Safe to say, the past year or so has been an era of change.

Our new-look board has bedded in. We’ve won some exciting new clients.

And, most recently, we’ve given ourselves a subtle-but-thorough branding refresh.

From a refocused strategy to a tweaked tone of voice, an updated identity to a brand spanking new website. It’s been an exercise in consolidation, clarity and the kind of brutal single-mindedness that we find ourselves forever reminding our clients to follow – but can prove so tricky to do when the tables are turned.

But all that effort and energy, blood, sweat and spreadsheets has got us to a point where every inch of our brand now has our essence imbued within it.

RENEWING OUR POSITIONING

Naturally, we started with our strategy. Putting people first has been a mantra that we’ve lived by for years – and that wasn’t about to change. But it did need defining. We’re certainly not the only agency that claims to put people at the heart of their creative, but the reality is, we do so much more than that. We dig deep. We delve into their lives to discover what they truly love. What they truly hate. Their ambitions, their anxieties, their desires, their doubts, their dreams.

And that’s how we make brands matter… We craft creative that connects.

We build brands that build bonds.

As Alex Murrell, our Strategy Director puts it,

“In an industry so often characterised by ego and bravado, ‘putting people first’ has been our subtle but strong rally cry. It’s not about us. It’s about the brands we build and the people they serve. With our new positioning, we’ve taken this one step further. We’ve articulated the ultimate benefit, for our clients, of this approach.”

Once we’d ironed that out, our strategy was set.

REFRESHING OUR IDENTITY

To better reflect our new emphasis on connection, we wanted every element of our brand identity to communicate closeness, warmth and real, raw, human emotion – the highs, the lows, and everything in between. From our TOV to our photography, our palettes to our assets, wherever people encounter us, we want them to genuinely feel something. More than recognition, we want resonance.

In the words of Creative Director Vix Hansard,

“We get people. We truly connect with them. We take the time to listen, to observe, to understand not just what they do, but why they do it. And it’s only by understanding this behaviour, that we can build creative work that truly resonates. And it’s this idea that lives in the soul of our new brand identity.”

REBUILDING OUR WEBSITE

Our website has always been simple.

A contact page if you want to want to work with us, and one for if you want to work for us. With the support of fellow local agency Fiasco, we created a new site that stays true to that simplicity but with a little more to delve into. Now featuring a handful of recent projects that have proven to have connected with consumers and the key info about our Epoch Academy (our commitment to bringing the next generation of talent into the industry) – it’s single-minded, focussed and free of any unnecessary fluff.

We practice what we preach.

Anyone that’s ever worked in branding will tell you that the hardest job is branding yourself. Upholding objectivity. Sticking to self-imposed deadlines. Allowing yourself to let go. And as we found – all of that is true. But as we also know, when you build your brand from a strategic starting point – a core purpose – it makes all that follows ‘make sense’.

From the amazing team that we’ve built up over the past 33 years to all the incredible work that we deliver. Creating meaningful connections is at the core of everything.

In summer 2021 we ran an event discussing funding for creative businesses with the south west team at Innovate UK EDGE and a group of Bristol Creative Industries members.

During the discussion, attendees said it would be useful if we could provide regular updates on the finance schemes that are available for creative companies in the south west and beyond. This guide is our response.

The guide is one of Bristol Creative Industries’ most popular ever blog posts. We keep it updated with the latest funding schemes for creative businesses so check it regularly. We also include the post in our monthy email newsletter, BCI Bulletin. To sign up, go here.   

Latest funding for creative businesses:

Funding news:

The government has announced that the West of England is one of its priority areas for the creative industries and the West of England Combined Mayoral Authority will receive a share of £150m in funding to “design interventions that work for the creative businesses and freelancers in their region”.

£200m South West Investment Fund

The British Business Bank, the government-owned business development bank, has launched the £200m South West Investment Fund (SWIF) “to help address market failures by increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for UK smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment”.

Aimed at businesses in Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, the fund provides:

SWIF is managed by four fund managers:

The region is split as follows:

North of the region:

South of the region:

The funding is split as follows:

Businesses can apply for funding directly to the relevant fund managers here.

Innovate UK innovation loans

Micro, small and medium sized businesses can apply for loans of between £100,000 and £2m for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to significantly improve the UK economy.

Applications close at 11am on 22 August.

More details.

Bristol Council vacant commercial property grant scheme

Grants of £2,500 to £10,000 are available to help small businesses, sole traders, charities, community interest companies (CICs), community organisations and creative and cultural groups open new premises.

The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Friday 14 November 2025. If all available funding is allocated before the deadline, the scheme may close early.

Successful applicants must start trading from the funded property by Friday 30 January 2026.

More details.

Immersive Arts

A funding and support programme for UK-based artists, designed to help them develop their art by using immersive technologies. The partners of the scheme include Bristol organisations UWE Bristol, Watershed and University of Bristol.

A total of £3.6m in funding is available through three rounds until 2027. Immersive Arts expects to fund over 200 artists.

There are three strands which are designed to support artists at different stages in their creative development. Eligible artists can apply to ‘Explore’ for £5,000, ‘Experiment’ for £20,000 and ‘Expand’ for £50,000.

Applications close on 29 September 2025.

More details.

Creative UK Creative Growth Finance II

This £35m Creative UK and Triodos Bank investment fund provides loans of £100,000 to £1m.

Finance is directed to post-revenue creative businesses presenting promising growth potential and who:

More details here.

Green Business Grants

This scheme from West of England Combined Authority is designed to help small and medium businesses and organisations purchase and install new products and equipment that reduce carbon emissions, cut utility costs and improve energy efficiency.

Grants of up to £15,000 are available on a first come, first served basis. A total of £2m is available. It is likely the scheme will close for applications in Autumn 2025, but could close early if all funds are awarded

More details.

UK Games Fund Prototype Fund

Grants for established UK-based companies with a game development project at an early stage in the pipeline.

The funding allocation has now been fully committed, but you can express interest in case any further funds are provided for projects from 1 April 2025.

More details.

Umbrella Project

With support from South Gloucestershire Council and funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, small and medium sized digital technology businesses can apply for a share of £70,000 in grants.

