Exporting is GREAT - Clipper Race to feature in new campaign + Video

by Clipper Ventures on 9 Nov 2015 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race – The UK company behind the Clipper Race, the world’s longest ocean adventure, sailed by trained amateurs and known as one of the planet’s toughest endurance challenges, is to feature in Exporting is GREAT a new government initiative launched today (Monday 9 November 2015).

Clipper Ventures Chief Executive William Ward features in one of twelve separate films, produced in partnership with Ridley Scott Associates, showcasing real, live export opportunities that are waiting for UK businesses overseas.

“I am very proud that the Clipper Race can help to showcase the opportunities for UK companies to export overseas,” commented Ward. “Travelling round the world on the Clipper Race, I know the demand is out there, and want other UK businesses to know that too.”

Exporting is GREAT aims to inspire and support 100,000 additional UK businesses to sell their goods and services overseas by 2020.

Conrad Bird, Director of the GREAT Britain Campaign, said: “Exporting is GREAT is our most ambitious exporting campaign ever. It reflects both the Government’s and the wider business community’s commitment to increasing the number of UK companies exporting. Exporting is good for businesses – those that do so are more productive, innovative and resilient – and this is critical to the UK economy.”

Ward created the Clipper Race as a platform for global business: alongside the sporting competition countries and companies participate in a ‘floating’ trade mission which visits 14 ports on six continents over the best part of a year on the 40,000 nautical mile circumnavigation.

The GREAT campaign is in the midst of its second race partnership with one of the twelve identical 70-foot Clipper Race yachts branded GREAT Britain as a focal point for promoting the UK around the globe. Destinations on the Clipper Race route include Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, China, the USA and Europe. The unique global platform positions the UK as the best place to do business with, invest in, study in and visit.

‘Exporting is GREAT’ aims to turn the UK into the world’s greatest exporting nation, capturing the imagination of the public, boosting business confidence and national pride and empowering more UK companies to go out and succeed in global markets.

“By highlighting the huge appetite that exists for UK goods and services throughout the world and identifying thousands of specific opportunities, we are aiming to create a step change in awareness among UK businesses and ultimately get many of them to export for the first time,” added Bird.

Filmed around the world in locations as varied as Qatar, France and Malaysia, Ward is in good company with other films in the series featuring some of the UK’s high profile export champions and entrepreneurs including Kelly Hoppen MBE, Ron Dennis, Professor Brian Cox, and Ken Hom.

Ward was filmed when the tenth edition of the biennial Clipper Round the World Yacht Race reached Rio de Janeiro last month, talking about marine engineering opportunities for UK businesses available right now in Brazil.

The British owned Clipper Race was founded by Ward in 1995 with legendary yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. He was named a GREAT Britain Ambassador by the Prime Minister at No 10 Downing Street last year in recognition of his personal support and contribution to the GREAT campaign.

Ward welcomed the new exporting initiative. He added: “The UK is a trading nation, it's in our heritage, and people trust us. I had my first major exporting experience when I went to China, aged 19 on a business trip. I can't tell you how frightened I was but I soon discovered the people there were friendly and they wanted to do business. I ended up making some great relationships which I still hold valuable to this day.”

“I learned early on that to run a successful business you have to get out there and try,” continued Ward. “It might feel like there are too many barriers but you can probably double or even treble your business if you extend beyond your comfort zone. There are markets all over the world that are desperate for something from the UK, the UK brand means quality.'

The new campaign will highlight hundreds of live business opportunities which will be available on a new Government platform with a range of content to help exporters.

The television campaign will run throughout the rest of November on multiple channels including ITV, Channel 4, Sky News, Sky Sports and Sky Movies.

The Clipper Race TV commercial featuring William Ward can be seen specifically tonight (Monday 9 November) on Sky News at 18:10 GMT, Channel 4 at 21:05 and during American Sniper on Sky Movies from 22:05, with further airings to take place throughout this month.

The Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race departed London on 30 August and will return almost a year later on 30 July 2016. The twelve yachts, including the GREAT Britain team are currently racing through the Southern Ocean to Australia from South Africa in the third of the fourteen race series.