It was all part of promotional tactic to highlight the office space available to businesses in the city.

No one was hurt in the incident, although one car came off worse for wear (or did it?) in a guerrilla-marketing tactic which attracted huge interest and media coverage.

And Ledgard Jepson was behind it all, on behalf of clients Oxford Innovation and the Portsmouth Technopole.

The tactic was part of an ongoing campaign to market the Portsmouth Technopole - a centre providing services designed to boost the growth of start-up companies and offering workspace to meet the needs of up to 50 small- and medium-sized enterprises. Portsmouth Technopole is a landmark building at the entrance to Portsmouth, and one of Oxford Innovation’s flagship centres.

Ledgard Jepson’s creative teams came up with using the 1970s space hopper to sell office space. The bespoke 8ft inflatable hopper was sourced and placed on top of a small crushed car to give the impression that it had fallen from the sky and squashed it. Astonished passers-by quickly made the event a talking-point, attracting local press interest and—more importantly—inquiries to Oxford Innovations, thanks to a website address printed on the hopper.

200 regular-sized hoppers were also sourced and sent to a targeted database in specially designed boxes carrying the headline, ‘An incredible space offer’. A smaller leaflet was also sent out to 900 further contacts, with the promise of a free space hopper if they visited the centre.

The direct-mail campaign was supported by 96-sheet adverts and mobile 6-sheet outdoor adverts.

Oxford innovation has been delighted with the response so far, including a posting on Flickr.com, a 14% response rate to the space hopper mailshot, and—to date—a 4% response on the secondary mailing. In addition, thanks to the spaceoffer.co.uk website, the campaign has generated a 45% increase in hits on the main Portsmouth Technopole website.

Jo Willett, marketing director at Oxford Innovation, said: “We’ve been absolutely delighted with the creative ideas generated—Ledgard Jepson helped us be as innovative in our marketing as we are in the services we provide to the companies in our Innovation Centres.”

Her skills and experience span communications planning, strategy and implementation, internal and external communications, media relations, copywriting and PR.

Susanne Bell, director of marketing services, said: “Both Natalie and Steph have a wide range of skills and broad experience in their particular specialisms, and we’re delighted that they have come on board to widen the scope of services we can offer to our clients.”