# Brain Tumour Research Christmas campaign reached over 120 million in December

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/01/16/brain-tumour-research-christmas-campaign-reached-over-120-million-in-december/
- Published: 2020-01-16T09:00:37+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Brain Tumour Research’s festive social media campaign reached an audience of more
than 120 million people worldwide in December, it has revealed.**

[The Digital Ladder](http://www.thedigitalladder.com) managed six-year-old Lyra 
Cole’s Christmas single – a version of When A Child is Born – in aid of [Brain Tumour Research](https://www.braintumourresearch.org/)
from conception through to video production of the official music video, releasing
the song across major platforms, and social media management.

Lyra (pictured), who lives in Highbridge, is the niece of Jessie Hawkes, Co-Founder
and Creative Director at the Somerset-based agency. Having survived a brain tumour
when she was a baby, she wanted to raise funds for the charity.

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As a result of The Digital Ladder’s online marketing campaign, which saw 136,000
YouTube video views and 175,000 Facebook views, Brain Tumour Research received 226
donations directly via Lyra’s appeal page on its website in December.

 

 

The video has now been listed as one of ITV News Standout Social Media Videos of
the Year for 2019 and the song also reached number 16 in the UK Official Download
Charts. Lyra has also been awarded a [Point of Light Award](https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/when-a-child-is-born/)
from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Susan Castle-Smith, Head of PR for Brain Tumour Research said:

> “It’s been a tremendous success for us, and we want to thank everyone involved
> in helping raise so much money and awareness for the charity. We’ve had donations
> totalling more than £4,000, not including sales from the song, and Lyra’s story
> generated more than 600 pieces of PR coverage, reaching around 120 million people.
> Her single was featured on BBC Breakfast, ITV network news and This Morning, as
> well as receiving widespread in the newspapers and online.
> “Our social media posts about Lyra have reached 682,000 people and Lyra’s page
> and our Lyra-related bulletins on our website have attracted more than 14,000 
> visitors.
> “Our stats also show us that Lyra’s story is reaching people who hadn’t previously
> been involved with the charity, many of whom have asked to know more about our
> work, and this is really important to us. Brain tumours kill more children and
> adults under the age of 40 yet, historically, just 1% of the national spend on
> cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. We are determined
> to change this and Lyra, her family and The Digital Ladder have done so much to
> help us get our message out there.”

Jessie Hawkes, Co-Founder and Creative Director at The Digital Ladder, said:

> “Our campaign, in partnership with Brain Tumour Research, drove unprecedented 
> levels of website traffic and publicity for the charity. It was wonderful to be
> involved in such an inspiring project.”
> “It took the UK by storm and made it to the top of the Amazon Music Chart, and
> we’re all really proud of what we’ve achieved in helping the charity and raising
> invaluable funds and awareness for it. I am particularly proud of Lyra who has
> been brilliant throughout and is a real inspiration to us all.”

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