The joint venture will see a range of cross promotional activity taking place which includes copies of The People’s Friend magazine being stocked in the charities’ shops.
The People’s Friend will be available to purchase in the charities’ shops when it begins to roll out from 17th September 2014. A portion of the cover price of each copy will go direct to the charities. The partnership follows a successful initial roll out period of six weeks in which Age UK stocked the magazine in 30 of its shops in England.
On sale Wednesday 27th August, the 30th August issue of The People’s Friend will feature a range of in-title editorial that draws on the Age UK network’s expertise in health and finance. In addition to this The People’s Friend’s has dedicated its annual Love Darg appeal to the charities, with readers being invited to use their knitting and crochet skills to make items to donate to Age Cymru, Age NI, Age Scotland and Age UK.
The People’s Friend Editor-in-Chief Angela Gilchrist explains, “Almost 90% of our readers have donated to charity in the last year. Bringing together the Love Darg – which means a day's work done for love – and the Age UK network in this way allows our readers to use their skills, and give generously of their time, to help other people.
“‘The ‘Friend’ and the Age UK network are the perfect fit – we share many of the same aims and ambitions in that we both strive to make later life as enjoyable, stimulating and rewarding as possible.”
DC Thomson Head of Advertising (Consumer Entertainment) Andrew Williams added, “This is a first for The People’s Friend. To have our magazine stocked nationwide in the charities’ stores is a great chance for us to develop and grow the brand’s audience, as well as reaching out in a different way to our existing readers. It offers an exciting and unique opportunity for advertisers.”
Age UK Head of Brand Marianne Hewitt said, “We’re delighted for our network to have been chosen by The People’s Friend as this year’s charity partnership and grateful for donations which will go towards the vital work we do. The People’s Friend readers are a great demographic for us and the partnership gives us an opportunity to reach them with our information and advice but also to seek new supporters and we look forward to seeing all the knitted creations from the Love Darg initiative!”
Additional information on the campaign can be found at www.thepeoplesfriend.co.uk from Wednesday 27th August 2014.
