Well. What a rollercoaster of twelve months it’s been. Not one, not two, but three Prime Ministers. The coronation of a new King. Emergency measures to help millions stay warm. A three-fold increase in the price of TikTaks. It’s fair to say that for OOhyes and everyone across the country, 2022 will live long in the memory.
It would be a stretch to say it’s been an easy year. And yet, the challenges faced have brought out the best in our industry. Advertisers, too, have shown real steel when confronted with uncertainty, putting their faith in the power of out-of-home to weather the storm and guide long-term prosperity. Thanks to them and our wonderful partners, OOhyes enjoyed a significant return to form with double-digit growth in 2022.
A year of new business
Underpinning this surge has been a slew of new business wins – we averaged one new account every month across the year, in fact!
L’Occitane was one such success. The luxury retailer tasked us with developing a “station domination” strategy as part of a multi-channel media campaign led by Guerillascope. We pinpointed key stations in London that had a high ABC1 footprint and close proximity to L’Occitane stores.
Likewise, we worked with the RFU to launch a targeted OOH campaign in the run-up to the 2021 World Cup. Devised to build nationwide support for the Red Roses, we deployed placements across 127 sites in the UK, which were centred around the hometowns of each squad member.
And in what was a global first for out-of-home, we utilised tactical DOOH activations to launch an NFT brand in the UK, leveraging certain times of the day to maximise exposure within budget.
Working as part of the community
While new business wins are key, OOhyes is also a passionate supporter of causes we believe are vital to the good of the community.
Launchpad Collective is one such cause. This year, we supported the group’s campaign to remove the arbitrary laws that deprive asylum seekers of the right to work. Utilising tactical Digi-vans to raise awareness across key sites across London, the #UnlockTalent initiative ultimately led to the House of Lords voting to rip up the Bill that caused so much unnecessary harm to people and the economy.
We also continued to support LVN, a local youth charity that helps disadvantaged young people find work opportunities, as well as Young Lives Vs Cancer, which once again teamed up with OOhyes to drive awareness for World Cancer Day.
Taking the fight to global audiences
It’s not only in the UK where we’ve been busy. This year, OOhyes partnered with Cage Warriors to deliver roadside billboards, event advertising, PR and tactical digital OOH placements within university student accommodations and gyms across Europe and San Diego.
With further international opportunities in the pipeline, global expansion is high on our list of to-dos for 2023.
Working with more suppliers than ever before
OOhyes wouldn’t be where it is today without our suppliers. It’s a good job, then, that we have onboarded 41 new media owners over the year. This relentless portfolio expansion has led to us becoming the largest OOH provider in the UK. No out-of-home agency can offer advertisers the breadth of environments we at our fingertips.
Tools & Systems
But while our access to environments is a core selling point of the OOhyes service, so too is the wide range of internal planning tools at our disposal. They couldn’t be more unique, a fact exemplified by a new system that allows us to manage and measure the carbon output of each digital media format featured in a plan – as well as print. This capability is helping increasingly eco-conscious brands identify more environmentally-friendly options when planning their campaign.
And finally, a big thank you…
To every supplier, agency partner and client who has worked with us this year: you make OOhyes what it is. Despite the challenges and uncertainty, together, we’ve shown the resolve to ensure 2022 has been a year we can all look back on proudly.
We can’t wait to work with you once again in 2023.
In the meantime, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.