More details.

National Lottery Project Grants

The fund is an open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects.

Funding of between £1,000 and £100,000 is available.

More details here.

Developing your Creative Practice

This fund from Arts Council England supports individual cultural and creative practitioners in England thinking of taking their practice to the next stage through things such as: research, time to create new work, travel, training, developing ideas, networking or mentoring.

Grants of between £2,000 and £12,000 are available.

Applications are currently closed but future rounds will be announced later this year.

More details here.

Supporting Grassroots Music

The £5m Supporting Grassroots Music fund supports rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance.

More details.

Travelwest sustainable travel grants

Travelwest provides match-funded grants for initiatives that improve sustainable travel provision in a business.

The aim is to provide financial support and incentives to employers to enable them to encourage sustainable modes of commuting or in-work travel (including site visits and meetings) amongst their staff.

The grants can be used for the implementation of physical measures, promotional events or any other measure that will encourage mode change amongst staff.

Grants are currently availables for businesses in Bristol and North Somerset.

More details.

BridgeAI funding and support programme

Innovate UK’s £100m BridgeAI programme aims “to help businesses in high growth potential sectors such as creative industries, agriculture, construction, and transport to harness the power of AI and unlock their full potential”.

The programme offers funding and support to help innovators assess and implement trusted AI solutions, connect with AI experts, and elevate their AI leadership skills.

More details.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation Arts Fund

This fund supports organisations who work at the intersection of art and social change. It offers grants between £90,000 and £300,000 over three years.

Applications are currently closed but details of the next round will be announced soon.

More details here.

Arts & Culture Impact Fund

This new £23m social impact investment fund is for socially driven arts, culture and heritage organisations registered and operating in the UK. It offers loans between £150,000 and £1m repayable until May 2030.

More details here.

The Elephant Trust

The Elephant Trust says its mission is to “make it possible for artists and those presenting their work to undertake and complete projects when frustrated by lack of funds. It is committed to helping artists and art institutions/galleries that depart from the routine and signal new, distinct and imaginative sets of possibilities.”

Grants of up to £5,000 are available. Applications are currently closed but a new round of funding will be announced soon.

More details here.

Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants

Grants of up to £100,000 are available for arts, libraries and museums projects.

The grants support a broad range of creative and cultural projects that benefit people living in England. Projects can range from directly creating and delivering creative and cultural activity to projects which have a longer term positive impact, such as organisational development, research and development, and sector support and development.

More details here.

UK Global Screen Fund: International Distribution

This fund aims to grow exports and global demand for UK independent film by supporting the UK film industry to achieve measurable results which would not have been achievable without the support.

Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.

More details.

UK Global Screen Fund: International Distribution Festival Launch Support

This scheme supports the festival launch of UK films in order to enhance their promotion, reach and value internationally.

Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.

More details.

UK Global Screen Fund: International Distribution Film Sales Support

This scheme supports UK sales agents to increase their international promotion and sales of UK feature film projects.

Applications close on at 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.

More details.

Start Up Loans

A Start Up Loan is a government-backed unsecured personal loan for individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK. Successful applicants also receive 12 months of free mentoring and exclusive business offers.

All owners or partners in a business can individually apply for up to £25,000 each, with a maximum of £100,000 per business.

The loans have a fixed interest rate of 6% p.a. and a one to five year repayment term. Entrepreneurs starting a business or running one that has been trading for up to three years can apply. Businesses trading for between three and five years can apply for a second loan.

More details here.

UnLtd funding for social entrepreneurs

If you’re running a creative social enterprise you may be able to access funding from UnLtd.

Finance of up to £5,000 is available for starting a social enterprise and up to £15,000 for growing a social enterprise.

Successful applicants also get up to 12 tailored business support plus access to access to expert mentors and workshops.

More details here.

Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

Businesses can apply for up to £3,500 to cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband.

Check if the scheme is available in your area here.

Workplace Charging Scheme

Grants to provide support towards the costs of the purchase, installation and infrastructure of electric vehicle chargepoints at eligible places of work.

The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of £350 per socket and 40 sockets across all sites per applicant.

The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 31 March 2026.

More details.

Know of more funding and support for creative businesses?

If you know of another scheme that we haven’t listed and you’d like to share it with other creative businesses, email Dan to let us know.

It is easy to see why the lines between public relations, marketing and advertising are often blurred. All three are concerned, in one way or another, with how the world sees and interacts with a brand. But the differences between them are not just academic.

They shape how organisations communicate, build trust and, ultimately, succeed.

Public relations: reputation, not just recognition

Public relations is managing reputation. It is the long game: building trust, credibility and mutual understanding between an organisation and its audiences. It relies on third-party endorsements, earned media and relationships with journalists, stakeholders and the public.

The aim is to create a positive image that endures with the right audiences, increasing positive brand associations, trust, and helping purchases of services and products.

Marketing: the umbrella strategy

This aspect is about identifying and satisfying customer needs, profitably. Marketing brings together product strategy, pricing, promotion and distribution.

It is very obvious to audiences that they are being driven to purchase and trust a brand through strategic activities that are recognisable: online ads, emails, influencer campaigns, events, affiliate marketing, direct mail, product launches and much more. The goal is to drive sales, acquire new customers, and retain them while building relationships.

Marketing messages are crafted to stimulate demand and encourage action, but the focus is always on the customer and their needs.

But the distinctions and differentiations start at the briefing phase.

Strategist, Trainer and YouTube Content Creator, Julian Cole, sums up this challenge particularly well in this video, on the differences between marketing and creative briefs. Marketing briefs serve the purpose of the organisation, whereas a creative brief must then translate the marketing brief into the customer’s point of view.

Advertising: the call to action

Billboards, TV spots, video ads, radio readouts, product placement, giveaways, vehicle wraps; they’re all designed to grab attention and take action.

Where PR is subtle and marketing is direct, but ROI driven, advertising strategies are often centred around statements of pure intent. It often grabs attention, without a clear call to action.

