Fast Facts

• Founded by former construction industry contractor Dean StidwIll
• Creates outdoor digital advertising
• 20 Screens fitted inside buses on the busiest CityBus routes in and out of Plymouth
• Opportunity for expansion on all 174 CityBuses within the 3 year contact.
• Based at Studio 5-11

Background

Blue Lollipop Media was launched in September 2011 after two years of research and development by founder Dean Stidwill, who formerly was in the building industry working on creative design and construction in Plymouth.

Due to his research into the American digital out of home (DOOH) industry and his travels in Europe and Australia, Dean noticed how outdoor digital advertising was being used in ways that were yet to reach the UK, and spotted an opportunity to start a business.

Blue Lollipop Media now operates 20 digital advertising screens on Plymouth’s largest bus network, CityBus with the option to supply all of the 174 buses in the city as the business expands.

GAIN – The benefits

After two years of research and development, Dean was ready to bring the Blue Lollipop Media digital advertising screens to market, but needed office space to run the company from.

After initially struggling to find somewhere suitable, Dean discovered Studio 5-11, the newly refurbished high-quality business centre in the Millbay redevelopment area.

Dean Stidwill, founder of Blue Lollipop Media Ltd said: “I needed to find an office that was in the right place and gave the right impression our clients.”

“I happened to be passing Studio 5-11 and could see that the building was being developed to a high standard, so I walked in and asked a sign writer if there was any office space going. He suggested I contact ADG on the fourth floor. I thought the offices were amazing, with that we signed up and built our office within the fourth floor which is where we are now based.

”I’m really glad I found Studio 5-11, as it means we are centrally based in Plymouth but also I am sharing a building with other creative companies and likeminded people, which will hopefully lead to new opportunities and partnerships for Blue Lollipop Media.”

Studio 5-11 is a hub for creative businesses in Plymouth, designed by the Architects Design Group (ADG), and is supported by GAIN.

Following the success of our advertising network, which has been used by a wide range of clients including Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth College of Art, Virgin Active and The NHS. Blue Lollipop Media is now looking to expand into new markets, looking at other types of outdoor and indoor screens.

The four-strong company has just employed a new Sales Manager, and is supporting local creative talent by working with students at Plymouth College of Art.

Dean added: “There currently isn’t a lot of opportunities for students studying motion graphics to use their creativity and skills, but there are some incredibly talented young people in Plymouth and we really want to support them and help them to develop their experience – not to mention that some of them have skills that I don’t in some areas!!”

Results and the future:

• Established a successful 3G digital advertising company within the transport industry, the largest of its kind in the South West
• Brought innovative advertising solutions to Plymouth
• Expanding into new markets and taking on new staff
• Supporting up and coming motion graphics designers from the College

POSTED IN Case Studies