#Snaillove came about after Dr. Angus Davison, in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, approached Emma Thorne, media relations manager, for help with a research project. Davison had a one-in-a-million, left-handed, anti-clockwise spiralling snail. He needed offspring from the snail to be able to study the genetics of this rare condition. But the snail's genetic deformity made it impossible for him to mate with other normal garden snails. Emma, always working to find new ways to enhance the reputation of the university through media coverage, created a plan which involved naming the snail and using the power of the media to help find a similarly coiling mate.
From the Judges' Report
A quirky, honest and engaging campaign to find a partner for ‘one in a million’ left-handed, anticlockwise spiralling snail.
Despite the fun nature the campaign was well aligned to increasing impact and gaining international profile for the University and it’s research.
Every effort was made to seize and generate multi-media opportunities for a story that may typically have been passed over. Brilliant initiative shown.
