Friday 12 September 2025: PR & Marketing News Round-Up | Lime, Heinz, OOH & Great North Run
As another busy week in the world of PR and marketing draws to a close, we’re back with Visible PR’s Friday wrap-up. With tube strike chaos hitting London, brands utilised this in their favour, from reactive OOH wins, witty crisis management, and playful brand partnerships.
Here are the stories that stood out for the latest Friday news round up…
Lime reacts to Tube Strikes with Brilliant Billboard Creative
Lime launched a playful “Good Service on All Limes” out-of-home campaign this week in response to the TFL strikes and transport disruption across London. The creative, cheekily reinforced the reliability of its network at a time when tube transport was at a standstill.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: Lime’s agility and reactivity stood out as a major winner throughout the week’s strikes. Highlighting both reliability for commuters and a sense of brand humour, Lime sidestepped negativity around the strikes to focus on solution-driven, user-first messaging as well as getting product into people’s hands.
Read the full story on Little Black Book →
Great North Run Organisers have turned a Blunder into a Brand Moment
The organisers of the Great North Run issued a witty “Wear sorry!” after 60,000 finishers received medals and T-shirts featuring Sunderland’s River Wear and Stadium of Light instead of the Newcastle route’s iconic River Tyne.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing:
The medal gaffe instantly made this year’s finishers’ kits the “most unique” in the event’s 44-year history, with organisers inviting runners to own it as a rare collector’s item, leveraging humour and exclusivity rather than hiding the error. The story created instant talkability on social media as well as a great news story for the press.
Read the full story on Sky Sports →
London Tube Strike tests OOH Advertising Resilience
As commuters faced major disruption from London’s Tube strikes this week, traditional out-of-home campaigns inevitably saw a dip in Underground visibility, with Route data showing over 125k measured locations removed from circulation. Yet, despite the strike, OOH has continued to prove its resilience, with advertisers quickly pivoting to roadside, retail, and other high-footfall environments to maintain campaign impact.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: While short-term reach across the Underground was disrupted, the bigger picture reinforces OOH’s strength, and its ability to deliver consistent, citywide visibility across multiple touchpoints over time. The lesson here is all about remaining agile and adaptable, and smart planning allows brands to turn disruption into opportunity.
Read the full story on The Media Leader →
Heinz Cements its Association with Fries
Heinz has rolled out a punchy new global campaign, “Looks Familiar,” putting its ketchup at the heart of the fries experience by spotlighting the uncanny resemblance between the iconic Heinz logo and fry boxes worldwide. Through bold out-of-home, social, influencer and Uber Eats activations, Heinz links those fries moments in Chicago, London, Tokyo and beyond back to its visual identity.
Why it matters for PR & Marketing: The new ‘It Has To Be Heinz’ campaign harnesses a globally resonant moment, which showcases its cross-cultural appeal and affirms that when it comes to fries, it has to be Heinz.
Read the full story on AdWeek →
Final Thoughts
This week’s PR & marketing round up highlights just how powerful creativity and agility can be in shaping brand perception. Whether it’s Lime bikes capitalising on Tube strikes, or the Great North run turning a blunder into buzz, adaptability is king. It’s a stark reminder to brands and agencies alike that staying relevant isn’t about playing it safe, it’s about leaning into culture, humour and disruption to garner those impressive headlines.