Horseracing appoints four in £10m initiative

The marketing group at horseracing body The Levy Board has appointed four agencies, including Mustoe Merriman Herring Levy, to handle its &£10m three-year marketing push.

The advertising strategy through Mustoe Merriman has yet to be finalised, but the first ads are likely to break in the autumn. It is not known whether the campaign will include TV commercials.

The plan, through the Racing & Betting Marketing Group (RBMG), stems from the British Horseracing Board’s aim to lift the sport’s appeal among 18- to 35-year-olds and families (MW December 2 1999).

Ladbroke marketing director Andy Walder says: “At last the racing and betting industries are working together to break down the barriers preventing consumers from enjoying this sport.”

One of the key elements of the strategy will be to establish an interactive central information and ticketing service, which will be available over the Internet and by phone. This will be set up by telemarketing agency Inkfish.

The RBMG has also appointed the Broadcasting Company to run radio services and CPM Mobile Marketing to handle roadshow marketing services.