Pearl & Dean launches initiative to raise money for national parks

Cinema sales house Pearl & Dean and National Parks UK have launched the Wild Spaces initiative to enable cinemagoers to support nature.

Wild Spaces allows purpose-driven brands to be featured in a dedicated advertising reel to be shown in Pearl & Dean cinemas that funds restoration projects from National Parks UK.

MG OMD collaborated with Pearl & Dean and its experience agency Dive on the project.

The reel, which highlights why investment in the UK’s national parks is vital, bookends brand ads with bespoke content created by Dive.

Wild Spaces aims to generate regular, long-term funding for National Parks UK.

The first project to be supported by Wild Spaces is peatland restoration at Kinder Scout in the Peak District. Work will be carried out by March 2025.

Giffgaff is the launch brand, with a new film showing as part of the Wild Spaces reel for the first six months of the initiative’s launch. Wild Spaces will open up to other advertisers from March 2025.

“At Giffgaff, we’re committed to mobilising the media and advertising industry to play its part in tackling the climate crisis,” said Georgina Bramall, Giffgaff’s marketing strategy director. “We’re delighted to collaborate with Pearl & Dean to invest in and showcase the important role that National Parks UK plays in protecting and restoring our natural world.”

A recent report from National Parks UK estimates that there is a funding gap of £56bn to deliver all of the UK’s nature-related ambitions over the next 10 years.

Richard Williams, business development and strategy director at Dive, added: “We want a trip to Pearl & Dean cinemas to become a socially responsible act. Just like consumers, brands want to align with platforms that reflect their values and contribute to society. This partnership achieves just this, whilst also raising awareness about the crucial need for nature restoration and the incredible work already done.”

Clare Turner, chief commercial officer at Pearl & Dean, said: “This partnership allows us to simultaneously contribute to securing the future of our beloved green spaces whilst driving cinemagoers’ awareness of the need to ignite long-term sustainable change. It brings together the beauty of the great outdoors and the unique, attention-grabbing magic of cinema.”