As the business environment grows increasingly competitive and aggressive, so it grows increasingly crucial for clients to work with the right people with the right credentials.

In today’s highly competitive and aggressive business environment, I believe having the right credentials to work with companies is crucial for success and realising the client’s key objectives.

The Right Credentials ~ The Right Experience ~ The Right Skills

How I work

I provide a flexible cost effective modern approach to providing expert marketing and PR services for clients. This approach tailors the support according to the client’s exact needs and nothing more so clients only pay for what is only required but ensures clients get every support they need. This approach has proven to be very successful and cost effective for clients.

Whether providing consultancy support or full agency support, clients can expect a very professional and structured approach based on years of account management experience with agencies, industry, and also as a long standing consultant.

My Associate Team

Each of my associates has an individual marketing, PR, or business related speciality and skill they can bring to a client’s project to expand and compliment my own skills. These are professionals I have worked successfully in the past on client projects and I trust. Associates are introduced to a client only on an as needed basis.

> Click here for introduction to my Associate Team

Agency Experience

Senior London and Midlands agency experience as Account Manager, Account Director and New Business Development Manager working with mainly business-2-business UK and overseas clients with a wide remit of marketing, advertising, exhibitions and design projects and campaigns.

Industry Experience

Publicity & PR Manager for 5 years with the engineering and technology corporation General Electric Company (GEC), responsible for all UK and overseas sales, exhibitions, marketing and PR support for 3 industrial sites and several divisions – industrial controls, standard control products, machines, inverters, marine and offshore, rail, aviation lighting, computers, electrical projects.

Publicity & PR manager for 2 years with the marine and offshore, oil and gas engineering group Sigma Chemie PLC, responsible for all UK and overseas sales, marketing, exhibitions and PR support.

Consultancy Experience

Provider of professional internet and offline marketing, public relations and design projects and campaign support for a wide diverse range of business-2-business SMEs and market leading engineering, technology, energy, pharmaceutical, medical, healthcare and automotive sector clients.

Award winning and innovative marketing and PR strategies include the world’s first company launch event using the internet (V-Event, August 1999) which won the ‘Macromedia Website of the Month’ award – The strategic application of the internet to take an exhibition stand and products to clients unable to attend a trade event – The successful strategic and cost efficient launch of a £20m safety-control product for a £6bn high technology group against the world’s biggest technology brands.

Design Experience

Society of Industrial Artists & Designers (SIAD) qualified and award winning graphic designer able to work on a wide and diverse range of projects including brochures and catalogues, websites, packaging, exhibition stands, advertising and more.

I started my career as a graphic designer attending a (then) revolutionary and experimental London course that taught designers a creative thinking, strategic business approach to graphic design.

This creative thought training as a designer has become my bedrock for the inspirational strategic marketing, PR and everything I do and have become renowned for providing.

Marketing and PR credentials, experience and knowledge working with over 150 UK and overseas clients

Gary has been providing GEMS with sales, marketing, exhibitions and PR support and we are pleased with the high quality support and project management he has given us to date, and expect this to continue in the future” … J. Mansfield, Director, General Engine Management Systems (GEMS)

Referred consultancy by Business Link, to small to medium sized businesses across Sussex looking to develop and realise the full potential of their business.

Every company, client, and business I meet has individual needs and therefore it’s essential to remain flexible to those needs according to the key client objectives, company structure, marketing conditions, budget, deadlines or any other criteria.

More details on how I work with clients can be found here

Services

My agency and consultancy services include -

Creative strategic marketing, B2B communications, creative strategic and proactive press and public relations, copywriting, media management, advertising, direct mail, website design and development, social media marketing, internet marketing, email marketing, events and exhibitions, graphic design, brand development, print and production, photography, merchandising, new business development, lead generation, telemarketing, project management

Bold are specialist services.

Facilities

Contact

Understanding client’s busy schedules, I am available to contact at any time in and out of office hours by phone, mobile phone, email, SMS, fax and Skype. I am available for meetings in and out of weekday office hours for breakfast meetings, early evenings and even where possible, whilst clients are enroute to destinations to keep work progressing.

