The Marketing Society rallies industry to raise money for cancer with ‘Sprintathon’
Founded by Direct Line’s Mark Evans, the Sprintathon has been revived to “welcome back” the UK marketing industry post-Covid while raising funds for Stand Up to Cancer.
The Marketing Society is joining forces with Stand Up To Cancer to bring back the ‘Sprintathon’ for the marketing industry.
Brands, agencies and media owners are all invited to put a team forward for the two-hour event, in which 105 teams of four will each complete a relay of 400m (100m per person) back-to-back until they collectively cover 42.2km, the distance of a marathon.
The annual mass participation event, hosted in partnership with Cancer Research UK and Direct Line Group since 2016, has been described as a “mash-up” of the 60s’ British game show ‘It’s a Knockout’, the Olympics and a school sports day. Previous years have collectively raised £500,000 for charity.
This year’s Sprintathon is the first hosted by the Marketing Society and marks the return of the event after a year off, as the Covid-19 pandemic prevented marketers from coming together in person in 2020.
This is the de facto ‘welcome back’ event for UK marketing and will be a fantastic way to re-energise, re-acquaint and to do something amazing in helping to beat cancer faster.
Mark Evans, Direct Line
The money raised will be split between the Marketing Society, where it will help support marketing’s rising talent, and Cancer Research UK’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign, where it will fund life-saving research.
“It is wonderful to be working with Stand Up To Cancer to bring the marketing industry together for this event,” says The Marketing Society’s CEO, Sophie Devonshire.
“As a society we’re keen to help marketers to do well in their careers and also to help them do good together. This is a great cause to support and it will feel great for us all to reconnect after so long apart.”
Mark Evans, founder of the Sprintathon and managing director of marketing and digital at Direct Line Group, adds: “After a pause in 2020 it is brilliant to bring the Sprintathon back to the track. Having been cooped up, this is the de facto ‘welcome back’ event for UK marketing and will be a fantastic way to re-energise, re-acquaint and to do something amazing in helping to beat cancer faster.”
The Sprintathon will take place on Wednesday, 15 September at Battersea Park running track. The cost to enter a team is £1,000 plus VAT – sign up now via the Marketing Society website.
