WUKA Unveils Taboo-Busting Advert For Pioneering Plastic-Free Period Pants In Its First TV Campaign

Sky Zero Footprint Fund 2022 winner, WUKA, launches £250k advertising campaign for sustainable periods.

Today, Sky Media reveals WUKA’s advertising campaign as one of the five winners of the Sky Zero Footprint Fund initiative.

The taboo-busting ad encourages women to ditch plastic-riddled disposable pads and tampons in favour of its sustainable period wear, with an honest depiction of real period stories, in an effort to normalise conversations around menstruation.

WUKA funded the campaign using the £250,000 media value earned from winning the Sky Zero Footprint Fund in 2022.

WUKA’s first TV advert will broadcast from the 21st of April and will run until the end of May 2023, when it will be aired across Sky Media’s Linear TV and VOD platforms.

WUKA stands for Wake Up Kick Ass, a mindset which is encapsulated in the script – the most claim-heavy script the production company had ever seen. After a gruelling six months of defending the creative with Clearcast – the advertising review body responsible for clearing TV adverts of potential misleading, harmful or offensive content – WUKA successfully upheld its realistic depiction of periods and its eco-friendly credentials, to bring its ad to life.

From conducting a low carbon shoot to depicting the true nature of periods with real bodies, real life situations and even realistic blood, WUKA is bringing sustainable period wear to the masses with the help of the Sky Zero Footprint Fund.

The panel of judges first viewed the 30” TV creative at the Sky Zero Footprint Fund Showcase event on December 7, 2022, where the ad was applauded for its very clear message and potential to positively impact both women’s health and the environment.

Ruby Raut, CEO and Co-Founder of WUKA said “For decades, growing up in Nepal, I used my mum’s old sari rags, was stigmatised for having a period, and was banished from my home whenever I was bleeding. I grew up with first-hand experience of what it’s like to live in period poverty and surrounded by the shame associated with menstruation.

“When I came to the UK, I was overwhelmed with choices, yet there was a distinct lack of sustainable period product options, or even easy-to-use solutions, offering the comfort and convenience that women and girls deserve to help them feel confident whilst bleeding. WUKA came about from a desire to create a product that both empowers the menstruating population and helps the planet.

As a self-funded scale-up, the Sky Zero Footprint Fund win has provided a really exciting and first-time opportunity for us to showcase our brand and product, but, more importantly, highlight the benefits of a switch to more sustainable period solutions, whilst also smashing taboos around menstruation. We’re hoping our first ever TV commercial will go a long way to making a difference to the lives of women, future generations and to helping reduce period related plastic waste.”

Throughout production, WUKA collaborated with Route Nine Studios husband & wife duo (Mike and Teri Moran) to integrate sustainable production decisions and practices. Steps taken included renting an Airbnb property for the shoot (instead of building a bespoke set); using electric vehicles and public transport for all travel; adopting a zero plastic set; and offsetting all carbon resulting from the shoot and production process.

Below are some insights that informed WUKA’s campaign and creative execution:

1. Around 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million sanitary towels are flushed down the toilet every day, with 1.5‐2 billion menstrual items flushed down Britain’s toilets every year.
2. One conventional sanitary pad takes around 500 years to break down. As well as contributing to plastic pollution, a year’s worth of a typical menstrual product also impacts on climate, with a carbon footprint of 5.3kg CO2 equivalent.
3. A report by Plan International UK reveals that:
   • Over a third (34%) of girls that miss school due to periods worry about leaking.
   • More than one in four (28%) young women aged 14 to 21 are struggling to afford period products.

The 2023 Sky Zero Footprint Fund is now open for entries. Sign up here to register your interest in learning more about how to submit your entry, before the deadline on the 26th of May 2023.

Audi and Sky Sports drive golfing innovation following success of
cricket ‘Power Meter’

Audi renews as Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports

Audi and Sky Media have created two new golfing innovations, providing insight into golf techniques of the professionals to help viewers improve their own performance.

Part of Audi’s renewal as the Official Innovation Partner for Sky Sports – a deal brokered between Sky Media and Omnicom Media Group’s PHD – the continued partnership swings back into action from the 23rd of February and runs until October 2023.

