Wax Communications has delivered a hot new look for the latest extension of Sainsbury’s highly successful Active Kids scheme – Active Kids Get Cooking, aimed at encouraging pupils to eat healthily in all UK primary and secondary schools. Marketing 24.06.08

The award-winning brand promotions agency has designed and delivered two teacher’s packs, one for primary school kids and the other for secondary school kids, which work in tandem with a resource-filled website, and present useful and curriculum-friendly information from which teachers can plan healthy cooking lessons.

The bright, bold, modern, ‘lifestyle’ design for the pupil-focussed packs, developed by Wax, takes a dynamic ‘scrap-book approach’, with colourful cut-outs, ‘stuck in’ photography and ‘note pad recipes’.  The easy to use, young, fresh design achieves a balance between the  functionality of the collateral and aesthetics and succeeds in reflecting the school environment.

Wax has also re-designed the motivational ‘Get Cooking’ award certificates for pupils and a recruitment flyer to accompany the packs.

The re-brand aims to distinguish ‘Get Cooking’ as an educational resource by steering away from Sainsbury’s and Active Kids branding, while retaining the look and feel of the award-winning Active Kids 08 scheme.

A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s says:

“The guides provide a valuable and complete resource for educating children about healthy eating through great cooking activities that provide inspiration for lively lessons, and we wanted that delivered in a bright, fun and relevant way which the rebrand does. We’re delighted and we’re sure schools and kids will be too.”

The A4, 24 page guides will be available from the end of June to teachers who register at the website.

Wax’s work for Sainsbury’s Active Kids won industry recognition again last month, picking up an ISP Gold.

That’s right ladies and gents, team Inter-Ya-Nan took to the field last night and caused havoc, as withering agencies and their many ringers could only sit back and watch in awe at a team of dogged Nan’s.

Making easy work of the group stages, winning 2 of our 3 games with goals from Vincent, Littlewood and Ringer, the haunts of last years disappointed were soon forgotten.

Taking on ‘Stoners FC’ in the quarter finals, IYN held onto a tense 0-0 draw. Stepping up to win us the game, Vincent took us through to the semi finals with a cracking penalty kick.

Much to the excitement of the enthralled Wax WAGS, the boys found themselves in the semi finals up against last years champions, BD NTWK.

Oh my god, not only do they look good, but I can’t feel my legs! Get me a Red Bull.

With the cup in sight, the boys played their hearts out and booked themselves into the Cup Final, after a tense 0-0 draw and a return to the spot kick. Both Ringer and Vincent put the champions out with superb spot kicks, much to delight of Johnson who was next up in line. BD NTWK were absolutely gutted, hehehe.

If we couldn’t feel our legs in the semi’s, how on earth do we take on Kreate (AKA semi-professional football players who have never seen a creative brief in their life).

United we stood, and with the support of our Wax WAGS and Kim’s sideline rituals we gave it our all, only to lose to a bitter sweet late goal from Kreate (did I mention they were semi professional footballers/ event managers?).

To the bar we headed, complete with silverware and a bloody big smile, and without doubt the best kit and supporters awards to match.

Well done lads, fantastic effort and here’s to next year. Training starts in two weeks.

Signing off.

The Gaff

Wax Communications is taking Sainsbury’s highly successful Active Kids initiative to another level this year with a range of exciting developments including the opportunity to redeem vouchers for tickets to live sports events and a new focus on citizenship in line with schools’ new curriculum focus.

The new style Active Kids 08 (AK08), which launches on 14 February, also goes global for the first time offering participants the opportunity to collect vouchers for packs of sports equipment to donate to schools in developing countries.

Schools/Scouts and Guides groups can also donate vouchers to an Active Kids fund where schools participating in the Youth Sport Trust’s TOP Programmes can apply to the fund for a TOP Activity Pack.

Also new this year is the opportunity to attend PGL multi activity day camps and Active Kids has added 100s of new activity initiatives and items of cooking equipment to the range.

The Active Kids 08 (AK08) website has also been refreshed to offer a highly user-friendly experience and provide facilities such as a forum and easier ways to browse the online catalogue and create an order.

The new-look Welcome Packs, designed and created by Wax, will arrive at schools/groups at the end of January and for the first time include a 1 in 3 chance for those participating to instantly win a major prize.

These include:

• a visit from Olympic Gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, who will once again be involved with the scheme this year

• Active Kids make-over for nurseries worth 25,000 AK vouchers

• 3 adventure courses/camps (PGL) for schools

• 1 of 10 signed Guinness Premiership rugby shirts

• 1000s of 100 Active Kids vouchers

This year’s scheme aims to engage even more teenagers. With this in mind, Wax has produced a bespoke catalogue which features equipment and active experiences to appeal to this specific target.

Schools/Groups will be able to use vouchers for tickets to see their rugby, netball and basketball heroes in action or to ‘buy’ dance, fitness and martial arts training at their own venues from local coaches.

The live match tickets on offer are the result of new partnerships between Sainsbury’s and the Rugby Football Union, Premier Rugby and England Netball, England Basketball.

These augment Active Kids existing partnerships with a range of organisations including Youth Sport Trust, Girlguiding UK, The Scout Association, Mend (Mind, Exercise and Nutrition, Do it), PGL, The English Schools Athletic Association, The British Nutrition Association and The Design and Technology Association.

Rod Geoghegan of Wax Communications says:

“Active Kids is now in its fourth year and continues to go from strength to strength.

