With sharp insight and a DIY attitude, creatives Diksha (Dee) Yadav and Liz Eisen turned a Tube carriage into a moving skate lesson, launching a campaign for Skate Hub that playfully challenges who gets to be called a skater.
Skateboarding might conjure images of sun-drenched halfpipes or graffiti-splashed underpasses, but not the wobbly carriages of the Victoria Line – until now. The London-based creative duo of Diksha and Liz found a striking parallel in the everyday chaos of the Tube: the art of staying upright.
Their new campaign for Skate Hub, an up-and-coming skate academy based five minutes from Vauxhall station, is as unconventional as it is effective. Combining insight, craft, and a bit of mischief, the pair created a floor-based stunt on the London Underground that invites commuters to step onto vinyl ‘boards’ printed on the train floor and try their balance (no handrails allowed, of course).
“We saw people trying to balance on a busy Tube without the handrail and realised it looked very similar to learning how to be on a board,” says Diksha, who picked up skating during her Master’s in Lincoln. “We took what was an obvious insight and made it come to life by demonstrating that balancing on a tube and on a board isn’t that different after all.”
The idea was both clever and tactile, with the posters designed to be stepped on and interacted with, transforming an ordinary commute into a moment of discovery. It’s not just advertising you see, but something you do.
On the hands-on approach, Liz says: “It was initially a mock-up in our portfolio, and we showed it to a bunch of CDs, and the resounding feedback was ‘make it for real’.” Originally conceived as a speculative campaign for a major brand like Palace, the project found its perfect home in Skate Hub, a training-led academy already committed to inclusivity and accessibility.
“The fact it’s a training academy… even better,” Liz adds. “Because this is basically your first lesson.”
The stunt was filmed on the Victoria line – famously the “wobbliest line of all” – to amplify the effect. Passengers were invited to stand on the board graphics and test their balance as the train moved. A 50% discount on skate lessons sweetened the deal.
“We were conscious not to bother anyone who wasn’t game,” says Diksha. “It took a while to find willing participants and get over being rejected a few times.”
Once the first brave few stepped up, the energy shifted. “Mainly younger people gave it a go and clearly were enjoying themselves – this encouraged others,” Liz says.
The campaign’s impact wasn’t just in the visuals or the virality. It was in the moments of genuine connection, like the older man seen in the final film.
“He was subtly recording us and smiling,” Liz recalls. “He said he didn’t need lessons himself but would do it to get a discount for his daughter. The minute he stepped on the board, he was so into it. When he got off, everyone cheered.”
The duo’s collaborative spirit extended to the production too. Videographers Mike Walker and Henrique Chambel played a crucial role in encouraging participation and capturing spontaneous reactions. “Having them pitch in made such a difference,” says Diksha.
Beneath the light-hearted stunt is a serious message about accessibility. Skate Hub’s ethos is centred on making skateboarding more accessible, particularly for individuals who may have previously felt excluded.
“Liz is dyspraxic and grew up feeling that activities like skating were just not for people like her,” Diksha shares. “So places that support people at all skill levels or with accessibility needs are so needed.”
The message at the heart of the campaign is that anyone can be a skater. Even if you’ve never stepped on a board, you’ve likely been building the basic skills without even knowing it. “It takes a complex skill and empowers people into thinking ‘yep, even I can have a go’,” says Liz.
This is exactly what Skate Hub is trying to promote. While skateboarding has always been a space for so-called misfits, it can still feel intimidating to outsiders, particularly older people, women, or those with disabilities.
Founder Mark Nolan, himself an ex-skater, is working to change that. With no upper age limit and dedicated women and non-binary sessions, Skate Hub offers an alternative to the male-dominated, often cliquey skate scene. Its central location makes it far more accessible than the West London outposts many rely on.
The Tube campaign is already paying off. Following the buzz, Diksha and Liz have been tasked with developing Skate Hub’s social media presence.
“It’s rare to have an indoor skate academy in London, so the fact we can run this all year round opens up loads of opportunities,” says Diksha.
For now, their focus is on building awareness and building confidence. “We want to make more people aware that there is a place that exists for them, and it’s closer than they realised,” says Liz. Whether that’s someone who’s never touched a board or a dad willing to wobble for his daughter’s discount, Skate Hub is proving that skateboarding – like all good design – is for everyone.