SULPHUR & WHITE

CRITICAL REACTION
★★★★

Interviews

DISTRIBUTION + PARTNERS

The film was released theatrically in the UK and Ireland, driven by a series of Event screenings with the Everyman Cinema Group. These were all sold out and garnered overwhelmingly positive audience responses enhanced by the participation at each one of David Tait and an NSPCC spokesperson. The campaign was bolstered by a significant P&A spend, including a new trailer and key artwork, London Underground and nationwide outdoor campaigns, broad-sheet feature and advertising coverage, impact outreach through a roster of media and corporate partners and PR across press, social media, talent management and the premiere run by leading PR agency DDA and DDA Live.

On a cinema level, we had support from the Everyman Group, VUE and Odeon Cinemas. It also played as part of the Glasgow Film Festival in the prime slot of the first Friday evening, as a special run at the Queens Film Theatre in Belfast and at other select cinemas across the UK and Ireland. The Everyman Group were particularly engaged on an Event Cinema level and offered venues across the country for introductions and Q&As.  Each one was targeted through their audience network and the film team’s outreach campaign – to sold out results, ranging from Canary Wharf (focused on the financial sector) to Belfast, Manchester and Liverpool (focused on the NSPCC, football clubs and the producers’ local network) and back to Kings Cross and Liverpool Street to target City audiences, banks and key corporates. 

We had seen strong regional screenings in Cardiff, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham and York which were planned before theatres were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but should be rescheduled when they reopen. 

MARKETING AND PR CAMPAIGN

On a marketing level, the NSPCC worked closely with the distributor Modern Films. Together we put together a campaign and impact outreach plan that went widely across grassroots and commercial networks. The P&A expanded to a new trailer and key artwork, London Underground Gold Spot run, London and regional Outdoor Digital Billboards through Talon, print and online advertising in top broadsheets, weeklies and monthly magazines, an extensive targeted audience and wider awareness drive, paid and organic social media, promotional partnerships with grocery chains and a major health club group and advocacy mail-outs through a long list of corporate and financial institutions.

Through the in-kind support of the agency Exposure, we created a further set of social assets to target David Tait’s network and to highlight his fundraising achievements with the NSPCC through his public speaking engagements and his Mt Everest climbs.

DDA PR & Social implemented a well-rounded UK publicity campaign for Sulphur & White, targeting a wide range of press across print, broadcast, online and social media to impact our target audiences. Using the wealth of talent available, plus the incredible story of David Tait, we were able to secure key press breaks across all of our target media, highlights including numerous television appearances on; BBC Breakfast, ITV This Morning, Sky News, ITV London & Sunday Brunch running alongside in-depth talent interviews and features promoting the films messaging across  both print and online spheres, in conjunction with a comprehensive grassroots campaign alongside the NSPCC.

TALENT INTERVIEWS: PRINT

BROADCAST

online

SOCIAL

63.2m total reach | 1.4m owned content reach | 500k owned content views

DAVID’S STATEMENT

The film is derived from a manuscript I wrote in 2007 after the completion of my second of five Everest ascents, before which I disclosed that I had been “one of those children the NSPCC pledges to protect.” Over a decade, the manuscript morphed into a script then film, shot in both London and South Africa which depicts my childhood and adult life. In doing so it also depicts the actuality of sexual abuse, but most importantly demonstrates the collateral damage an abused can inflict on those so close, but finally that there is possible redemption, when one discovers someone who loves you without reservation. The film is without doubt a true love story.

The purpose of the film is to raise awareness of the reality of child sexual abuse, the collateral impact an abused can have on those around him and lastly just how important support is in recovery. The film focuses on both physical and mental health issues and clearly shows the necessity of the NSPCC. The awareness of sexual abuse garnered by the charity from the film should be significant.

 The film’s Gala Premiere in the company of Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex [the NSPCC’s patron] whose presence was pivotal and magnetic to both influencer guests and press coverage. Also, many corporations, have regarded Her Royal Highness's attendance and support as a “free compliance” pass allowing themselves to participate and endorse the movie. 

The hope is that the film encourages open conversation regarding the child sexual abuse topic. Many films have understandably focused on the physical elements of abuse, but few have previously focused on the mental health repercussions or “collateral damage”. There is one final and crucial element - redemption. Many children and later adults give up and jump. This story is one of hope. 

Read more about David and his story here.

CORPORATE + CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT

Through David Tait and the NSPCC’s networks, the film amassed a group of leading corporate advocacy and celebrity/industry/political endorsements, including:

CORPORATE

CELEBRITY / INDUSTRY / POLITICAL