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British racing has launched a brand new marketing campaign focused at proactively constructing public belief round horse welfare.
The HorsePWR initiative takes inspiration from different profitable sporting campaigns that visually have human “stars and athletes proper on the coronary heart”, by selling thoroughbreds in the identical means. Its title is an acronym, with PWR representing “objective, welfare and accountability”, and the marketing campaign includes a brand new web site with details concerning the sport, plus posters with easy messaging round welfare.
“The HorsePWR marketing campaign sees the game take a brand new strategy on the subject of speaking about welfare,” mentioned Robin Mounsey, British Horseracing Authority (BHA) head of communications and member of the game’s Horse Welfare Board.
“It’s about being up-front, open and clear. It’s about tackling head-on the weather of the game that we all know are areas of concern and offering info to teach and reassure.”
The primary stage, which launched publicly on 4 April, is geared toward getting the {industry} engaged first, to offer “racing individuals and supporters the instruments with which to share their delight in racing, selling the game’s welfare requirements and rebutting unfavorable or deceptive info”. The longer-term ambition is to interact with wider audiences.
In a media briefing forward of the launch, Mr Mounsey added that the opposite cause the cross-industry marketing campaign is concentrating on racing supporters and the {industry} first is that simply because somebody is a fan, “doesn’t imply they’re proof against issues about welfare”.
“We don’t wish to lose followers from the game as a result of these issues begin to override the enjoyment that folks get from the game,” he mentioned.
Mr Mounsey shared findings of analysis that has knowledgeable the marketing campaign – and defined why the “new strategy” has been adopted.
He famous that previously, a whole lot of messaging has centered on how a lot racing cares for its horses. Whereas that is without doubt one of the seven goals of this new marketing campaign, it isn’t the singular focus.
“Individuals know that horses are nicely cared for in racing,” he mentioned. “Even those that are wildly against the game acknowledge that racehorses are nicely cared for, however that’s not what they’re involved about. They’re involved about horses falling, horses being injured, what occurs to horses once they’re injured, what occurs to horses who’re bred for the game, what occurs to horses who depart the game, does the whip harm – areas resembling that.
“So we’re tackling these areas head-on, and that’s why the messaging on this marketing campaign is likely to be completely different to what you’ve seen earlier than.”
In growing the marketing campaign, they canvased opinions of 600 respondents aged 18 to 34. They have been requested a couple of questions on their fast perceptions of racing, together with what quantity of horses they consider are severely injured or die as a result of racing (the present five-year rolling deadly harm charge in British racing is 0.2%).
Of these surveyed, 70% believed that between 5 and 20% of racehorses are severely injured or die, 15% thought that quantity was 30% or extra, and just below 12% thought that it was fewer than 1%.
“That reveals why schooling round a few of these points is so necessary,” mentioned Mr Mounsey, including that in addition they discovered the overall view on welfare is restricted, and that folks wish to know what’s taking place now relating to welfare.
The primary stage of the marketing campaign has been funded by the BHA, Nice British Racing and the Jockey Membership. Additionally it is supported by the game’s Horse Welfare Board and developed with enter from these concerned within the Stand Up For Racing, which was fashioned in spring 2023 to assist counter misinformation and unfavorable scrutiny.
Racing broadcaster Richard Hoiles welcomed the marketing campaign.
“Following the welfare debates round final yr’s Grand Nationwide it was felt the game lacked a single supply for correct details about racing, and this marketing campaign fills that vacuum,” mentioned Mr Hoiles. “That is about offering credible information and knowledge, in the fitting context, so that folks could make knowledgeable opinions.”
Two-time Grand Nationwide-winning coach Lucinda Russell mentioned that “that is simply what racing wants”.
“We should present the details, assist educate, and confront the robust questions head-on,” she mentioned. “The details matter. We perceive our accountability and respect our horses, and we wish to ensure the general public know this too. It’s good to see us taking a brand new strategy, exhibiting delight within the lives we give our horses, and difficult and correcting inaccurate info which is put into the general public area by those that are against the game.”
BHA chief govt Julie Harrington mentioned that the response to the marketing campaign is “unprecedented for racing”.
“For the {industry} to rally behind this trigger with such full-throated help is immensely heartening,” she mentioned.
“We intentionally took a daring and progressive strategy to tackling welfare issues absolutely conscious that it carried a threat of a unfavorable response in some quarters.
“However the way in which the game has readily embraced this new idea reveals simply how a lot everybody in it recognises that perceptions round welfare are a important concern for our future.
“It additionally reveals that we recognise the have to be open, clear and to sort out welfare issues head-on.
“We must always have faith in what we do and perceive that it’s via schooling and knowledge that we are going to construct belief within the sport.”
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Credit score: Future
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