Microsoft Advertising Unites Charities and Business to Bring 9 Million UK People Online

Microsoft Advertising UK proudly announced today their participation in a ground-breaking partnership with RaceOnline2012, Age UK and other not-for-profit organisations and companies (3 mobile, B1 Connect, BT, EuroPC, eBuyer, VCCP, Zoostorm and 3 Monkeys Communications) who have pooled their resources, technology, talent and time to help give digitally excluded Britons their ‘First Time Online’.

In the UK there are 9 million adults who are currently offline. The aim of the campaign, which is called Go ON: Give Someone Their First Time Online, is designed to help bring UK Digital Champion, Martha Lane-Fox’s vision for a ‘Networked Nation’ to life by highlighting the real benefits and positive changes using the Internet can bring to people’s lives.

Did you know…

• 3.1 million people over the age of 65 see a friend, neighbour or a family member less than once a week. 
• Offline households are missing out on savings of £560 per year from shopping and paying bills online. 
• The internet can help improve a student’s GSCE results by 2 grades. 
• 90% of new jobs require computer skills. 
• There are at least 30 million PCs and laptops not being used in homes around the UK.

That’s according to new research ⁽¹⁾ by Microsoft Advertising to support the Go ON: Give Someone Their First Time Online. 30 per cent of people have one PC or laptop at home they no longer use, whilst 15 per cent admit to having two. 9 per cent of people have a least three or more. This is unsurprising given 16% of people store an old computer away and forget about it when they buy a new one.  

More worryingly, 7 per cent throw them away – which means no one else can benefit from their unused machine. It is also an environmentally unfriendly way to get rid of a PC, as well posing a high security risk to the owner if a machine gets into the wrong hands.

⁽¹⁾ (Research conducted online by One Poll, surveying over 2000 UK adults during 26^th-28^th November 2010. Data has been weighted to the UK adult population.)

How you can help

The aim of the Go ON: Give Someone their First Time Online campaign is to inspire people who regularly use the Internet to encourage people in their lives who are not online to give it a go.  

• Whether it’s pledging to help a family member set up an email account
• Registering someone you care about for a free internet training course
• Donating your old PC or actually gifting someone a low-cost web ready PC for Christmas

The campaign is aimed at making it easier to find an affordable PC and web access to purchase on behalf of someone as a gift in time for Christmas. Visitors to www.get-someone-online.com will be offered a choice of refurbished PCs from EuroPC and a range of entry level new PCs from eBuyer and Zoostorm. Customers will also be offered a choice of affordable internet access services courtesy of 3 mobile, BT Plusnet and B1 Connect.

Completing the circle, and making it as easy as possible for Internet users to do their bit, Age UK’s 500 stores will be acting as donation centre for old computers. These computers will be wiped clean to an internationally recognised standard, tested and recycled, instead of being dumped in landfill sites and refurbished so that they can be either donated to silver surfers or sold on at affordable prices to raise funds for Age UK’s digital inclusion projects. Visit www.get-someone-online.com to find out where your nearest Age UK shop is.

Martha Lane-Fox said, “The Go ON Give Someone Their First Time Online campaign is a great opportunity for the 40 million internet users in the UK to give the 9 million people a chance to enjoy the benefits that so many of us enjoy every day. If every connected person helped just one friend or family member to get online, the race would already be won. By working together we can accelerate progress towards building a more networked UK.”

Three screen dream

Microsoft Advertising has donated ‘three screen’ advertising space across its influential web, mobile and gaming online properties to promote the campaign, including MSN, Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger and Xbox 360. Advertising will run from December 1 through to January 31 2011.

Nickie Smith, Marketing Director, Microsoft Advertising, said; “Working in the digital media industry it’s almost impossible to imagine a life without the Internet. It’s also very easy to forget that millions of people in the UK do live offline, and have no way of accessing the many benefits that the internet offers that we, as connected people, take for granted.

“Race Online 2012 is such an important project, as for those who are socially disadvantaged, or isolated from society, access to the Internet offers a whole new world of opportunities for connection with other people, work and education, cost savings, simpler financial planning and so much more. Microsoft is proud to be involved in both this project, and ultimately in helping Martha Lane-Fox’s team to achieve their 2012 goals.”

Go ON: give someone you know their first time online today!

Please spread the word and visit the First Time Online microsite, donate your old PCs, put your mouse skills to the test, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and make our videos a YouTube success.

Thanks,

Kate

Follow us on Twitter @MSAdvertising & @adCenter | Find us on Facebook | Share your thoughts in the Forums | Subscribe