Inner City Allotments - allot more...

Promote having your own outside space for people in highly developed cities where there is a lack of outside space, see it more as a sanctuary, and try and modernize the appeal of allotments, as they’re in decline. Altogether rid the “Arthur Fowler” image of the allotment and try to make it into a cooler pastime.

People perceive allotments to be full of retired men growing prize turnips rather than a community of people each with their own unique reason for being there. An allotment is a space that allows you relax, attract wildlife, enjoy the outdoors, entertain children and friends, grow your own food and flowers and get away from city life. Allotments are for everyone but this campaign targets a more specific audience. According to a press release entitled ‘London's allotments losing ground’ by the Greater London Authority on 25/10/06

“The unprecedented interest in organic food has led to a renaissance in interest in allotment gardening, particularly among women and young families.”

A report by the Green Party Group dated September 2004 states that,

“People from different ethnic backgrounds, younger people and families are taking up allotment gardening. New allotment holders also tend to be younger and financially better off.”

A target audience of young professionals and young families who probably already take an interest in being ‘green’ has therefore been considered with the media being used as a key to targeting them specifically.

Public transport adverts target younger professional commuters and inner city dwellers. This will guide those interested to a website which will inform and educate in more depth. Online advertising will also encourage traffic to the website and reach a larger audience than the transport adverts. The 'gardening calendar' DM can be used to target addresses within city centre locations or those within a certain radius of available allotment plots.

Most allotments are provided by local councils so it is appropriate to consider that this campaign would be run by the government in areas where allotments are available. The campaign is therefore not city specific and could be run nationwide. To attract a young professional audience the tone of voice is friendly and approachable but nonetheless informative.

This was the winning campaign for this brief at the MPA Student Roses Awards '08.