GPS tracks 100s of comms agency staff in sponsored relay race
Howard Lake | 18 September 2013 | News
Hundreds of staff from communications agency AMV BBDO have taken part in a sponsored John O’Groats to London relay race. They were each given GPS phones so that their progress could be tracked on screen.
Over 400 employees raised over £27,000 for Brain Tumour Research last week. They joined one of 25 legs of the relay and chose their own mode of transport. There were cyclists, runners, horse-riders, dog-walkers, motorcyclists, buggy-pushers, skateboarders, swimmers and more. Some even danced, or dashed with shopping trolleys.
Staff vote for charity
The staff chose Brain Tumour Research as the company charity after their colleague 27-year-old Tom Thake, an Account Manager, underwent treatment for a brain tumour.
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The progress of team AMV BBDGO completing various legs of the relay was tracked live by GPS, documented through Twitter and Storify and shown on a giant screen at the agency. Tom himself was part of a pedi-bus (a pedal-powered open-top bus) team, travelling from Battersea Bridge to Gloucester Road. CEO Ian Pearman hitchhiked from Oxford to Richmond dressed as a woman, raising more funds.
Sue Farrington Smith, Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Research said: "Immediately we were struck by the professionalism and energy the team put into their events. People went to great lengths to find ways they could get involved, whether it was joining in with a mammoth cycle ride through Scotland to a more sedentary stroll with dogs through central London. They seemed to have thought of everything and were very clever in how they made this fun and engaging, whilst backing this serious cause."
You can see highlights of the event in the agency's report on Storify, featuring tweets, photos and Vine videos.
