Kate McCann unveils digital billboard campaign for Missing People4

IT | Kirsty Weakley | 10 Jul 2012

Kate McCann will undertake her first role as ambassador for Missing People tomorrow, unveiling a major digital billboard campaign that will feature across the UK.

The campaign will feature individual missing people and include the charity's new phone number to report sightings (116 000). Running on up to 6,000 digital billboards in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow the campaign is predicted to reach 10 million people over the summer.

The estimated value of the donated advertising space, which will be utilised throughout the Olympic period, is £1m. Outdoor media owners who have donated space include Clear Channel, JCDecaux, Primesight and CBS Outdoor.

The campaign has been organised by the trade body for outdoor media, the Outdoor Media Centre who approached Missing People with the idea. Digital production agency Grand Visual designed the campaign, using open-loop technology so that Missing People can update the boards instantly from its office.

Bill Wilson, operations director at the Outdoor Media Centre said: “The Outdoor Media Centre and our members feel strongly that we can make a difference to the hundreds of thousands of families who are living each day not knowing when they’ll see their loved ones again.”

McCann recently became an ambassador for the charity, although she has previously been fundraiser for Missing People by taking part in its Miles for Missing People 10k run.

She said: “More than 250,000 people are reported missing each year in the UK – worryingly they could fill the Olympic Stadium three times over. Thankfully, campaigns like this can play a vital part in the search.”

It is her first public role since her own daughter, Madeleine, went disappeared in Portugal five years ago.

She added: “The search for Madeleine continues and I am delighted to lend my support as an ambassador to this practical solution that gives hope to families like mine.”

Earlier this year, two missing children were found safe and well after being featured in Missing People’s Big Tweet campaign.

Directory: Missing People

Place a comment

PS Siu
Fundraiser
RNS
18 Jul 2012

@Hannah and @Celia - I totally agree.
But popular public perception dictates policy it seems, and if Missing People feel their £cause is going to benefit with this association, well they're going to ride this particular tiger and hope it doesn't bite them down the road.

[Reply]

Celia Fenwick
16 Jul 2012

I am sorry but I do not think Kate McCann is an appropriate ambassador for missing people. It sends out a very bad message that leaving three toddlers unsupervised to go out with friends is acceptable behaviour. It would save far more children in the future to emphasis that the McCann's wanton disregard for the safety of their children on that ill-fated holiday was totally unacceptable.

[Reply]

Graham Perry
Unemployed
I Just care
15 Jul 2012

I feel a great deal of empathy to Kate McCann's ongoing search for her missing daughter Madeleine. As for myself I just try to make the worlds society aware of the ongiong search for Madeleine McCann, and please keep a look out for Madeleine. As I have stated I do this on a global scale, thank you.

[Reply]

Hannah
15 Jul 2012

I am horrified that Kate McCann has been given this role. Surely there are far more worthy candidates than this infamous parent who neglected her three tiny children, 5 nights in a row, resulting in a catastrophe for poor little Madeleine.

It's all so surreal. I think the world has gone completely mad!

[Reply]

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