Which means that, while advertising can be a quick shot in the arm, its impact can be fleeting. Unless supported by broader marketing and PR efforts

How they differ: a closer look

Aspect Public Relations Marketing Advertising
Main Goal Build positive reputation, trust Drive demand, increase sales Immediate awareness
Approach Mixed tactics. Often earned media and owned content Research, strategy, promotion Paid media, direct messaging
Control Low/high, depending on tactics Generally high High
Credibility High (third-party endorsement) Varies (depends on channel) Lower (brand-driven)
Timeframe Long-term Short- and long-term Varies per campaign
Cost Varies but compounds over time Varies Varies
Measurement Reputation, sentiment, reach, share of voice Impressions, clicks, conversions Varies, depending on tactics

How do they complement each other

Unified messaging and brand consistency

When PR, marketing, and advertising work together, they create a unified brand message that is consistent across all channels. PR shapes the narrative and builds trust, marketing amplifies the message and drives demand, and advertising ensures the message reaches the right audience at the right time.

This synergy reinforces brand identity and values, making the brand more recognisable and trustworthy

Amplifying impact and reach

PR can generate media coverage and thought leadership that supports marketing campaigns, while marketing provides the promotional content and resources PR needs to craft compelling stories. Advertising, meanwhile, can boost the visibility of both PR and marketing efforts, ensuring key messages reach a wider audience quickly.

For example, a successful PR campaign can be supported by targeted ads, while marketing analytics can inform PR about which messages resonate most with customers.

Building credibility and driving results

PR’s earned media coverage lends credibility to marketing and advertising messages, making them more persuasive. At the same time, marketing and advertising can drive immediate results such as sales or sign-ups that PR alone may not achieve.

By integrating these disciplines into a successful marketing strategy, organisations can build long-term trust while also achieving short-term business goals.

Optimising resources and crisis management

An integrated approach allows for more efficient use of resources, avoiding duplicated efforts and ensuring all teams are aligned with the organisation’s objectives. In times of crisis, a unified PR and marketing team can respond quickly and effectively, minimising reputational damage and maintaining customer trust.

Enhancing digital presence and SEO

PR and marketing collaboration can also improve digital visibility. PR-driven content, such as thought leadership articles and press releases, can boost digital marketing efforts and be optimised for search engines, driving organic traffic and enhancing online authority.

Advertising can further amplify this content, ensuring it reaches the intended audience and supports broader marketing objectives.

Final thoughts

While PR, marketing, and advertising each have distinct roles, their true power lies in their ability to work together.

By understanding their differences and leveraging their complementary strengths, organisations can build stronger brands, foster deeper trust, and achieve both immediate and long-term success.

On a Wednesday evening in June – we hosted our first ‘Gather Round Presents’ event at the Trinity Church Gather Round. It was one for the books…

Whether it was the promise of an honest, open conversation about the challenges of working in the creative industries, or a need for the answer to the mutually felt question “Am I the only one feeling the pressure?” – tickets flew out in record time.

At 6.30pm we opened the doors to The Vestry and a new community of creatives flooded in, the vibe was electric. Backlit by a perfect summer’s evening and armed with their own stories to share, we saw people making instant connections, sharing contact details and engaging in deep conversations before we’d even sat down. This is something we all needed to talk about.

After a glass of free prosecco and some delicious free pizza from our partners Bosco, we moved through to The Great Hall bringing an air of focus with us, as our all-Gather Round-member panel took their seats to share their wisdom.

Bosco_Pizza_Gather_Round

In the face of adversity, be elastic

Bend, stretch, but don’t fold… become elastic. Your business depends on it.

A recurring theme from each of our speakers and touched upon in more depth by Jamie Ellul of Supple Studio, was Covid, a trying time to say the least. Jamie discussed how those turbulent years almost sent Supple down – something that, back then, was easy to take personally. This feeling was only made slightly more manageable due to the fact that his friends, colleagues & clients were all feeling it too. Jamie openly discussed how this felt like a great exercise in cutting the umbilical cord, once he realised how much of his self worth was wrapped up in the business. Something that he has since tackled through therapy and looking inward. This raw honesty was something that fuelled the rest of the evening, with equally inspirational testimony from the rest of our panel.

Panel_GR

Admit when something isn’t working

Tim Miness, Creative Director of Osborne Pike, shared a few mantras with the audience that have helped him stay flexible, creative and resilient. A statement that resonated was not being afraid to admit when something isn’t working. Bend the rules. What decision do I need to make in order to change my situation? How can I tap into that magic creativity and find the answer to this problem? Not only that, but how can I ask the right questions? Tim’s advice – hire people that are better than you. Expand that collective creativity, and together, you’ll find the right question.

Honesty is the best policy, and we definitely heard that from our panel. There were murmurs from the audience mentioning how refreshing it is to hear people being open about their downfalls, where they could improve and how they got through hard times. A refreshing perspective on managing a business, compared to older, more traditional ways of thinking.

Tim shared his dislike for the phrase “Fake it til you make it”. Something we’ve all encountered and tried to embody in some way, as we try to make sense of our place in the world. Sharing his love for the sentiment of trying new things, but ultimately landing on, why do we feel like we have to pretend to know what we’re doing? Perhaps one of his mantra’s “Learn it til you earn it” feels like a more sensitive way to approach things, although (in his own words) “…it doesn’t quite have the same punch.”

A few tears were shed, and then we smiled

We heard Robin Worrall, Creative Director of Rednine open up about his heart-first approach to his work. Something he’s cultivated after pulling his business apart and asking the question, what am I really trying to achieve here? After getting the nudge he needed from a post he saw on LinkedIn, with the sticky phrase “old keys don’t open new doors”, he knew he needed to reposition and rebuild his entire creative offer. Looking at what he needed to keep, what he was prepared to lose and what would be great to add. Robin compounded this with the sentiment that being creative is emotional, and that’s something he pushes through his work, to find the heart of brands and tell their story with authenticity. It’s safe to say, a few tears were shed.

Ask for help, reach out, learn from others, share failures and compare challenges. It all starts with… “Can I chat to you about something?”.

Looking inwards

Robin left us with a perfect segue into Kate Southerby’s interactive section of the evening. Coaching with the brain in mind, Kate is a facilitator of insights. She guided the audience through her 7 step plan, asking everyone to score themselves out of 10 for each section: Sleep, Movement, Focus, Introspection, Daydreaming, Play, Connection. There was an overwhelming consensus that we aren’t looking after our brains as well as we could be, so this was a welcome exercise that left the audience with plenty of food for thought.

The importance of nourishing your mental and physical health was a thread followed by all of our panellists, as each person has faced certain difficulties of their own. As Steven Hore discussed, managing stress has elevated how he works. He and his family made the decision to leave London after more than 20 years in the city. Initially causing more stress than intended due to commutes, but, after Covid eliminated presenteeism, time usually reserved for long car or train journeys was swapped out for more time in nature, exercising and moving through beautiful spaces that nourish his soul.

Something more attainable than moving city that he shared with the audience though, and perhaps the most simple and obvious tip: get a good night’s sleep! Steven shared how implementing this one action has transformed his ability to handle combined stressors such as job insecurity, shifting budgets and demands of 16+ hour shoot days with ease.

It’s not all about work though, as we revisit a comment from Jamie Ellul on not letting your self-worth get too wrapped up in your business, the panel delved into the importance of finding things outside of work to nourish your creative side. Find a hobby you love and indulge in it as much as you can. Hustle culture is dying, now is the time for slow, intentional living.

The elephant in the room: AI

Of course – it wouldn’t be a conversation about the state of the world right now without touching on artificial intelligence. A topic that roused the crowd, unsure on how to feel about this powerful new tool we’ve all been given. But the biggest question on everyone’s lips… What does this mean for creative jobs? Tim, Kate, Steven, Robin and Jamie all steadfast in their belief that creative jobs aren’t going anywhere. A sigh of relief. Steven shared some positive thoughts on how AI is a great democratiser. The barriers to entry now are lower than before, meaning more eyes, more screens and work happening in more places than ever before.

This being said, clients will always want emotional, relatable, human stories. From Jamie’s perspective, AI can only produce more of the same and will never be a match for the way humans think and create. We left that topic firmly closed with his mic drop moment – “AI won’t give you a drumming gorilla for a Cadbury ad”.

Where do we go from here?

After a short break, we resumed the discourse in the form of an intimate Q&A. With questions from a concerned audience, on how positive the panel feel about the creative industries going forward – will we see an upturn? Leaving us with some final gems of knowledge, the panel discussed how being brave will ultimately lead to success. However you view success though, is up to you. Times have been difficult, really difficult, but they ARE changing. There are spaces, like Gather Round, where community is flourishing and people are coming together with ideas and strength beyond what they thought they were capable of, just a few years ago.

In the words of Anthony Burrill, “Work hard and be nice to people” – but most importantly, be brave, nourish your network, ask questions, take care of yourself and the rest will follow. Stay resilient out there!

If you want to get involved in our next event – make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter so you don’t miss out on tickets. They don’t hang around for long.

Earlier this year, Bristol Surf Cinema launched its very first event – a night dedicated to celebrating surf storytelling on the big screen. What started as a small, DIY project to bring people together around meaningful surf films quickly grew into something bigger, with almost 250 people buying for the inaugural screening in April.

The idea was simple: create a space to showcase surf films that go beyond the highlight reels, beyond the big brand edits – stories that dig into the social, political, and environmental threads woven through surf culture.

As a camera assistant working in film and TV and a lifelong surfer, I (Theo) set out to build something that connected those two worlds. In a time when the industry was unusually quiet, Bristol Surf Cinema gave me a creative project to get stuck into and a chance to pour energy into something that mattered. It was also a way to genuinely support filmmakers, every film we screen is fully licensed and paid for, and £1 from every ticket is donated to The Wave Project to help fund surf therapy for young people in the UK.

But perhaps what stood out most from the first event was how the Bristol surf community (and the wider ocean-loving crowd) showed up. Feedback from the night wasn’t just about the films, it was about the feeling in the room. People supported the event and made it clear they would like to see more. They wanted a space where all surf stories could be told, with better representation, better balance, and an even stronger connection to the community.

The next wave: July 2025

That’s where our second event comes in. On Saturday 12th July at Watershed Bristol, Bristol Surf Cinema returns with a matinee screening of Point of Change, a powerful documentary by acclaimed director Rebecca Coley. The film tells the story of Nias, Indonesia – a surf paradise that was ‘discovered’ in the 1970s and the environmental and cultural impact that unfolded for the local community as surf tourism in that area grew.

It’s a film that makes you think about the consequences of surf tourism — and we’re lucky to have Rebecca joining us on the day for a Q&A to explore those themes in more depth. Rebecca will be answering questions on her filmmaking process, handling delicate themes within documentary and the impact of tourism on the earth and native communities.

Alongside the feature, we’ll also be screening two UK-made short films:

For those who can’t make the main event, we’ll also be running a catch-up screening on Wednesday 16th July — same films, just without the Q&A.

Both events will offer the opportunity for networking and drinks at the Watershed bar after the event so you can minglew with like-minded film or ocean enthusiasts.

Growing into something bigger

Bristol Surf Cinema was never meant to be a one-off. The ambition is to keep this platform going – to continue curating thoughtful, story-first surf films and to keep building a space where filmmakers feel supported and audiences feel connected.

Looking ahead, there are exciting plans for a national tour to bring these kinds of surf screenings to other UK cities and coastal towns. The vision is to grow Bristol Surf Cinema into a national platform, while always staying true to the ethos: supporting independent surf filmmaking, elevating underrepresented voices, and creating community-led spaces where ocean & surf centred stories, of all kinds, can be seen, heard, and shared.


Want to come along?

Tickets for the July screenings are available now via the Watershed website: https://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/13320/bristol-surf-cinema-point-of-change

To stay up to date with future screenings or to get involved, follow @bristolsurfcinema on Instagram.

Creating an effective public relations (PR) budget is crucial for scaling businesses aiming to enhance their brand presence and credibility.

Thorough market research serves as a foundational element in developing effective PR campaigns and long-term success. But knowing where to start can be a challenge.

