Businesses from across the UK media and advertising industry have joined forces to maximise the use of out of home advertising space during the coronavirus pandemic.
[1]
With the entire UK looking to support health workers at this crucial time, Dentsu Aegis Network agencies mcgarrybowen and Posterscope have teamed up with a host of out of home media owners, including Clear Channel (shown above) to display messages of support for essential health care workers. The move was made possible after these media owners donated sites across the country to help in the effort to encourage the public to stay at home to protect the NHS.
Gareth Collins, CEO, mcgarrybowen London, told us “As a creative industry, now is the time for us to stand up and make a difference. This campaign sends a clear message to our brilliant NHS during a difficult time – we’re behind you AND we’re staying at home.”
The campaign is aimed at NHS workers, on their way to and from work, to let them know that the UK public are supporting them by doing the one thing that they have asked us to do for them: stay at home.
Angus Macadam, ECD, mcgarrybowen London made a good point when she said “The advertising and media industry is wonderful but we spend nearly all of our time in sell-mode. It feels good to switch our skills to help-mode.”
The images feature powerful portraits of members of the public behind the windows of their homes, holding handmade signs of support, to demonstrate that they are staying home to protect the NHS.
The response has been overwhelming. With over 100 images of support received from more than 30 photographers. The first 15 portraits have been placed on outdoor media sites across a number of major UK cities including London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds
In keeping with that message, all contributors are showcasing their ingenuinity by producing their own poignant images within the social distancing guidelines outlined by the UK Government.
Martin Corke, Chief Marketing Officer, Clear Channel UK told us “We really loved the beautiful and poignant creative. We were therefore more than happy to lend our support by broadcasting this important Easter message, across our largest digital screens.”
The campaign will run throughout the UK’s lockdown period and will continue to grow as more photography is submitted showing the appreciation for front line workers with heartfelt, positive messages of support.
The full list of photographers that have contributed so far:
Tarik Ahmet
Hamish Brown
Alex Cretey Systermans
Imogen Freeland
Julian Germain
Andy Glass
Terry Graham
Will Hartley
Catherine Hyland
Kevin Luchmun
Sophie Mayanne
Marco Mori
Spencer Murphy
Paul O’Connor
Philip Sinden
Vivek Vadoliya
Miriam Woodburn
mcgarrybowen London is a creative communications agency based in London, operating as a global creative hub within the Dentsu Aegis Network. We believe big organising ideas have capacity to drive everything a brand does; from what it says, how it behaves, and where it appears to the utility and experiences it provides. Our approach to the challenges our clients face is fluid and flexible. No one size fits all, but instead bespoke teams are built around our clients and their needs from across our broad church of network expertise, who swarm together around client problems, as one seamless team.