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Out today, the “Rooftop Runner” advergame will be used to raise awareness of the 43 Run 10K events taking place across the UK in September and October this year - to encourage sign up, and help boost the funds raised by people taking part, sponsoring runners and making donations.
Natasha Dickinson, Head of Marketing & Communications at Cancer Research UK, explains the role of “Rooftop Runner” in Cancer Research UK’s online strategy for this year’s Run 10K event series: “Rooftop Runner will run alongside our online advertising leading up to the Run 10K events. Both are designed to raise awareness and drive traffic to the website where people can sign up, sponsor friends & family, and donate to the charity. Interactive branded entertainment is a great way to reach a wider audience online and Rooftop Runner has a real ‘feel good factor’, just like people get from taking part in the events themselves. Matmi’s experience with advergames for other charities like Comic Relief and Sport Relief made them the obvious choice.”
Jeff Coghlan, MD at Matmi, says companies with high trafficking websites could play a vital part in the campaign as seeding partners for Cancer Research UK. “This game is aimed at the widest demographic to give it best possible reach. The Paddington Bear style graphics and familiar UK landmarks make it really accessible, but the seeding strategy is critical to help the advergame attract high play rates and become viral. We’re in discussion with a number of companies with high trafficking websites as online partners for Cancer Research UK, so if your company would like to get involved supporting vital cancer research, we urge you to get in touch.”
“Rooftop Runner” delivers a free running* experience to players who must reach the start of their nearest Run 10K event as quickly as possible, collecting donations on their way and passing billboards which are updated with the latest Run 10K event information. The game makes use of bespoke advergame technology from Matmi – dynamic content modules – which enables selected content in a game to be constantly updated after the advergame has been released. In Cancer Research UK’s case, the billboards within “Rooftop Runner” can be updated each year with the dates and details of that year’s Run 10K events, giving the advergame a new lease of life every year.
*Free running is a form of urban acrobatics in which participants use the city and rural landscape to perform movements through its structures. It incorporates efficient movements, adds vaults and other acrobatics to create an athletic and aesthetically pleasing way of moving.
Rooftop Runner in brief
“Rooftop Runner” (rooftoprunner.co.uk) players become amazing free runners when they realise they need to get to the start of their nearest Run 10K event as fast as possible, to support Cancer Research UK’s vital work into beating cancer. Picking a male or female character, they negotiate an assortment of iconic buildings and sights gathered from the 43 UK venues hosting the 2009 Run 10K events. Players pick up as many donations as possible while working their way through four checkpoints en route. The cash is converted into a score at the end of the game – providing players complete the course within the set time limit!
About Cancer Research UK
- Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to beat cancer.
- Cancer Research UK carries out world-class research to improve understanding of the disease and find out how to prevent, diagnose and treat different kinds of cancer.
- Cancer Research UK ensures that its findings are used to improve the lives of all cancer patients.
- Cancer Research UK helps people to understand cancer, the progress that is being made and the choices each person can make.
- Cancer Research UK works in partnership with others to achieve the greatest impact in the global fight against cancer.
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 020 7121 6699 or visit our website.
About Matmi
Since 2001, Matmi (matmi.com) has pushed the boundaries to encourage brands to engage directly with consumers online. Its interactive branded entertainment has worked magic for the likes of ASDA, Comic Relief, Football Superstars, EMI (Lily Allen), ITV and Universal Music.
Matmi’s work has won recognition from the BIMAs, the Chip Shop Awards, DADI Awards, Green Awards, Eurobest and the Golden Awards of Montreux amongst others. MD and founder, Jeff Coghlan, has even been described as “one of the world’s leading digital minds”. See for yourself - experience our website.
For more information, please contact:
Jo Sefton, PR for Cancer Research UK’s Run 10K campaign, 020 7061 8364 / jo.sefton[.]cancer.org.uk.
Jeff Coghlan, big cheese, Matmi New Media Designs, 07921 620499 / jeff[.]matmi.com.
Penny Lines, Matmi’s marketing maid, 07932 158845
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penny[.]matmi.com 
