Grub Club's Sustainable Initiative Wins Sky's £2M Ad Fund, Setting a New Standard for Sustainability

Sky has granted £250,000 to Grub Club, Milliways, Ocean Bottle, OceanSaver, and UpCircle as part of its Zero Footprint ad fund, thereby supporting climate-conscious initiatives. In its third year, the fund, which totals £2m, is dedicated to combatting climate change by allocating media spend to sustainability-driven brands.

Before the final stage of judging in December, every brand will now create an advertisement. The brand that is considered to have produced the most captivating and innovative content will receive an additional £750,000 worth of media exposure.

The top prize contenders consist of five brands: Grub Club, a dog food brand that uses hypoallergenic insect-based ingredients; Milliways, a chewing gum brand that is free of plastic; Ocean Bottle, a brand that offers reusable bottles; OceanSaver, a brand that specializes in eco-friendly cleaning products; and UpCircle, a natural skincare brand that utilizes upcycled ingredients.

The judging panel for this year's competition includes Chris Baker, the previous year's winner and cofounder of Serious Tissues, as well as David Garrido, the sustainability lead for We', Pippa Glucklich, the CEO of Electric Glue, and Stephen Woodford, the chair of the Advertising Association.

Fiona Ball, the group director of Bigger Picture and sustainability at Sky, explains that Sky utilizes its platforms to actively engage audiences on climate change and promote actions to reduce carbon emissions. She emphasizes the significant role that advertising plays in raising awareness about climate issues and inspiring changes in daily habits. Additionally, she expresses anticipation for the 2023 winners' advertisements to be showcased on Sky's TV channels.

Grub Club's CEO Alessandro Di Trapani describes the fund as an "amazing opportunity" to connect with millions across the UK. Meanwhile, Milliways' CEO Tom Raviv emphasizes the need to raise awareness about the damaging effects of single-use plastic in gum production on both the environment and health. He expresses enthusiasm about collaborating with the Sky Zero Footprint Fund, as it aligns with Milliways' mission and provides an ideal platform to share their narrative and purpose on a global scale.

"We aspire to liberate the nation from the ingrained mindset of using single-use items, benefiting both our finances and the environment, and leaving a lasting impact," remarks William Pearson, Ocean Bottle's CEO.

Adam Joe Parker, the marketing director at OceanSaver, expresses his sheer amazement and joy at being selected for the fund, while Anna Brightman, cofounder of UpCircle, describes the brand's elation.

The Works, a monthly study that utilizes Kantar Marketplace data, declared the advertisement crafted by Here We Flo, a period care brand, as the most impactful TV ad for April 2022. This ad also secured the prestigious Grand Prix £1m prize from the inaugural Sky Zero Footprint Fund in 2021.