Top team news today and bringing it home for Bristol … AMBITIOUS has been awarded Best PR Agency of the Year at The Drum Recommends Awards for the third year running.
Having previously picked up Best PR Agency for under 40 staff, 2020 sees Team AMBITIOUS pick up the award across small, medium and large agency categories.
Organised by The Drum, a global media platform and the biggest marketing website in Europe, the awards are one of a kind in the industry. There are no entries to submit, work to design or papers to write. Winning can only be achieved through the high regard of clients, supported with their ratings and feedback.
The Drum Recommends database contains over 64,000 ratings left by brands, businesses and organisations. Client feedback covers rating for services, such as PR strategy, content planning, media relations and social media, along with ratings for performance levels – from effectiveness to value for money.
Lis Anderson, Director, AMBITIOUS: “We’re so proud of the team and really appreciate the feedback that our clients have given us. Client service is a big part of our agency life, it’s central to everything we do and everyone works hard to deliver that. We’ll be doing some virtual celebrating and look forward to a big team knees up when we’re back in the office.”
AMBITIOUS works across B2B and corporate clients covering healthcare, trades, education, professional services, tech and property sectors. Being based in Bristol and benefitting from a strong network, the PR agency also works with a number of clients across retail and hospitality supporting their market entry into the South West region.
Connect with us on social media – LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter or drop us a line at hello@ambitiouspr.co.uk
Loom Digital is extremely proud to announce that they’ve been shortlisted for a prestigious Drum Search Award.
Now in their 3rd successful year, the Drum Search Awards recognise and celebrate excellence and innovation in the search marketing sphere, with entrants spanning a wide range of sectors from travel and tourism to healthcare and pharma. Appearing alongside a number of talented UK agencies and teams is a huge privilege.
Loom’s nomination is for the “Best integrated SEO and PPC campaign”, and celebrates the work they’ve done on launching their client, Permagard, into the competitive green roof sector.
The aim of the project was to create a strong organic presence for green roof search terms, alongside generating online sales through biddable media activity, as well as phone and email leads that the Permagard team could convert offline.
To achieve these aims, Loom planned an integrated SEO and biddable media strategy in January 2019 ready to be launched in April to capitalise on the peak in green roofing search terms. Green roof content was strategically created, optimised and integrated into the Permagard site, alongside paid campaigns using Google Search and Shopping, and Facebook Ads.
The integration of organic and paid search and social activity was a huge success, allowing Permagard to break into the green roofing search space and achieve formidable results.
Ignition, a Bristol-based exhibitions, events and experiences company, has been awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development in the new 2020 list, announced today. The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is an awards programme for British businesses and other organisations who excel at international trade, innovation or sustainable development and represents the highest official UK awards for British businesses. Ignition, founded by Claire Menzies in 2007, is a sustainable practice pioneer, thanks to its founder’s commitment to doing business in a thoughtful, green and responsible way since inception – carving a unique path within an industry once known for excessive, waste-creating ‘build and burn’ attitudes.
‘When it comes to sustainability, we’ve been doing it longer than our clients have been asking us to’ Ignition CEO Sam Rowe commented, ‘meaning we’re very much ahead of the curve and can help our clients to move their own businesses forward sustainably too. This award, which recognises our long-term dedication to ‘people, planet and profit’, is both a huge honour for us and a great reflection of many years of hard work and dedication to sustainable targets by our team and board’.
Ignition is part of creative business group Istoria Group Ltd and was established to provide design and project management services to the global exhibitions, events and experiences industries. The company – which also has a US-based office in Indianapolis – works across many sectors, from pharmaceutical, healthcare and beauty to aerospace, construction, engineering and manufacturing, as well as technology, education and FMCG businesses. Clients range from blue-chip multinationals to local South West start-ups and include Thales, Elvie, Invictus Games, Roche, Amazon, Eli Lilly and Company, The British Society of Rheumatology, Galderma, Pilatus Aircraft, Google, Mayborn Group, LafargeHolcim, Vital Baby, Expleo and University of Gloucestershire.
Ignition is one of four Bristol businesses honoured in the new award list – and one of only two in the Sustainable Development category – with 23 award-winners in total throughout the South West. Notably, sustainability is not Ignition’s core business, but is instead an integrated part of its practice, process and ethics. The company has been continually profitable since it started, with a 65% growth in sales since 2014. Ignition holds a number of globally-recognised ISO standards, most notably as one of the first companies in the world to be certified with the ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management standard – and the first within the exhibitions industry. Ignition is also certified with ISO 14001 – Environmental Management and ISO 9001 – Quality Management.
