As a keen and regular cyclist, the recent launch of the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme has caught my attention. Cycle docking stations have been popping up all over the Capital for the last few weeks, seemingly with minimum fuss and minimum disruption (an achievement for TFL alone)! Launch day came and went last week, with numerous journalists, MPs and Olympians offering their verdict on the scheme – from the quality of the bikes (apparently very heavy at 23kg each), the ease and simplicity to register, to the number of docking stations scattered around town – upwards of 8,000 docking points at around 330 docking stations are currently operational.

The launch made a splash with Lord Mayor Boris, King of London Cycling out in force (without a helmet) singing the praises of the initiative, which I have to agree is a fantastic concept and long overdue.

Cycling is a fantastic way to get around, especially in London. OK, so there are still too many cars on the seemingly very narrow roads, but as long as you keep your wits about you, don’t jump traffic lights and follow the rules your Cycling Proficiency instructor drilled into you all those years ago, you’ll be fine.

Schemes such as this one and also the Government’s Bike to Work Scheme, which has recently provided me with a spinky spanky new bike for half the retail cost, have made cycling more accessible to the masses. Not only is it fantastic for the environment, but it also keeps us moving, which is all the more beneficial given that we are said to be the fattest nation in Europe – something we should definitely not be proud of.

Over the last four days whilst out and about, I have seen an increasingly large number of people on these new Barclays bikes, which are hard to miss with the excessive Barclays branding splashed all over them. Apparently 12,000 people have signed up to the scheme with 6,000 keys having been activated, from tourists taking a leisurely peddle through a park to businessmen nipping from A to B in their suits. The first half an hour’s hire is free, followed by incremental charges thereafter, so it’s a great way to get to a meeting or make your journey into work that little bit quicker (and better for you).  Reports so far confirmed that the most popular docking station so far is the one located outside the Blue Fin building on Southwark Street, on the South Bank.

However, I do have concerns. The lack of helmets is evident and in some cases lack of bike experience is verging on the dangerous. I know helmets are not a good look – and this coming from someone who has a constant battle with ‘helmet hair’ – however, I not only watched (but nearly got taken out) by a couple over the weekend, who were wobbling around at a junction, turned right without indicating and almost wiped out half a dozen of us as we crossed (the green man was on our side) and to top it all off (excuse the pun) were helmet-less.  It begs the question of the potential fallout when the first injury or even, I hate to say it, the first death is caused on one of these bikes – one can only hope that Barclays and TFL have an effective crisis comms plan at the ready.

So, despite having my shiny new bike, I have joined the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme. Registration was quick and easy, although not quite as instantaneous as I had hoped (it takes four days to receive your ‘bike key’ in the post) – so, not great if you were hoping to get started tomorrow. I am hoping to be able to test it out soon and maybe even try out a Barclays Cycle Superhighway or two, but from what I have heard I will need to do a bit more training as getting started and up to speed is not easy!

The verdict is out and I will report back…

By Emily Waring on August 3rd, 2010

Tags: Cycling, Environment, London 2012, PR, Sponsorship

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All the pancake hysteria which engulfed Tuesday got me thinking… what can I give up for Lent? I have previously sacrificed chocolate and biscuits, and even once put a stop to my swearing (for which I am rather unfortunately renowned). After a bit of thought, it hit me. Rather than giving up alcohol (the only other possible contender…which was never going to happen) I was going to have to embrace something that would really challenge me… blogging.

Why, I hear you ask? I am part of Generation X and have grown up with computers and the internet. I have Facebook and myspace accounts and even recently signed up to Twitter, although I think I am mainly Twittering away to myself! However, at the thought of contributing to the Synergy blog I break out into a cold sweat.

I like and hope to think I am not the only one out there with this blog’phobia. However with 200 million active blogs worldwide I may soon be in the minority. Therefore, I think it’s about time I face this fear head on.

My biggest apprehension remains whether my thoughts and insights will actually be of any interest to the rest of the world! Blogging is like playing with the big boys; sharing thoughts and opinions with not just friends as I do on my Facebook status, but potentially communicating with a global audience. I find the pressure of having to portray myself as an intelligent, witty and interesting individual whilst offering an insight on any given topic totally overwhelming. This is magnified by the thought that no-one would comment on my blog… which surely is a proverbial kick in the teeth in the blogging world?

So, with a little bit of research on ‘how to overcome your fear of blogging’ and help from the ‘Dummies Guide…’, here I am, approaching the end of my first blog. On this occasion, I don’t think I have stimulated any global debate, and if I get one comment in response to any of the above (a comment from my mother does not count) I will feel that I have made a start. Hopefully over the next 40 days and 40 nights there will be plenty more occasions for me to turn my hand to this blogging lark!

By Emily Waring on February 27th, 2009

Tags: Digital marketing, Synergy

1 comment

With all the innovation and technology which surrounds the world of F1, where speed is key and winning is everything, it has become apparent that a showcar based simulator ticks all the boxes in providing The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) with an interactive consumer event with mass appeal and brand engagement.

Over the course of the season to date we’ve taken the RBS Grand Prix Challenge (GPC) to Singapore and most recently Paris where fans in the heart of the respective cities business districts tested their reactions and skills.

Throughout the week of the GPC, queues of inquisitive commuters, tourists and students had the opportunity to get a realistic impression of what it may be like to sit in and race the state-of-the-art simulator based around a full-size AT&T Williams Formula 1 show car. Everyone drives two laps of the RBS track – a specially developed generic circuit – with the fastest three drivers winning the opportunity to attend the Driver Day Race-off, where they went head to head with an AT&T Williams driver either Nico Rosberg or Kazuki Nakajima in front of the mass press packs.

I was amazed with the amount of interest a replica F1 car can generate, especially amongst the male population. The competition to gain the fastest lap time between co-workers and friends was fierce, with many repeat visitors even videoing the track to learn the corners at home!

It is sometimes good to remember that simple events, executed well, which offer consumers an interactive, once in a life time opportunity provide the most meaningful experiences for a brand.

By Emily Waring on July 24th, 2008

Tags: Event management service, Experiential marketing, Formula 1, Sponsorship

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