Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the 2024 Autumn Budget 30 October, the first from the UK’s new Labour government. Here’s a round-up of measures and announcements relevant to businesses in the creative industries.
Describing it as a Budget “to fix the foundations”, the Treasury said “difficult decisions” had to be made “on tax, spending and welfare to restore economic and fiscal stability” to deal with a “£22bn black hole” in the public finances left by the previous government.
The announcements included £40bn in tax rises, with the big headline the increase in employer National Insurance which will add significant costs to many businesses.
We’ve listed the measures relevant to most businesses at the end of this article. Firstly, here are the announcements specific to the creative industries in the West of England region.
The Budget confirmed that the government will continue to fund the following creative industries programme:
The government said it will provide £3m in funding to expand the Creative Careers Programme, which raises awareness of career routes and tackles skills gaps in the key sector.
The Creative Industries Clusters programme, which has supported creative businesses in nine regional hubs, will continue to provide support over the next six years, with more clusters to be announced. Bristol and Bath was one of the regions supported between 2018 and 2024 through Bristol and Bath Creative R+D.
The Autumn Budget confirmed that the creatives industries is one of eight sectors of focus in the government’s vision for its new industrial strategy.
It has published a green paper and launched a public consultation. Read more details here.
The government said it is providing tax reliefs for the creative sector worth £15 billion over the next five years, and confirmed announcements from the previous government’s Spring 2024 Budget:
From 1 April 2025, film and high-end TV productions will be able to claim an enhanced 39% rate on their UK visual effects costs. UK visual effects costs will be exempt from the credit’s 80% cap on qualifying expenditure, with costs incurred from 1 January 2025 eligible.
The previous government proposed that generative AI would not qualify for the additional tax relief for visual effects, but the new government has dropped that measure.
UK Screen Alliance said the move means that the UK is now set to attract an additional £175m per year of spending on VFX for film and TV, an increase of over 45%, and to create 2,800 new jobs.
Adrian Wootton OBE, chief executive of the British Film Commission, said:
“UK film and TV is globally admired, and a key sector driving economic growth. Our VFX sector is one of the jewels in the UK industry’s crown, with a depth of creative and technical expertise. But these are competitive times. Productions are looking globally for the best talent and incentives to guide their investment decisions.
“Any new measures must address intensifying global competition and help us put our best foot forward. Confirmation of the VFX tax credit increase doubles down on UK strengths and will drive up investment. It is not only welcome, but essential to support our sector and wider UK growth.
“We’re delighted that HM Treasury has listened to industry feedback on generative AI, and included these costs in the overall VFX tax credit enhancement. The BFC pressed for this in our consultation response and we believe this will play an important part in keeping our VFX sector future-proofed and globally competitive.”
From 1 April 2025, UK films with budgets under £15m and a UK lead writer or director will be able to claim an enhanced 53% rate of audio-visual expenditure credit. Expenditure incurred from after 1 April 2024 on films that began principal photography on or after 1 April 2024 is eligible.
From 1 April 2025, the rates will be set at 40% for non-touring productions and 45% for touring productions and all orchestra productions.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
“The creative industries will play a critical role in helping us turn the corner and deliver on the national missions of this government – driving economic growth into our towns and cities; drawing on the wealth of talent that exists everywhere; and flying the flag for British culture and values on the world stage.
“The chancellor’s Budget underscored just how important these sectors are going to be with funding extended for vital programmes and tax reliefs, an expansion of the Creative Careers Programme and a £25m investment in the CrownWorks Studio in Sunderland that will make the city one of the centres of our TV and film industry for years to come.
“This government recognises that for millions of people, geography has become destiny. That while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. This Budget has put the creative industries front and centre of how we write those people back into our national story and drive opportunity, jobs and prosperity into every community, in every region.”
The following are announcements not specific to the creative industries but are of interest to businesses in the sector.
To fund public services, including the NHS and education, the government will increase employer National Insurance.
The rate will increase by 1.2 percentage points to 15% from 6 April 2025. The secondary threshold, the level at which employers become liable to pay National Insurance on each employee’s salary, will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
To protest the smallest businesses from the National Insurance rise, the employment allowance will increase to £10,500 from £5,000 and be extended to all eligible employers by removing the £100,000 cap.
The government said this will allow firms to employ up to four National Living Wage workers full time without paying employer National Insurance.
The government will increase the lower and higher main rates of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) to 18% and 24% respectively for disposals made on or after 30 October 2024.
Business Asset Disposal Relief, which entrepreneurs pay when they sell all or part of their business, and Investors’ Relief, which reduces CGT on a disposal of shares in a trading company that is not listed on a stock exchange, will increase to 14% from 6 April 2025, and to 18% from 6 April 2026.
The National Living Wage for employees over 21 will increase by 6.7% to £12.21 an hour from April 2025. The government said this represents an increase of £1,400 in the annual earnings of a full-time worker
The National Minimum Wage for 18-20 year olds will rise by 16.3% to £10 an hour, the largest ever increase in both cash and percentage terms.
The government said that intends to create a single adult wage rate over time.
The cap on bus fares in England, due to end on 31 December 2024, will be retained until 31 December 2025, but with a 50% increase from £2 to £3.
From 2026-27, “permanently lower” business rates rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties in England will be introduced. The government said “this will be funded sustainably by introducing a higher multiplier for the most valuable properties, including distribution warehouses used by online giants”.
Business rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England, up to a cap of £110,000 per business, due to end in April 2025, will be retained for 2025-26. However, it will be cut from 75% to 40%.
The small business multiplier will be frozen in 2025-26.
The government confirmed continued funding for small business finance schemes provided by the British Business Bank including £250m in 2024-25 and 2025-26 for Start Up Loans and the Growth Guarantee Scheme. To boost access to finance for women entrepreneurs, the bank will also invest £50m into female-led funds.
