Prolific North Award Winner
Headstock - the Manchester based organisation that creates music-led solutions to mental health issues was awarded the 2024 Prolific North Social Impact Marketing Campaign of the Year.
The award is for Headstock’s impactful ‘Remembering Ian Curtis’ campaign.
L.G. Publicity worked on the media and comms for this campaign, and generated significant local and national media coverage.
In August 2022, news broke that a mural of former Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis on Port Street, Manchester, had been painted over with an advert to promote the debut album from rapper, Aitch.
The thought-provoking mural of Curtis, who died by suicide, was created by street artist Akse and commissioned by Headstock ahead of World Mental Health Day to highlight the heartbreak of a very tragic moment in Manchester’s history and increase awareness of Shout, a mental health text support service.
The overnight covering of Curtis’ mural triggered outrage from musicians, politicians and the wider local community.
A new site for the mural was eventually found - the wall on the side of The Star & Garter, a renowned indie music venue steeped in music and cultural history.
After the mural was finished by Akse, Headstock contacted Peter Hook - the co-founder of Joy Division and friend of Ian’s - to have a one-off Joy Division themed fundraising gig with his band, Peter Hook & The Light in the Star & Garter – with all proceeds going to Shout. Peter immediately agreed.
The event, took place on Friday 12th April 2024, and included a Q&A with Peter, Ian Curtis’ best friend, Kelvin Briggs.
200 fans were treated to a truly memorable, musical, moment in time.
Hooky’s band played the original setlist from Joy Division’s first ever gig at Pips, Manchester in 1978 – followed by Joy Division’s greatest hits.
To help promote the gig and drive awareness, L.G Publicity arranged a partnership with indie music radio station XS Manchester and facilitated two packed press days with Peter.
In total the campaign generated more than 40 pieces of media coverage, driving widespread awareness across Greater Manchester, and beyond.
The Peter Hook gig was a huge success and raised an incredible £18,340 for Shout. This money will help pay for 1,834 potentially life-saving conversations with Shout’s team of trained volunteers for people struggling to cope with life.
Headstock's mission is to create change by changing the conversation around mental health. This campaign is the embodiment of that mission, as a result of this campaign, more people in Greater Manchester are now aware of the charity’s lifesaving text support service than ever before.
Congratulations to the brilliant team at Headstock on this fantastic, and much deserved award.