Sport Relief relies on a combination of traditional media and social/digital media to attract and involve individuals and organisations in this weeklong fundraising effort. BBC One will air a special night of entertainment on as part of the media support, which also features BBC Radio and other broadcast media coverage. Social media marketing includes a dedicated Facebook page with more than 240k likes, a Twitter account with 774k followers and an Instagram page with 51k followers.
Try doing an online search for Sport Relief, and you'll see that the number of results exceeds 17 million even before the event begins. Many of those hits are from this year and some are from previous years--a mix of social media comments and traditional media reporting about the celebrities, the challenges and the final tally of money raised. Involving celebrities (as opinion leaders) raises the visibility of the fundraising efforts and encourages fans to follow their lead.
This year, consumers are being challenged to walk one billion steps per day, as measured by the new Sport Relief app. The app includes fundraising ideas and tips from celebrity participants to motivate and inspire. Will the nation achieve the goal of one billion steps during each day of the fundraising week? Will Sport Relief break its record for fundraising? Wait and see!