The Budget confirmed that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the government’s replacement for EU funding which was due to end in April 2025, will be extended for another year but with reduced funding of £900m.
The government will also continue to fund the Help to Grow: Management course and Growth Hubs in England in 2025-26.
A “Small Business Strategy Command Paper” will be published in 2025 that will “set out the government’s vision for supporting small businesses, from boosting scale-ups to growing the cooperative economy, across key policy areas such as creating thriving high streets, making it easier to access finance, opening up overseas and domestic markets, building business capabilities, and providing a strong business environment”.
The creatives industries is one of eight sectors of focus in the government’s vision for its new industrial strategy.
Publishing a green paper and launching a public consultation, the government said the strategy’s aim is to “drive long-term growth in key sectors that is sustainable, resilient and distributed across the country”.
In their foreward, chancellor Rachel Reeves and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds say:
“There is rapid change in the global economy, and the case for governments to roll up their sleeves and shape markets rather than step back in the face of these challenges is stronger than ever. To capture the growth the UK so desperately needs, we need a modern industrial strategy to share in the next decade’s growth opportunities.
“This industrial strategy will provide a launchpad for businesses. It provides the firm foundation for investment that businesses have told us they need. This government believes it is our role to provide the certainty that inspires confidence, allowing businesses to plan not just for the next year, but for the next 10 years and beyond.”
The eight sectors the government will focus on are:
Summarising the UK’s creative industries, the green paper says:
“The UK’s creative industries are world-leading, showcasing the best of its creativity and culture to the world. According to UN Trade and Development, the UK is the third largest creative services exporter behind the US and Ireland, worth $87 billion in 2022. Globally, 1 in 10 songs streamed are from the UK.
“The UK is a global centre for screen production, with £4.23 billion in production spend in 2023, of which 78% was from inward investment. According to the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, the creative industries accounted for 67% of the UK’s digital exports in 2021.
“The sector is expected to grow worldwide, creating further growth opportunities. The sector is highly innovative, attracting significant inward investment and producing goods and services that are world renowned. PwC estimates that the global entertainment and media sector will grow to $3.4 trillion by 2028. Half of global trade is expected to be digital by 2050.
“To enable growth in the sector, the government will leverage UK creative industries’ global comparative advantages by unlocking private investment, boosting exports, and developing its highly skilled workforce. The government needs to ensure that the UK sector remains globally competitive as a home for world class talent while maximising access to important markets to tour and collaborate.
“The sector plays an important role in driving growth across regions and nations, through creative clusters and corridors across the country that spread opportunity and prosperity in communities, as well as driving growth by enhancing access to skills, spillovers, and knowledge sharing.”
Skills is a key area of focus for the government, with the green paper saying “the UK has a skills mismatch greater than many peer economies, with 10% of businesses reporting at least one skill shortage vacancy”.
It said the skills needs of employers vary according to their sector and geography, with one example given being the creative industries sector needing workers with skills in digital, design and data.
A key focus at Bristol Creative Industries is boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline for our members through initiatives such as our groundbreaking Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme with social enterprise Babbasa and Bristol-based agencies.
A core objective of the government’s industrial strategy is “unleashing the full potential of our cities and regions by attracting investment and creating the best environment for businesses in them to thrive”.
The green paper highlights areas where focused clusters already exist and have potential for growth. One of those mentioned is digital industries in Bristol.
The government is running a public consultation on the industrial strategy until 24 November.
We are interested to hear ideas for how the Bristol Creative Industries community think the creative sector should feature in the final industrial strategy. Send your ideas to Dan Martin.
Ahead of the 2024 general election, several BCI members told us how they would like to see the new government supporting creative businesses. Here are some of the responses:
“The creative industry faces two significant challenges: attracting and retaining skilled talent and securing financial support to facilitate investment and growth in a challenging economic environment.
“Many creative businesses are small and agile, enabling them to deliver results with minimal resources. However, for these businesses to reach their full potential, the next government must acknowledge the creative sector’s value and contribution to the UK economy and provide tangible support.
“That means offering tax incentives to small businesses and startups, increasing access to loans and grants – and not just for R&D – expanding and supporting creative apprenticeship programmes, and providing business support programmes specifically tailored for small and creative businesses.
“Finally, we need greater market visibility and opportunities to access national and international trade.”
Catherine Frankpitt, Strike Communications
“To continue building the creative sector, further focus needs to be placed on education, advocacy, and innovation, ensuring the sector not only survives but thrives in a rapidly changing world.
“Education is where it begins. The government must recruit and keep inspirational teachers who can inspire and cultivate the future generation of creative individuals. Quality educators play a crucial role in motivating students and equipping them with the necessary skills to excel in creative industries.
“It’s also crucial to advocate for the creative industry and change outdated perspectives to promote diverse career paths. Traditional career guidance often emphasises professions like policing or accounting, while overlooking the numerous opportunities available in creative industries. It’s important to shift this discussion in educational institutions, as well as with parents and the community, whilst showcasing success stories and the economic potential of creative careers.
“Innovation is at the heart of the UK’s creative accomplishments. For instance, consider Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s creation of the World Wide Web or the iconic design of the Mini car. These examples illustrate the UK’s leadership in problem-solving and generating new ideas. To continue this momentum, the government needs to provide support to creative start-ups, allocate funds for arts research and development, and promote collaborations between businesses and creative professionals.
“So, let’s remember what we’re good at as a nation, continue to nurture it, and constantly innovative, to remain at the global forefront of creativity.”
Ryan Wills, Taxi Studio
“The UK represents vast untapped potential for creative businesses. For young people, entry into the industry remains something of a closed shop, achieved via well-trodden paths. Any efforts to broaden these pathways are largely driven by charities or pro bono work by smaller businesses. So we’re undoubtedly missing out on millions of incredibly talented people, and they’re missing out on what could be exceptional careers.
