Geronimo was appointed following competitive pitches throughout July, managed by the Central Office of Information.
The agency is charged with increasing awareness and understanding of the new qualification, which
will be available to 14- to 19-year-olds in selected areas across England from September 2008. By 2013, all young people will be eligible to study for the diploma.
Laura Oliphant, Geronimo’s managing director, said: ‘At the moment, we are just doing a media relations campaign in the trade press to support the diploma’s development. The main challenge is positioning it as equal to A-levels and other university-oriented qualifications.’
The account team is being led by director Lorna Gozzard and senior account manager Sharon Bange. They will report into Helen Honour, head of marketing at the DSCF.
Geronimo’s brief is part of a £3m consumer campaign, using a raft of marcoms agencies, to promote the diploma. The unifying proposition, ‘Bringing your learning to life’, will be used across all communication channels, including PR, radio, events, DVD, website and collateral material for pupils, parents, teachers and stakeholders.
The first five diplomas will be: Construction; Engineering; Society, Health and Development; IT; and Creative and Media.
