​GREAT Britain team entry named as one of the GREAT Campaign’s most iconic moments during birthday celebrations

Having developed a strong pedigree over the past twenty-four years as a powerful and effective platform for the international promotion of tourism and trade, the GREAT Britain campaign has selected its team entry in the Clipper 2013-14 Race as one of its most iconic moments in the campaign's history so far.

Celebrating its 9th birthday on 21 September 2020, the GREAT Britain campaign is the UK Government’s most ambitious international marketing campaign to date, creating jobs and growth for the UK by presenting the very best of Britain and Northern Ireland to the world. Operating in 145 countries, GREAT unites the efforts of 22 government departments and arm’s-length bodies, working with more than 750 British partners across the globe every year.

The inaugural partnership with the Clipper Race was launched on 31 July 2013, when the GREAT Britain yacht was displayed in London’s Trafalgar Square in front of the National Gallery. Sports Minister at the time, the Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP and Clipper Race Chairman and Founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston led the naming celebrations on board the new Clipper 70 racing yacht in the heart of the UK’s capital.

The successful partnership spanning six years saw a GREAT Britain yacht fly the flag for British business, trade and tourism, during the 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2017-18 editions of the Clipper Race. The yacht visited six continents, numerous international destinations and not forgetting the intrepid GREAT Britain crew who achieved something extraordinary racing across the world’s oceans.

Utilising the Clipper Race’s global platform, GREAT Britain delivery partners from the private sector engaged with a comprehensive set of branding and activation opportunities. Supported by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Visit Britain, these creative activations showcased the UK as a place to visit and invest in throughout each of the 40,000nm, eleven month circumnavigations.

Highlights of the partnership across the three editions include:

• Building on the legacy of London 2012, a number of athletes, including Olympic and Paralympic stars, became Clipper Race Crew, representing GREAT Britain with the aim of continuing to inspire future generations with their actions during and after their time in competition.
• During the 2015-16 edition of the Clipper Race, the GREAT campaign made over 100 new business connections.
• The British Embassy in Panama hosted a week of activations, including a media sailing experience and a Queen's Birthday Party attended by the Vice President of Panama in June 2018.
• The Welcome to GREAT Britain yacht was showcased on the Nasdaq Tower in Times Square New York during the 2017-18 edition.
• The British Embassy hosted a sailing industry forum in Qingdao, China’s sailing City, in 2018, bringing together global leaders from across the sailing industry to discuss the development of sailing in China.

• The GREAT campaign in Uruguay organised an education focused day with public school children and government authorities, including the Education Minister and the President of Plan Ceibal, along with British Council Country Director. Fifty Children had the chance to board the GREAT Britain yacht and hear about teamwork and the spirit of the race from the crew.
• Dr Liam Fox hosts a ‘GREAT for Partnerships’ event in Sydney with the Clipper Race providing an unforgettable backdrop.
• In 2016, Clipper Race teamed up with the British Embassy Beijing to host a special panel discussion in Qingdao about gender equality, in support of the UK’s month long International Women’s Day campaign in China, Be Y♀urself.
• During the Clipper 2015-16 Race, the GREAT campaign organised a number of trade promotion and networking events in Host Port Da Nang, as part of the UK Government's growing relationship with Vietnam.

• Utilising Clipper 2017-18 Race Start in Liverpool to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse initiative. Hosting their third quarterly meeting in Liverpool with the new Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry MP, and Mark Garnier MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for the Department for International Trade Race Start festivities
• Clipper Race CEO, William Ward OBE was chosen in 2015 to feature in one of twelve separate films, produced in partnership with Ridley Scott Associates, showcasing real, live export opportunities that are waiting for UK businesses overseas. Filmed in Rio de Janeiro whilst there for the stopover, he talked about marine engineering opportunities for UK businesses available in Brazil.
• Clipper 2017-18 Race Team Partners, GREAT Britain and Liverpool 2018, joined forces in Seattle to host an event and round table at the city's iconic waterfront. The evening, hosted by British Ambassador to the USA, Sir Kim Darroch, and International Business Festival Director Ian McCarthy, brought together senior executives from State of Washington based companies to celebrate and showcase what the UK has to offer in trade and business.

To find out more about the Clipper 2019-20 Race Partners and their global activations utilising the Clipper Race’s unique marketing platform and business insights, visit the Partnerships pages of the Clipper Race website. For information on how you could leverage the Clipper Race platform for your business and marketing needs please contact Commercial Director, Alex Smith.