The two new innovations, ‘Force Plates’ and ‘Zen Eye’, will be showcased as part of PGA Tour coverage in the ‘Audi Performance Zone’ part of the Sky Sports Golf studio, with the aim of showing casual viewers how to improve their own game:

• ‘Force Plates’ will measure the force that a golfer uses to create their unique swing. Through the analysis of weight transfer and ground force, the analytics will demonstrate club head speed, ball strike and power of the swing.
• ‘Zen Eye’ will bring the art of putting to life by showing audiences the perfect pace and line for any type of putt with a display on the green.

The campaign will air on Linear TV, Sky Sports’ On Demand and Sky Go as well as YouTube and Sky’s social channels. Audi is also co-sponsoring the PGA Tour coverage, which will see the creation of unique idents produced by Sky Media Commercial Productions.

The innovations will be integrated into the programming as two- to three-minute editorial pieces and will form part of a 20” TV commercial to promote the partnership. Starting in April, the innovations will also be available on SkySports.com and through Sky’s On Demand collection, accessed via voice search, where viewers can review the tips and tricks, at their leisure, to perfect their swing.

Later in 2023, there will be two additional co-branded social content pieces produced, further bringing the innovations to life for sports fans.

The 20” TVC and PGA Tour sponsorship idents feature voiceovers from Sky Sports’ commentator Iona Stephen. Additional Sky Sports talent will be used within the ‘Audi Performance Zone’ and across the tournament coverage.

Tony Moore, Head of Marketing, Audi UK said: “Audi has established a reputation for redefining premium mobility through progressive technology, and partnering with Sky Sports is a natural fit for the Audi brand as we look to our partners to emulate our values. We’re excited to be launching our second year as Sky Sports’ Official Innovation Partner and to see the response from golf fans to the new ‘Force Plates’ and ‘Zen Eye’ innovations featured in the ‘Audi Performance Zone’.”

Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media said: “We’re immensely proud to have Audi as the Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports for the second year. Audi’s use of progressive technology and innovation to redefine the future of premium mobility aligns perfectly with Sky Sports’ own approach to delivering an unparalleled viewing experience for sports fans.

After the success of last year’s Power Meter, this year our innovation will get golf enthusiasts closer to the green. We’re delighted to be working together to develop new, ground-breaking technology to enrich fans’ viewing experience of the sports they love.”

Tom Rovery, Partnerships Account Director at PHD commented: “As the first-ever Official Innovation Partner of Sky Sports, the innovations developed through this collaboration are designed to enhance the enjoyment of live sports coverage, providing a relevant, immersive and attention-grabbing way to engage with fans by bringing Audi’s innovation stories to life in a sports context. The renewal of the partnership marks an important milestone for Audi and Sky Sports in further establishing their commitment to driving progress through technology.”

The partnership renewal and golf tech development comes off the back of a successful campaign in 2022 when Audi’s “Vorsprung durch Technik” fuelled Sky Sports’ most innovative Cricket format, The Hundred, with the Power Meter. The involvement of an Electric Audi, alongside top talent from football and cricket, connected Audi with Sky Sports’ huge audience and increased perceptions of Audi as an innovative brand.

It’s Official – KFC Delivers for Sky Sports Fans

KFC Delivery becomes the Official Delivery Partner for Sky Sports. Set to feature in live coverage of some of the biggest sporting events of the year including top-flight Women’s and Men’s football, The Ashes, F1 and digital touchpoints, the partnership was brokered by Mindshare.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Sky Media today announce a partnership that sees KFC Delivery become the Official Delivery Partner for Sky Sports. The multi-platform partnership deal, brokered by Mindshare, builds on KFC Delivery’s broadcast coverage sponsorship of the World Cup and will develop the brand’s existing creative (developed by Mother London) to feature voiceovers from some of Sky Sports’ most valued commentators.

Debuting on the 13th of February, the partnership will run for 18 weeks across iconic sporting events including the Premier League, English Football League One, Women’s Super League, Scottish Professional Football League, The Ashes, and Formula One. It will showcase how KFC Delivery is the perfect match for live sport fans, allowing them to enjoy their chicken delivered straight to the door, without missing any of the sporting action.

The idents showcase fans struggling to get their KFC takeaway home in time for the start of a sporting event, and will have voiceovers from Sky Sports commentators Bill Leslie, Ebony Rainford-Brent, David Croft, and Pien Meulensteen, announcing KFC Delivery as the Official Delivery partner. The campaign will deliver wide reach and high impact across Sky Sports’ wide range of platforms including Linear TV, SkyGo, and SkySports.com as well as the channel’s app and highly-engaged Social channels (YouTube, Facebook and Instagram).

