Going the Extra Inch’s

The UK surely had a summer to remember, with the warmer weather and longer days enjoyed by all, and with this, UK sales of cider experienced substantial growth over the summer months, driven by a combination of the World Cup as well as various heatwaves. With people flocking to beer gardens and planning BBQ’s at home, it is reported that 53% of people in the UK consumer more alcohol during the summer than in any other month.

 

 

This summer, Heineken-owned cider brand, Inch’s, utilised our Renewable Energy Pack to promote its latest campaign. Alongside its new TV ad, the brand positioned Inch’s at the heart of joyful cider  occasions through a series of OOH executions. Some of these included showcasing Inch’s as the drink of choice for spontaneous picnics as, “The official drink of sitting on some grass”, and for late summer evenings with friends through the message, “Golden Hour in a pint glass”.

 

Inch’s are known in the market for their sustainable production, meaning their cider mill operated on a zero-waste-to-landfill model, where all apple pulp waste generated is converted entirely into biofuel and renewable energy. The brand also prioritises sustainability through local sourcing, with apples used in production being 99% British and grown or sourced within 40 miles of the cider mill in Herefordshire.

 

Due to the sustainability-focused nature of the Inch’s brand, our Renewable Energy Pack was the perfect fit to deliver its newest summer campaign. The Renewable Energy Pack is a handpicked selection of Open Media’s LFD sites which solely run on renewable energy. Vital for mitigating climate change, reducing air pollution and establishing long-term energy dependence, renewable energy harnesses inexhaustible natural resources such as wind, sunlight and water, to ensure sustainable global development as well as protect finite ecosystems. The campaign itself was briefed as using 100% renewable energy across Inch’s OOH element, meaning the pack was simply the perfect fit. On top of this, Open also delivered a carbon calculator report to the brand as well as offsetting any in-flight emission used. 

 

At Open Media, our impact on the planet is something we take very seriously and are continually looking for ways in which we can improve in this area of the business. Being the first B Corp certified outdoor media owner in the UK and Europe, brands who have sustainability as their focus, such as Inch’s, are a tailor made partnership for us, and the exact kind of partners who we created the Renewable Energy Pack for. 

Open Media became a certified B Corp in 2022, and we are incredibly proud to be the only B Corp certified outdoor media owner in both the UK and Europe.

For us, becoming a B Corp was about more than achieving a certification. It was a reflection of our long-term commitment to operating as a responsible business and continually looking at how we can create a more positive impact through the work we do. From the way we operate as a business to the products we offer our clients, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact and encourage more responsible practices across the OOH industry.

Our commitment to the planet within the OOH space is something we take extremely seriously. To further this commitment, we were proud to launch our Renewable Energy Pack in 2024; a selection of curated LFD sites from across our full network which run fully on renewable energy and are powered down between the hours of 12AM–6AM to help reduce their energy consumption and carbon emissions.

 

The Renewable Energy Pack gives brands and agencies a straightforward way to make more conscious choices when planning their OOH activity. By bringing together sites that meet specific sustainability criteria, we make it easier for planners to incorporate environmental considerations into their campaigns without having to compromise on the scale, visibility or impact of their media.

 

Loved by brands and planners alike, the pack has proved hugely popular with advertisers looking to take a more responsible approach to their media footprint. It demonstrates that sustainability and effective advertising don’t have to be mutually exclusive; brands can continue to deliver meaningful reach and standout creative while making more considered choices about where and how their campaigns appear.

 

And this is just one part of our wider approach to sustainability. As the OOH landscape continues to evolve, we are committed to exploring new technologies, partnerships and initiatives that can help us operate more efficiently and reduce the environmental impact of our estate. We believe that, as an industry, we all have a role to play in making outdoor advertising more sustainable –  and we are committed to continuing to lead by example.

 

 

For more information on our sustainability initiatives or how the Renewable Energy Pack may work for your brand, please contact helena@openmedia.uk.com

 

Source: Inches, Wholesalemanager.co.uk, Sandford Orchard, Opinium, Psychreg.org, Nielsen IQ