THE CHALLENGE
As part of our ‘Active Communities Fund’, which commits financial and in-kind agency support to meaningful campaigns, we supported Deo Kato on his incredible journey running from Cape Town to London. Over 500 days and 9,000 miles, Deo documented human migration and raised awareness on a global scale.
Our mission was to maximise exposure for this historic feat, ensuring the right messaging and storytelling were delivered at every stage. To achieve this, we collaborated closely with Alice Light, Project Manager of Cape Town to London, to identify key moments for engagement and amplification.
WHAT WE DID
To support Deo’s journey, we executed a strategic media and engagement plan:
- Moving Meet Event: Hosted our first 2024 Moving Meet at The Africa Centre, uniting runners and supporters to raise funds.
- Final Leg Coordination: Focused on his last UK stretch from Greenwich to Hammersmith, securing media coverage and encouraging public participation.
- Media Management: Aspire team members Sam and Lory ran alongside Deo, managing interviews on the go.
- Press & Broadcast Features: Secured majorcoverage, including:
- News & Print: The Guardian, Yahoo!,Runner’s World, BBC South East, The VoiceOnline, UKRunChat, and more.
- TV & Radio: Channel 4 (Downing Street interview), BBC One (News at Six & Ten), BBC World Service, BBC Radio 2, ITN.
- Podcasts & Digital: Runner’s World Podcast, Gone Running Podcast, The Running Channel, and Live for the Outdoors.
THE IMPACT
Our efforts ensured that Deo’s incredible achievement was recognised and celebrated widely.
26
pieces of coverage
1.7M
estimated views
24.6K
engagements
532M
overall reach
Through strategic storytelling, media partnerships, and community engagement, we successfully amplified Deo’s journey, cementing his legacy and raising further awareness for his cause.
