What was the challenge?

The Mass Participation and Events team at Diabetes UK engaged Flying Cars to develop a walking proposition and series that would grow their live events portfolio and impact.

The goal was to mobilise thousands of people and raise millions of pounds in the process. This Walking Series would also help the organisation create a world where Diabetes can do no harm.

What did we do?

After working with the team to create the best solution, we ran an audience-led innovation cycle with a cross-organisation, multi-function project team. 

We analysed all options and settled on Community Champions as the best prospect segments to focus on for this walking proposition. They all had some connection to Diabetes but with differing levels of proximity to the cause.

We spoke to Community Champions who love someone with Diabetes or who had Diabetes themselves. The research participants were new or relatively new to exercise.

After developing over 350 ideas to answer the brief, we shortlisted some great propositions that were scalable, unique, and on-brand.

We knew from research that the audience wanted:

  • The events to be accessible to them as they were new to exercise - so no extreme challenges

  • A walk showcasing a city’s most iconic art, architecture, sculptures, nature, buildings, canals, rivers, bridges and culture

  • To explore the hidden parts of a city - the paths less travelled

  • We tested and pivoted ideas like Hero Hike, Mindfulness Walk, Walk for a Cure and co-created with the audience

  • In the quant testing, we pivoted into the idea of Wellness Walks, which resonated very well. Wellness was better and more widely understood than ‘Mindfulness’

  • Through quantitative and smokescreen testing, Wellness Walks was the clear winner

What we achieved

Wellness Walks has now grown to a series of 6 walks in 2024 and is growing rapidly. 

Built around the iconic London Bridges event and expanding to Birmingham and Glasgow in 2023, the Wellness Walks are now a permanent fixture in the Diabetes UK events calendar.

Newcastle, Cardiff, and Liverpool will be the new locations in 2024. In 2023, the Wellness Walks raised over £489,000.

Diabetes UK have also tested a shorter distance, which has also been great for engaging families and children.

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