This guide outlines key considerations and strategies to help you allocate your comms resources effectively.

Determine the percentage of revenue for marketing spend

Allocating a specific percentage of your gross revenue to marketing and PR is a common approach.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) recommends that companies spend between 5% to 10% of their gross revenue on marketing. But this is a ballpark figure.

The actual percentage you spend can and will vary on a lot of different factors. Are you B2B or B2C, what’s your sector? What’s the size of your business, and what are your business goals?

All of these things, and more, can have an impact on your marketing budgets. So it isn’t as simple a task as looking at the averages or the recommendations. It’s a decision that needs to be personalised to your wants, needs and goals.

Assess your PR and marketing needs

To tailor your PR budget effectively, consider the following questions:

Target revenue for the next year: having a clear understanding of your financial goals helps set a proportional marketing budget.

Existing marketing budget: review current spending to identify areas for reallocation or enhancement.

ROI review: in line with reviewing existing or previous budgets, look at what’s working in your current plans, what isn’t and why.

Focus areas for the coming year: what do you want to achieve in the year to come? A strategic picture of these goals will help you implement tactics to achieve these goals.

Benchmarking against competitors: research industry standards to ensure your budget aligns with or surpasses your competition.

With clear objectives, targets and a strong understanding of what success looks like for you, it’s far easier to set a PR budget. Then you need to make a call on whether you can achieve this internally or if you need to bring in a third party.

In-house vs external PR resource

Deciding between in-house and external PR resources depends on your company’s capabilities and objectives.

External PR agencies can offer specialised expertise and established media relationships, which can be priceless. The cost of bringing in an external agency can vary. Smaller UK agencies may charge between £1,500 – £5,000 per month, while larger firms’ retainers start from £5,000 per month.

Opting for an in-house solution may result in you maintaining more direct control. With an in-house PR, there is a complete, dedicated focus. But this comes with the challenges of hiring, retention, training, development and investment in standard tools, like media monitoring and journalist databases. These are tools which we, as an agency, invest in so you don’t have to.

Beyond in-house vs external, there are other industry-specific considerations that you need to factor in when allocating your budgets.

Industry-specific budget considerations

Marketing budget allocations can differ across industries. For example, consumer packaged goods companies in the UK allocate more than 20% of their budgets to marketing expenses, whereas the average budget in real estate is less than 10%

Understanding your industry’s standards can guide appropriate budget setting. Hubspot provides a helpful breakdown of sector budgets. But as an agency, as part of pre-briefing or the briefing process proper, we can give you our expertise and insights and help you put your spend in the most effective and appropriate places.

Then, you need to consider your relative size and scale.

Strategies for scaling businesses

It’s often said that scaling businesses need to dedicate more of their budgets to marketing than more established businesses. But this rationale does have its flaws.

Firstly, budgets are often referred to as a percentage of net revenue rather than a cash value. So, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a lower percentage means less investment. But that’s not the case; 20% of revenue for a start-up could be similar to 5% of an established business; it’s all relative.

Speaking of relativity.

There’s also the notion that just because you’ve reached a point of relative success, why would you slow down then? This is where having an agency partner can be very useful. Because we’ll have a certain degree of separation from your day-to-day, which often allows us to join dots and make connections which can be hard to see when you’re caught up in operations.

The reality of the situation is that if and when you reach a certain size or stature, there are going to be start-ups that are hungry and eager. They’re coming for your spot on the ladder.

Look at it this way: Microsoft still puts 10% of its $240 billion revenue into marketing.

Spending in the right places

How you divest and spread out your spending is, ultimately, down to your targets and goals.

But spending for spending’s sake should be discouraged.

Whether it’s paid campaigns through social media channels, content creation, SEO performance or media office fuelled by press releases. Whatever and wherever you’re spending, it needs to be driving value.

It’s important to recognise that value doesn’t always mean converted business leads. In the context of broader PR strategies, value has many meanings, from the quality of media coverage earned to engagement on your social media posts.

This is where it’s important to develop PR strategies with both breadth and depth. The array of expertise and specialisms within the AMBITIOUS team means we are especially well-placed to deliver this kind of approach.

Depending on your sector and relative size, as well as your goals, you’ll be implementing different tactics. So it’s difficult to say, in the space of a paragraph, how and where you should be spending without this wider context.

But broadly speaking, the following strategies can bolster your PR outreach.

In summary

Investing in PR is vital for building trust with your audience.

For this reason, setting a PR budget isn’t just about throwing money at different activities. It’s about making sound strategic investments in your brand’s future.

Your PR budget is more than just numbers on a spreadsheet, and spending for spending’s sake needs to be discouraged. Regardless of whether you’re a hungry start-up or an established business, your comms strategy needs to be as dynamic and purposeful as your business goals.

You can invest in all kinds of strategies and tactics. So much so that it can be dizzying. This is why having an expert in your corner helps, as they can help steer the overall direction of your PR outreach.

But whether you decide to build an in-house team or partner with an external agency, you need to achieve the same thing: create a communications approach that doesn’t just speak to your audience but genuinely connects with them.

Remember, investing in PR isn’t an expense; it’s your pathway to establishing credibility, supporting growth and securing long-term success and trust.

And trust is your most vital commodity.

Becoming a member of Bristol Creative Industries brings many benefits. We regularly add new opportunities so here is a guide to the latest benefits you can enjoy by signing up. This post is regularly updated.

Join Bristol Creative Industries from only £4.95 a month.

Appear in the member directory

Showcase your best work and attract new clients with a company profile in the Bristol Creative Industries member directory. The directory receives lots of visits every month from people looking for services from creative businesses.

Bristol Creative Industries membership

Self-publish content

Got some business advice or news to share? As a Bristol Creative Industries member you can self-publish content on our website and it will automatically appear on your member profile. We upgrade great content to the newsfeed and homepage, while four posts by members are included in our monthly email newsletter.

To get an idea of the content topics that do well, here are the top 30 most popular posts by members in 2024.

Bristol Creative Industries member Jessica Morgan from Carnsight Communications discussed the benefits of posting content in this interview.