Ignition’s founding principle is to put people and planet before profit. Part of this mission includes decreasing carbon emissions by 10% year on year. From 2018 to 2019, in a major achievement, the company’s emissions were reduced by 25% – well above target levels. But this is only part of the company’s suite of initiatives in sustainability:
‘As a company working internationally, this award will bring us great prestige and open new doors’ Sam Rowe concluded. ‘Of course, it arrives with us at a testing period for our whole industry because of Coronavirus, but, given that we started the company just before the 2008 financial crisis, we learnt to be resilient early on! Taking a long-term view has always been part of our formula and will continue to be the case’.
MM&M AWARDS 2019
WINNER – Best Places to Work, Small Agency
EN ELITE AWARDS 2019
Winner, Best Employer
WORLD EXHIBITION STAND AWARDS 2019
Gold Winner, Best Stand at a Healthcare Event
BRISTOL LIFE AWARDS 2019
Winner, Creative Category
EN ELITE AWARDS 2018
Winner, Best Eco Supplier
EN ELITE AWARDS 2018
Winner, Best Employer
GREAT PLACE TO WORK AWARDS 2018
Winner, UK’s Best Workplaces
For further information on Ignition or to request an interview with Sam Rowe, please contact Caroline Collett of Caroline Collett PR Ltd on T: + 44 (0)1297 444179 M: + 44 (0)7801 270598 E: [email protected]
Spicerack team members Chris Helingoe, Georgia Martin, Dave Harrison and full-time apprentice Shannon Prendergast were pleased to attend Bridgwater & Taunton College’s Apprenticeships Award Evening at The McMillan Theatre. The annual event celebrates the success of their Apprenticeship provision across 11 award categories.
Spicerack were delighted to pick up the “Small Employer of the Year” award. We were one of 16 of the 1,400+ employers the College currently work with invited to attend the awards.
“It’s been great to work with Bridgwater & Taunton College,” said Spicerack’s founding partner Dave Harrison. “For me, it’s personal. I live locally, and Spicerack’s first base was Bridgwater. But since the beginning, we have worked with many work placements and apprentices. Shannon, through the college, is currently undertaking the level 3 Junior Content Provider apprenticeship, and is a hugely valued member of our team. She herself was one of 3 nominated for the college’s Apprentice of the Year award, from over 3000 active apprenticeships. Apprentices bring a new dimension to Spicerack through creativity, enthusiasm and a different perspective. They add zest, and actively contribute to Spicerack’s development, helping other employees develop their own talents as managers. And it just feels right. It’s quite tough out there compared to the booming digital world of ‘new media’ which I entered in the late 90s. Ultimately though, I studied a 4 year degree which at times felt slow. By my third year I was dying to get out and make my mark, but was restricted by what I feel can be a slow, not to mention expensive, timespan. A good apprenticeship means you’re learning from commercial experts at a vibrant pace.” Dave Harrison, Spicerack
One of Spicerack’s recent apprentices Euan Edgar has been working at Spicerack as a full time developer since finishing his apprenticeship in 2018. In 2017, Spicerack were delighted to support a previous apprentice Nathan Russell in gaining a full time developer role with agency Rocketmakers agency in Bath.
“Spicerack recognised the individual needs of an apprentice, and adopted a flexible approach when it came to allocating time for independent learning and managing workloads. I found my time at Spicerack challenging, but stress free. They were always encouraging me to explore new areas, and get as much experience as possible out of any project, but there was no pressure; so long as the effort was there.” Nathan Russell, Rocketmakers
“Spicerack have shown clear commitment to providing apprenticeship opportunities for individuals. For example, the businesses motivation to offer a worthwhile alternative to mainstream education and the high level of support that they are providing for Shannon shows a genuine interest and commitment to the apprentice’s development. Shannon has described how her apprenticeship (so far) has had a really positive effect on her career. Spicerack have also demonstrated how they provide continual development opportunities to individuals after the Apprenticeship is completed. Spicerack’s commitment is outstanding, and they really deserved to be winners of Bridgwater & Taunton College’s ‘Small Employer of the Year’ award!” Teresa Bridgman, Trainer/Assessor – Creative Arts, Bridgwater and Taunton College
Bridgwater & Taunton College Apprenticeships gained ‘Outstanding’ status in their recent Ofsted report in 2019. The College provide a range of apprenticeships for the Creative Industries, which include: Junior Content Producer, Creative Venue Technician, Print Technician, and manufacturing apprenticeships for Apparel, Textiles, and Leather goods. For more information please contact:
Sue Hayes: [email protected] Teresa Bridgman: [email protected] Or go to the College website at: www.btc.ac.uk
Our recently launched Squarespace website for Fevered Sleep has been nominated for ‘Website of the Day’ on CSS Design Awards.
