Covid 19 coronavirus: Billboards across NZ to feature small business in 'no strings' free initiative to boost post-lockdown restart

Senior Journalist - crime and justice·NZ Herald·

27 Apr, 2020 05:00 PM4 mins to read

A LUMO digital billboard carrying information about a local Christchurch business as part of the Up & Running initiative to help small operators after lockdown. Photo / supplied

Small business owners may see their names up in lights - or giant digital billboards across the country - as two of New Zealand's leading marketing companies come together to help get them up and running after the Covid-19 lockdown.

When the country went into a national lockdown last month to stop the spread of the deadly virus, the majority of businesses were forced to shut up shop.

Many have not survived and a growing number are on a knife-edge and seriously struggling.

So far the Government has paid out more than $10.4 billion through a wage subsidy scheme, benefiting more than 1.6 million workers.

Other economic support has also been provided and promised for the future.

But the move out of full lockdown to alert level 3 today means a lot of people can get going again.

To mark the occasion and give crucial support to the business sector, LUMO Digital Outdoor and Pitchblack Partners have launched Up and Running - an initiative dedicated to helping "neighbourhood stores" across New Zealand get back on their feet.

Up and Running offers businesses billboard advertising totally free of charge at one of 23 giant LUMO sites across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Tauranga.

Creative agency Pitchblack will take care of the design.

The team behind the initiative say there are "no strings attached".

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Tom Paine of Pitchblack Partners said the "prime objective" of the initiative was to encourage consumers from the local community to support their neighbourhood stores.

He said it was not a request for "charity" but would "offer the chance for people to show how much they value the importance of smaller businesses by helping them to get back on their feet and to prosper once again".

The billboards will follow a simple format, the business' logo or key image, what they are offering - delivery, contactless pick up and so on - and their website details.

The ads will be rotated on the screen along with the other businesses.

Any small business can register – including hospitality, retail, professional, personal and trade services - at upandrunning.org.nz.

The website went live this morning and ads are already on screens for a number of businesses including Blinkhorne Foods in Christchurch and Chia Sisters.

"This is an incredible offer by LUMO and Pitchblack," said Chia Sisters co-founder Florence Van Dyke.

"There has been an upsurge in local support and collaboration during this time and LUMO and Pitchblack are at the forefront of that.

"We lost 70 per cent of our business overnight when cafes and restaurants closed.

"This opportunity will fast-track the pivot of our business to online delivery, and has the potential to help keep our business afloat and team employed.

"This type of generosity makes us grateful and proud to be a Kiwi company."

An example of one of the Up & Running promo billboards. Photo / supplied

The Up and Running collaborators are also encouraging other media entities, locally and globally, to get behind the initiative.

"LUMO and Pitchblack are kicking this off, but we really want other media companies to step up and get involved," said LUMO co-founders Kent Harrison and Phil Clemas.

"We all have an obligation and the resources to help get the country up and running again, and that starts with small businesses; the lifeblood of the nation."

LUMO have had the community in mind throughout lockdown, running the Roll of Honour on its screens across the country on Anzac Day and earlier on, virtual teddy bears so apartment dwellers could join the popular lockdown bear hunt from their balconies, or inner-city walks.