London Landmarks Half Marathon | Charity Event Branding & Creative Campaign
Background
Tommy's, the pregnancy and baby charity dedicated to saving babies' lives, set out to launch one of the UK's most ambitious mass participation fundraising events. The vision was to create the first ever closed-road half marathon through both the City of London and the City of Westminster, giving runners exclusive access to some of London's most iconic landmarks while raising millions for charities.
Following early strategic workshops and audience research, I was appointed to develop the creative identity and campaign that would introduce the event to the public and establish it as a standout addition to the UK's competitive charity events calendar.
The Challenge
The challenge was to create a compelling event brand that would capture people's imagination in a crowded market already dominated by established events such as the Royal Parks Half Marathon and Cancer Research UK's Winter Run.
The campaign needed to inspire runners, attract charity partners and build excitement around a completely new fundraising event. It also required a flexible visual identity that could work seamlessly across advertising, digital marketing, event communications, merchandise and race-day experiences.
The Creative Strategy
Audience insight revealed that the route itself was the event's greatest asset.
Rather than focusing solely on running, we positioned London as the hero of the campaign. The creative celebrated the capital's hidden stories, famous landmarks and unexpected history, giving participants a reason to explore the city in a completely new way.
I developed a bold visual identity using a distinctive yellow and pink colour palette, creating an instantly recognisable event brand that stood apart from competitors. The creative system was designed to work across every touchpoint, from outdoor advertising and digital campaigns to merchandise, signage and participant communications. Comprehensive brand guidelines ensured the identity could grow consistently as the event expanded year after year.
Impact
The London Landmarks Half Marathon launched as one of the UK's most successful new charity fundraising events, exceeding expectations from day one.
50 charity partners joined the event in its first year.
5,000 public places sold out within minutes of launch.
More than 70,000 people attempted to register on opening morning.
The event raised over £4 million in 2018.
Initial projections exceeded £14.3 million across the first three years.
Since launch, the event has raised more than £50 million for charities.
Today, the London Landmarks Half Marathon is one of the UK's leading mass participation fundraising events, demonstrating how strategic branding, audience insight and memorable creative can transform a new event into a long-term fundraising success.