Communication

Clients can expect continued contact, control and clarity over their projects with contact reports following all meetings and any key agreed actions – detailed quotations – detailed invoices – clear accounting.

ENGINEERING MARKET SECTOR EXPERIENCE

TECHNOLOGY MARKET SECTOR EXPERIENCE

ACCOUNT MANAGER EXPERIENCE AT LONDON AND MIDLANDS b2b MARKETING AND PR AGENCIES ~ INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AS PUBLICITY AND PR MANAGER AT GEC AND SIGMA CHEMIE ~ MARKETING AND PR CONSULTANT WORKING WITH OVER 150 B2B COMPANIES OVER 25 YEARS

Throughout my career I have successfully worked with over 150 UK and international engineering and technology companies operating in just about every industrial sector.

These market sectors include electrical and mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biomechanics, software engineering, marine and offshore, oil and gas, mining, variable speed drives and inverters, IT/computers, rail, transport, access systems, AC/DC control systems, aviation and aerospace, standby generators, utilities, renewable energy, scientific, medical, and many other market sectors.

I can honestly say there is no marketing, sales, or PR activity I have not been involved in and not been successful in achieving – often exceeding – the client’s key objectives.

Clients often say ‘it is refreshing speaking to someone who understands our business and speaks our language’. Having an in-depth understanding of your business, products, services, market sectors, target audiences, brand and marketing communication, objectives and brief also means there is no learning curve delay – ready to hit-the-ground-running for you.

Engineering and Technology Client Portfolio -

GEC Standard Control Products;  GEC Mining;  GEC Computers;  GEC Inverters;  GEC Marine & Offshore;  GEC Industrial Controls;  GEC Measurements;  GEC Large Machines;   GEC Small Machines;  GEC Express Lifts;  GPT Telecoms;  Wasterec;  MDJ Light;  British Rail Engineering (BREL);   Skega UK;  Mosdorfer CCL Systems (Austria);  Ozalid Group;  GECOS Aviation;   Plessey;  RAX Storage Systems;  Climachill;  CHA Software;   Pressac;  Scicon Software;  ICS-Triplex Group plc;  Ritec International;  Siemens;  Linak UK;  Sure GB (SureStop);  Sealed Air International;  GP-Elliott;  Partech;  Transmitton (SCADA);  RHP Bearings;  East Midland Electricity Board (EMEB);  Bulte UK;  Norbar Torque Measurement;  Modular Concepts;  Lloyds Energy;  Mila Hardware & Machinery (Denmark);   Mawdsleys Group;  SM-G Construction; EIS-Axon; Freesource Energy; UHV Design;  Transformers & Rectifiers;  Hanover Passenger Displays,  Logical Transport;  Montal Technologies;  Vacon Drives UK;  Vaasa Control Oy (Finland);  Allied Insulators;  Hubbell Power Systems Europe (USA);  Davanter Software;  Ladbrook Tools;   Sussex Blast Cleaning;   Sussex Cast Iron Radiators;  Amplicon:  Gunnebo Entrance Control Systems;  4Front Penagen (Computer); 4Front Technologies;  4Front CVSi;   Micro Nav;  Schorch Elektrische Machinen;  Advanced Manufacturing Intelligence (AMI)

PHARMACEUTICAL, HEALTHCARE & MEDICAL MARKET SECTOR EXPERIENCE ~

The challenge in the healthcare, medical and pharmaceutical market sectors, is devising creative and cost effective marketing communications, PR strategies, copywriting and graphic design solutions that are a precisely aimed to reach, connect, engage and influence diverse target audiences.

Strategies and ideas aimed at medical staff, specialists and consultants – press and media editors – business to business to company professionals – specifiers and technicians – to consumer target audiences of different demographic and ethnic profiles.

Covering a wide and very competitive commercial, business-2-business – or/and consumer/ domestic target audiences and sectors – never before has a fully integrated marketing communications (marcoms) strategy been so key to success and realising the key objectives.

For maximum cost efficiency, I first consider a PR-led, combined offline and online marcoms strategy. This approach provides clients with maximum effect at minimum cost = max ROI for my client. This approach of course largely depends on some key criteria according to the particular company, market sector (etc), and some market research is a pre-requisite.

I have won pitches over other agencies and consultants by properly pre-planning and researching before acting on the brief. With this approach I have learned facts the client was not aware of, and these facts can often change the nature and direction of the brief and key objectives. In an ever changing world, it is not enough to ‘think’ you know the answers.

In such competitive market sectors and trading conditions, ‘creativity’ and a ‘creative strategic approach’ is also a key ingredient for deriving successful cost effective solutions and providing clients with a competitive edge over their rivals.

I have experience with all these target audiences working with the National Health Service and area health departments, government Home Office and the Central Office of Information (COI), as well as NHS health promotion departments, specialist medical consultants, medical clinics and hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturing and packaging companies, and also with leading healthcare manufacturing companies.

For example – Working with the Northampton Area Health Authority social services department, I devised the ‘InfoTag’ graphic information system for very effectively conveying essential health and safety information to travellers and gypsies. A system providing far more benefits and cost savings than printed leaflets for the NHS. The InfoTag project was won in a creative pitch against all the leading Northamptonshire design agencies and won much acclaim including the 3M award for design innovation.

> Click here for the InfoTag case study

TECHNOLOGY MARKETING : INTEGRATED MARKETING : INTERNET MARKETING : SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING : PUBLIC RELATIONS : DESIGN & PRINT SERVICES : B2B EXHIBITIONS WEBSITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT : CLAIM YOUR FREE MARCOMS REPORT

Healthcare, Medical & Pharmaceutical Client Portfolio -

Northampton Area Health Authority; Northampton Health Promotion; Crookes Healthcare;  Surgicraft;  Fisons Healthcare; 3M Healthcare (Tegaderm launch); Boots Healthcare; Boots Contract Packaging; Boots Export; Sussex Nuffield Hospital; Hove Nuffield Hospital;  Sussex HealthGuard;  BMI Goring Hall Hospital;  Marc Lamah, Medical Consultant;  Mokthar Uheba, Medical Consultant;  Custom Pharmaceutical;  Custom Healthcare Group;  Nutra Ingredients;  Colorcon Pharmaceutical;  TOG Orthotics & Biomechanics (Europe)

RENEWABLE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL, RECYCLING & UTILITIES MARKET SECTOR EXPERIENCE ~

Renewable energies, environmental, recycling, waste management and utilities market sector experience including ~

• Freesource Energy – PR consulting, copywriting, website development and new business development for a leading UK installer of solar energy and heating, wind power, heat pumps, as well as campaigns for RHI, CERT, HEEP, etc.
• East Midlands Electricity Board (EMEB) – B2C marketing support with direct mail campaigns, in-store promotions, advertising
• Hubble Power Systems Europe – Pan-European marketing, PR and exhibitions support for UK headquarters of a major US electrical distribution maintenance, repair and servicing company.
• Transformers & Rectifiers – Design projects and website development for UK’s leading electrical engineering company.
• Brush Transformers – Marketing, advertising and design projects
• Allied Insulators – Marketing. exhibitions, design and PR support.
• Mawdsleys Group – Marketing and PR support for a leading manufacturer of industrial standby generator sets.
• Wasterec and MDJ Light Brothers – Website development and design projects for leading recycling and waste management group.

AUTOMOTIVE, AUTOPARTS, AUTOSPORTS & TRUCK MARKET SECTOR EXPERIENCE ~

• Experience working with major brands such as Vauxhall, Ford, Seat, Toyota, Lucas, Man, Steyr, Scania, GKN, Bosch and many others.

• Founder Chairman of the Lotus Drivers Club (5yrs).

• Editor and founder of Slipstream Magazine (5yrs).
  

• Award winning brochure design for Pressac Ltd.

• Award winning branding and packaging design for GKN Masterfinish range.

• Launch marketing and PR campaign for Vauxhall ‘Club Team Vectra’ and club management of the ‘Vauxhall Performance Owners Club (VPCC)’ owners club.

