Ad of the Day: BT celebrates Black British history with Rio Ferdinand and Marcus Rashford
BT and Hope United are celebrating Black History Month with a series of educational and inspiring films with football legends Rio and Anton Ferdinand.
Continuing its message of hope and inclusion, BT has released bite-sized clips, created by Saatchi & Saatchi London, that feature the brothers discussing the legacy of the Windrush generation, and the impact their descendants and continued Caribbean migration have had on football and culture.
The initial release sees the brothers discuss the free-to-watch Standing Firm: Football’s Windrush Story, a documentary that premiered exclusively on BT Sport last month.
“I joined Hope United because I want to help make a difference and beat online hate for good,” said Rio Ferdinand.
“I believe that education is the key to a more inclusive world and to help in the fightback against racism, whether that is on social media or in real life. I hope that by sharing learning from the past and the importance of Black history, we will build a more inclusive society.”
Later this year, a final film is set for release featuring footballer Marcus Rashford exploring the important role literature plays in introducing young people to Black British history. The episode will see Rashford share recommendations and a carefully curated list of books by authors including Floella Benjamin, David Olusoga and Lenny Henry.
Hope United is a diverse team of footballers including Fara Williams, Jesse Lingard and Trent Alexander-Arnold who have come together to educate people on the digital skills they need to tackle online hate. As well as educating millions of people across the nation on this huge topic, Hope United also created a groundswell of positivity and support for all players who have been victims of such abuse.
“At the core of Hope United is the idea that education can be a facilitator for change, that education can bring hope. Hope United has the reach and influence to use social media for good, so it was great to work with them to help educate the nation through bite-sized lessons about Black British history,” added Will John, executive creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi.
“It’s an opportunity for people to continue their learning journey by providing some inspirational resources from across the web, all curated by BT.”
Earlier this year BT reacted to the spike in online racial abuse hurled against England football players as part of its #SayNoToRacism campaign.
