BBC Worldwide to launch biggest campaign reminding people of Olympic 'joy'

By Matthew Chapman, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 02:07PM

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the corporation, is running its biggest ever home entertainment campaign, to promote the BBC's role in creating public feelings of "joy" during the Olympics.

The campaign will support the London 2012 Olympic Games DVD collection and kicks off in earnest on Monday 29 October with a 60-second spot featuring real-life footage of the highs and lows of the Olympics, set to the Olympic track by Elbow.

Robert Lowe, marketing director of the consumer products division at BBC Worldwide, said BBC Worldwide has invested "more than we normally would do" into the campaign as it seeks to position the DVD as the ideal Christmas gift. 

The activity will be spearheaded by a 30-second roadblock across all commercial channels at 8.45pm on Monday, with a 60-second version of the ad running on ITV during 'Coronation Street'.

BBC is currently running 20-second teaser spots for the DVD. The flagship ad will be replaced by print activity and TV activity will return in December.

The December activity will feature a number of 10-second spots featuring the best moments for Team GB, including Super Saturday and the women’s rowing pairs.  

Media planning and buying is being handled by Zenith Optimedia.

Lowe said: "We want to re-invoke the spirit of the Olympics in people because I think we are going through a bit of a lull period at the moment, where people have forgotten how much joy and happiness they felt while watching the Olympics.

"What we want to do is get that feeling of joy everyone had around the Olympics – the BBC coverage was a big part of that. I think the two go hand in hand."

The television campaign was created by Karmarama, the agency that Lowe worked with in his previous role at Nintendo.

Activity comes as the brand is rocked by accusations that former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile engaged in necrophilia and paedophilia.

New BBC Director General George Entwistle is being subjected to increasing media and political pressure after a Newsnight investigation into Savile’s paedophilia was shelved.

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This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk