Charity Blue Skye Thinking, which supports the treatment and research of childhood brain tumours, has been named winner of the Oxford Bus Company’s (OBC’s) ‘Brand the Bus’ competition.
The charity will now work with OBC to design a bus wrap featuring its brand colours, logo and messaging.
Blue Skye Thinking was selected from a shortlist of ten good causes which earned the most public votes from 23 entries. Over 7,000 unique online votes were cast for the entries and good causes, almost 1,000 more votes than in the previous year’s competition, the company has revealed. The winners were decided by a judging panel which included OBC representatives, BBC Radio Oxford presented Kat Orman and Collaborent’s Grant Hayward.
Due to a close call, the rear of the bus will advertise second place winner Abingdon Riding for the Disabled Association, which enriches the lives of disabled adults and children through horses.
Meanwhile OBC will offer marketing support to third and fourth place winners, Reducing the Risk (of Domestic Abuse) and Against Breast Cancer, respectively.
“It was an incredibly close call to select the final three and the overall winner from so many fantastic good causes,” says Oxford Bus Company Managing Director Phil Southall. “Blue Skye Thinking put a lot into its submission, including details of a wider marketing campaign involving the bus over a prolonged period. It also achieved the most public votes and so was a worthy winner. We are looking forward to working with the charity on its design for a bus.
“The response to the competition has been overwhelming and is a timely reminder of the good causes in our community, especially during this challenging period. While it remains difficult for transport operators during the pandemic, we felt it was important to maintain the Brand the Bus competition to give something back and continue to support good causes at a time when it is needed more than ever.”
Adds Director of Blue Skye Thinking, Sally Hall: “Oxford Bus Company offers such a unique opportunity, and the impact it will have for Blue Skye Thinking and children with brain tumours will be very significant indeed. Thank you to everyone who helped us and voted for us.”
Other finalists included Helen and Douglas House, Maggie’s Oxford, Shine Oxford, Sobell House Hospice, Reducing the Risk, Oxfordshire Mind and SeeSaw.
