Business & Technology
Virgin Media O2 backs UK nature recovery through ads
SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Virgin Media O2 has joined the Media In Service of Nature movement and will direct part of its advertising spend to UK nature recovery projects.
The move makes Virgin Media O2 a strategic partner in the industry initiative, which aims to channel media and marketing budgets into environmental restoration. Media In Service of Nature was launched by Ecologi, giffgaff and MG OMD and is seeking to raise £200 million for UK-based projects.
The scheme calls on brands and media buyers to allocate a minimum share of campaign spending to projects that restore biodiversity and help communities cope with the effects of climate change. In Virgin Media O2’s case, the programmes it backs will focus on biodiversity restoration, nature recovery and climate resilience in the UK.
Its first funded projects have yet to be named, with details due later this year.
The decision extends Virgin Media O2’s environmental agenda beyond its own operations and supply chain. It follows the launch of the group’s Green Transition Plan and sits within its wider Responsible Business Plan, which covers environmental and social targets across the business.
Businesses across sectors have faced growing pressure to show how they will respond not only to emissions targets but also to biodiversity loss, which has moved higher up corporate risk and reporting agendas. Advertising budgets have emerged as one area where companies can redirect a small proportion of spending towards external environmental projects, rather than limiting action to operational changes.
Media In Service of Nature is built around that idea, encouraging the media industry to put at least 0.1% of marketing and campaign expenditure into projects intended to improve climate resilience and support habitat restoration in the UK.
The latest move also aligns with Virgin Media O2’s membership of the Conscious Advertising Network, where it has signed up to ethical and responsible marketing principles. That places the decision within a broader debate over how advertising and media buying can contribute to environmental goals.
Simon Valcarcel, Marketing Director, Virgin Media O2, said: “We want to use the power of our brand to have a positive impact on the planet and the communities we serve.
“That’s why we’re proud to join the Media In Service of Nature movement and work with the advertising ecosystem to invest in projects that support climate resilience and nature recovery, and in turn help to protect the communities we operate in, preserving green spaces, wildlife and nature for generations to come.”
Industry push
The initiative’s backers argue that even a small redirection of media expenditure could unlock a new source of funding for conservation work. That matters in a market where nature restoration has often depended on public funding, charitable giving and carbon-related schemes.
Tim Pritchard, Head of Responsible Media, MG OMD, said: “We firmly believe in the power of our media industry to create positive impact and we’re delighted to see the movement we founded with giffgaff growing and scaling, with Virgin Media O2 now on board.
“The support and collaboration we’ve seen from across the industry is testament to how strongly people have responded to the simplicity of the initiative. The ambition is to make this approach an industry standard, and we welcome those considering joining to build on this momentum and sign up.”
Ecologi, which helped launch the movement, framed the issue as part of a wider gap in financing for environmental recovery in the UK. It said private sector participation will be needed if restoration targets are to be met.
Nick Allport, Head of Climate Impact Growth, Ecologi, said: “Media In Service of Nature is a call to action to the advertising industry to collectively participate in the recovery of UK nature.
“Virgin Media O2’s inclusion in Media In Service of Nature marks a significant milestone in the recovery of the UK’s depleted ecosystems.
“The UK faces a £5.6 billion annual funding gap to protect and restore the ecosystems that we all depend on. Media In Service of Nature provides an industry-backed and credible avenue for businesses to participate in nature’s recovery.”
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SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Wildfire has won UK PR mandates from Anker SOLIX and Yale UKI, expanding the agency’s consumer technology client roster.
Anker SOLIX has hired Wildfire to run a UK public relations programme for its home energy products, including portable power stations and solar storage systems. Yale UKI has appointed the agency to handle media and influencer campaigns for its connected home protection and mechanical security ranges.
The two accounts add energy storage and home security to Wildfire’s existing technology brief. Both assignments focus on raising visibility in the UK market. Anker SOLIX is targeting consumer, technology and sustainability media, while Yale UKI’s programme combines product launches, media relations and thought leadership.
