FREENOW launches new UK advertising campaign with rebrand
Updated: Apr 8, 2023
FREENOW is being relaunched with a complete brand redesign in a pan-European marketing campaign, both developed by creative advertising agency BMB.
Used by millions of users across Europe, the multi-mobility platform offers a wide array of transport options in one single app. In the UK this includes taxis, private hire vehicles, e-bikes and e-scooters.
The campaign, launching in the UK on 10 April, introduces the ‘Feel FREENOW’ positioning, which is grounded in how go-getting city-holics want to experience all the exciting moments and connections a city has to offer, without having to waste time thinking about how to get there.
At the heart of the campaign is a hero advert, “Free City”, which brings this idea to life. It follows a woman on her journey across the city, which is packed with abstract representations of urban life that are instantly relatable. Through her journey, the animated film highlights the variety of transport options that FREENOW offers from a single, mobile app – and the film ends with the endline, “Feel FREENOW. One app – more ways to travel.”
Alongside the film, which will run on TV and streaming (video on-demand), the campaign will appear across radio, social media and outdoor advertising. The campaign, which launched in Ireland in March, will hit TV screens in the UK in April on ITV and Channel 4. The campaign will roll out through other European markets, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland and Greece, in the following months.
The creation of the advert was handled by Electric Theatre Collective, working with BMB, and the animation is based on an updated concept of The Zoetrope, a physical pre-film device that used illustrations and motion to replicate movement to viewers. The Zoetrope, which first appeared in 1934, has been used variously in film, experiential installations and music videos – but the FREENOW film is the first advertisement using the animation technique created entirely in CGI. With a stop-motion animation aesthetic, 3D body scans of actors cast for the film, are the digital characters featured in the film’s world. The result is a visual feast, where the energy and diversity of each layer captures the feeling of a bustling and vibrant city.
Mariusz Zabrocki, UK General Manager, FREENOW, said: “We are incredibly excited to launch our pan-European Marketing campaign in the UK. Giving people the freedom to enjoy the city and the experiences that go with that is key to our offering. The new campaign highlights perfectly the ease of choice and the essence of the FREENOW brand. We are looking forward to seeing more people connecting with our brand and understanding what it means to Feel FREENOW.”
Grae Barnes, VP Brand and Communications at FREENOW, said: “As a brand, we love our cities and the people who live and work in them. We exist to help get people where they want in life without having to worry about how to get there. This campaign is a big moment for the brand as we look to launch our new creative platform across our markets, and we're excited to see it come to life in such a creatively ambitious and distinctive way.”