“The incoming government should invest meaningfully in giving the next generation more exposure to what our industry can offer, and easier access to financial and professional support that would make a creative career a viable option for all, regardless of background. Then let’s see what we could achieve!”
Ailsa Billington, Proctor + Stevenson
“We are strong advocates that the next government must focus on digital skills education to help prepare our future creative industry workforce. We see investment in digital and AI education, skills, initiatives and training will be crucial for businesses like ours, so we can recruit exceptional talent for the future.
“We believe the next government must also foster collaborations between educational institutions and industry, to help bridge skills gaps and by investing in these, the government can empower and future proof the creative sector to help drive economic growth.”
Tom Vaughton, Varn
Bristol Creative Industries is delighted to be sponsoring Creative Day at Bristol Technology Festival 2024 alongside BCI members Aer Studios and MyWorld.
Now in its sixth year and organised by techSPARK, Bristol Technology Festival is the UK’s largest regional technology festival.
It celebrates the awesome people, innovation, community and thriving tech scene in the city. We are excited to be involved and representing Bristol’s brilliant creative industries.
Each day of the festival from 7-11 October is themed. Thursday 10 October is Creative Day.
Here the brilliant free events to attend on Creative Day:
SXSW UK is being hosted WHERE?
MyWorld, 9.30 – 11am
…we all know it should have been here, right? Join us as we unlock the untapped potential of creative tech in the region and realise what it takes to position ourselves as rightful global leaders.
Fuelled by barista coffee and brunch, this interactive workshop invites participants to collaborate with key community figures and industry bodies to define what creative technology means to our community and chart a path forward.
Panel: Setting the future vision of creative technology in the South West
Motion, 12.45 – 2pm
Join us for an engaging and interactive panel discussion that will dive into the future of creative technology in our region. Building on the insights from our morning workshop, our panel of industry experts will discuss the untapped potential of our sector and work together to define a shared vision for the future.
Meet the panel:
MyWorld Creative Tech Showcase
Motion, 2 – 5pm
Join us and immerse yourself as we explore emerging technology innovations and trends, such as AI, immersive, gaming, sound and how they are going to continue to transform creative industries. The event showcases the technology that has been researched and developed through MyWorld.
The Sheds studio tours
MyWorld, 9am – 5pm
Book a tour to look around MyWorld’s state of the art facilities at The Sheds and experience some of the innovative technical research being developed in the spaces.
Tom Harber, Bristol Creative Industries board director and Aer Studios managing director, said:
“We see our involvement in Bristol Technology Festival as a meaningful step towards driving deeper collaboration with the tech sector and a stronger relationship with key organisation including techSPARK and MyWorld.
“Creative Day at Bristol Technology Festival provides a platform for Bristol Creative Industries to discuss the creative industries’ role in driving innovation in the region and will bring valuable insight for our members, as well as opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.”
If you’re new to Bristol Creative Industries, here’s a bit about us.
Founded in 2005 as Bristol Media, we’re a community interest company that supports the creative sector to learn, grow and connect.
Driven by the common belief that we can do more collectively that alone, we’re about prosperity for creative businesses and that means attracting new talent and new customers.
In Bristol and across the region we:
We are supporting Bristol Technology Festival to foster greater collaboration across the sectors and create opportunities for insight and connections for our members.
To maximise the benefits of tthe Bristol Creative Industries network, support our work and help the region’s creative sector thrive, you can join as a member.
Look out for representatives of Bristol Creative Industries at Bristol Technology Festival events.
The creative industries are a vital component of the local economy and here at Bristol Creative Industries, we encourage young people to look to the sector for a rewarding and inspiring career. As modern technologies like gaming, VR and AI continue to develop, we need a new generation to take on the jobs of the future that the local economy needs if it is to thrive.
See below for our updated guide to creative industries-related further and higher education in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-mare and beyond.
If you’re an employer or education provider, scroll to the end of the article to find out how to get involved in the Bristol Creative Industries Talent Programme, which is focused on boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline.
A selection of the creative post-16 courses offered by sixth form departments at Bristol schools and academies:
Among the A-levels at Bath Academy are art and media studies.
A-levels on offer at this Bath sixth form for boys include creative design and music.
Bristol Cathedral Choir School
Founded in 1140 as part of what was then Bristol Abbey, Bristol Cathedral Choir School is one of the city’s most popular sixth forms. Among the A-levels offered by the school are art, drama and music.
The sixth form at Bristol Grammar School offers creative IB Diploma and A-level courses including art, dance, drama and theatre studies, design technology, music and music technology.
The IB Diploma is an alternative to A-levels which the school describes as “offering breadth of learning as well as academic rigour”.
Opened in 2016, Bristol Free School offers A-levels alongside selected BTEC Level 3 courses. Creative courses include art, drama and theatre, music and music technology and photography.
Cabot Learning Federation Post 16
The Cabot Learning Federation Post 16 is an independent provision located in two of CLF’s 20 secondary academies; Bristol Brunel and John Cabot. Among the A-levels on offer are art and design, dance, music and photography.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels in subjects including art and photography, drama and theatre studies and music.
The sixth form at this school offers A-levels including art, design and technology and drama and theatre.
The North Bristol Post 16 Centre is a collaboration between Cotham and Redland Green Schools. Creative A-levels include art, photography, film studies, and media studies.
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School
Located near Bristol Temple Meads, creative A-levels offered by this school are art, film studies, media studies, music, music technology and theatre studies.
Providing education to 10,000 learners across two campuses, Bath College offers a wide range of courses including post-16, apprenticeships, part-time courses, traineeships and degree-level education.
Subjects include art and design, fashion and textiles, fashion business and retail, photography, graphic design, digital production, and performing arts.
As one of the South West’s largest further and higher education colleges, City of Bristol College operates from seven centres across the city. It offers a range of post-16 qualifications including A-levels, Level 2 Diplomas and BTEC Nationals.
