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Case study: Cambridge University Press

Research-based stories to build awareness and influence

In 2023 Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CUP) launched two journal series called Research Directions and Cambridge Prisms. They have an in-house communications team but they are stretched thin due to their wide suite of publications.

To support their team, Allegory was contracted to build awareness of the series among academics, as well as to build their reputation and visibility within the academic community and national media.

Our response

Allegory began by meeting with the CUP team to discuss what makes a good story and to gather potentially media-friendly abstracts from the new journal series. We assessed a short list of abstracts for newsworthiness, drawing out the relatable and engaging aspects from the more specialised elements. 

We identified the following stories as most likely to gain coverage: 

  • New research points to the risk to human health posed by microplastics and nanoplastics
  • Extinction narratives in Namibian Swakara farming
  • Scientists call for targets to reduce virgin plastic production
  • New research shows how the fear of climate change is preventing action 

Once the abstracts had been chosen, we developed the content into robust stories and began pitching to relevant media. This campaign focused on a mix of national, vertical and trade media, depending on the story’s relevance to the outlet. 

The outcome

We secured notable coverage on the topics of Microplastics and Namibian Swakara sheep in Newsweek and Vogue Business, respectively as well as an op-ed in the Guardian from the CEO of the journal Cambridge Prisms: Plastics.

Allegory has been instrumental in promoting the Cambridge Prisms series of journals. Their PR expertise helped us become part of critical global conversations on addressing major global challenges like the plastics crisis. Allegory successfully positioned us as key players in vital dialogues that aim to shape policies for the betterment of our planet and humanity. Allegory helped us to amplify our voice and influence policymakers with our important research on major global challenges.
Kin Maclachlan
Senior Global Marketing Manager, Cambridge University Press

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