M&S plans joint push for millennium charity

Marks & Spencer and the New Millennium Experience Company are launching an ad campaign to attract donations to Children’s Promise, the charity scheme at the core of M&S’ Millennium Dome sponsorship.

Marks & Spencer and the New Millennium Experience Company are launching an ad campaign to attract donations to Children’s Promise, the charity scheme at the core of M&S’ Millennium Dome sponsorship.

The charity, which aims to persuade UK workers to donate their final hour’s earnings in this millennium to needy children, has appointed BMP4 to develop the campaign. It is understood that the agency won after a pitch. A spokeswoman denies that the Dome’s official ad agency, M&C Saatchi, also pitched for the account.

The ads will target employers between now and March, to persuade them to organise the scheme through their payroll departments. Later next year a consumer campaign will be launched to target employees.

Midland Bank has entered a partnership with M&S, and is donating free banking for the charity.

Seven charities are involved in the programme: Barnardo’s, ChildLine, The Children’s Society, NCH Action For Children, the NSPCC, Comic Relief and Children in Need.

Ed Williams, M&S millennium project manager, refuses to estimate how much the scheme will raise, but has conducted research which shows that 64 per cent of workers are willing to donate their final hour’s earnings.

BMP4 is an M&S roster agency. Lambie-Nairn, which created the Dome identity, has developed the Children’s Promise logo.