Brand the Bus Competition Returns with a £100,000 Prize

3 weeks ago Thu 28th Nov 2024

Brand the Bus is Coming Back! 

At Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, we are excited to announce the return of our popular Brand the Bus competition in January 2025. This year, with the invaluable support of our partners, Get Radio and Oxford City Football Club, the competition is set to provide local good causes and charities with an even greater chance for increasing their impact, through a £100,000 prize package.

£100,000 Prize Package

The winning organisation will receive a prize package worth £100,000, including:

  • A year-long, full-wrap advertisement on one of our double-decker buses, elevating the organisation's brand visibility across Oxfordshire. 
  • Free advertising onboard Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel vehicles. 
  • Radio advertising on Get Radio, Oxfordshire's local radio station. 
  • The honour of being named Oxford City Football Club's charity of choice for the 2025 season. 

Runners-up will receive digital onboard bus advertising worth £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.

How it Works

  1. Nominate Your Favorite Charity
    Starting on 1st January 2025, you can nominate your favourite local charity or good cause by completing a short online form. Tell us why your chosen charity should win the Brand the Bus competition and what winning would mean to them.
  2. Public Voting
    As soon as the charities have entered (from 1st January 2025), the public can start voting. We encourage you to share the entries widely to gain as many votes as possible. The more votes a charity receives, the better their chances of making it to the top 10 and advancing to the judging panel.
  3. Judging Panel
    The top 10 charities or good causes, as determined by public voting, will move on to the next stage. Here, a panel of experts will review the top entries and select the winner.
  4. Winner Announced
    The winning organisation will be announced in June 2025.
  5. Branded Bus and Advertising Benefits
    We will initiate marketing and design discussions with the winning charity to ensure their brand is effectively represented. Our goal is to have their branded bus on the streets of Oxfordshire by September/October 2025.

Eligibility

To be eligible, charities and good causes must:

  • Have a local presence in Oxfordshire or nearby surrounding area.
  • Benefit the local community

Key Dates

The competition will run from January to June 2025, with the following important dates:

  • Entry Opens: 1st January 2025
  • Entry Closes: 1st March 2025
  • Voting Closes: 1st April 2025
  • Top 10 Announced: May 2025
  • Judging Panel: June 2025
  • Winner Announced: June 2025
  • Branded Bus on the Road: September/October 2025

Why We’re Doing This

At Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, we care deeply about the communities we serve. We believe in giving back and supporting local charities and good causes. By launching the Brand the Bus competition, we aim to empower the community to decide which organisation should benefit from this incredible prize.

Why It’s Important

The competition not only provides significant advertising opportunities for the winning charities but also raises public awareness about their causes. The visibility on a bus travelling around the streets of Oxfordshire and surrounding areas helps these organisations reach a broader audience and attract more support or donations.

The £100,000 prize can have a significant impact on a local charity or good cause, allowing them to:

  • Provide essential services to those in need.
  • Launch new programs, initiatives and projects to address community needs.
  • Increase the reach and impact of the organisation.
  • Reduce financial burdens and ensure the organisation’s sustainability.

Previous Winners

Want to find out more about our previous Brand the Bus winners? Here they are: 

About our fantastic partners

We’re excited to partner with Get Radio and Oxford City Football Club to bring this year’s Brand the Bus competition to life. Their support helps us make a bigger impact on our community.

  • Get Radio is a local radio station broadcasting across Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas. With a diverse range of shows and music, Get Radio is committed to entertaining and informing the local community.
  • Oxford City Football Club is a professional football club based in Oxford. The club competes in the National League South and is a vital part of the local community.

Terms and Conditions

Click here to read Brand the Bus's terms and conditions for the 2025 competition.