First Choice gets red-dy for Comic Relief

First Choice’s shops may be themed pink at the moment, but they will turn red from the beginning of February, when the company becomes the ‘Official Holiday Partner of Red Nose Day 2007’. The campaign launches on 31 January, with Red Nose Day itself, taking place on 16 March.

First Choice will be supporting Comic Relief’s bi-annual event in a big way! To help raise money, staff will be taking donations via the Foreign Exchange bureaus until the end of March and each shop will be supplied with Red Nose Day themed point of sale materials (from 1 Feb) and encouraged to set up a local fund-raising event. All the money will go to Comic Relief and the projects in the UK and Africa it helps support.

First Choice Radio, broadcast in the shops, will also be joining in the fun with ‘jokes of the day’, and the company’s web site will take on a red hue and include information about the campaign and regional events. There will also be a link to the Red Nose Day donations page.

Marketing activity including an email campaign and ‘welcome home’ mailings will be themed and even ticket books and luggage labels will become part of the campaign.

Passengers will also be encouraged to jump onboard Red Nose Day. First Choice Airways Cabin Crew will be showing a Comic Relief film on short and mid-haul flights and staff, who will be provided with Red Noses, will be collecting money on all flights. Selected hotels overseas and UK based office staff will also be holding fund-raising events to raise awareness and money for the charity in the lead-up to the big day.

Emma Waddell, Head of PR and Marketing Services commented “Two of First Choice’s key brand characteristics are fun and caring. Red Nose Day allows us to have a lot of fun, while also helping vulnerable people both in the UK and Africa. We are used to themed campaigns, but we have gone one step further this time and have a few surprises up our sleeve to ensure that the campaign gets off to a flying start.

“First Choice would welcome donations from any of its industry partners who want to help us support this worthy cause.”