Positive signs for national partnership

A proactive partnership linking two of the region’s fastest-growing organisations is gathering pace thanks to a high-profile national initiative.

Ambitious out-of-home (OOH) advertising firm Smart Outdoor and sports tech innovators GiveToLocal agreed a joint venture in February to promote community sport’s game changing positivity.

And this week will see GiveToLocal branding launch across Smart Outdoor’s rapidly expanding network of screens across the UK.

“Things are starting to open up again and there are positive signs that life will return to normal sooner rather than later,” says Mark Catterall, managing director and founder of Smart Outdoor.

“With that in mind I had a productive conversation with Neil [Gardiner, co-founder and CEO, GiveToLocal] where we revisited the obvious synergy between our two organisations.

“From this week GiveToLocal branding will be prominent across our network.

“I wanted to donate some screen space to GiveToLocal to get their positive message out there and help more people to understand what their fantastic proposition is all about.

“With community sport taking its first steps towards a full return it seemed like the right time to remind clubs that help is there.

“Increasing the visibility of GiveToLocal is just one of things that we can do as part of a partnership that has so much potential. It’s value that we’re happy to add.

“Moving forward there will be an opportunity for GiveToLocal and their partners to gain even greater visibility across the Smart Outdoor network.”

Smart Outdoor, which is based at the Evolve Business Centre in Sunderland, has grown its national network of screens to 227 — adding 60 during the last 12 months.

The firm aims to increase the consumer reach of its screens from 12.5 million people per week to 28 million per week during the next 12 months.

And Smart Outdoor is increasing its North East imprint by going live at prime sites on the Felling bypass and at The Cleveland Centre in Middlesbrough.

“These are exciting times for Mark and his team and we’re proud to be working with Smart Outdoor as a national partner,” adds Neil.

“We’ve been offered a fantastic chance to broaden our reach across their network and we’re extremely grateful for that opportunity.

“It’s great to know that the GiveToLocal name will be visible to people across the UK as a result of this collaboration.

“Community sport is finally in a position to make its presence felt again following months of restrictions and we want clubs, local businesses and the communities they serve to know that we’re here to support them.

“With Smart Outdoor’s support we’re in the perfect position to do that on a national scale.”

GiveToLocal launched in December 2019 with a promise to back sport, boost business and build networks.

Its aim is to feed an additional £10m a year into community sport by linking clubs to donors and small businesses and by engaging an active cohort of like-minded corporate partners.

Smart Outdoor and GiveToLocal both sponsor Newcastle Eagles Basketball Club and Mark adds: “It makes sense that we work together across the board.

“I’m looking forward to seeing GiveToLocal make an impression across our network and that now includes the nationwide roll out of sanitiser screens.

“They’re popping up at shopping centres, petrol stations and motorway services all over the country.

“For an organisation like GiveToLocal it means guaranteed national exposure and another means of promoting their service.”

For more information on Smart Outdoor visit www.smartoutdoor.co.uk

To find out how your business can support GiveToLocal visit www.givetolocal.com/corporates