Advertise jobs on the BCI jobs board

The Bristol Creative Industries jobs board attracts thousands of job hunters every month. As part of your membership, you can post unlimited free job adverts, saving you on average £3,500 per candidate.

Piers Tincknell, co-founder of Atomic Smash, is one of BCI’s longest serving members and he told us in a member profile interview how he regularly uses the jobs board to recruit new employees.

Attend members’ lunches

BCI’s monthly members’ lunches are a perfect opportunity for members to catch up with fellow members and the BCI team.

Everyone has a slot of up to three minutes to tell the others a little about who they are and what they do and share any news and/or challenges. You don’t need to fill the full three minutes. We usually find some common themes emerge to discuss over the course of the session.  It’s all very informal with no need to stand up and present slides.

The events are free to attend for members, take place at The Square Club in Bristol and include a free buffet lunch.

Check the events section of details of the next lunches.

Drew Benvie, Battenhall, Social Media Trends 2024, Bristol Creative Industries keynote

Discounts for keynotes, workshops and other events

Our flagship keynote events and workshops feature world class speakers sharing their expertise. It’s a unique opportunity to access valuable insights for growing your business. Bristol Creative Industries members receive a ticket discount.

An example of a keynote event is the brilliant annual presentation on social media trends delivered by Drew Benvie, founder of global social media consultancy Battenhall, and Graham MacVoy telling the inspiring story of the Wake the Tiger immersive world of adventure in Bristol.

Our regular freelancer networking drinks are free with a free drink for members. Remaining events in 2025 take place at 5.30 – 8pm on 9 September and 11 November.

Keen an eye on the events section for the latest events. You can also sign up to the monthly BCI Bulletin to be notified of events.

Big thanks to everyone who joined us at @SquareClifton last night for the Bristol Creative Industries freelancer networking drinks ☀️ 🍷

Sign up to the BCI Bulletin to be notified of new events: https://t.co/5WgBWPoN1C#BristolCreativeIndustries #Bristol #freelancers pic.twitter.com/1BvT60KZFp

— Bristol Creative Industries (@Bristol_CI) June 21, 2023

Attend and host Wake Up Call

Wake Up Call is a member exclusive live webinar that takes place every other Friday at 8.30-9am. The content is delivered by members for members.

Attending the free event gives you access to valuable insights from your fellow members and if you host a Wake Up Call, you can share your expertise and attract potential new clients.

See details for upcoming Wake Up Call events in our events section.

If you’re a BCI member and you’d liked to deliver a presentation on a topic of your choice during Wake Up Call, email Dan Martin.

Equity, diversity and inclusion training

Research shows that diverse teams are more creative problem solvers, bringing fresh perspectives to solutions, against the echo-chamber effect that results when people in a business come from too-similar backgrounds. With a strong focus on diversity and inclusion, employees feel valued and that they belong.

To help Bristol Creative Industries members achieve this, we have partnered with The Hobbs Consultancy to provide on demand equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) e-learning.

The CPD certified online course consists of modules to help you bring about positive change in your business, understand the key challenges in the way for different groups, and explore your own biases and how to overcome them.

The training modules take an in-depth look at different diversity and inclusion topics: race, disability, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, gender (split into female leadership, masculinity, gender identity), age and social mobility in the workplace.

The price of the training for BCI members is £120+VAT. All profits will be ploughed back into our youth engagement activity.

To access this brilliant training opportunity, log into your Bristol Creative Industries account and click on the ‘members’ training’ section.

Join outdoor networking events

The regular BCI Walk & Talk networking sessions are for a group of BCI members who don their walking boots and explore the stunning countryside around Bristol and Bath.

It’s a great opportunity for members to make some new connections whilst getting some much needed fresh air!

The next outdoor networking event is on 15 August and you can register here.

Bristol Creative Industries Walk & Talk outdoor networking

Attend exclusive roundtables

We host regular roundtables for agency leaders to discuss strategic challenges. These events are vital for us to hear from the member community about the key issues you are facing and how we can help. A roundtable on funding led to us creating this popular and regularly updated guide to the latest finance on offer to creative businesses.

If you are interested in getting involved with future roundtables, email Alli Nicholas.

Other benefits

We regularly deliver other member benefits:

Currently on offer is:

To stay updated on the latest benefits, sign up to the monthly BCI Bulletin.

Discounts on workspace, hotels and more

Reductions on co-working spaces, meeting rooms, hotel accommodation, a recruitment strategy review and a coffee subscription are just some of the many discounts and offers we’ve negotiated for members.

Join Bristol Creative Industries from only £4.95 a month.

If you have any questions about membership, email Alli Nicholas

We’re bringing our free, creative community focused event series ‘Gather Round Presents’ to Trinity Church for the first time this month.

It’s safe to say, the first half of 2025 has been anything but smooth sailing. Several turbulent political events have influenced the economy with noticeable shifts in where and how businesses are focusing their time and money. In times like this, it’s vital to build resilience to keep in the game.

Some of you may notice we are revisiting a topic for this one, but it truly feels more poignant than ever. We launched Gather Round Presents back in 2024 with Building Creative Resilience and as things have shifted in 2025, we still have questions. With nervous clients wanting to spend less, do we pitch for free? How do we retain creative power? Do we need to diversify our output?

If you’ve got questions like this, we’ve got an incredible panel joining us this month who are sure to know the answers…

Trinity_Events_Gather_Round

Jamie Ellul – Supple Studio

Jamie’s a creative powerhouse with many strings to his bow (or bass guitar, see his involvement in The SuperColours and The Mystery Callers). In the game for over 20 years, Jamie’s an award-winning graphic designer who champions the small agency set up. “With a passion for design education and promoting diversity in an industry full of white middle class blokes with beards” we can’t wait to hear Jamie’s take on this month’s topic.

Tim Miness – Osborne Pike

A 6ft 9in tower of ideas and doodles, Tim leads Osborne Pike as Creative Director from up on high. Having worked with a myriad of global brands across pretty much every aspect of the creative spectrum including illustration, experiential, packaging and even music videos – Tim’s faced a fair few challenges in his 20-year career and he’s ready to share his most useful tips & tricks.