For school leavers, several courses relevant to the creative industries are on offer. They include specialist subjects include visual arts and design, photography, fashion, performing arts and creative digital technologies (film and TV production, games design, computer graphics and animation).
The college also offers university-level creative arts and media courses in subjects including games design, animation and VFX, graphic design and photographic practices.
Abbeywood Community Schools is part of Olympus Post 16 with Bradley Stoke Community School and Winterbourne Academy.
Courses include art, design and technology, digital media, drama and theatre studies, film studies, music performance, music technology, photography and textile design.
Digitech delivers a specialised curriculum for progression into the creative digital and high tech sectors. Studio schools are small by design and only take 90 students into each year group. The school opened in 2015 and moved into a new purpose-built building in Warmley in November 2016.
For years 12 and 13, Digitech offers courses in partnership with boomsatsuma (see below), Bristol School of Acting and Robins Foundation. They include digital media, e-sports, film and television, music, and photography.
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
This college has six campuses.
The college has a very extensive programme of Level 2 and 3 courses including computer games design, film and TV production, music production and musical and technical theatre.
At university level, the college offers a range of courses at foundation degrees, many of which also offer the opportunity to top up to a full Bachelor’s degree by adding a year. Subjects include fine art, game art, media production and computer games design and production.
Since September 2022, the college has offered the new vocational skills focused T-levels. The two-year technical courses are equivalent to three A-Levels and include a 45-day work placement. Courses include digital production, design and development.
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College
This college provides a diverse range of over 60 different A-level and Level 3 Applied General courses to 16 – 18 year olds. Courses include media studies, music, music performance, music technology, textile design and graphic communication.
Weston College has several creative industries-related diploma and extended diploma courses for 16-19 year-olds as part of Creative Arts Weston.
The departments are art, design, graphics and fashion; film and tv, media production, photography, game and animation; performing and production arts, and music.
Creative courses at Cirencester College include craft and design (T-level), 3D design (A-level), digital foundation, digital media certificate, graphic communication (A-level), and photogrraphy (A-level).
Boasting ex-students including Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, Rita Ora and JP Cooper, Bristol Creative Industries member Access Creative College is a national college for young people looking for a career in the creative industries. It offers courses at various levels in subjects including games, animation and video effects, graphic and digital design, film, software development, video and photography and music technology.
In summer 2021, Access Creative College opened a new £5m games and media campus in Bristol city centre. It’s on the site of the former Bristol Bierkeller, host to Nirvana’s first ever UK gig, Slipknot, The Stone Roses and Arctic Monkeys. Facilities include a games lab, green screen studio, music tech suites, digital recording studio and band rehearsal studio.
Access runs degree courses in Bristol covering audio and music technology and music performance at dBS Institute, which it acquired in 2021.
Bristol Creative Industries member boomsatsuma is a specialist creative industries training provider. Courses take place in relevant professional environments in the city such as Leadworks, Ashton Gate Stadium, Bottle Yard Studios and Tobacco Factory.
boomsatsuma provides Level 3 Extended Diplomas, that are equivalent to 3 A-levels, as well as BA (Hons) and BSC (Hons) degrees. Courses include creative and digital media, film and television, games, VR and VFX and photography.
As a registered charity, Creative Youth Network supports young people to reach their potential and enjoy fulfilling lives. It offers free courses in youth clubs and other venues in Bristol. Subjects include music, photography and song writing.
Creative Youth Network has opened The Courts in central Bristol. It is an enterprise hub, located in Bristol’s Old Magistrates’ Courts, where young people can explore their creative potential, receive support, access mentoring, and find meaningful work.
dBs Institute of Sound & Digital Technologies
Based in the centre of Bristol, dBs is a specialist educational institute that offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in music production, sound engineering, live sound, and game development.
It is a registered Avid Learning Partner (ALP) and Ableton Certified Training Centre that works with a wide range of creative industry organisations.
Students at dBs Institute can gain real-world experience alongside their studies thanks to dBs Pro, an in-house creative audio company. Students provide sound and music for film, television, video games, art installations and more.
University of the West of England
UWE’s School of Arts offers courses in subjects including drama, filmmaking, animation, photography, media production, journalism, creative and professional writing, film studies and media communications. There are also several fashion and design courses.
Facilities include film, photography and animation studios as well as drama, acting and music facilities.
Many graduates also enter the creatives industries after studying marketing courses at the UWE Business School. It includes the MSc in digital marketing, and MSc/postgraduate diploma/postgraduate certificate in marketing communications.
UoB offers undergraduate degrees in film and television, music and theatre. Facilities include Wickham Theatre, a 24-hour rehearsal space, sound and design studios, carpentry and costume workshops, 214-seat cinema, 39-seat screening room, digital filmmaking equipment, production studios, animation and edit suites and sound rooms.
The University of Bath does not have specific creative industries courses as it focuses on engineering, humanities, management, science, and social science. However, its degree courses include management with marketing featuring a work placement.
Bath Spa offers courses in subjects including film, design, media communications, art and drama. Facilities include a theatre and TV studios.
The university also has the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI) which “aims to magnify research, engagement and discourse surrounding the theoretical, practical and commercial frameworks that embody the arts, media, or creative industries”.
UCW offers higher apprenticeships, full-time degrees and higher technical qualifications (HTQs) in partnership with UWE Bristol and Bath Spa University.
Courses covers subjects including art, film, game, graphic design, digital technologies, performance, production arts and music.
Bristol Creative Industries jobs board
Members of Bristol Creative Industries sometimes post apprenticeship opportunities on the BCI jobs board. See the latest vacancies here.
National College Creative Industries
The National College Creative Industries (NCCI) offers specialist technical production and business support apprenticeships via Access Creative College. You can find the latest details on the NCCI website.
