//John Smith’s People’s Darts

Rights Holder: BDO / BBC

Sponsor: John Smith’s

Agency: IMG

Events : Lakeside World Championship (BBC)

//The Brief

//Drive brand awareness of John Smith’s sponsorship of the BDO Darts Championship, televised on BBC 1 and 2.

//Engage Darts fans and pub owners and punters across the UK

//Rock N Roll

//Created a national competition that had 8 regional finals, meaning every John Smith’s pub across the country could get involved and be engaged.

//Entrants entered their local pub tournament to get to their regional final.

//One winner from each regional final would go to the Lakeside during the BDO World Championship finals to play their final matches on the big stage and on live TV.

//Each regional finalist was paired with a professional darts player who act as their mentor. Each mentor visited them at their local to host a send-off before the finals.

//Ran a partnership with the Daily Mirror to keep the story alive in the national press from entries to each of the key stages.

//Results

//Brand coverage on the BBC - truly unprecedented.

//Marked uplift in John Smith’s consumption during campaign period.

//Second year signed off immediately after the first had finished.