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Government department adverts to allow brand partnerships and sponsors Government department adverts to allow brand partnerships and sponsors
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The government is to make sweeping changes to the rules on how departments are allowed to run advertising campaigns, including allowing brands to be exclusive partners or sponsors for the first time.The government is to make sweeping changes to the rules on how departments are allowed to run advertising campaigns, including allowing brands to be exclusive partners or sponsors for the first time.
On Friday, the government announced plans to loosen up its advertising rules in three key areas to allow it to partner with a much wider range of brands and charities. On Friday, the government announced plans to loosen up its advertising rules in three key areas to allow it to partner with a wider range of brands and charities.
The government is one of the biggest advertisers in the UK, with a budgeted communications spend of almost £300m last year, running a diverse range of campaigns including anti-obesity push Change4Life, the long-running Think! anti-drink driving marketing and Fire Kills about house safety.The government is one of the biggest advertisers in the UK, with a budgeted communications spend of almost £300m last year, running a diverse range of campaigns including anti-obesity push Change4Life, the long-running Think! anti-drink driving marketing and Fire Kills about house safety.
A key change is the introduction of an "exclusivity" guideline that could allow a single brand, say a mobile company or supermarket, be a sole partner or sponsor for a particular sector in a government campaign. A key change is the introduction of an "exclusivity" guideline that could allow a single brand, say a mobile company or supermarket, to be a sole partner or sponsor for a particular sector in a government campaign.
This opportunity could be viewed as potentially hugely valuable to brands which might develop an advertising idea that ties in to a government initiative, or to sponsor an existing campaign, but want to shut out rivals. This opportunity could be viewed as potentially hugely valuable to brands, which might develop an advertising idea that ties in to a government initiative, or to sponsor an existing campaign, but want to shut out rivals.
Under current rules, government departments are not allowed to do deals with a single company in any sector.Under current rules, government departments are not allowed to do deals with a single company in any sector.
The government is aware of the competitive advantage that offering exclusivity could give a brand, saying that any deal will need "senior management and ministerial sign off". The government is aware of the competitive advantage that offering exclusivity could give a brand, saying that any deal will need "senior management and ministerial sign-off".
"Sector exclusivity is an important and sensitive area and can only be granted after careful consideration," the Government Communications Network acknowledges in its new guidance to departments. "Departments must ensure that they are not limiting the scope or reach that a multiplicity of partners would deliver.""Sector exclusivity is an important and sensitive area and can only be granted after careful consideration," the Government Communications Network acknowledges in its new guidance to departments. "Departments must ensure that they are not limiting the scope or reach that a multiplicity of partners would deliver."
It will almost certainly not be possible for Asda, for example, to exclusively "own" the supermarket sector as the sole partner for the Change4Life anti-obesity drive.It will almost certainly not be possible for Asda, for example, to exclusively "own" the supermarket sector as the sole partner for the Change4Life anti-obesity drive.
It is more likely the new rules will allow marketing initiatives in areas where there are not likely to be a lot of partners. It is more likely that the new rules will allow marketing initiatives in areas where there are not likely to be a lot of partners.
The new guidelines will also remove a requirement that meant if a brand pro-actively approaches the government with a strategy, then that company's rivals must be informed. The new guidelines will also remove a requirement that meant that if a brand pro-actively approaches the government with a strategy, then that company's rivals must be informed.
The government believes removing this clause will incentivise brands to seek deals where they may in the past have been put off by knowing their strategy would be shared with rivals.The government believes removing this clause will incentivise brands to seek deals where they may in the past have been put off by knowing their strategy would be shared with rivals.
A third change will also remove rule that meant the government had to match any funding a partner might want to put into an initiative. This will encourage more investment in marketing and advertising plans by brands, the government said. A third change will also remove the rule that meant the government had to match any funding a partner might want to put into an initiative. This will encourage more investment in marketing and advertising plans by brands, the government said.
"Partnerships with organisations in the private and charity sector have produced some of the most creative and powerful government campaigns, and we will do all we can to encourage these collaborations," said Alex Aiken, executive director of government communications. "The opportunity for partners is clear – helping government answer interesting and large-scale communication challenges, and in turn, government can access audiences in new ways.""Partnerships with organisations in the private and charity sector have produced some of the most creative and powerful government campaigns, and we will do all we can to encourage these collaborations," said Alex Aiken, executive director of government communications. "The opportunity for partners is clear – helping government answer interesting and large-scale communication challenges, and in turn, government can access audiences in new ways."
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