LONDON — Three PR and marketing agencies have formed a collective to support clients in the sports and events sector develop practical strategies for moving forward when Covid-19 lockdowns are eased.

The initiative is being led by Alistair Gammell, associate partner of Threepipe Reply (the new name for digital and PR agency Threepipe, which was bought by Italian tech group Reply last year), with sports marketing agency Revolution and staff engagement agency, MoonShot.

The agencies are working alongside AMCO, a company that specialises in AI camera technology, which started to pivot its core CCTV offer to thermal imaging early on in the Covid-19 crisis in China. Using a system similar to security screening, cameras linked to AI software can detect high temperatures in individual live event goers, helping to identify those with potential coronavirus symptoms before they enter venues.

Gammell said the collective had been formed after all three agencies found that sports and events clients, including the NFL and the England Cricket Board, were asking for strategic counsel on scenario planning, but were also looking for practical solutions.

He told PRovoke Media: “Sports and events are not going to be able to come back until the rules change on social distancing, but even then there will be pressure to explain how they are safeguarding people. We wanted to do something to help these clients through Covid-19 beyond just advising on modelling different scenarios in arenas, stadiums and other venues, and to be able to offer a practical solution for when they are able to sell tickets again.”

AMCO director Chris Quigley said: “We’ve been developing this technology for the last three months and have successfully used it in major footfall areas, including a project with Shanghai Airport. When Alistair and his partners approached us, we jumped at the chance to help sports and events find a way to get them back to business when the lockdown eases.”

All the agencies are offering their consultancy around the initiative on a pro bono basis, with AMCO offering the screening equipment at cost.