We partnered up with Dust Collective to bring their bespoke designs for the non-profit organisation to life and push the boundaries of the Squarespace platform. As well as specialist front-end development, we also provided support during the design phase of the project to ensure a seamless transition from original design to the finished site.
Launched in 2010, CSSDA is an international web design and development award platform that honours and showcases freelance designers, studios and agencies for work that pushes the boundaries of UI, UX and innovative development.
As well as Website of the Day, Fevered Sleep is also in the running to win UI Design, UX Design and an Innovation development award which are voted on by the public. Every vote counts and there’s no need to login to vote!
To see our nomination page, and vote for us (no need for an account login) if you’d like, you can head here > https://www.cssdesignawards.com/sites/fevered-sleep/36501
“This Grief Thing” will be coming to Bristol from 11-17 May 2020 as part of Good Death Week. More info here.
Our City is our annual competition for local filmmaking talent to create a short film or animation to showcase the city of Bristol. Filmmakers under 30 are asked to produce a 90 second film, animation or motion video that captures their view of what makes Bristol THE place to be – celebrating creativity, people, music, technology, action, collaboration or lifestyle.
This year, 3 films made it to the final stage and met with the judging panel and Mayor Marvin Rees to start planning the fine-cut stage, drawing on the TV skills of Aardman, Icon Films and Drummer TV, and the facilities at Doghouse and Films@59, and blending in the One City messaging, footage from Destination Bristol and locations from the Bristol Film Office.
Congratulations go to:
Leeza Awojobi, Daniel Moon, Jagneel Bhullar, Stephanie Burnham, and Emma Rigby for ‘Held in Pockets’ – a original approach supported by a beautifully-written poem to celebrate and embrace the youthfulness of the city.
Tobi Wozniak and Curtis Ball for ‘Bristol: A Hobbit Tale’ – a humorous, well-produced film which the judges liked for its pastiche style and great punchline.
James Giles-Lane and Elliot Barry for ‘Bristol in the Fast Lane’ – an upbeat and dynamic short film showcasing the diversity and creativity of Bristol.
For Mayor Marvin Rees, the competition unlocks the talent of young people and showcases what makes Bristol so special:
“Although the three films are very different, together they are great insights into a city which is energetic, varied and cares about the future of its young people – but doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
The winners will share the £1,000 prize fund donated by Aardman Animations, Films@59, Icon Films Doghouse Post Production and Drummer TV, and the final films will be screened in Millennium Square.
Bristol digital marketing experts, Loom Digital, have been shortlisted for a 2020 UK Biddable Media Award.
The agency has been shortlisted for the “Best Integrated Biddable Campaign” category, celebrating the work they’ve done for their Bristol-based client, Lifetime Training
The award entry highlighted the results of the integrated biddable media campaign ran by the agency’s expert PPC & Biddable Media team. The campaign used Google Ads, Bing Ads and Facebook Ads strategically in order to drive significantly more sales and more conversions for Lifetime.
Tommy Pearson, Head of PPC at Loom Digital said, “We’re thrilled to have been shortlisted for the Best Integrated Biddable Campaign for our work with Lifetime Training. The results have been fantastic, and it’s always great for our work to be acknowledged by our peers in the Biddable Media industry. It also gives us reason to shout about our innovative approach to integrated digital marketing!. We only started working with Lifetime Training in April last year, so the results demonstrate the immediate impact the campaigns have made in the first 9 months.”
The UK Biddable Media Awards celebrate and reward the expertise, talent and achievements of the UK Biddable Media industry. The awards feature a variety of categories which highlight the different and innovative ways digital agencies and professionals use paid search and social media advertising to achieve results.
The award winners will be announced on Thursday 19th March.
About Loom
Loom is an integrated digital marketing agency founded in 2009 and still independently co-owned and owner-managed. Based in Temple Studios in Bristol, the 13-strong team has south west-based clients including Cheltenham College, ForrestBrown, Permagard, Create Your Nest, Safe Options and Spoke & Stringer.
