Case Study - Bluebird Land Speed Record

Rebecca has a passion for land speed history, a fascination that began with her voluntary PR work for Don Wales during his 2000 Bluebird electric land speed record attempt at Pendine Sands. Since then, her enthusiasm for land speed records has only grown. She has been an integral part of Bluebird ever since, providing both PR and event management support for the Campbell family and Don Wales with his various speed projects.

As a family friend, Rebecca managed the PR for Tonia Bern-Campbell (Donald Campbell’s widow) and her book “My Speed King”. She was also called upon by Don Wales when Donald Campbell’s body and boat was discovered at Lake Coniston.

Throughout her years of working with Don Wales, Rebecca has taken a hands-on role within the team. Land speed teams operate on tight budgets with scarce sponsorship, and many team members are volunteers. Rebecca has supported these efforts by assisting with sourcing testing venues, sponsors, recruiting and managing volunteers, and stepping outside the traditional PR remit to help where needed.
Rebecca’s role as a crisis manager came to the fore during the 2010 Bluebird record attempt at Pendine Sands, where an accident occurred. She led a crisis PR campaign that sensitively and honestly reported the incident to the media, helping limit the negative impact. Despite the challenges, this UK record attempt secured over £3 million in printed media coverage within the UK alone, along with substantial broadcast, online, and international coverage.

In more recent years, Rebecca has played a key role in making the official family announcement of the passing of Tonia Campbell, the widow of Donald Campbell. On behalf of the family, she also helped announce the repatriation of Bluebird K7 back to Coniston. This momentous event was deeply emotional, not only for the Campbell family but also for the wider land speed racing community. Rebecca is committed to ensuring the legacy of Donald Campbell and Bluebird K7 is preserved for future generations.

Much of Rebecca’s work for the Campbell family over the past 25 years has been carried out on a voluntary basis. Her dedication to the Campbell legacy, including managing PR for key milestones and sensitive events, is fuelled by her profound personal dedication to the family and their land speed racing history.

She remains a trusted ally for the family as they navigate these important chapters in their history and continue to honour and build upon the remarkable history of the Bluebird dynasty.

For further information regarding Bluebird Speed Records, please visit: www.bluebirdspeedrecords.com.