Channel 4, which has a Bristol office, offers apprenticeships. Find out more.
The BBC offers various TV production apprenticeship schemes, some of which are based in Bristol. See the latest opportunities here.
ITV Academy provides traineeships and entry-level pathways into one of the world’s largest commercial production companies. See the latest opportunities here.
Babbasa offers many training and employment opportunities for young people. See the latest opportunities here.
Government apprenticeships website
Creative and design and digital apprenticeships are regularly listed on the government’s apprenticeships website. Search here.
Circencester College offers apprenticeships in creative areas covering digital and IT, media broadcast and production, sales and marketing, and creative and digital.
The college provides intermediate, advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships.
UCAS has a guide to creative and design apprenticeships here including a directory of relevant employers.
Discover Creative Careers has a guide to apprenticeship routes into the creative industries here.
This list is not exhaustive. Email Dan with suggestions of other educational institutions and companies we can add.
A key focus at Bristol Creative Industries is boosting workforce diversity in creative businesses and helping to grow the talent pipeline for our members.
As well as our groundbreaking Bristol Creative Industries Intership Programme, we provide opportunities for members such as our partnerships with The Early Careers Foundation and Discover Creative Careers which allowed them to mentor and inspire young people about careers in the creative industries.
We have also committed to an annual programme of round tables with key post 16 education providers in the region including colleges, academies and universities.
Our aim is to promote creative careers to staff and career advisers, drive applications to our internship programme and explore how we can promote the creative industries to students already studying.
By joining the Bristol Creative Industries Talent Programme as a partner, you’ll help to fund all of our activities that support underrepresented groups entering the creative industries. Your support is vital to ensure we have a healthy and diverse talent pipeline.
For more details, contact Alli Nicholas, BCI membership and operations manager, at alli@bristolcreativeindustries.com, or Lis Anderson, BCI co-chair, at lis@ambitiouspr.co.uk
As the end of Drupal 7 support looms, it’s crucial for businesses to take action and migrate to Drupal 10. Staying on Drupal 7 puts your site at risk of security vulnerabilities, performance issues, and could even damage user experience (and your reputation).
Stay tuned to learn the essential steps to assess and optimise your current Drupal 7 site, establish a robust Drupal 10 environment, and ensure a seamless migration. By following this guide, you’ll not only protect your digital presence but also position your business for future growth and innovation.
Secure a comprehensive backup
Protect your existing Drupal 7 site by securing a full backup. This safety net covers both your database and files, ensuring you’re prepared for a smooth transition.
Content and module audit
This is your chance to streamline your site. Identify the content and modules that drive your business. We’ll help you eliminate outdated or redundant elements, clearing the way for a leaner, more efficient site.
Update for stability
Ensure your Drupal 7 site is fully updated to the latest version. This step not only lays a stable foundation for migration but also presents an opportunity to patch any vulnerabilities and optimise performance before the big move.
Choose the right hosting
Select a hosting environment tailored to support Drupal 10’s advanced capabilities. This stage allows you to reassess your hosting needs and choose a platform that can scale with your business, ensuring long-term reliability and speed.
Deploy Drupal 10
Our team will handle the installation of Drupal 10, setting the stage for your site’s evolution. This is your opportunity to start fresh with the latest technology, ensuring your site is equipped to handle future growth and innovation.
Initial setup and configuration
We’ll configure your site’s basic settings, aligning it with your brand’s unique identity. This is the moment to revisit your site’s core settings and make improvements that reflect your current business objectives and user needs.
Activate migrate modules
Leverage the power of Drupal 10’s Migrate modules. Our experts will ensure they’re installed and ready to work their magic. This phase is an opportunity to refine the way your data is organised, improving site efficiency and data integrity.
Seamless content migration
We’ll meticulously migrate your content – from nodes to users, and beyond – ensuring your data arrives intact and ready to drive engagement. It’s the perfect time to clean up your content, ensuring only relevant and high-quality information makes the move.
Configuration migration
Transfer your site’s configurations with precision. Whether it’s content types or views, we ensure your site’s core functions are not just preserved but optimised for better performance and user experience in Drupal 10.
Custom module rebuild
Rebuilding custom modules in Drupal 10 isn’t just a task – it’s an opportunity to innovate. We’ll ensure your modules are not just replicated but enhanced for improved functionality, security, and speed.
Theme overhaul
Elevate your brand’s digital presence with a redesigned theme that’s fully compatible with Drupal 10’s cutting-edge standards. This is your chance to modernise your site’s look and feel, ensuring it reflects your brand’s evolution and appeals to your target audience.
Feature testing
We rigorously test all features to guarantee that your site performs flawlessly. This stage is crucial for identifying areas where user experience can be improved, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction.
Comprehensive testing and debugging
Before going live, we conduct extensive testing across all platforms. Our commitment is to iron out any issues, ensuring a smooth launch. This is the final opportunity to fine-tune your site, making sure it’s in peak condition for launch.
Content accuracy review
We perform a detailed review of your migrated content, ensuring everything is aligned with your business objectives and looks impeccable. Use this stage to ensure your content strategy is up-to-date and resonates with your audience.
Go live and thrive
Once we’ve ticked all the boxes, we’ll seamlessly transition your site to Drupal 10. This launch is more than just a migration; it’s an opportunity to reintroduce your brand to the market with a stronger, more powerful digital presence.
Sticking with Drupal 7 now that support has ended is a risk your business can’t afford. Without security updates, your site becomes vulnerable to attacks, risking data breaches and downtime. The lack of updates also means your site will fall behind in performance, leading to poor user experience and potential loss of business opportunities.
The clock is ticking – don’t wait until it’s too late. Migrating to Drupal 10 isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a critical step in future-proofing your digital presence. With Drupal 7 reaching the end of its life, now is the time to act.
Ready to make the move? Let’s talk.