Instagram: @loomdigitalagency
Twitter: @loomdigital
3 agency award wins in 3 months! We’re so pleased to have scooped IC Consultancy of the Year, awarded by BOC.
It’s been a brilliant few months for award wins at Synergy, with the latest coming at the BOC IC Brilliance Awards in London.
Following the news of our Marketing Agency of the Year win at The Drum Agency Business Awards and our recent IoIC Best Agency win, we’re delighted to have picked up another award for the trophy cabinet.
The IC Brilliance Awards champions the vital role that Internal Communications plays in the success of any organisation, so to be awarded in these prestigious awards is a brilliant achievement that we’re really proud of. Here’s what the judges had to say:
The youngest of our entrants, Bristol-based Synergy has shown sustained growth in the UK and internationally and has a commitment to sharing good practice, to innovative thinking and to client education.
Synergy impressed the judges with its powerful creative approach to driving employee engagement. Their work for a growing range of clients is testament to their commitment to pushing boundaries and their campaigns are littered with innovative ideas and energy.
And we were so pleased to see our client RBS take home IC Team of the Year too. We had a great night celebrating their well-deserved win.
Looks like we might need to buy a bigger trophy cabinet…
If you’d like to chat with us about how to achieve IC brilliance in your organisation, get in touch.
Not so long ago it was announced, to huge excitement, that SearchStar had, once again, received multiple nominations in The Drum Recommends Digital Awards. In fact, our nomination count totalled 14, a full 6 more than at the same event in 2018!
It was, therefore, with vague confidence that we headed to London’s Marriott Grosvenor Square in search of our client-voted accolades. The competition was, as always, incredibly stiff with the cream of the UK digital agency crop in attendance – but surely 3 wins from 14 was achievable?
Happily, with more nominations came a greater number of victories – 5 in total. A fantastic way to cap off an excellent 2019; not only did we retain our Analytics crown for a third year (in the 40-99 category), we also received the Creativity/Innovation and Mobile gongs in the same category, and snagged the Optimisation/Conversion and Ecommerce awards in the prestigious combined category.
The nature of The Drum Recommends Digital Awards (voted for by clients) means this simply wouldn’t have happened without our clients taking the time to shout about our successes together. In our opinion, the RAR Digital Awards are as close to unbiased and independent as you can get.
“I am looking forward to continuing to work on the USA campaign with SearchStar and striving to achieve good results. Lucy and Will clearly know their stuff and are well-placed in their respective areas of digital advertising. Viewing data and actually understanding it are often different. SearchStar are great at helping us dig into the detail.”
– Charlotte Hopes, UWE Bristol
“The introduction of the Amazon Attribution tool to our paid media activity has been really insightful and provided us with a lot more transparency on how our different media channels influence each other. As a result, we have been able to understand cross-channel performance and results, and therefore make more informed decisions about budgets and their allocation by channel.”
– Stephanie Dilworth, Meyer Group
“What a difference three months can make! SearchStar and, in particular, our account manager Mike have been a complete joy to partner up and work with; words and actions have hit the mark, beating our agreed forecast, shifting our sales line upwards.
“We have experienced great communication, clear reporting and a ‘going the extra mile’ attitude at an extremely competitive price.”
– Severine Thirion, Aspace
This announcement first appeared on the SearchStar website here >>>
After receiving a record 6 nominations at this years Drum Digital Awards, south west based AgencyUK walked away the countries leading Online Advertising Agency under 40-people. The nominations round off a year which saw the team win Advertising Agency of 2019 in May, as well as a string of new client wins.
Established in 2008 by Sammy Mansourpour and Amy Stobie, the team at AgencyUK has built a reputation for being one of the UK’s most creative brand communications agencies, and a hot bed of exceptional talent.
The agency now employs 30 people, including creative’s, journalists, videographers, media planners and brand strategists. Clients have included the AA, BSM, Halifax, Del Monte, and most recently Dr Dunner Health, Coral Group, Ladbrokes, CarShop and Institute of Osteopathy.
Sammy Mansourpour, Managing Director says “We are committed to our independence, it enables us to work in the best interest of our clients. By being truly integrated and eliminating internal departments and P&L’s, we remove any politics and conflicts between agency teams. We have seen first hand that this is the cancer that has plagued many of the larger network agencies and brought them to their knees, pushing clients towards smaller specialist providers. Being ranked Advertising and Online Advertising Agency of 2019 is a huge step forward for us, the team and our clients.”