• Successful design, engineering and launch of world’s first car transporter advertising media system. (See below)
  

• Extensive experience of membership, club and customer loyalty marketing programmes.

Every aspect of the fast paced, highly charged and competitive automotive, truck and motorcycle market sector demands quick thinking, clever tactics, bright ideas and rapid action to stay one step ahead of the competition. Whether marketing, PR, exhibitions, design, advertising, retail or B2B, I must have ‘Duckhams’ in my veins and hand-on-heart, a fully paid up member of the ‘petrol-head’ elite, because I seem to have a natural flair for whatever challenge clients throw at me.

Automotive, Autoparts, Autosports & Truck Clients -

First Line Autoparts; Finelist Group; Partco Autoparts; Equip Auto UK; Valeo Distribution; Veng Group; Futrol Oils; Robert Bosch; VL.Churchill; Halfords; Hella UK; GKN Autoparts (MasterParts, MasterFinish); Pressac; Mobil (Lubricants); Seat Cars (Showroom/Retail);   Lotus Cars; Subaru UK; Toyota Cars; Steyr Trucks; City Truck Group; Scania UK;  Scooby Clinic; Slipstream Magazine (Founder/Editor);  Lucas Aftermarket Operations; MAN Trucks GB; General Engine Management Services (GEMS); Highroad Advertising Transporter Media System; Richard Lawson Group; MG Cars; Axial/Tibbett & Britton;   Spyder Engineering;   QEP (CatCams, KMS); Peugeot (Dealer support); Lotus Drivers Club (Founder/Chairman); Mercedes-Ilmor; Cosworth Engineering; Ricardo Engineering plc; Vauxhall (Dealer support, PR; Vauxhall Performance Car Club (VPCC); Vauxhall Touring Cars; Vauxhall Performance Car Club (VPCC); Vauxhall Masterfit; Concept International Group (Magia Sports Coupe); Kenny Roberts 500cc F1 Team; PJ1 250cc F1 Team

Case Study  > Click here for the ‘HighRoad Advertising’ car transporter media system case study

An exhibition and product display was required for a major technologies and engineering group, operating principally in the marine and offshore, oil and gas markets. At the conference in the exhibitions area, the company was exhibiting their new generation safety control system, whilst also taking part in the conference with keynote speakers.

The product essentially controls every safety, health and risk aspects of dangerous oil and gas entities and in this case, the oil drilling ships called FPSO’s (floating production storage and offloading units/vessels), often operating in all weather and many times hazardous conditions in offshore waters around the UK and overseas.

Rather than opt for a static exhibition display, I created and designed the shell scheme to take a hidden projector, sited behind the front header board to enable projecting from the front of the stand to the back wall of the stand – so passing visitors could see the film and hear the soundtrack played via the hidden projector and hidden speaker system.

We showed a typical FPSO at sea in rough weather. I sourced film footage from Shell and edited the film adapting it to convey key product sales messages and company statements at key points with the company logo with dramatic voiceover, sea and storm effects and with musical soundtrack.

At the front of the stand, I sited two desks to simulate a typical FPSO ship’s control desk complete with multiscreens – each showing a different aspect of ship safety, decks, system status and complete with various event alarms shown on schematics – with two operators.

Either side of the stand screen projection was 2 versions of the safety control systems (towers) accompanied by sales literature with a seated area for stand visitor discussions. Placing the two products either side of the stand ensured stand visitors did not block the projected film show.

The innovative use of film and sound brought the stand alive – brought the product alive – and showed the product in virtual operation controlling an FPSO’s safety at sea in rough conditions. The sound and movement did a great job of attracting stand visitors all day. All the other stands had static displays and were lifeless so this very cost effective stand display enabled my client and their display to stand apart from the other exhibitors.

My stand was awarded ‘BEST STAND’ for ICS-Triplex for innovation.

I created a strategic creative PR event for Chelsea Football Club using my influence and contacts in the automotive market sector creating a Chelsea Football Club Sportscar.