Book a free consultation with our Technology Director, Steve King, and Marketing and Business Development Director, Sophie Harris. Together, we’ll map out the perfect migration strategy for your business, ensuring a smooth transition that positions you ahead of the competition.
To schedule your consultation and take the first step toward a more secure, high-performing website contact us today.
You may not have heard: Drupal 7 reaches end of life in January…
Just kidding. Of COURSE you have. It’s been the talk of the digital town for a while now. Not to mention the source of quite a few headaches as businesses scramble to work out what the next move is.
What it comes down to is this: if your current site runs on Drupal 7, you need to choose a new content management system (CMS). And preferably sooner rather than later.
‘Why the urgency?’ we hear you cry. Because when security and software updates stop, your site will be at increased danger of security breaches. And you’ll find the performance of your website becoming increasingly compromised. Staying on the old platform is a case of diminishing returns and increasing risks.
Surely an upgrade to the latest Drupal version makes the most sense? After all, it’s done you proud so far. And you’re familiar with it. Well yes, there are plenty of reasons that make it a great option.
But it’s not a total no-brainer. Let’s delve into why.
You might imagine that a move to the latest version of Drupal would simplify the migration process. If it’s the same provider then won’t it be easier to just take your existing content and place it in the new system?
Not quite. Given all the new features and functionalities that have been added between version 7 and the latest iterations, it is still a major undertaking.
But migration has the potential to be a lengthy process whichever platform you choose. So it’s important to make your decision carefully.
We’re glad you asked! This does depend on the size of your website and the number of assets to be transferred. But let’s break down the steps you’ll need to take to get your new website up and running:
1. Partner with an experienced web-migration expert who can help streamline the process, suggest new features and test it all before the final launch.
2. Audit your existing website and make a note of all your pages, site functionalities and content, including page URLs.
3. Create a new site and design a repeatable migration process to transfer all the content over from your existing site.
4. Carry out multiple tests to ensure your new site will run smoothly after launch, replacing the test content with the final content when you are happy.
5. Prepare to launch – set up the new site and switch your web address to the new version. Make sure all your webform submissions are safely migrated and you’re good to go.
That might sound daunting, but not only will migration future-proof your site it also offers some exciting possibilities.
Chances are, you’ll have experienced a few issues with your old site. Choosing your new CMS is a great chance to iron some of these out. Plus add additional capabilities so you can showcase what you do in a more effective/dynamic way.
And it might be that Webflow gives you more flexibility.
Once you’ve conducted your website audit (see step 1 above), you and your chosen migration partner will have a much clearer understanding of your new requirements. And, depending on what you need, Webflow might offer the best performance.
Webflow represents something of a one-stop shop: its low code/no code approach means you don’t need a development team (or front-end and back-end developers) to create your website, and you don’t need painstakingly built plugins or modules.
Each software element is designed specifically to run on the platform. And you can choose from a vast array of third-party integrations. All of which makes your website simpler and faster to build. And adds up to faster page loads as there are no external layers to run.
The Webflow application will also save you time by managing the maintenance of your site and all your integrations, take care of CDM delivery and ensure the website stays live.
Even better, any future changes can be made by one designer and developed on the platform at the same time.
Webflow sees itself as a ‘visual-first’ platform which puts fewer boundaries in the way of your imagination.
Code-based websites require multiple steps to build as each iteration or change bounces back between design and development teams.
Webflow allows a designer to build out your site as they go. And with millions of third-party integration options available, it’s easy to find what you need to make your ideas come alive.
You might be concerned that the low code/no code approach means your site will face limitations. That’s simply not the case. Webflow allows you to address global audiences with native localisation, which is excellent for boosting your SEO and allows you to build strong domain authority with each localisation sitting under a single URL.
We know that’s a lot to take in. If you’d like help making your decision, talk to our experts today.
Can you respond, with impact, to those big industry moments when projecting integrity, trust & credibility becomes key?
On Friday 19th July 2024, the biggest global IT outage to date caught leading service and security providers completely off-guard. Banks, manufacturers, media firms, airports, airlines, rail services, payment systems, the London Stock Exchange, multiple news organisations, and many public and emergency services platforms held up by Microsoft all reported severe interruptions.
Put simply: because resilience is a growing buying priority.
The world’s largest and most industry-critical enterprises are held up by increasingly complex supply chains and vendors.
In the wake of the debacle, thousands of buying groups (including downstream suppliers, partners, industry ecosystems and less-affected but increasingly cautious organisations) will be questioning the reliability of their current IT systems.
And they’ll be asking themselves one thing: do they have the capability to keep the lights on when the next Big Moment hits?
Cutting-edge data from 6Sense reveals that B2B buyers spend 70% of the buying journey doing their own research before talking to vendors.
(view image in blog here.)
Here are the biggest headlines steering optimised B2B content performance in 2024:
Source: 6Sense Point of First Contact Research Summary
If your content and campaigns rely on buyer conversion via a landing-page form or traditional lead generation it’s time to rethink. You won’t be getting your brand in front of key decision makers and influencers when they’re gathering the information that will heavily influence their purchase decision.
It is urgent for B2B sellers to increase their roster of ungated, educational content. You need to remove as much friction as possible for potential buyers wanting fast insights without a form.
Blogs, external product validation, helpful articles, videos, even some higher-value guides/buyers guides should be readily available to your audience without requiring an email. Concerned about tracking conversions when using more ungated content? We can help!
Whether you’re a fledgling startup or an established technology vendor selling into enterprise, Google and LinkedIn are likely your hero channels for paid media. Most organisations have not activated a key superpower: using the two platforms in combination. Deployed correctly, you can build trust with your audience and maximise awareness of your brand during that crucial first 70% of the buying journey.
