Cancer Research UK will repeat its hugely successful January alcohol abstinence campaign, Dryathlon, in 2014, expecting more participants and fundraising next year.

Dryathlon raised £4m from 35,000 participants in its debut year this year, and CRUK has announced it will return in the new year, with some fresh elements.  

CRUK marketing director Anthony Newman described some of the changes that are being made next year. “We’ve been developing some really exciting elements to the campaign, including a much larger though-the-line marketing push, a national television campaign, improvements to the user experience on the website and social engagement activity,” he said.

“We will also be encouraging our Dryathletes to challenge their friends and family members to take part in various sober challenges, such as sober karaoke, to help with fundraising, and we’ll be asking them to share their own ‘Dry Challenges’ on the Dryathlon social media channels.”

The 2013 campaign was designed to attract a younger, male audience to CRUK and the creative for 2014 is much in the same vein.

Macmillan ran a similar event in October, Go Sober October, and has so far raised £1.7m from just over 31,000 participants.