No other football club had ever done anything as audacious to offer their fans the chance to buy a CFC merchandised sportscar so  agreat PR opportunity.

I contacted a local MG dealer to provide one fo their cars for this PR event and I quickly designed a new livery and interior in Chelsea FC club and kit colours of blue and white with red trim.

The dealer also gained PR from the event and was allowed to show their car at their premises and in the media after the launch.

At a global media launch event outside the CFC megastore, the car was unveiled to the awaiting national press complete with Chelsea Girls and star players attending.

After the event, the car was further offered as a prize in a leading tabloid in a national competition – the car was placed on the wall of the CFC megastore not only creating a ‘wow factor’ for the store, but also attracting fans and visitors from afar to see the spectacle of a car mounted on the superstore wall.

This PR event (stunt) was successful in generating an estimated £250K of publicity from press and publicity generated for Chelsea Football Club from a £30K investment.

(For me a bigger plus was as a CFC fan, I got to meet the players and managers)

WraPak (Wrap Packaging) is a range of flexible packaging designs based on a single piece of material that literally wraps itself around the product.

WraPak key features are as follows -

•  WraPak key feature from a retail marketing position is its ability to significantly enhance product presentation and upgrade the perceived value of the product from allowing excellent access and view of the packaged product. This is especially the case when clear pvc is used.
• WraPak is easy to produce simply requiring cutting, folding and gluing.
• WraPak can be produced in a variety of materials and in different sizes for either freestanding or display stand hanging.
• Literally anything can be ‘WraPaked’ from small household electrical accessories – personal care accessories – DIY items – packaged food items – stationery items -  to larger photography – jewellery and fashion accessories – audio items – homecare items… to literally hundreds of different other items to suit most retail or trade environments.
• WraPak from an evironmental and recycling standpoint is a packaging design that can be reused after the the product has been removed from the packaging – the product can be replaced and repackaged into WraPak for freestanding, hanging in home storage.

WraPak is an exciting flexible design concept that is open to numerous creative interpretations with concept designs including open ended WraPaks, and closed box lid adaptations containing product with leaflets, user manual, etc.

WraPak was a packaging design first created in 1973 whilst attending design college on an SIAD graphc design course.

Overview

Everyone needs to post greetings cards to family and friends – but this can often be a time consuming, costly and inconvenient task – each time you need to send a greeting card – throughout each year – birthdays, anniversaries, Easter, Christmas, religious holidays, etc.

Rationale

Wouldn’t life be much simpler if someone could manage this for you?

This is DateMet – a new service for you to make life simpler from the Royal Mail.

1. Purchase and write out all the greetings cards you need to send throughout the year to every family and friend at once – say on January 1st.
2. Take all the greetings card to your local post office and complete a DateMet form – listing each greeting card – and each date that each card needs to arrive on.
3. Pay your DateMet service fee including postage.
4. Throughout the year the Royal Mail will post and deliver on each allocated date you have specified, each of your greetings card for you – job done – never have to worry about greetings cards throughout the year – never miss a birthday, anniversary, etc.

Strategy

I devised the DateMet service marketing concept and approached the Royal Mail with a detailed proposal and business plan giving logistics, forecasts, etc.

There was a back-up facility (given 48hrs notice) for any occasion where a customer needed to remove any greeting card from their DateMet service.

In addition to the DateMet greetings card service, customers could also select to accompany their greeting card with flowers, chocolates and other gifts via Royal Mail selected partners such as Interflora, Thorntons, etc – generating additional income streams.

This was essentially an easy and straightforward set up for the Royal Mail as all the key required components existed.

Summary

DateMet was a win-win situation and successful proposition from various standpoints for the Royal Mail. For instance, DateMet generated advanced postage income in the traditionally quiet trading period for the Royal Mail of January following the busy Christmas period. DateMet generated extra workload which was gratefully appreciated by the postal union. The DateMet project is an example of entraupenaurial business thinking and creative marketing strategy.

