Tour of Britain

Surrey County Council

Background

Surrey proudly hosted the successful 2012 Olympic Road Cycling events and was honored to be chosen as the co-host of the RideLondon cycle event, solidifying its status as the home of British cycling. Following this, parts of Surrey were selected as host routes for the prestigious Tour of Britain.

My main objective was to capitalise on the Olympic legacy, effectively communicate important information, and showcase the tremendous benefits of having such a prestigious sports event right on residents' doorsteps.

Olympic Cycling Road Racing, Box Hill, Surrey

Results

Secured steady visitor traffic through routine content and social media posts
Secured wider publicity through promotion of the children's cycle jersey competition.
Ensured that web architecture was optimal through routine testing exercises via focus groups

Press coverage

BBC - London 2012: Surrey Tour de France bid
BBC - Cycle race road closures as Surrey hosts Tour of Britain
Guardian - Mark Cavendish enjoys happy return to Surrey
Road Cycling UK - Route revealed for Surrey Tour of Britain stage
BBC - Surrey to host penultimate Tour of Britain stage
ITV - Tour of Britain finale in Surrey
Bike Radar - Surrey school kids to design Tour of Britain KOM jersey

Kids with professional cyclist promoting Tour of Britain

Creative approach

I organised a four-month campaign aimed at releasing information strategically in the lead-up to the events, effectively building momentum and anticipation. I spearheaded the development of the dedicated Surrey sports microsite, ensuring it provided essential information about the road races and lucrative opportunities for businesses to capitalize on the events.

To spark excitement, a continuous stream of news, blogs, athlete interviews, and videos was released weekly leading up to the races. I orchestrated the participation of professional cyclists in press releases, leveraging their presence to unveil race routes and elevate the county's status as hosts.

In an effort to connect with the community, I took a leading role in organizing a children's competition where young participants designed a cycling jersey to be worn by winning athletes. This initiative garnered successful publicity through carefully coordinated photoshoots at a local school and subsequent press releases.

I crafted and captured content for the local interest magazine "Surrey Matters" showcasing Surrey as an ideal cycling destination from the perspective of residents.

Additionally, I oversaw the design, printing, and distribution of foldable route maps to provide spectators with essential information about road crossings, catering options, and public transport access at each venue. These maps also featured a program of events, serving to amplify excitement and anticipation for the day's activities.

Feedback

"Martyn is a creative, resourceful and hardworking individual. In my time working with Martyn he has always been able to come up with an interesting new way to communicate things, has always delivered results in good time and was always a pleasure to work with. Also, he’s a fun guy to have in the office and really adds to the mood of the room."

Matan Czackes

Deputy Director, Delivery (former colleague)