Workspace heroes: Fusion Media launches #BikeIsBest campaign

Adam Tranter, CEO of Fusion Media and Bicycle Mayor of Coventry, tells us how he’s pedalling for change as he unites the cycling industry in a nationwide campaign to show the UK public that there's never been a better time to ride a bike.

Based out of Workspace's The Record Hall in Hatton Garden, marketing communications agency Fusion Media has made it their mission to get the public moving in a fresh, new and exciting way as we emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown. 

Pushing the #BikeIsBest message, the eight-person company has led what’s been described as, "the most extensive coordinated promotional campaign for cycling since the 1970s", and leading cycling brands, retailers and organisations have been quick to join forces and spread a positive shared vision.

"London has very quickly realised that it has no option other than to prioritise cycling and walking wherever possible as we come out of lockdown,” says Adam. “If everybody turns to cars, we risk the city grinding to a halt with gridlocked roads and a new crisis in terms of severe air pollution." 

Fortunately, two-thirds of all journeys made in the UK are less than five miles, which equates to just a 30-minute cycle ride. Active travel “will not only help to mitigate or prevent a second wave of Coronavirus, but it will create more enjoyable communities to walk or cycle around with less traffic, noise, and air pollution," he says. 

The multi-channel, ‘brand-neutral’ campaign centres around a promotional video created by HUMAN. It shows that you don’t have to be ‘a cyclist’ to ride a bike, “cycling is something that everybody can do without the need for special equipment or to look or dress a certain way,” says Adam. “You don’t need to ride fast, far or wear Lycra to make a difference.”

Billboards by Clear Channel UK promoting #BikeIsBest have been erected at 85 locations across the country. This includes high traffic areas such as the A4 as you come into London and Billingsgate outside Canary Wharf. Fusion Media is also about to trial TV advertising with Sky. 

“It’s quite a broad experiment and we’re testing and learning everyday by adapting our targeting,” he says. “There is still loads to do and it’s not perfect, but we’re seeing progress in weeks that would normally take years.”

“We’re going to monitor and evaluate our advertising with the help of one of our partners, Strava Metro. They use anonymised data from all its users (10% of the adult population) and we can use this to see if our activity is having an impact on a local level,” he says. 

Among the cycling brands supporting the campaign are Beeline based at Workspace's The Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey, British Cycling, Cycling UK, Wiggle, The Bike Club and Chain Reaction Cycles. “Everyone’s been really keen to support this and we went from about 0 to 40 partners just over a week,” Adam explains.   

Sports Presenter Jacqui Oatley MBE and multiple UCI BMX & Cycling World Champion, Shanaze Reade, have expressed their pride and excitement for being brand ambassadors. “As a BMX rider, Shanaze has a different expression of cycling and it’s been really popular in connecting with youth culture and people keen to get into cycling in an unconventional way,” says Adam. 

To support the campaign, a microsite has also been created with helpful tips and guides to support new riders in their journey towards more active travel. He says, “It’s really about reaching new people and we’re happy to go wherever we need to in order to do that.” For Fusion Media, the key to success is about gaining momentum – one cycle at a time. 

 

 

 

 

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Because you can't help but smile when you're out on the bike #BikeIsBest

A post shared by Bike Is Best (@bikeisbesthq) on Jun 21, 2020 at 1:00am PDT

Like to join the movement? Head to bikeisbest.com to find out more. Or, learn how the Mayor of London is reshaping the capital with his Streetspace for London plans and how this may affect your commute here [ADD LINK].

At Workspace, we’re supporting a variety of commute options to keep your journey into work as flexible and easy as possible. Whether you want to work in Portobello or Whitechapel, Dulwich or Highbury, we have over 60 properties spanning London offering office, studio, meeting and co-working spaces.

With shower facilities and cycle racks to suit the needs of the active commuter, see what our properties have to offer you here.

For helpful advice and up-to-date resources on how to navigate your business through COVID-19 and beyond, head to our Back to Business Hub.