Small businesses around M&C Saatchi’s headquarters in Soho, those that survived, are emerging from a bleak year in the UK. M&C Saatchi is giving them a hand. The agency wanted to do something positive to protect and promote the businesses that give its location in the centre of London its unique charm, character and colour. So it has created GOGOSOHO, a pro bono campaign, which is also supported by the Mayor of London’s office, Westminster Council and The Soho Society.

The initiative encourages people based in Soho to revisit some of their favourite places and also invites people in other parts of London to head back to the centre of town to check out these spots. GOGOSOHO brings together more than 20 local businesses, including Ronnie Scott’s, John Snow, Bar Italia, Soho’s Original Adult Store and Duck Soup, under one creative umbrella.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stated, “Soho is at the heart of our city with its lively atmosphere, vibrant community and outstanding entertainment. The past 15 months have been incredibly hard for the area, but GOGOSOHO is a great way to celebrate these vital local businesses and draw visitors back to one of our most famous locations. Alongside my Let’s Do London domestic tourism campaign, we will continue to encourage Londoners and visitors to make the most of our city’s world-leading hospitality, culture, nightlife and retail venues.”

Ben Golik, chief creative officer, M&C Saatchi, added, “Soho’s been hit hard this past year. It’s been our home for 25 years and if there’s ever been a time to give back – it’s now. GOGOSOHO is a proud shout out to our neighbours, and a rousing call to get Londoners back in to support them. From vintage vinyl to vibrators, Soho’s always been home to unique indie retailers. We’d like to keep it that way.”

Andy Harris, head of design, M&C Saatchi, and creator of the campaign’s bold illustrations, noted, “We’re passionate about getting Londoners back to support the businesses we’d hate to lose. Every illustration is as unique as the shops we’re showcasing – the campaign style is as bold and quirky as the people and places we love.” 

The campaign’s styling is built around a simple wordmark created using FS Marlborough, a font designed in a collaboration between Fontsmith and M&C Saatchi and based on an original street sign in Great Marlborough Street. It uses a bold and vibrant colour palette, the combination of black, red and yellow evoking a sense of the street life and night life with which Soho is synonymous.

There’s a subtle quirk or dual meaning in each illustration to grab attention and the executions highlight the individuality of each business featured, referencing their histories and individual personalities. On one, skull rings form the eyes of a frog to showcase The Great Frog’s signature jewellery. On another, an angry cockerel with a boxing glove for its wattle sums up restaurant Coqfighter. And in a nod to Soho history, the Broad Street water pump that John Snow linked to a cholera outbreak is shown pouring a pint for the pub named after him.

The campaign’s fly posters will appear in a number of London locations, including Mare Street, Brick Lane, Clere Street, Dalston Lane and Sclater Street, supported by a GOGOSOHO.co.uk microsite, which hosts film content showcasing Soho’s independent businesses. M&C Saatchi is also using social media, influencer activity and performance media, geotargeting visitors to central London to encourage them to pop in to Soho, as well as creating a bot to hijack hashtagged conversations about Soho on social channels, directing people to the campaign and its participating businesses.

The agency’s Golden Square office is hosting a GOGOSOHO takeover, with logos and signage inside and on its exterior. It is also running a photography exhibition at Soho members’ club The House of St Barnabas, featuring images of some of the businesses appearing in the campaign, and the people who work there. Lastly, M&C Saatchi has created six hand-painted GOGOSOHO-branded open signs that evoke the styles of Soho street signage, from sex shops to tattoo parlours, and will sit in the windows and doors of local Soho businesses, welcoming in customers.

Tim Lord, Chair, The Soho Society, stated, “The Soho Society has been keeping Soho special for 50 years and a key part of our community are the workers in film, TV, advertising and all the rest that make it a vibrant and amazing place to live – we have missed them and can’t wait to have them back.”

The businesses participating in GOGOSOHO include: Gosh Comics, Sister Ray, Cahoots, Coffee House, John Snow, Admiral Duncan, Jumbo Eats, Duck Soup, Cubitts, The Great Frog, Bread Ahead, Algerian Coffee House, Inko Nito, Ronnie Scott’s, Coqfighter, Soho’s Original Adult Store, We are Cuts, Frith Street Tattoo, MC Overalls and Bar Italia.

Credits:

Creative Agency: M&C Saatchi
Marketing Director: Christi Tronetti
Chief Creative Officer: Ben Golik
Joint Heads of Design: Andy Harris & Jonathan Muddell
Copywriter: Amy Parkhill
Integrated Producer: John Dutney
Production Assistant: Sunny Moon-Little
Account Assistant: Alex Passingham

Production Company: Oh Brother
Creative Technology: M&KE @ M&C Saatchi
Photographer: Tarik Ahmet