Sky Media, the advertising arm of Sky, has announced the launch of ‘Local Heroes’, a new initiative under its award-winning Sky Zero Footprint Fund, aimed at supporting sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local businesses.
Launched in 2021, the Sky Zero Footprint Fund was created to inspire positive behaviour change and help start-ups and established brands accelerate their sustainable initiatives nationally through the power of TV. The new ‘Local Heroes’ fund extends this mission to local and regional businesses, offering a unique opportunity for them to amplify their sustainable practices.
The ‘Sky Zero Footprint Fund Local Heroes’ will award nine businesses from various regions across the UK and the Republic of Ireland with £20,000 (€20,000) of media value for a TV campaign. Additionally, each winner will receive up to £2,500 (€2,500) towards ad creation from a local production agency.
Businesses will be selected through a combination of public voting and local judging. Any SME, including shops, restaurants, services, charities, and visitor attractions, can apply. The community will vote for their favourite local businesses, and the top 10 in each area will advance to the final round. From these, winners will be chosen for each of the nine regions, securing the TV creative and airtime.
David Sanderson, Director of AdSmart Local and Development, stated, “Businesses of all shapes and sizes around the UK are making real change in the fight against climate change. We want to reward those businesses by giving them access to grow their business and spread their sustainable message. AdSmart from Sky is the perfect platform to do that, in a focused and targeted way for regional businesses, and has already helped thousands of businesses get on TV for the first time.”
Applications for the ‘Sky Zero Footprint Fund: Local Heroes’ open on 3rd July and close on 29th October. For full details and to apply, visit AdSmart from Sky.
Sky was the first media company globally to go carbon neutral in 2006 and has since used its platforms and content to promote sustainable behaviours for a better planet. To learn more about the original Sky Zero Footprint Fund, visit Sky Media.