Installing the LinkedIn Insights Tag on your website pages means you can track visits to specific website pages from your upper-funnel traffic-driving activity. And funnel those people back into LinkedIn. Now you can filter that audience down to your ICP profile (specific companies or industry, job function + seniority), and offer higher-value site visitors a better-connected content experience. Showing them the most relevant assets based on what they have seen and the strength of their engagement. That builds trust faster and accelerates the time between browsing and buying. And it can keep customers loyal when that next big crisis hits.
It this all sounds incredibly complicated, we get it! You want to make sure your content is making an impact on today’s buying journey. That you’re getting the most out of B2B paid media in the do more for less era. And that your digital communications are robust enough to achieve the right impact in a global emergency! That’s where we come in. Talk to us and find out how we can help build you a robust B2B platform.
Are you feeling like your blogs and social posts are shots in the dark, fired out without a clear aim and, ultimately, missing the mark?
Or maybe you feel there are never enough hours in the day to be consistently updating your digital platforms, like you’re always catching up.
There are a number of reasons why your B2B digital strategy might be falling flat.
So, how do you keep the conversation about your brand, products, and services fresh and engaging, without sounding like a broken record? And why does it feel so challenging?
“…58% of businesses don’t have a digital strategy in place…”
It turns out, 50% of businesses don’t have a digital strategy in place. Those that do certainly aren’t immune to avoidable marketing mistakes. And, as Roger L. Martin – strategy and management expert, and author of A New Way to Think – puts it, strategy is NOT planning:
“A strategy is an integrative set of choices that positions you on a playing field of your choice, in a way that you win.”
In essence, strategy is a theory, meaning there is a ‘how’ and a ‘why’. The ‘why’ is the reason you choose to do it. And the how, is the way you plan to beat your competition – playing to your organisation’s strengths to gain opportunities and sidestep risks.
Why do you need a digital strategy?
Every business will have different aims, but here are some reasons you might want to dial up your digital strategy:
Your competition is growing a strong following and gaining market share
Digital platforms give you the opportunity to test what works and what doesn’t, helping you hone your messaging and stay competitive. If your competitor is gaining traction online, it’s likely no accident – you can bet they have a solid strategy in place.
You’re under pressure to do more with less where your marketing budget is concerned
Compared to traditional OOH marketing, TV and print, digital marketing can offer low-cost opportunities to reach even more people – both organic and paid. A robust digital strategy will help you prioritise where you spend that limited budget to maximise returns.
Your sales and marketing teams don’t have enough data to confidently modernise their approach
It’s a misconception that B2B sales are all about meeting rooms, suits and handshakes. In fact, a recent report from Sana found that 58% of B2B buyers prefer placing complex and high-value orders online. By harnessing the power of data in your digital strategy, you can learn a lot about your audience and their preferences. This has the power to transform your marketing communications, your sales patter and direct messaging, and dictate how and where you choose to advertise.
Your audience needs your products or services, but they don’t know it yet
Sometimes an extra step of awareness and education is needed to nurture prospective customers. If you have products or services that require a bit more explanation, digital marketing offers numerous opportunities to build anticipation and understanding, guiding them into the next stage of the funnel. LinkedIn advertising is a particularly effective way to educate a B2B audience.
How will you plan your strategy, to ensure success?
“Invest deeply in understanding the problem before proceeding. You create a strategy; you don’t pick one. Design and imagination are critically important to strategy.”
– Richard Rumelt, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters.
Diving deep into the complexities of your industry and consumer behaviour isn’t just helpful – it’s essential groundwork for crafting your B2B digital marketing strategy.
You’re battling lengthy sales cycles, multi-seat buying committees, and high-stakes transactions. So, it’s crucial to nurture your audience with a well-thought-out digital marketing strategy.
This means catering to every key audience persona, at every stage of the marketing funnel – from awareness, right through to decision.
Equally, business-to-business marketing is a competitive game. Developing an effective B2B marketing strategy requires an in-depth understanding of not only your industry and audience, but your competition.
Once you have your market research in place and a solid understanding of the pain points your audience is facing, you can figure out how you want to position yourself.
Key challenges when developing a B2B digital marketing strategy:
What to do?
1. Choose the channels you want to reach your customers on
Where can you find your audience? How do you want them to engage?
2. Develop a content strategy
Provide content that speaks to your audience in every stage of the buyer journey: awareness, consideration, decision, as well as making it unique and reflective of your brand. What value are you adding to your audience? How is your content going to solve their problems?
3. Use paid promotion to your advantage
Decide where you want to put your budget that will be most effective for you. For instance, do your customers mainly search for your product on Google? In that case PPC may be the most viable option. Or perhaps you offer a product that appeals to Gen Z – if so, consider TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat. Be sure to track your spending and the conversion rate to optimise wherever possible and get the most bang for your buck.
4. Map out the customer journey
Use tools like Hotjar and GA4, and any other analytics tools you’re subscribed to, and map the journey of your customer from awareness of your brand (social media engagement, for example) and first website visits right through to purchase.
5. Decide which tools best meet your aims
Ensure you research marketing tools carefully before subscribing, and select ones that most seamlessly slot into your processes, providing the most efficient and effective support for the least investment.
6. Get your hands on as much data as possible
Use it to evaluate the effectiveness of your digital marketing strategy, which should be flexible enough to adapt with your findings. Then, be sure to make use of A/B testing to find out how your data works in practice.
Not sure where to start?
Chat to us today for a free consultation and we can provide some tips to help breathe new life into your B2B digital marketing strategy, boost engagement and get you those all-important conversions.
Bristol integrated brand agency saintnicks has announced a further senior appointment with the hiring of Marcus Culloty as the agency’s new Creative Director.
Marcus joins saintnicks after holding the title of Creative Director at McCann Bristol. Before that, he was the Creative Director of The Mix Dublin, part of Pernod Ricard’s global in-house agency network.
