JCDecaux UK Unveils ‘Real World Media’ Positioning

JCDecaux UK has unveiled a new brand positioning called “Real World Media,” alongside what it describes as its first national brand advertising campaign, “Real makes you feel,” according to DailyDOOH. Chris Collins and Dallas Wiles, identified by DailyDOOH as Co-CEOs of JCDecaux UK, are quoted in the report, which also says the campaign uses the company’s own medium to show how advertising in shared public spaces captures attention, sparks emotion and becomes part of everyday life. The positioning reflects JCDecaux’s stated founding principle of using advertising to serve communities. The report provides no pricing, booking details or performance benchmarks for small advertisers, so it offers limited practical guidance on whether the medium fits a microbusiness budget.

New positioning and first national campaign

The positioning was unveiled at an event at the St. Pancras London Hotel in King’s Cross attended by over 300 brands and agencies. Collins said “Real World Media is what we do,” adding that JCDecaux wants to inspire brands to think bigger about what they can achieve in the real world. He described the medium as combining “the scale to build brand fame with the emotional power to make people remember and care,” and said the nationwide campaign brings the message to audiences in public spaces where people come together. These are JCDecaux’s own claims.

Wiles said the growth of the company’s out-of-home business is “rooted in the real world, where people come together,” and that the campaign applies the brand-building principles JCDecaux champions for customers to its own brand. He said “Real makes you feel” is meant to show “the strength of our medium through the medium itself.” The company also says it funds services in public spaces ranging from bus shelters and free Wi-Fi to public defibrillators, connecting advertising with investment in the places where it appears.

Campaign rollout and creative credits

The campaign is running UK-wide across Roadside, Retail, Rail and Airport environments, and features more than 20 creative executions featuring people from across JCDecaux’s business. JCDecaux worked with creative directors Chris Walker and Graham Pugh and creative consultant Justin Gibbons to develop the platform. The positioning was developed through research and focus groups with the public, agencies and marketers; thirty lines were tested, with participants describing “Real makes you feel” as “human,” “candid” and “warm.”

Pugh and Walker said they were “thrilled to be asked to create outdoor ads advertising Outdoor,” calling it “still the most exciting medium for any creative to work on, due to its impact and simplicity.” They added that “in a world of one-to-one communication on a phone screen, Outdoor offers that rare thing – a shared experience in the real world.”