Matt targets Cup success

Feb 18 2010 by Iain Laing, The Journal

A HARTLEPOOL entrepreneur has launched a new internet venture to stoke up footballing passions ahead of this year's eagerly awaited World Cup.

Matt Elener's Countdown to Kick Off (CTKO) calendar was born following an intensive marketing and research campaign via social networking sites Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

The idea is based on the traditional Christmas advent calendar and allows football fanatics to tick off the days to the World Cup – which kicks off on June 11 – by downloading a countdown clock to their PCs. The interactive site also enables users to access news alerts and upload their favourite World Cup videos.

Mr Elener is hoping the World Cup frenzy will generate hundreds of downloads and first-year revenues of £200,000. The avid football fan is also planning to extend the venture to other sporting occasions.

Mr Elener, who previously spent more than eight years in recruitment, has also signed up advertising agreements with national sports brands for the site.

Stockton digital media firm Koodoo Creative, which helped to develop the CTKO site, said creative and games markets were being driven by growing demand for bespoke interactive web applications.

Creative industries are worth £1.17bn to the North East economy and employ 35,000 people, while creative firms in Tees Valley are set to generate more than 9,000 jobs in the next five years.