Alexa to ‘open’ Race for Life to users in new actionable audio campaign for Cancer Research UK

Leading cancer charity Cancer Research UK has teamed up with voice assistant adtech firm Say It Now to launch its first actionable audio advert promoting its Race for Life events.

The advert, that users can access via their Alexa smart speaker, enables people to sign up for one of 450 Race for Life events across the UK, to help drive donations for life-saving cancer research.

Once the user says “Alexa, open Race for Life”, they will receive a link on their phone offering the opportunity to sign up for their local Race for Life event. Users will also get access to a 30% off entry sale if they sign up by 30 April (Sunday).

Actionable audio ads have three elements – a 30-40 second radio ad voiced by a smart speaker, a smart speaker call to action, and frictionless voice interaction. Consumers can research products, have more information or offers sent to their phone, or purchase.

Increased sign-ups with two-way conversation

The Race for Life initiative is in step with Cancer Research UK’s ambitions towards innovation in marketing and is a nod to research from neuro analysis company Neuro-Insight, that found branded smart speaker ads trigger a 25% increase in overall brain activity compared with branding in standard audio ads.

Lucy Salazar, Senior Events Marketing Manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “We are proud to lead the way when it comes to using smart, actionable advertising to drive awareness and participation for Race for Life. By joining forces with Say It Now, we can have a two-way conversation with new and existing followers and encourage them to sign up by following the send-to-phone link.

“The seamless brand experience and clear call to action will increase sign-ups and, ultimately, boost all important donations for Cancer Research UK.”

Race for Life, organised this year in partnership with a new headline sponsor, financial services provider Standard Life, is celebrating its 30th year this year and has become the UK’s largest mass participation fundraising event series.

It started in London’s Battersea with 750 participants raising £48,000 but has grown into a series of hundreds of 3k, 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy obstacle events across the country raising a staggering £940m over its lifetime.

Charlie Cadbury, CEO, Say It Now, said: “We are thrilled to support Cancer Research UK generate sign-ups for its Race for Life events using our interactive voice technology. The actionable audio advert is quick and easy to use, has a clear call to action and can send a sign-up link directly to phones. By reaching a growing number of smart speaker listeners, this can help drive awareness and donations to fund laboratories, tests and treatments.”