject. A significant international story, Rachel’s many media appearances provided further opportunities to publicise the existence of exJW-Reunited.co.uk.

Results

Aquarius PR’s efforts generated significant and entirely positive media coverage for exJW-Reunited. PR effort around the initial launch of the Website led to a double page spread in Love It! magazine, coverage in The Times’ Faith Column, a full page story in The Brighton Argus and exposure in the Christian magazine, Inspire. BBC South East TV news ran the launch of exJW-Reunited.co.uk as their lead story, and BBC Southern Counties and specialist religion channel My Spirit Radio also ran interviews with Rachel Underhill. The launch was also picked up by numerous blogs and forums, including the influential New Humanist blog and the Religion News blog.

A second media push following the death of a young Jehovah’s Witness mother who refused a blood transfusion led to major TV coverage on Channel Five news, BBC News 24, GMTV, Lorraine Kelly Today and BBC South East Today. Rachel Underhill gave radio interviews to BBC Radio 2’s The Jeremy Vine Show, BBC 5-Live’s Richard Bacon, BBC Radio 5-Live, BBC Radio Shropshire and BBC Southern Counties. Almost all the national daily newspapers quoted Rachel, with significant features appearing in The Times, The Independent and The Sun. Her story also ran to a full page in The Weekly News and a double page spread in NOW! magazine. She also featured strongly on the BBC and Google News Websites, in the Church Times and Christianity Today magazine, and some foreign newspapers.

At the height of the media campaign, ex-JW-Reunited.co.uk was receiving 150,000 hits per day. The site currently has 59 registered users who have posted 255 articles and continues to attract significant attention.

This media success has also benefited the advertising side of the Website, providing as it does clear evidence of increased awareness and traffic, proving how exjw marketing activity has led to increased exposure for them as hit numbers increase.

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