OVO Energy has been unveiled as the new title sponsor of nextbike’s bike share schemes in Glasgow, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan, in a deal put together by PHAR Partnerships.The three-year deal will see the cities’ fleets turned green for the duration, with OVO Energy’s branding displayed on the bikes – which will now be known as OVO Bikes. And, as part of the deals, new OVO Bikes Green Routes have been created, highlighting some of the cities’ most sustainable spots and supporting the local economies. Whilst the nextbike Glasgow scheme has been in place since 2014, Cardiff’s since 2018, and Vale of Glamorgan since 2020, this will be the first time that any of these cities’ entire schemes has been sponsored – and is the first time in the UK that a deal has been secured for a single sponsor across multiple cities’ schemes.“Since launch, the Glasgow, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan bike share schemes have been phenomenally successful, with an incredible 1.2 million rentals already clocked up both in Glasgow and in Cardiff,” said Krysia Solheim, nextbike UK’s Managing Director. “We’ve known for some time that these represented a major sponsorship opportunity and PHAR have done an exceptional job in securing such a valuable and long-term partnership with such a strong brand, who are so genuinely and strongly committed to enabling people to live more sustainable lives. PHAR’s understanding of how to present the bike share schemes as a valuable marketing opportunity to brands was highly impressive and key to bringing us such a great sponsor in what was an impressively short space of time.” “At OVO, we’re on a mission to zero carbon,” said Adrian Letts, CEO at OVO. “Our OVO Bikes arriving in Glasgow, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan are part of our Plan Zero strategy to create a carbon-free world, whether that’s the transport we use or the way we power our homes. Opting to travel around via bicycle couldn’t be an easier and healthier way of discovering a city.”Councillor Anna Richardson, city convener for sustainability and carbon reduction at Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2030 must be supported by a growth in active travel and by building a more sustainable economy. Our bike hire scheme has played a vital role in encouraging cycling in the city and there is growing awareness of the need for a more circular city economy. OVO’s sponsorship has brought together these two themes in one package and I look forward to seeing the refreshed bikes in use all across the city in the weeks and months ahead.”“As brands increasingly look to engage meaningfully with audiences and to add value to society, cycle hire schemes deliver a range of powerful and attractive attributes,” commented Alastair Macdonald, Managing Director of PHAR Partnerships. “A growing presence on the streets of more and more cities, cycle hire schemes provide a highly visible and year-round demonstration of a brand’s commitment to supporting local communities, improving public health and fitness, and enabling people to make a difference to tackling climate change. COVID has, if anything, emphasised the importance of schemes such as these and we received exceptional levels of interest in each of these schemes from brands across a wide range of sectors. We are delighted to have brought a brand of OVO’s stature and real commitment to nextbike, and look forward to seeing this sponsorship form a key part of OVO’s commitment to help people live easier, greener lives.”
