Marketing Agency Joins Forces With International Poet In Celebration Of Purple Tuesday

Leeds and London-based, integrated marketing agency Bewonder* has announced that it is launching a nationwide campaign in partnership with internationally-renowned mental health poet, James McInerney to mark Purple Tuesday - the UK’s flagship accessible shopping day.

Taking place on Tuesday 12 November, the initiative will run across 48 shopping centres under the multi-award-winning Bewonder* portfolio and will see a selection of James’ work on display. All have been created to celebrate Purple Tuesday’s recognition of the importance and needs of shoppers with disabilities, as well as raise awareness of non-visible impairments.

Speaking about the project, James said:
“I wanted to do something different with my poetry and create something that made people stop and think: ‘I relate to that. I needed to see that today’.

“It all started as sort of a social experiment on the London Underground a year ago, and to see how much it’s taken off since then is really staggering!” James continued.

“Poetry for me is an outlet, a way to get rid of all the heaviness and process different emotions, so the fact I’m working with Bewonder* to help give other people this same outlet is very humbling. I’m incredibly grateful.

“Purple Tuesday is all about bringing positivity and equality back into everyday lives, and my poems aim to do the same.” He added. “Mental health is a taboo subject, but it is okay to not be okay and this really embraces that.”

The collaboration with James McInerney combines his work on Poetry in Public, which sees his poetry displayed on service information boards around the country - and even in some areas of Australia and the USA. His talent also focuses on raising awareness, wherein he uses poetry to highlight mental health and depression in an attempt to help those experiencing difficulties and show them that it is ok and they are not alone.

“This is a brilliant campaign,” said Kaye Walker, Head of Bewonder*.

“After Purple Tuesday’s success last year, we’re proud to be involved again this year and to be partnering with James to help deliver important messages into communities further.

“It’s always been a part of our strategic ambition to work with like-minded people and organisations across all industries, and we’re delighted to have this opportunity to raise awareness for accessibility in all aspects of life.”

Purple Tuesday was launched by Purple, a disability organisation which believes that in bringing disabled people and businesses together, the conversation will shift from one of disadvantage and inequality to the positives of potential and value.

Last year, the first-ever Purple Tuesday was a huge success, with over 1,500 pledges to make concrete changes and improve the customer experience for disabled people. This included commitments such as staff training, digital audits, better signage and training of frontline staff in basic British sign language. Purple Tuesday gathered support from more than 750 businesses.

Mike Adams OBE, CEO of Purple, said:
“I am delighted Bewonder* is involved in Purple Tuesday. It underlines its public commitment to improve the customer experience for disabled people.

“Meeting the needs of disabled customers makes commercial sense for businesses and I am hopeful others will follow the lead of Bewonder*. Together we can, and we commit to change the customer experience for disabled people for good.”

Find out more about Purple Tuesday here:
https://purpletuesday.org.uk/