Voting for Brand the Bus! competition now open

Public voting for Oxford Bus Company’s annual ‘Brand the Bus!’ competition has now opened, for people to have their say in which good cause could be displayed on a double-decker next.

The competition offers people the chance to nominate their favourite good cause to scoop the first-prize to be branded on a bus in a package worth £30,000. Nine charities and good causes have already entered the popular giving back competition since it was launched a month ago.

Oxford Bus Company is encouraging more good causes to enter – as the sooner entries are made, the longer they have to attract public votes. This year all entrants need to do to enter is tell Oxford Bus Company about their cause and what having a branded bus would mean to their organization, by completing a simple entry form online. It replaces good causes having to produce videos or create PDF presentations to enter.

The nine good causes that have entered so far are Oxford City Angels, Tourette’s Awareness, Connection Support, Ssnap, The Unicorn Trust, Alexandra House of Joy, Kidlington Scout Group, Oxfordshire Crossroads and the Kelly Jackson Memorial Fund.

Luke Marion, Interim Managing Director at the Oxford Bus Company, said: “We’ve had a fantastic response to the launch of the competition this year and have already received some excellent entries.

“The new and improved format of the competition has made it easier and more accessible for charities and good causes to enter. This has resulted in a strong initial response from good causes that haven’t entered before. It’s re-affirming to see so many good causes within our community getting involved. We’re looking forward to receiving more entries and seeing how the public voting shapes up.”

All entries must be submitted before 1st October 2022, and public voting will close on 1st November 2022. The 10 entries who receive the most public votes will be shortlisted and the winners will then be selected by a panel of judges.

Prizes will be awarded to the competitors who have, in the panel’s opinion, fulfilled the brief to the highest standard. The winning organisation will be invited to work with the Oxford Bus Company to design a bus wrap featuring the brand colours, logo, and messages of the good cause. Runners-up will receive support via digital on-board bus advertising worth £2,000 to the runner up and £1,000 to the second runner up.

Details on how to enter and vote can be viewed here: https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/brand-bus

Girl Guiding Oxfordshire won the inaugural 2019 Brand the Bus! competition, Home-Start Oxford scooped first place in 2020 and Blue Skye Thinking won the 2021 contest. Abingdon Riding for the Disabled Association was also awarded the space on a bus rear as runners up in the 2021 competition. This year mental health charity Restore won first prize and Be Free Young Carers came second.