A More ‘Spirited’ Christmas Kiss – The Mistletoe Foundation at Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Market

The town of Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire has for many years played host to the UK’s largest pre-Christmas Holly and Mistletoe market. In 2005, the Tenbury English Mistletoe Enterprise, a consortium of local business people and mistletoe experts, invited Druids from The Mistletoe Foundation to bless the mistletoe in a special ceremony at the market. Aquarius PR, representing The Mistletoe Foundation, saw immediately the potential such an event had to promote an understanding of modern day Druidry and the ancient symbolic and spiritual meaning of mistletoe.

Objectives

To use the Mistletoe Blessing to publicise the existence of Druidry in the 21st century as a living spiritual tradition; to promote The Mistletoe Foundation; to explain the spiritual significant of Mistletoe; to attract publicity for the Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Market.

Strategy

The invitation having already come from the Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Market, Aquarius PR's role was to glean as much positive media coverage for the ceremony and for Druidry as possible. A press release was prepared summarising the sexual, spiritual and historical significance of Mistletoe and emphasising the unique opportunity to publicly witness the re-birth of the ancient tradition of mistletoe blessing. A Photocall notice was also sent to national news picture desks and photo agencies, with more focus on the striking visual elements of the story. 

Measurement and Evaluation

Media coverage exceeded expectations and included GMTV, BSkyB, The Press Association, The Independent, The Times, ITV Central News, BBC TV Midlands Today, BBC Local TV (Birmingham), BBC 3 Counties, BBC Hereford and Worcester, The Shropshire Star, The Worcester Evening News and The Birmingham Post and Mail. International coverage stretched to China, India and Africa. 

Results

The importance of Mistletoe as a spiritual and originally Pagan symbol was established through the extensive media coverage gained, and the existence of The Mistletoe Foundation was brought to public attention. The coverage also helped cement the role of Tenbury Wells as the UK’s Mistletoe capital - important for local businesses and residents as it transpired in the course of the story that the future of the market itself is far from secure, a new location needing to be found within the town, and the publicity gained helping raising awareness of this.



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