Briscoe PR has been supporting Hampshire Street Food Awards and The Big Eat for four years. Founder, Jeremy Gaskin, had a vision to turn The Big Eat into a must-attend celebration of street food culture, honouring local culinary talent while raising funds for charity.
With no entry fee and all profits going to charity, our task was to cut through the noise and make sure Southampton turned up hungry.
Objectives
Build buzz and visibility ahead of the event, attract both attendees and business participants, deliver seamless, high-impact live coverage during the event, and make sure the legacy of the festival continues after the weekend.
Before the event
We developed a comprehensive PR and social media strategy designed to create sustained excitement before, during, and after the festival. Our strategy centred around community, creativity, and clarity – with content that made people feel part of something big. We reached out to local press and community groups to spread awareness. We wrote and distributed press releases to reach a wider audience with news of the event.
We created a cohesive brand tone and visual identity for social media and shared announcements to build hype. We highlighted vendor line-ups and family-friendly activities using photography and videography taken at the previous event. The content also encouraged business involvement through vendor and sponsorship call-outs.
During the event
We delivered live social media coverage across platforms – including Instagram Stories, Reels, and on-the-ground updates. This included capturing video interviews with founder Jeremy Gaskin and celebrity guests Chariya Khattiyot (MasterChef Winner 2023) and Christiaan De Vries (Great British Bake Off). We also filmed and photographed every single stallholder to ensure we had standout content for every award winner after the festival.
Post-event
We rolled out an extended content plan. This included announcing the total number of visitors, the amount of money raised, and the winners of each of the award categories. We maintained momentum on social media by celebrating vendors and judges and supported press coverage celebrating the event’s impact and fundraising success.
