A MARKETING consultancy has been turning up the heat for a national Government awareness campaign.

Market Link, in St George's Square, Worcester, has been spearheading the Central Heating Information Council's publicity campaign about Government changes to UK building regulations.

The consultancy, which has been operating in Worcester for 21-years, had just one month to devise an all-round communications campaign for plumbers and heating installers.

Briefed in March 2002, it needed something in the market place by April 1, 2002, when the new regulations came into effect.

The campaign included the design and distribution of 1.2 million leaflets through builders and plumbers' merchants, manufacturers and trade bodies. The leaflets continued to be distributed gradually throughout 2002.

The leaflets were also inserted into trade magazines and a media relations programme, involving carefully targeted press releases in the trade press, was also implemented.

The creative treatment for the leaflets was simple and visually impactful, to quickly get across the key facts to a traditionally unreceptive audience.

Bright orange was used for all the leaflets, so they would be "in your face".

"This is a good example of how good marketing can take a dry subject and turn it around, even with a limited budget," said David Pickering, managing director, adding he was unable to disclose the budget but it was a "five figure" sum.

"We worked hard to get the best possible value for money and succeeded in producing a complete communications package that accurately reached our target audiences," he added.

The agency, which employs 18 people, has more than 10 years experience in the domestic heating sector, having worked for Worcester Heat Systems for all of that time.

It has worked for the Central Heating Information Council for four years and was approached by them, on behalf of the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, for the latest campaign.

The Government's new building regulations were introduced in April 2002 to reduce household carbon dioxide emissions, a major cause of global warming.

Under the new regulations, all central heating and hot water equipment, whether in new or existing homes, must comply with strict standards for performance efficiency, engineer competency and supporting certification.