Ecover Sponsor WWF’s Blue Mile Aquatic Challenge

The Blue Mile campaign is an international WWF initiative aimed at raising awareness of the pollution and degradation of the world’s waterways. Environmentally friendly household products brand Ecover has signed on as the principle sponsor of the 2011 initiative. The campaign’s objective is to raise funds to protect waterways through a series of aquatic challenge and activity is running under its ‘Powered By Nature’ tagline.

Blue Mile is a sponsored activity asking people to cover one mile, either in or next to water, either in centrally organised events or consumer created swimming events at local swimming pools and lidos, sailing on coasts and reservoirs or walking and canoeing along rivers and beaches. Communities, clubs and schools are all being targeted to participate.

Ecover, which has been selling ecological household products for the last 25 years, have teamed up with WWF to encourage people to either organise their very own Blue Mile challenge throughout the summer or participate in WWF’s umbrella London event in September.

The two organisations are collaborating on PR’ing the programme:

“To Whom It May Concern: TAKE PART: If you want to make a big splash then you can take part in WWF’s Blue Mile London event on Sunday 4 September, at Stoke Newington West Reservoir. Open air one mile challenges will be available to all who take part in swimming, kayaking and Stand Up Paddle Boarding. Participants can register to compete in any of the events or complete the ‘ Triple Challenge’ and sign up for all three. To find out more about WWF’s Blue Mile event and how to take part please visit: wwf.org.uk/bluemile or call 02392 312008.”

Brand ambassadors have also been brought in to boost awareness and drive participation. For example, triple round the world sailor Conrad Humphreys launched the Blue Mile and will be taking part in ‘Triple Challenge’ (a one mile swim, stand up paddle and kayak).

Ecover is also promoting the event via its online magazine The Splash.

Comment:

When a sponsor and a property share the same values and ethos the partnership is typically more powerful and effective. This looks likely to be the case here. Indeed, Ecover employees will also be taking part in the challenge.

Ecover has previously worked with WWF to help raise awareness to the natural environment and have a solid environmental programme themselves. Long terms relationships also help build deeper understanding between sponsor and rights holder which should amplify the event itself.

With global projects specifically aimed at water conservation, Ecover are particularly committed to making sure their products have a minimum impact on our marine and freshwater environments.