Raise Your Hands 1000,

About the event

Most people would focus on how hard and painful and challenging the run is going to be. But we’re not like most people. We’re focused on making RYH1000 a load of fun, so as a symbol of our dedication to making philanthropy entertaining and enjoyable, Ed is going to carry a 6kg BeatBringer speaker on his back for the whole journey – the equivalent of putting on a stone and running around Algeria. It’s going to be the first time anyone has run 1000km with 2 x 6” woofers and 2 x 25mm soft dome tweeters pumping out some classic tunes across the English countryside. We’re still waiting to get the nod from the Guinness Book of Records.

But the motivational music isn’t for Ed’s benefit, it’s for a community of runners. Raise Your Hands is about inspiring people to get involved and harnessing the power of community, so RYH1000 is open to anyone that has a passion for taking on new challenges, getting fit and meeting new people. Like a travelling radio request show hosted by DJ Forest Gump, Ed will be using runners’ selections of music and loads of positive vibes to will a community of runners to achieve things they thought they weren’t capable of. (There is a Spotify run playlist for runners to add their favourite songs - suggestions are encouraged!) RYH1000 gives people around the UK the chance to get active, become a part of a national challenge and to achieve something amazing as a part of a community.

Why should you sponsor?

Brand Positioning

We see an affiliation with a relatively new charity that is promoting a unique type of endurance event as a potential opportunity for any company that is looking for young, fresh and innovative associations in the world of philanthropy. There are very few organisations that are tapping into the increasing interest in philanthropy in an appealing way, but Raise Your Hands is one of them.

The core messages behind RYH1000 that maybe beneficial for potential sponsors are:

• Harness the power of community to support the underdog
• Push yourself but have fun while you’re doing it
• Do something that you’ve never done before
• Be active and enjoy the outdoors
• Do good and feel good at the same time

Target Market Demographic

The type of individual that will be interested in RYH1000 is someone that is:

• Male or female aged between 21 – 35, in particular students
• Inspired and energetic and willing to do something they have never done before
• Outgoing and willing to become a part of a community.
• Likely to push themselves physically and challenge themselves
• Up for a good time and they don’t take life too seriously
• They have an entrepreneurial streak and are interested in new ideas
• They like running and being active
• They like music and are the type of person that would create their own playlists
• They’re happy-go-lucky and look for adventures in life

Marketing Strategy

The three core components of the marketing strategy are Press, Social Media and speaking engagements.

Public Relations and Press

We believe that there are various aspects of RYH1000 that are appealing to the press:

• The length of the run
• The visiting of the head offices of the small charities as a way to raise awareness about them
• People joining along the route and the focus on community

• The focus on fun and entertainment, symbolised by the carrying of the BeatBringer speaker

RYH1000 is going to be promoted by a team of dedicated PR specialists. This team will target all of the main broadsheets, magazines and bloggers for coverage. Our targets are:

• National newspapers and TV
• Regional newspapers
• Regional radio
• Philanthropy focused publications
• Running magazines and websites

• Running Bloggers

We have had the following publicity:

• St Austell & Newquay Voice (Paper and Online)
• London Live (TV)

• City Philanthropy

We have confirmed coverage from the following closer to the date (confirmation emails available on request):

• London Live (TV) second interview
• BBC Bristol (TV and Radio)

• Bristol 24/7 (Online)

We continue to work hard on securing further press coverage, in particular in the regional press. A full list of our press targets is available on request.  

Social Media

We are presently building a group following off the back of the Raise Your Hands community, but widening the scope to include ultra runners, marathon runners and people interested in health and fitness. This is mostly being built up by use of hash tags, becoming a member of online running communities and we will be seeking affiliations with running clubs in London such as the Midnight Runners and Run Dem Crew. We have also started an online community called ‘Lush Trails’ for people to discuss their favourite running routes in the UK.

During the run Ed will be writing a blog published on Social Media to increase engagement.

The run will be documented by a cameraman, who will be taking stills and video. Photos of individuals that join the run along the way will be shared on social media with the expectation that they will be further promoted by runner sharing. The video will be used after the run to inspire people to push the boundaries of their perceived capability but also to enjoy it whilst they’re doing it. It will also be used to motivate people to achieve things by becoming a part of a community and to show that we can achieve more if we try to accomplish them together, which is at the core of Raise Your Hands. Everyone that joins the run will be tagged in the video to further encourage sharing.

Speaking Engagements

We will be focused on getting Ed a number of speaking engagements prior to the run, in particular at Universities around the UK. These will cover preparation, training and motivation, as well as the idea behind the run, the logistics of completing it and some promotion for our sponsors. This will culminate in a pre run presentation for all involved in the middle of August.

So far Ed has been asked to speak to Leeds and St Andrews Universities, and to London running groups the Midnight Runners and Run Dem Crew.

Edward Wethered

RYH1000 is a 1000km endurance run like no other – because Raise Your Hands is a charity like no other. Raise Your Hands engages the next generation in philanthropy by giving back to people that give and maxing out the feel good factor. Charity shouldn’t be dull and boring, so we’ve decided it’s time to inject some energy and freshen things up. We prefer to steer clear of emotional blackmail, we’re not so hot on sob stories and we’re not massive fans of clipboards on street corners. Instead we do things like pop-up restaurants, bingo tournaments and parties. We get people involved in ways that suit them, and focus on the positives in life, so that our community can feel good and do good at the same time.

 

 

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