Former Swansea Bay editor makes his garden grow

David Hardy left his post as Carmarthen Journal editor around four years ago. But his influence on the Swansea Bay media scene lives on.

Today he’s the avuncular head of marketing and communications at Llanarthne’s National Botanic Garden of Wales.
One duty is to oversee production of the Garden’s regular magazine Yr Ardd. And very colourful it is too.
The spring issue’s just out (pictured) and features the usual mix of news, background features and publicity for forthcoming events.
Two elements in particular display how the Garden genuinely wishes to embrace the Swansea Bay community – and suggest that there’s plenty of room for other commercial partners and associates.
The first is a full-page ad for the Severn Link, the “flying cat” service due to plough a Swansea-Ilfracombe furrow from this spring. It reveals a marketing tie-up between the two enterprises. I hope it works well for both – and I urge other tourism-related organisations to hop aboard both the ferry and the garden.
The second is a glossy A4 flier insert from the Scarlets. It advertises four imminent home games which have publicity tie-ins with the likes of Princes Gate water, Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone Resort and Llanelli’s Stradey Park Hotel. The flier offers 10% off matchday ticket prices to Garden visitors. In these days of cluttered promotional markets, this is a fine effort by the Garden and the rugby region.
To discuss other creative routes to publicity, give me a call on 07758 745 240.