FOI 01099 - Advertising and marketing expenditure
Published 8 December 2020
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Dear [name redacted],
Thank you for your request for information which we received on 30th August and again on 11th September 2019. We have treated your enquiry as a formal request under access to information legislation. This legislation requires RWM, as a publicly funded organisation, to disclose information that we hold unless it is not in the public interest to do so.
1. Your request
In March 2019, BEIS approved £1,230,000 for use on advertising and marketing “to identify a willing host and a suitable site for the construction of a Geological Disposal Facility, as the safest and secure long-term solution for dealing with the UK’s legacy of Higher Activity Radioactive Waste”. My request is for a breakdown of this spending, details which media outlets (i.e. The Times, Yorkshire Post etc.) and media platforms (i.e. local radio, Instagram etc. The request is for the period from March 27, 2019 to August 30, 2019 - or the most recent date available.
2. Our response
In setting out our spend breakdown below, it is important to underline that this does not constitute a typical ‘marketing’ campaign which brings with it significant advertising and promotional spend. Our work is focused on the provision of public information to raise national awareness and understanding about the important issue of radioactive waste management.
As Radioactive Waste Management (RWM), our remit includes the delivery of government policy on implementing geological disposal for higher activity radioactive waste. This is a mission of national importance, and communities must be at the heart of the process set out in policy by the UK and Welsh Governments to site a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). A key element of this policy is that a GDF can only be located where the local community is willing to host the facility and where a technically suitable site can be identified.
RWM was established by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to deliver geological disposal and provide waste management solutions. This involves ensuring that the general public understands the need to take action and deliver a long term radioactive waste management solution, removing the burden from future generations. It also involves making available the right levels of information that will help people to determine if a GDF is right for their communities.
RWM’s activity since the launch of the new policies on GDF siting has therefore been focused on developing materials and providing the information required to engage with the general public and interested parties. We are still in this very early phase of engagement with stakeholders and communities and would be happy to meet and discuss our role going forward.
RWM is pleased to provide you with the following information in relation to your request covering the spend to date since March 2019:
Advertising: £0 Market research: Research, Focus groups, Quantitative survey £123,818 Digital activity: Website development, Digital animations £49,224 Events: Exhibitor packages at conferences, Portable exhibition design and kit costs £77,026 Printing and publications: Presentation materials, Sector engagement materials, Translations £32,021 Marketing activities: £0 Consultation activities: £0 Communication strategy, planning, concept and proposition testing and development: Strategic advice and guidance, Engagement planning £68,794 Public relations (PR) activity: £0 Total spend to date £350,883.00
We hope that this meets with your approval but if you are dissatisfied with the way in which RWM has dealt with your request, you have the right to require us to review our actions and decisions. If you wish to request a review, please write to me at the address below or via e-mail within 40 working days. You will receive a full response to your request for review within 20 working days of its receipt.
If you are subsequently dissatisfied with the way in which we have handled your request for review, you may ask the Information Commissioner to review our decision. You must submit your complaint to the Commissioner within 6 months of receiving the response to review letter. The Commissioner’s Office may be contacted via https://www.ico.org.uk