Evening Standard

Case Studies

O2

O2 - Targeting SMEs with a fresh approach

A partnership with the Evening Standard.

O2 wanted to target small businesses with a fresh and different communication, avoiding the worthy, advisory approach usually employed by larger corporations when talking to SMEs, and instead position O2 as a source of support and a communications enabler, not an unwelcome source of advice. They wanted to champion small business people and celebrate their success in escaping the corporate world and living their dream.

How we Delivered

Small businesses work on a local level, and our USP is that we have the editorial voice and credibility of a national newspaper whilst maintaining the integrity and appeal of a local newspaper. O2 could use this to establish a trusted identity in the capital city – the area with the highest concentration of SMEs in the UK.

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  • A competition with a unique reward was created to champion the most inspirational small business people in London - the O2 Inspiration Award.
  • The launch supplement kicked off the O2 Inspiration Award.
  • The microsite hosted by www.thisislondon.co.uk brought the campaign to life.
  • Editorial collaboration kept the competition alive in the eight weeks between the launch supplement and the closing date.
  • The Inspirational Business supplement announced these top 20 businesses, including the winner and runner up in January.


The Results

  • Shortlisted for a Media Week 2007 award (results to be announced October 25th 2007)

The partnership has been a big success for O2. The idea of creating a competition that truly benefits small companies was inspirational in itself and we have become No.1 choice in all key metrics for SMEs since the promotion began. Feedback has been great both within O2 and from our business customers

James Ashford | O2