COI promotes Frank in first online push

by Philip Buxton, Revolution UK 28-Jul-04

The Government is to use online marketing to promote its youth drugs awareness brand, Frank, for the first time.

The two departments responsible for Frank, the Home Office and the Department of Health, have appointed digital creative agency Profero and online media planning and buying specialist i-level to raise awareness of Frank after a pitch process run through the COI, the government's communications arm.

The brief was to show how digital media could be used to increase awareness of Frank as a source of unbiased information about drugs. It wants to promote affinity with the brand among its core market of 15- to 18-year-olds and drive traffic to the www.talktofrank.com site.

Profero said the resulting campaign is expected to take in 'traditional online formats and interactive executions', building on existing brand work created by integrated agency Mother.

Chris Baylis, Profero creative communications director, said: "Mother has created a great brand and our challenge is to take it online in an imaginative way that engages and surprises young people at every turn."

Barry Mortimer, Home Office communications advisor, said: "Profero has shown an understanding of how teenagers interact with digital media and how best to reach out to them through the internet. There are some great ideas that we look forward to seeing online."