WORLD LAUNCH STRATEGY FOR THE ICS-TRIPLEX TRUSTED SAFETY CONTROL SYSTEM

Overview

With sophisticated processing plants at sea and on land becoming increasingly controlled by microprocessor (computer) controlled systems, the world began witnessing increasing catastrophes as the computer controlled processing plants broke down creating widespread devastation, multiple deaths and wholesale disasters, not to mention the effects to the environment. World governing bodies and UN together demanded immediate action to guarantee the safety of processing plants.

Rationale

The control systems companies (ABB, Rockwell, Siemens, etc) effectively responded by ‘bolting on’ safety systems to their control systems to ensure various safety measures, alerts and processing shutdowns came into effect, in the event of any breakdown or malfunction.

ICS-Triplex was essentially a world renowned safety systems company who wanted to enter the lucrative marine and offshore/oil and gas market. ICS-Triplex purchased a leading US control systems company and effectively integrated (not bolted-on) their safety system into a single system – known as Trusted*. Attention then turned to the launch of the Trusted system.

Calling on ICS-Triplex’s marketing agencies for a launch strategy, each responded with a sophisticated and hugely costly launch strategy which carried a degree of risk and beyond the financial means of a company who had just heavily invested in Trusted R&D.

With a reputation for devising innovative and cost effective marketing strategies and having just completed the successful marketing and stage management of the high profile ICS-Triplex sponsored World Safety Conference in London, ICS-Triplex approached me for a Trusted launch strategy proposal.

* Trusted™ is a Triple Modular Redundant (TMR) controller designed to provide maximum safety and availability in all circumstances. Trusted incorporates a fault-tolerant architecture to virtually eliminate spurious system trips and provides high availability as part of its inherent safety-related functionality. Today (2100) Trusted is marketed by Rockwell Automation.

Strategy

Within a fortnight I had created, presented and had approved my fully integrated and cost effective PR-led marketing strategy for launching Trusted. I was then commissioned over 12 months to work closely with ICS-Triplex sales and marketing to implement the ‘Trusted’ launch. I had managed to do what the London marketing agencies could not.

Researching and studying the marketing and competitors it was apparent to me each control company rival was offering what they described as a ‘control and safety system’. ICS-Triplex was essentially and fundamentally a safety systems company offering an integrated safety and control system – what I described Trusted as a ‘safety control’ system – not bolted-on control and safety system.

The marketing USP and strategy was thus Trusted over other systems is –

• A safety-led – safety first – much safer system than the rival systems.
• A fully integrated – not bolted-on system like the rival systems.
• A system created by a safety systems specialist – not a control systems company trying to make their system safer.

In the search for a safer control system by the processing companies, Trusted was portrayed, marketed and perceived as a much safer system in the market, standing apart from the rival companies.

Summary

The Trusted launch was a resounding success for my client, delivering and exceeding the key objectives to launch the product and generate sales leads employing a cost efficient strategy also delivering excellent ROI.

Key to the Trusted launch success was -

• Research
• Creative, out-of-the-box thinking.
• Integrated marketing approach.

Click each title for more case studies:

Chelsea FC PR Strategy : FPSO-Tech Exhibition : WraPak Flexible Packaging Range : Datemet Postal System for the Royal Mail : World’s First V-Event

When Vacon Drives need to be launched into the highly competitive UK variable speed drives market from Finland – the strategy was originally to take a hotel room in Leicester and invite a database of prosepctive clients to meet the company and their products.

I was referred to Vacon’s MD and Vaasa Control having extensive B2B credentials and pointed out their strategy was not only expensive but would have very limited success and therefore represented poor ROI.

Asked to create an alternative company launch strategy, I devised the V-Event – a Vacon company launch event but on the internet – the world’s first virtual company launch event – the V-Event (Vacon Event).

The V-Event took place over 7 days instead of 1 day – was accessble via the internet so no travel required – was reaccessible as many times over the week as requuired – accessible 24×7 to suit the customer – other in the company could visit the V-Event and forward-on to colleagues.

The V-Event was essentially an online multimedia virtual launch event website – so was modular and cost efficiently created so on completion we simply change the front and back end of the V-event to become the Vacon UK’s website.

