Insight & Intel
Insight & Intel: February 2025
New Year, new Global audience insights
Our audience insight community, work.shop.play, kicked off 2025 by touching base with our 3,000 strong member base to ask about lifestyle changes they plan on making in 2025. Unsurprisingly, improving fitness through exercise topped the list (53%). Improving diet was also a popular change for over half,whilst almost 1in5 were cutting down, or giving up, alcohol temporarily. There is also a focus on personal finance with 44% saying that they are likely to start saving, or save more, in 2025. A fifth are also looking to switch utility providers, likely in a bid to save money. Interestingly, there is also an appetite for audiences to put their free time to good use with 24% planning on taking up a new hobby and 1in10 planning to start a part-term learning course.
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Night-time public transport services heralded a success
The recent late-night public transport initiative has been a huge success with almost 17,000 passengers choosing bus and train services as their way home during the Christmas period. The figures reveal this is an increase of over 50% compared to the same period during Christmas 2022. There is now an appeal from the likes of Translink, Michael Stewart, Belfast’s Night Czar, the City’s various Business Improvement Districts and Hospitality Ulster for sustainable funding to provide late-night services all year round. Translink’s Group Chief Executive, Chris Conway said “They would better serve Belfast residents and those visiting from towns and cities across NI, while also placing a firm focus on sustainable travel and supporting the City’s nighttime economy”.
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Coming Soon: New in Northern Ireland for 2025
2025 shows no signs of slowing down in terms of new retail and leisure brands entering the NI market. Following last month’s news of Krispy Kreme’s plans to open its first NI outlet in March, further announcements have come from the likes of luxury shoe brand, Russell & Bromley, who will open its first NI store in March. Coffee chain, Black Sheep, is expected to open its first branch here on Belfast’s Chichester Street this month and a dedicated Primark Home store will also open in March on Donegall Place. Last, for now, Whitbread have just announced plans to open an 81-room Premier Inn at Belfast International Airport, strategically positioned to cater to its 6million passengers. The opening will boost its Premier Inn hotel portfolio in NI to 8 and create 30 jobs by 2026.
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Bus ignites action ahead of Apprenticeship Week ‘25
Following the official launch of Apprenticeship Week 2025 earlier this year, Derry and Strabane District Council have enlisted the help of bus Supersides to raise awareness and drive attendance in the local area. Running from 3-7 Feb, the campaign features a striking design, complete with captivating copy that’s sure to attract budding apprentices from across the Derry and Strabane area. Crucially, the campaign also features an unmissable call-to-action, directing audiences to the getapprenticeships.me website. The ability of bus advertising to reach a mobile connected audience with a means to take immediate action is evidenced by Global’s All Eyes on Bus study whereby 97% of responses came via participants using a mobile device.
Praising the inclusive opportunities apprenticeships offer, Foyle MLA, Pádraig Delargy, is quoted as saying “Apprenticeships are diverse and can provide a route to success for people across all age groups and skill levels, making them an inclusive option for school leavers, career changers, and those seeking up-skilling opportunities”.
Like the wide appeal, and suitability, of apprenticeships, bus advertising is an inclusive medium and provides the perfect broadcast medium to take the message to a host of diverse audience demographics.
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New £16.5m five-star luxury hotel to open next month
Dunluce Lodge, located on Northern Ireland’s famous north coast, is almost ready to welcome its first guests. The new hotel, which started construction in 2022, will feature 35 luxury suites, a restaurant, wine vault, private dining spaces and a spa for members of the public and residents to enjoy when it opens next month. Whilst the hotel itself will boast an unparalleled experience with genuine Irish hospitality, the location also promises to be unique and memorable, especially amongst golf fans, as it overlooks the fourth fairway at Royal Portrush Golf Club which will host the 153rd Open Championship this July.
With a diverse outdoor advertising portfolio, Global can help you reach golfing fans attending the Championship which takes place from 13-20 July 2025. Reach out to your Global Account Manager for more information.
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ICYMI: Vogue & Amber podcast on Global Player
Vogue Williams recently announced that her sister, Amber Wilson, was to join as the new co-host on the much-loved podcast, ‘Spencer & Vogue’. It comes as TV presenter, podcaster and entrepreneur Spencer Matthews announced that he was stepping away from hosting Spencer & Vogue. The podcast continues under a different name “Vogue & Amber”. Launched in 2020, Spencer & Vogue gave listeners a weekly window into the lives of married power couple. The addition of Amber as new co-host means the podcast will be ‘kept in the family’. Amber has previously joined Vogue on podcasts as a guest but has taken the reins full time to talk all things showbiz, family and everything in-between! Listen now on Global Player.
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