Creative agency Watson Philips Norman, in a joint effort with media agency Mike Colling & Co, negotiated with the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre about the interpretation of Ofcom advertising regulations to push through the iniatiative.
Ofcom regulations have so far prevented charities from exploiting shopping channel infomercials -- typically 15-minute, paid-for programmes -- because they specify that infomercials can only be aired to sell products and not solicit donations from the viewing audience.
However, the BACC agreed that ActionAid's child sponsorship programme should be counted as a product because donors subscribe and receive regular reports or letters describing the progress being made by the child they are helping.
WPN's creative director Maria Phillips and head of TV Sandra Money then created an infomercial using the agency's own footage shot on location at ActionAid projects in India and Africa.
It features a voiceover by actor Paul McGann and music by Clannad, Enya, Nitin Sawhney and The Pretenders. Production was handled by Andrew Guy at Eye to Eye.
Gail Cookson, client services director at WPN, said: "This is an incredible step forward for ActionAid with a compelling product, emotive footage and a whole new media opportunity which has previously been denied to charities."
Joanne Smith, ActionAid's director of fundraising, said: "Sandra and Maria have created a very hard-hitting film that speaks volumes about our work."
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