Steven Hore – Film Director

An irrepressible film maker with an impressive list of achievements under his belt since the 00’s, Steven believes film is the most powerful medium to move people and affect change. Before striking out to make commercials and documentaries for the likes of Disney and HBO, Steven was a creative director for a large London agency. We’re excited to hear how he’s built creative resilience during the last 15 years as a freelancer in the industry.

Robin Worrall – Rednine

An OG Trinity Church member who you’ll never see absent from one of our events – Robin is an experienced Creative Director driven by people making a real difference, with an authentic and powerful story at their heart. In his own words “Change doesn’t scare me; it excites me. I thrive on exploring uncharted territory and lighting the way forward, especially in times of rapid transformation.” Get your questions ready everyone!

Kate Southerby – Creative & Leadership Coach

Our in-house creative coach and neuroscience expert, Kate can give you the tools to help you overcome mistakes, make better decisions and connect more deeply with yourself to realise your true potential. In trying times like this, having self-belief nailed before anything else, your ability to withstand hardship only grows. With a career spanning more than two decades and impactful transformations under her belt with brands such as Topshop, Greene King and Just Eat, Kate’s input to the conversation is sure to stick.

Vestry_Bar_Trinity

Following the success of our previous events, we’re expecting tickets to fly out for this one.

We’ve partnered with local legends Bosco to bring you delicious, fresh free pizzas straight to you from their wood-fired oven. Plus, we’ll kick things off with a free glass of prosecco on arrival, an open bar all night plus plenty of time for networking and sharing your own stories.

Don’t think twice on getting your ticket – we’re expecting them to fly out. See you there Bath, we can’t wait.

 

We talk a lot about leadership pipelines, talent retention, and gender equity at work. But one of the biggest moments of risk in a woman’s career isn’t when she hits a glass ceiling. It’s when she goes on maternity leave.

Despite decades of progress, research shows that up to 74,000 women in the UK lose their jobs each year due to pregnancy or maternity-related discrimination¹. Nearly half of mothers report negative experiences at work related to pregnancy, maternity leave or returning—and 1 in 5 leave their jobs as a result². And for those who do return? Over 80% say it negatively impacts their confidence, mental health or both³.

These numbers tell a clear story: we are underestimating the scale and complexity of the transition to motherhood. And we are under-resourcing women through it.

That’s where maternity coaching steps in—and why it’s far more than a “nice to have.”


Maternity Coaching: A Lifeline, Not a Luxury

Maternity coaching provides structured, professional support before, during, and after parental leave. It holds space for the emotional, identity, and logistical challenges of becoming a parent while managing a career.

Common coaching themes include:

But coaching isn’t just about performance—it’s also about wellbeing. And that brings us to something that still isn’t talked about enough: maternal mental health.


From Baby Blues to Burnout: The Full Spectrum

In my article for Maternal Mental Health Week, I reflected on how easily new mums downplay how they’re feeling.

The six-week postnatal check isn’t enough. Many mothers never say out loud that they’re not okay. Postnatal depression, anxiety, rage, or the long tail of sleep deprivation can linger well beyond maternity leave—and often bubble up again during the return to work.

That’s the missing link: Maternal mental health doesn’t stop when maternity leave ends. For many women, returning to work—often exhausted and unsure of themselves—is just as vulnerable a period. And yet, the expectation to “bounce back” is enormous.

Coaching can’t replace clinical care, but it plays a vital complementary role. It provides space to process the emotional load, build confidence, and plan realistically. And for many, it’s the first time they’ve been asked: “How are you really doing?”


For Women With ADHD, the Challenge Is Even Greater

As someone with ADHD, I know how difficult it is to manage the chaos of early motherhood. Executive dysfunction, mental load, and disrupted routines can overwhelm even the most high-functioning professionals. When structure disappears, so can confidence.

For neurodivergent mothers, maternity coaching provides scaffolding. It helps build systems, protect energy, and move forward with clarity—even when everything feels uncertain.


What Happens Without Support?

In coaching sessions, I often ask: “What would be the impact of not preparing before maternity leave or return?”

The answers are sobering:

The coaching process brings clarity, strategy, and self-compassion. It helps new parents stay anchored to what matters most, even when the external world is shifting.


A Thought for Organisations

If you’re serious about retention, inclusion, and wellbeing, start here. Maternity coaching isn’t a “perk.” It’s a strategic, inclusive intervention that helps people return to work stronger, not smaller.

Support doesn’t have to mean fixing every problem. Sometimes it just means saying, “We see you. And we’re with you.”


A Thought for You, If You’re a Working Parent

Here’s a prompt I often use with clients: “What do you want life to look like in five years and what needs to happen now to make that future possible?”

It’s easy to live in the short term when you’re exhausted. But your long-term goals, values and ambitions deserve space too.

Pause. Reflect. And know that support is out there, coaching included.

A final note: I’ve been using the brilliant maternity coaching framework developed by Frances Cushway, a comprehensive, compassionate and practical model that supports every stage of the transition to working parenthood. It’s been a powerful tool in my work, especially when combined with an ADHD lens.

If you’re curious about how this framework can support neurodivergent parents—or want to learn more about the pilot I’m currently running, you can find more details here.


Footnotes

  1. Pregnant Then Screwed & HR Magazine (2024): 74,000 women lose their jobs due to pregnancy/maternity discrimination annually

  2. EHRC and TUC Research: 1 in 5 women leave their job due to pregnancy and maternity discrimination

  3. Working Families Annual Report (2023): 84% of women face challenges returning to work; 30% receive no employer support

We’ve all had it- that awful unexploded bomb of an email from a client sat in your inbox. So what do you do next? This article will walk you through my tried-and-tested process for handling a difficult communication, so you’ll be able to head into any negotiation feeling prepared.

Get calm: put yourself in the right mindset

It is so tempting, in those first moments, to fire back with a few home truths, or alternatively to loathe the idea of conflict so much that you grit your teeth and give in to their unreasonable demands. Instead of doing either of those things, remember this:

You only win if you get what you want.

