Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
Make MS Your Corporate Cause
Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological condition affecting young
Australians. It is a debilitating and degenerative disease that attacks people at the
time of the lives when they are planning families and building a career.
Every day, four young Australians are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. There is no
cure but you can make a difference to the quality of their lives.
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Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
Introduction
This document outlines a number of rewarding opportunities for corporate Australia to make a
difference to people affected by multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological condition affecting young Australians. It is a
debilitating and degenerative disease that attacks people at the time of the lives when they are
planning families and building a career.
Its symptoms range from blurred vision and cognitive fog, through to pain and spasticity. There is no
known cure.
Multiple Sclerosis Limited (MS) is the pre-eminent service organisation supporting people affected by
the disease in Victoria, New South Wales and ACT.
MS offers a broad range of services from information and education through to wellbeing programs
and respite and accommodation.
While the organisation has received government funding, this is declining making it more important
than ever to link the generosity of our corporate neighbours with some great opportunities to make
a difference.
Your contribution can have a significant impact on the quality of life for someone affected by multiple
sclerosis while the search for a cure continues.
In this document you will find opportunities that include both sponsorship of service as well as major
events and projects.
Benefits for Corporate Partners
Forming a partnership with MS brings substantial benefits, including:
•
Demonstrate support for one of Australia’s most widely recognised and trusted charitable
organisations.
•
Associate your brand with a series of iconic community events that garner mass
participation, substantial community engagement and extensive media coverage.
•
Align your brand with the emotional and inspirational journey that people affected with
multiple sclerosis undertake every day.
•
Leverage multiple marketing touch points across event campaigns and activate your brand in
key target segments.
•
Inspire staff through event volunteering, fundraising, workplace giving campaigns and even
staff reward programs.
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Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
•
Help thousands of Australians living with multiple sclerosis
MS EVENTS
MS runs a diverse portfolio of fundraising events each year. Many are today considered
iconic events in the sporting or education calendar and attract up to 12,000 participants in
any one event.
Collectively, the initiatives reach a very broad range of Australians, with the ability to impact
on most generations, and engage with males and females across a broad socio-economic
background.
Each event provides many opportunities for corporate partnership and we welcome ideas
and suggestions of additional benefits you may wish to receive.
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Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
This is Australia’s iconic bike ride now it its 34th year. The ride attracts 10,000 riders who
undertake the ride from Sydney to Wollongong.
The event starts at Sydney Park and travels down through the Royal National Park and
along the Sea Cliff Bridge to Wollongong
The event engages more than 400 volunteers and 28,000 family and friends bring the total
number of participants in the day to more than 38,000.
More than 5,000 cyclists will take to the streets of Melbourne in early 2016 to pedal for a cause in
the tenth annual MS Melbourne Cycle. They will be riding to raise $750,000 for people living with
multiple sclerosis.
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Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
The MS Melbourne Cycle is a fun, non-competitive event suitable for all ages and fitness levels. With
two course options available – a 50 km course or the more leisurely 30 km – all participants will
experience the spectacular views as they ride over Melbourne’s iconic West Gate bridge.
The MS Readathon is Australia’s longest-running and most respected reading-based fundraiser which
has fostered a love of reading in generations of Aussies, fuelling their desire to make a difference to
the lives of Australians living with multiple sclerosis.
Over the past 36 years, around 5.5 million people have taken part in the MS Readathon raising more
than $40 million for people with the disease. This year the target is $500,000 which will support the
ongoing provision of essential services and programs while the search for a cure continues.
The response to the MS Readathon in 2014 was fabulous with more than 800 schools participating.
The MS 24 Hour Mega Swim event program founded by Gold medallist Paralypian Carol Cooke AM.
24 Hours – teams of 15 – and one goal to participate for 24hours in support of people living with
multiple sclerosis. The program runs in metropolitan and regional areas across Victoria, New South
Wales and the Australian Capital Territory with support from community hosts, venues and MS.
These 15 events run annually raise funds to support the MS Go For Gold Scholarship Program and
Financial Assistance Programs to benefit people living with MS. More than 550 life changing
scholarships have been awarded to date.
