Mr Bates vs The Post Office

ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office recounts the near-25-year battle for truth and justice between Sub Postmaster Alan Bates, the Post Office and Horizon, their software system.

First aired in January 2024, it’s a real-life David vs Goliath humdinger of a battle.

The case has been described as one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British legal history.

But one not widely known about until ITV’s excellent four-part drama smashed it into the public consciousness, becoming the most-watched show in 2024 with over 13.5 million viewers in the process.

It’s a heartbreaking story of suicides, lies, cover-ups, and backside covering when more than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted and wrongfully convicted of fraud.

And all due to faulty software.

A battle that might have broken lesser mortals is still ongoing, but there have been some heartwarming stories for Alan Bates along the way.

In June last year, he was knighted, and three months later, he married his long-term partner, Suzanne Sercombe.

The ceremony took place on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Caribbean, and there were no prizes for guessing who had just happened to officiate the wedding.

Following ITV’s drama, Bates cheekily mentioned in a TV interview that “I’d love a holiday if Richard Branson is reading this”.

Renowned for never missing an opportunity for self-publicity, Branson generously stepped in and did the honourable thing.

And why not?

Cost to Branson? Negligible.

The publicity was worth tens of thousands of pounds across every mainstream media and social media channel.

The takeaway for us?

With budgets tight but an ever-present need to get marketing collateral out there. There will be many opportunities to piggyback on local causes. Célébre, or not.

Until next week.

Alec