Consumer focus
The Anker SOLIX brief centres on home energy solutions at a time when household energy resilience and storage products are attracting greater consumer attention. The brand’s range includes portable units and solar battery storage systems designed for domestic use.
Yale UKI’s remit covers both connected products and traditional security hardware. Its campaign will span influencer outreach and press activity tied to smart home protection and mechanical security products.
The work reflects a broader overlap between consumer technology, home infrastructure and household safety, as brands seek to reach buyers beyond specialist trade audiences. Public relations and influencer marketing are established parts of that effort, particularly for products that sit between everyday consumer purchases and longer-term home investment decisions.
Wildfire described both brands as operating in areas that affect how people live at home, from energy use to security. The client wins strengthen a portfolio centred on consumer-facing technology brands.
“Winning Anker SOLIX and Yale is a fantastic addition to Wildfire’s growing portfolio. As a specialist tech PR agency, we work with companies that are transforming the way people live and work, and both brands are leaders in categories that are shaping the future of the connected home.
From helping consumers take greater control of their energy use to making homes safer and more connected, both brands have compelling stories to tell. We’re looking forward to helping strengthen their presence in the UK market and support their continued growth,” said Debby Penton, Chief Executive Officer, Wildfire.
Home categories
Anker SOLIX operates in home and portable energy storage, a market that has expanded from backup power products into solar-linked household systems. Its offer includes modular solar battery storage for homes, balcony solar products for apartments and a wider line of portable power stations.
The brand sits in a category shaped by consumer interest in energy costs, home backup options and self-generated electricity. For communications agencies, such accounts can involve a mix of consumer media, technology coverage and sustainability reporting rather than a single specialist audience.
Yale, by contrast, is a long-established security brand with a product line spanning mechanical locks, alarms, safes and smart locks. Its UKI operation is seeking broader awareness for newer connected home products while maintaining visibility for conventional security hardware.
The brief suggests a dual-track message: connected devices aimed at smart home users, and traditional products for mainstream household security buyers. That mix has become more common as established home and hardware brands adapt to demand for app-linked and internet-connected devices without abandoning legacy product lines.
For Wildfire, the two wins also underline how specialist technology agencies are extending into adjacent consumer sectors where devices, energy systems and home protection increasingly overlap. Products once treated as separate categories are now often marketed as parts of the same connected household environment.
Yale is part of ASSA ABLOY, a global access solutions group. The security brand says it protects millions of homes and businesses worldwide with products ranging from locks and alarms to smart access devices.
Anker SOLIX says it aims to make sustainable energy accessible to households through battery storage and power supply products. Its product line includes modular home systems as well as portable devices for backup and off-grid use.
The Crafty Cave has opened in Templars Square Shopping Centre in Cowley, Oxford.
The announcement comes after longtime business The Crafters Emporium was revealed to not have paid crafters for their work, or paid rent for its stores.
The business which previously boasted stores in Oxford, Didcot and Faringdon, previously announced that its remaining shop on Sheep Street, Bicester will close in October.
But now it has been revealed that the landlord of the store, Makespace Oxfordshire, has given the business a notice of forfeiture.
The business, which is run by former Crafters Emporium manager Lindsay Kin, was also forcibly removed from its store on Cornmarket Street, Oxford, after failing to pay rent.
READ MORE: Historic British shoe chain closes one of its Oxfordshire stores
But crafters don’t have to look far as the recently opened The Crafty Cave is home to more than 30 independent small businesses.
With over 90% of items handmade, the store offers customers the opportunity to discover one-of-a-kind purchases while supporting talented artisans and small businesses.
The store also boasts an inclusive calm zone for families where children can relax, inspired by the owners’ experiences as parents to two autistic boys.
Many crafters that previously sold their items at The Crafters Emporium stores have turned to The Crafty Cave as another source of income as they wait to be paid their income for the last few months.
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