The events also attract a range of well recognised sports people and community leaders including
the 2013 Australian Swim Team, Olympians Michael Klim, Daniel Kowalski , Nicole Livingston, Petria
Thomas, Stephanie Prem (nee Hickey); Paralymians Shelley Chaplin, Leanne Del Toro, Television
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Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
personalities Helen Kapalos; Politicians Hon. John Robertson, Hon. Kate Lundy, Mayors; Comedians
Tommy Little.
The MS Walk + Fun run is an enjoyable, healthy way to join family, friends and thousands of other
enthusiastic supporters and in doing so help MS expose the invisible disease that is multiple sclerosis,
a devastating neurological condition which affects four Australians every working day.
Almost 12,000 people took part across the three cities in 2014. Since the first event in 1989, MS
Walk and Fun Run participants have raised millions of dollars to fund essential services and support
for the people living with MS while the search for a cure continues.
The event is held simultaneously in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra and caters for people of all
ages and fitness levels with different course lengths and degrees of difficulty.
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Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
Event Sponsorship Opportunities
 Associate your brand with an iconic major community event that garners extensive media
coverage
 Engage with your target market in an atmosphere of celebration and inspirational community
spirit
 Leverage multiple touch points across pre-event and post-event campaigns and on- ground
brand activation opportunities
 Inspire your staff through your involvement and use the event as a key corporate
engagement opportunity
 Help thousands of Australians living with MS!
Who participants in MS events?
MS events attract a wide range of demographics.
The Sydney to Gong Bike Ride attracts predominately white collar professionals in high income
brackets - they make up almost 80% of the 10,000 annual participants. Almost 60& of those are in
the 35 to 54 age group. 36% working in legal, IT and finance/banking. More than 30% earning more
than $150,000 per year, including the 15% earning more than $200,000 per year.
The MS Mega Swims and MS Walk & Fun Run attracts families and their friends of all ages. People
vested in community and making a difference. The come from all walks of life and tend to participant
year on year.
MS Readathon attracts more than 800 schools, 70% of those primary schools with the average age of
participants between 9 – 11 years. Teachers and parents are captive supporters and are major
advocates of this iconic reading program.
The Melbourne Cycle is a cool urban event which attracts more than 5,000 cyclists, couples and
young families.
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Corporate Engagement – Making a Difference for MS
Benefits
A menu for discussion and agreement…….
Naming Rights
Name/MS ……
Advertising
Logo on all print media advertising
Logo on all digital advertising
Logo on all outdoor advertising
Logo and link to sponsor website on eDMs
Logo and link from event website to sponsor website
Opportunity to provide one banner advertisement for the website
Opportunity to provide exclusive offer to participants
Logo on all collateral (posters, flyers, postcards)
Logo on all official collateral (certificates)
Inclusion of flyer into participants’ kits
Credit in press releases
Logo inclusion on all downloadable course guides
Event logo available for use on sponsor comms, letterhead etc.
Facebook – posts
Instagram – photos and videos
Twitter – tweets
Waiver of registration fees for up to employees participating
eDMs
Official website
Database
Marketing Collateral
Press Releases
Online Course Guides
Cross Promotion
Social Media
Recognition during
commentary for events
Naming Rights at Finish
village
Starting Points
Stops / stations en
route
Finish Line
Volunteers
Event Merchandise
On ground activation opportunities
Announcements / call to action throughout the day
Acknowledgement in all announcements and pre publicity
Display of signage (signage at sponsor’s cost). Requirements tbc
Display of bow banner signage (at sponsor’s cost).
Bowflags
Relevant sampling en route - tbc
Display of signage (signage at sponsor’s cost). Requirements tbc
Spruiking, sampling, activation and sales opportunities at Finish Village
Waiver of site fee for marquee space to conduct corporate hospitality or
product sampling
Logo on volunteer caps
Logo inclusion on any event merchandise for sale (time pending)
To discuss the opportunities in this document please contact:
Jan Staunton
Group Manager, Marketing and Communications
[email protected]
0412 298 421
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