Sport England in ad blitz

Sport England is to launch a multi-million pound advertising campaign to promote sports and physical activity next year, in the wake of recent government anti-obesity initiatives.

The organisation, which distributes lottery funding to sports, is in talks with a number of government departments about ideas and funding, including the Department of Health, Department of Education and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. It also hopes to tie-up with commercial partners to help fund the campaign.

Sport England is drawing up a brief, prior to holding a formal pitch for the advertising business early next year, which is likely to be overseen by COI Communications. The campaign will aim to encourage the nation to take up exercise in order to meet government exercise targets.

Sport England head of marketing Nick Wake says the campaign will be tested in the North-west before being rolled out nationally. He adds the organisation has conducted extensive research during the summer to decide the best way to educate consumers.

Wake adds: “We want to create a public health campaign similar to the drink-driving ads. We want to change people’s attitudes and behaviour, but there needs to be a sustainable effect to meet longer term government targets.”

Last month, the Government announced plans to tackle obesity, with an anti-obesity advertising campaign mooted as a possibility by the Department of Health (MW October 16).