A trite phrase, but memorable, which is why it’s important here- in these early moments, your body is physically reacting to a stressful situation, and you may not be at your calmest, most rational best. So having a ridiculous catchphrase to use as your compass is actually quite useful. Remember it and let it pull you back to your objective- achieving success in your negotiation.

The point is to focus on the OUTCOME. Negotiations are a multi-step process (even if they’re just a couple of emails) and from this moment, everything you say and do should be geared towards delivering the outcome that is best for you and your business. If you need to get something off your chest, scream in frustration, that’s fine- but do that separately, and out of your client’s hearing. For now, focus on identifying what outcome you’re after, and working through the steps necessary to achieve that.

Preparation: assess the facts and make a plan

Before sitting down to draft a response, it is essential to do some information-gathering and analysis. Here are the steps to walk through, in this order, to equip you with the information you need to decide on a strategy for your reply.

1. Get the facts

Do some digging and consider the following:
– If you have a contract, what do the terms say?
– Where do things stand in terms of finances/invoicing? How much money do they owe you?
– Where are you with deliverables- what has been done, what has been handed over, what is left to do? How does that line up with your contractual commitments?
– Are there wider relationship/ business issues to consider? Is this client particularly influential, or linked to other clients of yours?
– What is the potential impact, on you, of what they are asking of you?

2. Assess your exposure and your leverage

The list above is just a suggestion, as every situation will need its own consideration, but broadly speaking you want to assess your EXPOSURE to this client, whether financial, reputational, legal etc, and other hand, any LEVERAGE you may have. Assets you’ve not yet handed over that they need, knowledge you hold that’s not easily replicable, etc.

The purpose of this is to look clearly at what the possible consequences could be of whichever path you choose. Your next steps are focused on minimising your exposure and putting any leverage you have to the best possible use.

3. Identify what YOU want

– Work out your best-case scenario, and your absolute hard line
– Think about your time, any resources needed to do whatever they’re asking
– The impact on your mental health
– The opportunity cost of your time- what else could you be doing
– Intangible benefits you might want- credit/exposure/introductions/portfolio building, etc

4. Identify what is IMPORTANT to them

This is not about what they’ve said, or asked for, but what they actually value. Use all the information you know about them and their circumstances to work out what is motivating them. What pressures are they facing, from their own clients/within their organisation? Consider the following:
– are they under time pressure
– what are their deliverables
– do they need to prove they’ve negotiated the price as low as it can go (i.e. is a request for a discount actually to enable them to demonstrate, either to themselves or their seniors, that they’ve got the best price)
– is there an ego element (hint: yes. Always.)

Drafting your response

Using the information you’ve gathered above, and maintaining your laser-focus on your desired outcome, map out your response. The most important thing to consider here is:

“What action do you want them to take?”

And then make it EASY.

Want them to consider a couple of options and pick one? Set them out and sign off with “please reply and let me know if you’d prefer A or B”. Want them to pay an invoice before you continue your work? Attach it, or include a link to pay. Never want to hear from them again? Make sure you don’t ask them any questions, or leave any loose ends they’d need to follow up. If you are asking them for more information, be sure that you genuinely do want that information and are prepared to engage with whatever they send back. If the information won’t make you change your response, don’t ask for it.

Also remember: you don’t need to respond to every point they made in their email. Unless it needs to be addressed or dealt with, you can just leave it- and focus on the action you want them to take, to achieve the outcome you’re after.

Here are five key points to consider:

1. Make them feel heard

You may not feel like pandering to their ego, but a bit of tactical empathy is incredibly effective. Re-framing their concerns or acknowledging their point of view enables them to stop trying to get their point across and be more open to what you are saying. Even when you are delivering unmitigated bad news, a small demonstration of empathy can significantly soften the delivery. For example, “I have some news to share that may be tough to hear, but I wanted to get in touch as soon as I could to give you as much time as possible to digest the impact…”

2. Frame your proposal from their perspective

Whatever your proposed next steps are, put your correspondent at the heart of them. What will they receive? How will they be impacted? For example, and building on the tactical empathy in the previous point, “I absolutely understand where you’re coming from on budget constraints, and being mindful of that, I am able to offer [add detail of what they will receive for that price].”

3. If you need a reason, choose ONE

Don’t feel that you need to give a reason for your position- if you can frame a polite ‘no’, that’s great. But if you DO feel like giving an explanation, choose the single most unassailable reason, and stick with it. When you are in conflict with someone, the more reasons you give, the weaker your argument looks- you are only as strong as your weakest argument. You’ll also be giving them more ways to try and pick holes in what you’re saying.

4. For NO, use passive voice

Ignore what your English teacher told you about using the passive voice. Say “I’m afraid it’s not possible to…” instead of “I refuse to…”. It just softens things and also can make the decision making process seem more removed, and less able to be challenged.

5. Remember the power of silence

People HATE an awkward silence. They will rush to fill it, often saying ill-advised things that cut across their previously carefully-delivered position. If you can, and if it’s appropriate, hold your nerve and don’t reply right away. This will firstly give you a chance to calm down and go through the preparation steps outlined above, but it will also show your counterparty that you are not replying in haste with a cobbled-together response. Rather, you are calm and collected, and confident in your reply. You may find that by waiting just 24 hours to reply to an incendiary email, the other party (who was expecting you to blow up and reply straight away) is unnerved enough to email again, undermining their previous position. Even if that doesn’t happen, a bit of waiting time can put them off their combative stride.

The only caveat to this is if something very urgent has happened, but you need a bit of time to work out what to do- in this case, a quick holding email, something like “just a note to let you know we have seen this and are working on it, I will come back to you shortly” will buy you some breathing space to consider before they start chasing you and causing you further stress.

The aftermath

After all this, I sincerely hope you’ve achieved your desired outcome, or gotten closer to it. Regardless of what’s happened, though, please remember that this kind of interaction takes a lot out of you, mentally and emotionally. You may be left feeling that your counterparty has not understood how bad their behaviour was, or you’ve had to empathise with someone who has treated you badly. Take time to process and reflect, and care for yourself afterwards.

And if you’ve found this helpful, or would like to chat about strategy, negotiation, or anything else, please do get in touch!