JC Decaux appreciates its own essential workers in next iteration of ‘Thank You’ campaign
JC Decaux’s ‘Thank You’ campaign – launched in April to thank doctors, nurses, and teachers – has now turned its attention to the out-of-home company’s own essential workers.
The business’ 139 cleaners, electricians, maintenance, and repair technicians are responsible for keeping more than 10,000 outdoor assets – such as bus shelters, street kiosks, outdoor panels, seats, bins, public toilets, and train stations – clean and safe during COVID-19.
Kalil Itani is one of those workers. The Sydney-based repair technician said people have been noticing his work, and appreciating its impact, since the pandemic began.
An example of the campaign creative, shown on a Sydney panel
“We’re on the front lines. We’re doing a lot to ensure the city is COVID free, to ensure that life goes back to normal, that people can start going back to work and start jumping on public transport and don’t have to worry,” he said.
“A lot of people have come up to us appreciating what we’ve been doing… we have been maintaining assets a lot more to ensure there isn’t any virus left behind. People will come up to you and say thank you, and ask questions like ‘how often’ and they are appreciative when they hear.”
JC Decaux’s chief executive across Australia and New Zealand, Steve O’Connor, said that people like Itani are the reason public spaces have been maintained and kept safe at a time when many are lucky enough to stay inside and work from home.
“Behind the advertising sign and the infrastructure is a team of extraordinary individuals who have continued working out in the community throughout the pandemic, when many of us have been working from home, to keep our cities clean and safe for those who use our bus shelters, bikes and other infrastructure every day,” O’Connor said.
“Over the few last months, we have significantly increased sanitisation practices and the frequency of cleaning, while ensuring our workers’ safety with additional personal protective equipment and modified practices. We are incredibly proud of the job our essential workers are doing across Australia, and this campaign is one way we can thank them and also remind the community of the important service they are providing, especially as people begin to return to public places and offices.”
The Australian ‘Thank You’ campaign is supported by a global push to run gratitude campaigns across the network. Recently, the company also used its assets to partner with Broadsheet Media and promote local cafes and restaurants. And last week, it launched a separate campaign welcoming Australians back outside as lockdowns ease in many states and territories.
The City of Sydney recently awarded its outdoor advertising and street furniture contract to QMS – ending a decades-old relationship with JC Decaux.
Brittney Rigby was Mumbrella's deputy managing editor - news and analysis. She left Mumbrella in April 2021.
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