Sky Media launches the ‘Local Heroes’ initiative to support sustainable SMEs

Sky Media, the advertising arm of Sky, has announced the launch of ‘Local Heroes’, a new initiative under the award-winning Sky Zero Footprint Fund, aimed at supporting sustainable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local businesses.

Launched in 2021, the Sky Zero Footprint Fund was created to drive positive behavioral change and help start-ups and established brands accelerate their sustainable initiatives nationally through the power of TV. The new ‘Local Heroes’ fund extends this mission to local and regional companies and offers them a unique opportunity to strengthen their sustainable practices.

The ‘Sky Zero Footprint Fund Local Heroes’ will reward nine companies from different regions in the UK and Republic of Ireland with £20,000 (€20,000) of media value for a TV campaign. In addition, each winner will receive up to £2,500 (€2,500) towards ad creation by a local production agency.

Companies will be selected through a combination of public voting and local judging. Any SME, including shops, restaurants, services, charities and visitor attractions, can apply. The community will vote for their favorite local businesses, and the top 10 in each area will advance to the final round. From this, winners are chosen for each of the nine regions, securing TV creation and airtime.

David Sanderson, Director of AdSmart Local and Development, said: “Businesses of all shapes and sizes across the UK are driving real change in the fight against climate change. We want to reward these companies by giving them access to grow their business and spread their sustainable message. Sky’s AdSmart is the perfect platform to do that, in a targeted and targeted way for regional businesses, and has already helped thousands of businesses get on TV for the first time.”

Applications for the ‘Sky Zero Footprint Fund: Local Heroes’ open on July 3 and close on October 29. For full details and to apply, visit AdSmart from Sky.

Sky was the first media company in the world to become carbon neutral in 2006 and has since used its platforms and content to promote sustainable behavior for a better planet. For more information about the original Sky Zero Footprint Fund, visit Heaven media.