Aislinn Campbell, Senior Brand Manager at KFC UK&I said: “We’re very excited to be building on the success of last year’s ITV sponsorship by teaming up with Sky Sports. With an impressive line-up of sporting events, Sky Sports is the perfect way for us to bring KFC Delivery home to fans of all sports. We’ve revamped our ads with the voices of some Sky Sports legends to put KFC Delivery at the heart of the action, which we hope people will recognise and love.”

Sarah Jones, Director of Planning at Sky Media said: “We’re thrilled to have KFC Delivery as the Official Delivery Partner for Sky Sports and help grow the exposure of their new service to loyal sports fans. There’s nothing quite like our audiences’ passion for live sport and we’re really excited to see KFC Delivery fuel that fandom in a way that’s contextually relevant.

Sam Grindey, Business Director at Mindshare said: “We’re pleased to have played a role in bringing the partnership between KFC Delivery and Sky Sports to fruition. This contextual partnership is a significant step for KFC’s Delivery service and aligns with its long-term plan to make delivery relevant to as many home occasions as possible. Similarly, considering the variety of sports that Sky Sports offers, this collaboration presents a huge opportunity.”

All-new Range Rover Sport inspires innovative media collaboration with Sky Media

• Third Generation Range Rover Sport stars in ‘Spillway’, a new powerful brand film hosted by Sky Media
• The 7-minute cliff-hanger will simulcast across Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League today, the first of its kind premier for a brand film with a UK broadcaster
• The large-scale campaign marks unique collaboration partner Sky Media, made possible through the mutual pursuit of innovation, and delivers three media-firsts moments
• New interactive voice-activation and QR shoppable capabilities compliment Land Rover’s digital transformation and its elevated online customer solutions

‘Spillway’ is a dramatic film that charts the new Range Rover Sport’s high-intensity ascent of a 193m dam spillway in Iceland against a torrent of water flowing at 750 tonnes per minute. The creative direction of the film was developed to echo the Luxury SUV’s emotive design, dynamic aesthetic and powerful, muscular proportions.

This powerful content demanded an innovative campaign partner to bring it to the world innovatively and with impact. Sky Media accepted the challenge and created a bespoke ecosystem for the media partnership, starting with a multichannel simulcast, the first of its kind for a brand film premiere with a UK broadcaster.

The film will simulcast across Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League channels tomorrow ahead of the hugely anticipated Spurs v Arsenal game. In addition, a high-impact 30” TVC using Sky Media’s “shoppable” QR capability will promote Spillway during the half-time break, followed by another opportunity to see it immediately after Sky’s football show.

Anthony Bradbury, Marketing Director, Jaguar Land Rover UK said: “The launch of a new model, like the iconic Range Rover Sport is a pivotal moment for Land Rover, so we took this opportunity to take stock and look at its launch campaign with a fresh perspective. We wanted to create a moment that was as powerful and inventive as the new car, one that talks directly to our discerning customers. The brief we set our potential partners was intentionally wide as to not stifle creativity, so it was clear and exciting when Sky Media’s pitch came in and their ambition to set a new benchmark was in perfect synchroneity with ours.’’

The North London derby is expected to attract significant viewing figures on Sky Sports, offering a captive audience and natural synergy to seamlessly showcase the awe-inspiring driving challenge in the third generation Range Rover Sport with Official James Bond stunt driver, Jess Hawkins.

Steve Smith, Executive Director Content, Sky Sports commented: “It’s been fantastic to collaborate with Jaguar Land Rover to bring this epic stunt to Sky Sports customers. W Series driver Jess Hawkins stars in the challenge which will be showcased alongside our coverage of the north London derby on Thursday night.”

‘Spillway’ will be amplified by a tailored media strategy using a wide range of Sky Media’s market-leading capabilities and platforms. 30” and 10” TVCs will be used across linear TV, VoD, social and digital; while a 6” TVC for Sky Go and Short-form VoD will continue to promote the film across Sky platforms throughout May. A voice-activated traffic driver will be used for Sky Glass and Sky Q customers, and interactive QR code TVCs will be used for all other Sky customers; both will harness Sky Media’s AdSmart targeting capabilities to reach the core Range Rover Sport audience through the Experian Autos group.