Barclays Launches Air Cabs in London, Offering Air as Clean as the Peak District

Barclays and Iris have today launched a fleet of clean air cabs across London, to support high growth UK business Airlabs.

Ten electric Barclays Air cabs have been fitted with Airlabs’ innovative air cleaner, containing unique patented nano-carbon filtration technology, to reduce the impact of London’s high levels of air pollution on drivers and passengers. The campaign will allow tens of thousands of people to ride in one of the cabs and experience air that’s as clean as the Peak District.

Inside a vehicle, such as a black cab, air pollution can be up to two and a half times higher than outside. The filters work to remove up to 97% of particulate matter (PM2.5) and up to 95 percent of nitrogen dioxide.

The cabs will spend twelve weeks on London’s streets this summer to prove the potential positive impact the technology can have on Londoners, and will be free for the first two days (3rd and 4th July) for journeys in zones 1 and 2.

The integrated campaign, created by Iris, includes owned and earned activation. The earned media strategy includes the creation of a suite of assets for editorial use including a B Roll package for national and regional TV, a 60-second video to bring the campaign to life for online news outlets and a package of images of the taxis in several iconic locations across London. Key spokespeople from Barclays, Airlabs, and the taxi drivers themselves participated in several regional and national media interviews and a number of journalists experienced rides in the clean air cabs.

The initiative forms part of a wider focus by Barclays on Backing the UK, a commitment from the bank to support UK SMEs and entrepreneurs who represent the future of UK jobs and growth. Barclays helps start a new business every 4 minutes, and nearly one million small and medium-sized businesses have been provided with guidance, financial support and more, including 100 Brexit workshops across the UK. The bank also recently launched a £14bn lending fund, to help UK businesses navigate the next three years. 

David Prideaux, executive creative director, Iris, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be working with Barclays as they help Airlabs and other equally innovative businesses to drive social and environmental change and secure Britain’s jobs for the future.”

Tim Hulbert, head of brand and insight at Barclays, commented: “We’re proud to support high growth UK businesses as part of our commitment to Backing the UK. This partnership with Airlabs is one example of this commitment and we’re delighted to showcase their innovative technology within this work.”