EACA, to launch an Euro 2.2M campaign to support young entrepreneurs in Europe

European Association of Communication Agencies (EACA) launches “This is my future“, an innovative campaign that supports young entrepreneurs in Europe and that has an Euro 2.2M budget. The campaign will benefit of support from Europe’s leading advertising and media agency networks

EACA represents 85% of the Euro 88BN advertising placed annually in Europe and announced the major pan-European campaign aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs. The service will launch in March 2013 in key European markets like UK, Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain, with plans to expand across Europe in subsequent years.

“This is my future” aims to inspire 500,000 new start-up businesses over the next three years, which is likely to result in a gross added value of Euro 33M and nearly two million employed positions to the EU. Campaign’s budget – of Euro 2.2M – is to be funded by private enterprise, venture capital and contributions in kind from partners.

An answer to the increasingly negative mood in Europe generated by economic crisis and its impact on prospects for recovery and growth, the campaign is designed to provoke and inspire young people to take action for themselves and create a positive self-sustaining movement.

We have identified a very precise group to support: people planning to set up their own business but who have not yet done so. Recent research¹ has shown that of the c.50% who are thinking of starting a business, only 5.8 % actually do. We call them the aspirers – latent young entrepreneurs. They are often held back by concerns over funding, red tape and their own ability to run a business. We plan on accelerating the journey from idea to action by providing a movement for young people, run by young people to help them overcome these barriers

Dominic Lyle

EACA Director General

We believe our initiative complements and expands existing offerings. It focuses on latent entrepreneurs, not those who have already decided to set up a business; it’s supported by a comprehensive, tailored communications campaign and brings together the might of Europe’s biggest media and communications agencies giving us a unique advantage in creating a demand for the service, both in the design of the online platform and its promotion (…) The EACA is uniquely placed in terms of skills and influence to devise and implement a communications campaign which engages young people. It can also build partnerships with governments and major international companies and organisations

Moray MacLennon,

President EACA

Chief Executive Worldwide M&C Saatchi

The campaign includes 5 key elements: a web platform (to transform ideas into action including a stream of content to nurture and grow the community; inspirational videos by successful young entrepreneurs; practical online tools to help overcome barriers, test ideas and preparation for the “start-up” world; offline “idea build” events to find like-minded people to start a business with. The site will aggregate the best resources to enable entrepreneurs to start up), cross-European peer-to-peer mentoring to help overcome barriers to start-up, a network of young entrepreneurs based in four hubs, initially in four markets, responsible for growing the network, nurturing membership and commercialising the site, a communications programme to promote the web platform including TV/print; paid search and display space; PR and social activity supported by a TV/online film, “The Museum”, to promote the website and a portal linking to European and national young entrepreneurs, business advice and funding sites.\

Among campaign’s supporters there are The European Magazine Media Association, The European Publishers’ Council (EPC), The Association of Commercial Television in Europe, The European Association of Television and Radio Sales Houses, Print Power – Start Up Britain, JA-YE, Jeune, Wayra, Yes Network, Entrepreneur Envoy – Google and Facebook

The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) is a Brussels-based organisation representing full-service advertising and media agencies and agency associations in Europe.

Major advertising and media agency network partners include: M&C Saatchi, DDB Europe, TBWA, JWT, Ogilvy, Grey Group EMEA, Y&R, Mindshare, Aegis, Innocean Worldwide, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, Zenith Optimedia, Leo Burnett, McCann WorldGroup, Universal McCann, Initiative, Draft FCB, Media Consulta.

EACA aims to promote honest, effective advertising, high professional standards, and awareness of the contribution of advertising in a free market economy. It encourages close co-operation between agencies, advertisers and media in European advertising bodies.

“The Museum” creative credits:

Production Company: Independent

Director: Edward Housden
Executive Producer: Verity White
Producer: Kate Wynbourne
Director of Photography: Florian Hoffmeister
Editor: Ed Line @ Final Cut
Post Production: MPC
Sound design: Jim @ Jungle Studios
Creative agency: M&C Saatchi
Copywriter: Mark Goodwin
Art Director: Bill Gallacher