Case Study:
Result.
Podcast Views Across All Platforms
‘The Future’s Electric’ positioned CoolKit at the centre of the industry electrification conversation
Result.
What Van? Innovation Award Winner 2026
Third-party validation as EV sector innovation leader
Result.
Spike in EV Search Traffic
‘EV Conversion’ and ‘Refrigerated EV Conversion’ both spiked around the roll out of the podcast
Positioning the UK’s leading temperature-controlled van specialist as an electric vehicle pioneer
The Challenge
Despite being at the forefront of electrification for over a decade, CoolKit—the largest temperature-controlled van specialist in the United Kingdom—faced significant market challenges with electric vehicles.
A large and vocal portion of the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) sector held negative perceptions of electric vehicle technology, citing concerns about range, reliability, and practical application. CoolKit needed to position itself as the industry leader in EV innovation whilst simultaneously addressing widespread scepticism within its key customer base.
The strategic communications challenge was twofold: demonstrate CoolKit’s technical expertise and innovation credentials whilst directly confronting the entrenched negative narrative surrounding electric vehicles in the commercial transport sector.
How We Delivered
Viva developed a multi-faceted communications strategy focused on demonstrating real-world application and industry validation. The approach combined high-profile conversion showcases, direct engagement with industry narratives, and credible third-party validation through prestigious awards.
Conversion Showcases
Secured earned media coverage highlighting CoolKit’s innovative electric vehicle conversions for prestigious clients. The Fortnum & Mason conversion demonstrated CoolKit’s ability to deliver premium, branded electric refrigerated solutions for luxury retailers, whilst coverage of the KIA PV5 conversion showcased technical versatility and manufacturer collaboration.
Explorer EV Rally Campaign
To directly address industry scepticism, Viva amplified CoolKit’s participation in the Explorer EV Rally, providing tangible evidence of electric vehicle capability and reliability. This campaign included development of a dedicated podcast series, ‘The Future’s Electric’, which amassed over 90,000 views across all platforms, successfully positioning CoolKit at the centre of the industry conversation about electrification.
Industry Awards Strategy
Leveraging Viva’s award-writing expertise, the campaign culminated in CoolKit winning the What Van? ‘Innovation Award’ in 2026 for its under-chassis conversion of a Ford E-Transit Pro. This third-party validation from a respected industry publication provided credible endorsement of CoolKit’s position as an industry leader in the electric vehicle space.
Why This Matters
This campaign demonstrates Viva’s ability to navigate complex B2B communications challenges in sectors characterised by technical complexity and entrenched market scepticism. By combining strategic media relations, content development, and awards expertise, Viva successfully repositioned CoolKit from a capable converter to the recognised industry leader in electric vehicle innovation.
The work showcases Viva’s core strengths: understanding technical sectors, developing multi-channel campaigns that address real market barriers, and delivering measurable outcomes that advance commercial objectives.
“Electrification has been central to CoolKit’s strategy for over a decade, but changing embedded perceptions in the wider LCV market requires real-world evidence. Viva helped us address industry scepticism directly through strong storytelling, showcasing our customer innovation and findings from the Explorer EV Rally, enabling our message to cut through the cynicism around electrification. Not only did we see a rise in searches for CoolKit in Q4 2025, building on the momentum from the earned news achieved throughout the year, but we were delighted to see spikes in search interest for unbranded terms related to refrigerated EVs shortly after the podcast launched. The work resulted in increased industry recognition, including the 2026 What Van? Innovation Award, and strengthened CoolKit’s standing with OEMs and industry stakeholders as a leader in electric refrigerated vehicle innovation.”
Daniel Miller, Managing Director, CoolKit
Delivering Measurable Impact
Viva’s integrated communications campaign for CoolKit delivered measurable outcomes across outputs, outtakes and outcomes, demonstrating how strategic PR drives real business results.
AMEC Framework: Measuring What Matters
OUTPUTS : What We Produced
- Media briefings on Fortnum & Mason and KIA PV5 conversions
- ‘The Future’s Electric’ podcast series
- Explorer EV Rally campaign content
- What Van? Award submission
OUTTAKES : Who Saw It & What They Took
- 90,000+ podcast views engaging cold chain and commercial vehicle decision-makers
- Earned media coverage across trade publications reaching fleet management, logistics and refrigerated transport sectors
- Explorer EV Rally amplification directly addressing industry EV scepticism
OUTCOMES : What Changed as a Result
- What Van? Innovation Award 2026 winner for under-chassis Ford E-Transit Pro conversion
CoolKit repositioned from capable converter to recognised EV innovation leader - Premium client credibility established (Fortnum & Mason)
- Market-leading position in electric refrigerated vehicle sector validated
EV Search Spike: We found that ‘EV Conversion’ and ‘Refrigerated EV Conversion’ both spiked around the roll out of the podcast, with the former enjoying an extended period of increased search volume.
About Viva PR.
Viva is the 2025 CIPR Small PR Consultancy of the Year. Based in Lancashire, we specialise in complex B2B communications for defence, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and public sector clients. We navigate complexity so our clients can make progress.
We’re a team of smart, strategically minded PR experts and ex-journalists based in the North West of England. Though the reputation we’ve garnered may be international, we proudly stay true to our Lancashire roots.