Instead of a dozen calculated attendees to the hotel event – the V-Event attracted hundreds of attendees and was a complete launch and sales success for Vacon UK. Moreover, with such an innovative technology-led marketing approach from a technologies engineering company, the V-Event raised the Vacon brand in the UK so fast, they were attracting major tenders and sales leads within the first 3 months of launch, then traditionally 3 years for new company start-ups.

My very first website project, the V-Event also won the ‘Macromedia Wedbsite of the Month’ award (August 1999) and was the world’s first virtual company launch event.

Background

Since the transportation of motor vehicles began at the start of the century, companies have been trying to devise ways to accompany the transported vehicles with the manufacturer’s advertising.

There is about 20 tough criteria to overcome to enable car transporters to carry advertising – such as how do you change the advertising enroute as the transporter drops off (say) Ford and picks up Vauxhall, drops of these and picks up Toyota – and so this continues each day and week the transporter is on the road. By their very nature, transporters are built to flex with the road, differences in weight of load and weather conditions. Any system would have to flex with the dynamics of the transporter. Any system must not inhibit the driver accessing the vehicle. Then there is the weather and effect this could have on the transporter whilst moving (eg cross winds) at high speed on a motorway, crossing a bridge, etc.

I was told emphatically by fleet managers that devising a system for car transporters to carry advertising was an impossible feat. Many car transporter companies and engineering firms had tried over the years and failed. One company had even gone out of business trying to develop what turned out to be a very expensive solution that eventually broke down under trials.

Rationale

It is very reasonable for car transporters to carry advertising whilst carrying cars in the motoring environment – in full view of motorists – who are motoring in their current car and in a motoring frame of mind. In motorway and A-road surveys, most motorists glance at passing car transporters to see what they are carrying. Car transporter advertising makes good marketing and financial sense.

Solution

Detailed plans were drawn up and various prototypes were hand-built and tested, refined, and constructed in a workshop for bench testing.

A scaled Corgi toy car transporter was adapted with the scaled advertising system and we built a mini enclosed wind tunnel and video recorded the ‘near-as-dammit’ effects of a transporter carrying advertising and the system on the road.

Satisfied as much as we could be, the decision to build a full size system was built and applied to a loaned car transporter for ‘static yard testing’ – and upon approval then progressed to full road testing on an A-road and then motorway. IT WORKED!

The car transporter carrying my system was then invited to travel for inspection at a main fleet depot in SE London travelling from Stoke-on-Trent to Purfleet via the M6, M1 and M25 motorways – the system’s most arduous test todate. Photographers recorded the journey at various points on the motorway and the vehicle arrived at the depot as it left the workshop.

The fleet manager and technical director satisfied with the inspection of their vehicle and with the satisfactory driver report, the car transporter was placed into fleet service at Harrogate depot for an arduous 4 weeks of fleet (soak) testing. This testing also proved successful on reports from the driver and fleet manager.

My ‘HighRoad Car Transporter Advertising Media System’ worked and met all the key criteria of service duty including - Change of advertisement with change of load (eg: Vauxhall advertising only with Vauxhall cars onboard) > Effect of transporter travelling with advertising under all conditions (including cross winds) > Road conditions > Weather conditions > Flexing of transporter under load and travelling empty > Hump-back bridges and severe ramps > Health and safety > Cleaning > Security > Visibility of advertisement from road and driving audiences > Effect on transporter > Impeding of loading > Protection of onboard vehicles > Viability as a media (and especially the benefits over roadside, billboard, poster and ambient media) > Return on investment > Other

Conclusion

Car transport companies had long since recognised the advantages of transporters carrying advertising and strived to get advertising on to car transporters ever since car transporters emerged in the 1920’s.

Despite many attempts (and there had been many), each attempt was met with failure (for various technical, logistical and financial reasons). They said it couldn’t be done – even when my prototype was running successfully in service they still argued it couldn’t be done.

Completing assessment trials with the Richard Lawson fleet, the transporter company, driver and fleet manager confirmed the system was a success.

They said it couldn’t be done and I did it – the world’s first and still to this day, the only viable car transporter advertising system.