Brands could majority fund Government marketing activity

The Cabinet Office has announced cash-strapped departments will no longer have to match the funding provided by brands.

Co-branded public information activity such as Change4Life’s Be Food Smart activity that saw the Department of Health work with brands such as Asda and Quorn on anti-obesity ads has been increasing since the coalition took office in 2010 and slashed the Whitehall marketing budget.

The amount brands could invest, however, was restricted to 50 per cent meaning it was difficult for Government departments to lean on the private sector for funding to match the volume of activity seen before 2010.

The Cabinet Office is hoping the change will free civil servants to leverage more private sector partnerships such as Coca-Cola’s annual designated driver campaign with the Department of Transport and Fire Kills, an awareness campaign that offset reduced ad spend with support from fire alarm manufacturers.

Alex Aiken, executive director of the Government’s communications unit, says: “Partnerships with organisations in the private and charity sector have produced some of the most creative and powerful Government campaigns, and we will do all we can to encourage these collaborations.

“The opportunity for partners is clear – helping Government answer interesting and large-scale communication challenges, and in turn, Government can access audiences in new ways.”

Elsewhere, brands will now be able to sign exclusive deals with departments. Also, departments will be able to contact the partner they want to work with and not have to offer all competitors in a sector the chance of partnership.