In the ever evolving world that is sponsorship PR, there are two factors that increasingly hit our radar again and again:

1. A client’s request to come up with an idea that is unique, something never been done before, one that will grip news editors, secure acres of coverage, go down in history. Ideally the idea should also be engaging, clever and memorable. And must reward customers too.

No mean feat – a new, engaging, rewarding killer idea.
Leave it with us.

2. The power of celebville. The obsession with celebrities and fame, Heat headlines and Hello! ‘exclusives’ which shows no signs of truly waning. People yearn to be famous particularly those with no discerning talent. Shame on them. I don’t get it but then I don’t actively choose to be the centre of attention, preferring to promote clients; make them more famous for what they do, rather then me.

However, an idea that recently caught my eye is one that manages to combine the two – a never been done before corker that will guarantee headlines and media coverage across the land. And at the same time, a stunt that will make normal beings famous. Give an everyday Joe his 15 seconds of fame. Although in this case, it will be a whole hour; an impressive 3,600 seconds.

And I love it enough to (temporarily) abandon my ‘I really don’t want to be in the limelight, honestly I blush very easily’ genes and sign up for my very own moment in the media spotlight.

Those that live in London will almost certainly be familiar with the Fourth Plinth. Those who don’t juggle their evening commute reading between London Lite, the London Paper and the Evening Standard may be happily oblivious so here goes; the Fourth Plinth is in the north-west of Trafalgar Square. Built in 1841, it was originally intended for an equestrian statue but remained empty for years. It is now the location for specially commissioned art works. The most talked about commission unveiled on the Fourth Plinth was Marc Quinn’s sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant which was taken down in October 2007.

Lapper was born with no arms and shortened legs. Quinn’s inspiration came from the fact that there was ‘no positive representation of disability in the history of public art’.

Controversial? Absolutely. Powerful enough to change peoples’ perceptions of disability and motherhood. Definitely. It was widely viewed as a success, capturing the attention of the public and global media alike.

Alison Lapper has long gone. Thomas Schütte’s Model for a Hotel 2007, unveiled in November 2007, is currently on the Fourth Plinth.

But it’s a future resident of the Plinth that I am most interested by; Antony Gormley’s ‘One and Other’. Antony Gormley and Yinka Shonibare (to follow later in the year) were chosen from a shortlist of six artists. Gormley? I know the name. English sculptor, Londoner by birth, him of Angel of the North fame, erected in Gateshead back in 1998. And a range of other public sculpture commissions.

For ‘One and Other’, Antony is looking for 2,400 members of the public who have volunteered to stand on the plinth for an hour at a time.

I love it. It’s a cracker. And so simple. I’m inspired and I find myself wanting to be part of it.

The official line from Gormley is “Through elevation onto the plinth and removal from common ground, the subjective living body becomes both representation and representative, encouraging consideration of diversity, vulnerability and the individual in contemporary society’.

Hmmmm, I’m not so sure that did it for me Ant. My motivation is driven by an opportunity to be part of history in a vibrant city in which I have lived for the past 9 years. Perhaps also because Trafalgar Square, location of the Fouth Plinth, holds happy memories for me. Having worked on the historic npower Ashes Series of 2005, I was privileged to watch the England cricket team’s victorious tour parade perched on some tall column owned by a chap called Nelson. Top view, what a summer. And the final brucie bonus is that it’s nice and close to the office; easy to squeeze in my hour of plinth service between meetings. Convenience is everything.

I applaud Antony Gormley for his creative concept and I high five the Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group for choosing it. When you see Gormley’s Fourth Plinth unveiled, whenever that is, think of me. Website ballot permitting, I will be there soaking up the spotlight. Me, myself and I.
For one hour only.

By Stephanie Branston on July 24th, 2008

Tags: Ashes, Public relations, Sponsorship, The Arts