Industry Shorts: Bucs, Shoot The Company, La Passione

Universities UK (UUK) and British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) have launched a new campaign to help highlight the role universities play in improving lives through sport and physical activity.

The MadeAtUni: Energising Places campaign features partnerships between universities and professional football clubs in their communities, including Edge Hill University in Liverpool and Everton in the Community, and the University of Aberdeen and Aberdeen FC Community Trust. 

Innovations showcased in the campaign include work by Oxford Brookes University to increase activity levels of children with neurological conditions, and ‘Snacktivity’ – a mobile app developed by Loughborough University to tackle obesity and a call for changes to food labelling to highlight the link between physical activity and calories. 

Film production agency, Shoot the Company, will celebrate its 15th anniversary by offering £15k of budget towards budding content creators in a bid to give them a ‘leg up’ in the industry.

The pledge from Shoot the Company – which it says has already been backed by a number of notable producers, presenters, and artists in the UK – will see one young person between the ages of 18-25 supported on their journey with production and editing access towards their film. 

Entrants can pitch ideas on any topic and submit their ideas before 13th August 2021 via the Shoot the Company website. The winning film will then be played on 1st November 2021 as part of the company’s 15th birthday celebrations. 

Cycling apparel brand La Passione has announced that it has secured a new major investment that it says will secure its long-term strategic growth plan.

The direct-to-consumer clothing brand has received a new capital increase of €7 million over four years that will enable it to increase its brand awareness, explore new territories and accelerate its growth in the market.

Sports PR agency MatchFit has appointed Rob Leary as a Senior Account Director.

Leary joins after two years in the same role at global consumer agency Exposure, where he led on its Samsung business as well as working on other brands such as Compare the Market and LEGO. Prior to that, he was an Account Director at UK PR agency Pretty Green, representing the likes of Nintendo, Nando’s, and Virgin Media. 

He becomes the first senior hire at MatchFit, joining Co-Founders Donald Parish and Will Mitchell on the leadership team.