UFI/learndirect seeks new agency
9 March 2004
Ufi - the government-funded organisation behind learndirect - is looking for a full service agency to work on integrated campaigns to promote learndirect across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Following a review with COI Communications, three agencies Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalf/Y&R, Leo Burnett and Publicis have been shortlisted to pitch in April.
The agencies will be tasked with producing plans for above and below the line activity for learndirect - the e-learning network and advice service.
Since the launch of learndirect in October 2000, over one million adults have chosen to learn with learndirect. More than half of learndirect learners are "new to learning".
Campaigns will build on the 72 percent prompted recognition of the learndirect brand, targeting groups identified as priorities by the government - including people qualified at below level two (GCSE or equivalent), those living in deprived areas, the estimated one-in-five of the adult population who struggle with numeracy and literacy, and people working in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The focus will be on helping learners progress through learndirect e-learning to nationally recognised qualifications. Incumbent agency Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters developed the first learndirect campaign.
UfI Executive Director - Marketing and Customer Relations, Phil Wade, praised the agency's work:
"DFGW contributed greatly to the development of learndirect. We have demonstrated our ability to attract substantial volumes of learners nationally, many of them learning new skills that have helped them get back to work after a period of unemployment, gain promotion, or find a new job.
"We now need to further demonstrate the benefits of skills development to individuals and businesses and this will demand integrated programmes targeted against discrete audiences to achieve even more cost effective solutions. We will refine the targeting of potential learners so that through the learndirect e-learning network, Ufi can make a significant contribution to addressing specific skills deficits at a regional level.
"We are continuing to move the strategy forward in line with the government's skills agenda and the time is right to look at fresh creative thinking."
Michael Finn CEO of dfgw said
"We launched learndirect and over the last five years have put the brand on the map. Going forward learndirect needs a different set of skills. We wish them well for the future."
Note to editors:
- "New learners" are those defined by the Department for Education and Skills in its regular National Adult Learning Survey as adults who have not engaged in any formal learning for three years or more.
Notes for editors
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