Clear Channel Building Out Truly Buzzy DOOH Bus Stop Network In UK

May 11, 2022 by Dave Haynes

This seems pretty fantastic – DOOH and OOH street furniture bus stops topped by patches of green that attract pollinating bees.

A new five-year Living Roof partnership in the UK between The Wildlife Trusts and global media company Clear Channel puts mini-gardens on the top of covered bus stops to attract and nourish beneficial insects, notably bees. The hope is to have 150 in place by year’s end. There are already 40 in place, from Glasgow all the way down to Brighton on the south coast.

Says PR:

Clear Channel’s Living Roofs have already been carefully assessed for their wildlife credentials by The Wildlife Trusts and classified as having “High Strategic Significance.”

Local Authorities will now additionally benefit from the expert guidance of their local Wildlife Trusts to place the Living Roofs in locations that will have the biggest positive impact for wildlife and the local community, and play an active part in tackling the decline of insects.

The Wildlife Trusts’ report, Insect Declines and Why They Matter, outlined how we have lost more than 50% of insects since 1970 and showed that 41% of the Earth’s remaining five million insect species are now threatened with extinction.

The bus stops will also help wildlife by promoting The Wildlife Trusts’ campaigns such as 30 Days Wild. Every year thousands of people enjoy taking part in the UK’s biggest nature challenge by pledging to do something wild each day in June. Everyone who signs up to do the 30 Days Wild challenge receives a free pack full of inspiration guiding supporters through the month. Favourite activities during 2021 included al-fresco dining, planting wildflowers seeds and listening to birdsong.

“We’re overjoyed to be working with The Wildlife Trusts, a vital, respected national movement working for the good of our environment,” says Clear Channel’s Co-Managing Director Will Ramage. “When we first developed the Living Roofs, we knew we were onto something important. To now have The Wildlife Trusts verifying their credentials and helping us to locate them in the best possible places helps us to have even more of a positive impact on the environment and local communities.”

“Our advertising estate was made for the likes of The Wildlife Trusts – ready and raring to broadcast important messages up and down the UK and encouraging the public to take action.”

“We’re really excited to be involved in these brilliant bee bus stops,” adds The Wildlife Trusts’ Director of Development Thirzah McSherry. “We’re living through a nature and climate crisis and we need to use every tool we’ve got to tackle it – which means thinking creatively. These green-roofed bus stops do just that by taking advantage of urban opportunities to help increase the amount of space for nature throughout our towns and cities, contributing to a wider nature recovery network and hopefully getting people to stop and think about the steps we can all take too to bring nature back. We’re thrilled to work with Clear Channel because they’ve shown that they take the nature crisis seriously and are committed to taking action to combat it.”

This is, of course, at least in part a way to counteract public opposition to DOOH/OOH street furniture and other types of ad-based displays. Clear Channel might get accused of doing a little green-washing. But on the other hand, it’s a positive initiative in cities where green space is increasingly hard to find, for people … or bees.

Reference opposition:

 

Leave a comment