With more than 17 years experience working for some of the UK and Ireland’s leading network and independent agencies including Havas, Publicis, and The Leith Agency, he has created a raft of award-winning campaigns for global clients such as Toyota, O2, Jameson and Dunlop.
Now as saintnicks’ Creative Director, Marcus will be leading the agency’s conceptual output alongside supporting with the mentoring, shaping and development of its creative studio.
On his appointment, Culloty said: “saintnicks has a great philosophy for crafting great work that helps their clients and their brands really fly. That’s why I can’t wait to dive in, be part of this experienced agile independent agency’s senior team and take things further than ever.”
It’s a time of continued growth for the Bristol agency with further new talent joining across the business. This month sees the arrival of Richard Canueto-Cook and Hannah Bain into the Client Services team as Account Directors. Both join with previous careers at Ogilvy, Havas and McCann.
The appointments coincide with another strong year for the agency after a consistent period of new and existing client growth within the automotive, sport and audio sectors and a string of industry award nominations.
Steve Davies, ECD of saintnicks commented: “The quality of talent and the versatility of skills in the agency has enabled us to generate stronger campaigns and deliver better performance metrics across the board. With over 65% of our business from international brands we are always seeking talent who can help us to take clients further, and Marcus is a most welcome and exciting addition to the team.”
Social media expert and Bristol Creative Industries member Luan Wise recently delivered a series of BCI events focused on practical insights for using LinkedIn to make connections, boost your business and find work. The first was tips on optimising your LinkedIn profile.
Dan Martin summarises her brilliant advice.
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LinkedIn is one of the oldest social media networks having launched in 2003. It now has over one billion members in 200 countries and regions worldwide.
LinkedIn’s mission is to “connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful”, with the vision of “creating economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce”.
Luan advises asking yourself the following questions to ensure your LinkedIn profile is relevant and beneficial to what you are trying to achieve.
What will you be using LinkedIn for?
Who do you want to find your profile on LinkedIn?
How do you help solve their problems?
What keywords will they search for to find you?
Who would you like to be in your network on LinkedIn?
What do you want to be known for within your network?
Luan says that while there’s lots you can do with a free account, there are many useful benefits of paid accounts. Before upgrading to a paid account, think about whether the features will benefit you enough to justify the cost. LinkedIn offers a one month trial.
As a Premium Business user (currently £49.99 a month or £359.88 a year), the benefits are:
Luan advises to consider your privacy settings on LinkedIn and who you’re sharing your content with. Go to the visibility section to check your settings
One section you can switch off is allowing your network to see all your contacts. Luan says:
“Leaving it switched on would be like walking into a room and leaving all of my data assets, my connections, my business cards on the table. I don’t want everyone to see so I switch it off.
“I would suggest that you switch yours off, but if you’re looking at someone else’s profile, and you’re in a sales, or business development mindset, there’s nothing stopping you having a look if they haven’t adjusted that setting.”
Your LinkedIn headline appears on your profile and every time you post, so make it count! Luan says:
“By default it will be the job title and company name taken from the ‘experience’ section of your profile. But job titles can sometimes can be a bit vague, and company names don’t always communicate what you do, so add a descriptor.
“For example, if you’re freelance and offer a multitude of skills, you could change your headline to say ‘I help these types of clients by doing this.’
“Have a look around LinkedIn, and see what other people have done with their headlines. Think about making a good first impression, what will appear in search results and what will appear alongside everything you do on LinkedIn.”
The ‘experience’ section of your profile is the CV-like section of your profile, “but unless you are job seeking”, Luan says, “reframe it to be a description of your role and responsibilities and how you can help the person that you want to be viewing your profile.” She adds:
“I would also encourage you to include a small paragraph describing the organisation you work for. If you’re part of a team, all your colleagues should use the same paragraph. Tell people what your company does, its size, its client portfolio etc, so people immediately understand what you do and how you can help.
“You will naturally include keywords that people are searching for. You can also add assets such as website links, videos, PDFs etc.”
In the ‘skills’ section, which allows you to get endorsements for your skills from other people, Luan instead has switched endorsements off and uses it a place to showcase current skills that people are searching for:
“I see the skills section as a set of forward facing keywords. I don’t include all the skills that I’ve developed throughout my career, because there things that I don’t want to do anymore and services that I don’t want to offer. There are also skills, such as AI, that I’m starting to develop and want to be found for over the next 12 months.
“As I’m keeping the skills section up to date, my personal thoughts are that it would take a lot of work to get endorsements and I think there are ways that I can show evidence of my work, my credibility and my skills elsewhere on my profile.
“So my advice is use the skills section, but think about your organisation, the services you offer and your personal skills. You can allocate them to other sections of your profile as well, such as the ‘about’ and ‘experience’ sections. I personally don’t do this but if you’re job seeking or starting out in a new business and want to show more evidence, you might want to showcase them in other sections.”
Testimonials about you from real people are a powerful way to showcase your skills. These appear in the ‘recommendations’ section of your LinkedIn profile. Luan says:
“Recommendations add credibility, endorsement, and social proof to your profile. Ask your peers, colleagues, and clients for recommendations. Go for quality and substance over lots of people saying that you’re great.
“Think about who you want to be named on your profile, and what they can say about you to add to your story.”
Luan says the ‘about’ section is a brilliant place to bring everything together, tell your story and explain why people should connect or work with you.
“This isn’t a CV-style personal statement. I want to see your career story. I want your highlights. I want to know what you’ve done and who you’ve done it for. If you can name drop, then name drop. Tell me what you’re doing now. At the end, put a call to action.
“You will naturally include keywords, and you can keep it up to date to reflect why you are using LinkedIn at any given point. I change my ‘about’ section often, depending on what I’m looking for and what I’m working on.”
In summary, Luan’s key tips for creating a great LinkedIn profile are:
You can connect with Luan Wise on LinkedIn here, follow Bristol Creative Industries here and join our LinkedIn group here.
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