It has grabbed the imagination of everybody, from the organisations and individuals who make it happen, the schools and groups who join it, the parents who collect the vouchers and the kids who get to try new active equipment and experiences.

In short it’s an all round success and, with this year’s refreshed look and feel and new redemption opportunities, the scheme promises to deliver even more.”

A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s says:

“Every year we’re amazed by the success of this scheme. In year one the public raised a fantastic £17m worth of equipment and experiences.

In year two, they took it to an incredible £34 million.And last year they smashed this, taking it to £52 million. Active Kids has really come of age: it’s bursting with ideas and inspiration for all ages, abilities and interests and we’re delighted with its amazing development.”

Promotions & Incentive June 2008

Wax Communication’s campaign that has brought the WWF and Penguintogether for a promotion for United Biscuitsis featured as Promotion of the Month in this month’s Promotiuon & Incentive Magazine, as picked by Lorriane Crowe, Senior brand manager, Anchor, Arla Foods.

WAX WELCOMES RAFT OF NEW TALENT FROM HOME AND ABROAD AS IT EXPANDS TO MEET CLIENT DEMAND

Wax Communications has invested in new creative and account management talent as it ramps up to keep ahead of client demand.

Among the seven recent appointees from home and abroad are:

Anna O’Callaghan – Art Director

Anna joins Wax from Chemistry Communications, where she worked as a junior creative. She will be working on a range of accounts including, Johnson & Johnson, Sainsbury’s and McCoys.

Chris Vincent  – Designer

Chris is already an award-winning designer, picking up ‘Student Designer of the Year’ at the ‘Premier Paper Awards’ in 2000. After graduating from ‘Kingston University’, he joined Clay as a junior designer, quickly rising through the ranks to become their lead graphic and web designer, delivering highly dynamic ideas that won awards such as ISP for ‘Partnership Marketing’ and a nomination for  ‘Experiential Agency of the Year’.

Chris will work for Wax on Johnson & Johnson and Sainsbury’s.

Brydon Gerus – Junior Designer

Canadian Brydon entered design though the fashion world where he developed concepts for clients such as The National Hockey League and Canadian Football leagues – his designs can now be seen on fans all across Canada. Brydon moved to London this year to follow a long-held desire to work in advertising on an international stage, and joins Wax to work across the agency’s wide portfolio of clients.

Jessica Durham, Account Executive

As part of a BA Hons in Marketing from Bournemouth University, Jessica worked with Geoff Howe Marketing Communications. Jessica will use her experience to work on Wax’s Johnson & Johnson and Grosvenor Casino’s accounts.

Jo Heron, Account Executive, Experiential Marketing

Jo brings PR experience and a degree in Communications, Media and Culture to her new role at Wax Live as part of the experiential team working on a wide range of accounts.

Kyle Wilson, Account Executive

In his new role at Wax, South African Kyle draws on his experience in events and hospitality along with a post-graduate degree in marketing, which included a published research thesis on corporate sponsorship in sport and its effects on brand perception. He will work on Coca-Cola Enterprises, Budweiser Europe, United Biscuits (McVities and Penguin) and Tomy baby accessories accounts.

Kim Marsh, Business Development Co-ordinator

Kim celebrates a promotion and new career direction as Wax’s Business Development Co-ordinator. She started at Wax as receptionist in 2005, moving on to become their creative service administrator and junior artworker where she spent a further year working on projects for  Coca-Cola Enterprises, Grosvenor Casino’s and new business pitches. Kim will support Business Development Director Rod Geoghegan.

Geoghegan says: “Wax is delighted to welcome an array of new talent who bring a diverse range of skills and strengths to our teams, as we expand to keep pace with the scope of client projects.”

Wax Communications has created a colourful on-pack sponsorship promotion for United Biscuit’s McVitie’s Penguin brand, to help raise funds to save Antarctica and the Southern Ocean – home to the Emperor penguin.

The pack features information on how consumers can ‘sponsor’ a penguin to raise money for WWF’s Antarctica and  Southern Oceans Programme which aims to create a network of marine protected areas to safeguard the region against increasing threats.

Consumers who send in the special pack along with £5.99 (or £6.99 and no pack), will be mailed a cuddly 21cm penguin, a wall chart that tracks the Antarctic penguin’s annual ‘march’ across the ice, an information leaflet and a fund-raising form so kids and parents can get more involved.

The pack design features the iconic penguin, who ‘tells’ consumers about the project and how they can help and it directs consumers to a website featuring more information on the Antarctic penguin colony at www.thepenguinsquest.co.uk.

The key objective is to reposition the McVitie’s Penguin brand as a modern and responsible brand and to drive engagement on a relevant educational issue – conservation and climate change. WWF is the perfect link to do this.

Sophie Boston, Wax Communications senior account manager, says:

“McVitie’s Penguin and WWF-UK have teamed up to help protect the valuable habitat in Antarctica and the surrounding seas. The idea of ‘sponsoring’ a penguin gives consumers a way to engage with the issue and to take action that will truly help. We wanted to communicate with kids and parents and a cuddly penguin backed up with clear information about the penguins’ plight and ways to help further will stimulate interest in this worthy cause among our target audience and help them feel closer to it.”

The McVitie’s Penguin Senior Brand Manager says:

“McVitie’s Penguin association with the Emperor penguin and WWF programme is synonymous with the brand’s appeal and central to the campaign.  WAX has come up with a visually appealing and fun execution of the Penguins’ plight, which is not only educational but engaging. The on-pack should help encourage busy Mums to pick up the McVitie’s Penguin pack and do something exciting as well as worthwhile with the kids.”