Synergy is tasked with helping Aldi engage with its 36,000 strong workforce in the UK and Ireland.
Aldi, the UK’s fastest growing supermarket, has appointed employee engagement specialists Synergy Creative as its employee engagement partner to support internal communications with its 36,000 colleagues across the UK and Ireland.
Synergy Creative brings its experience in strategic and creative communications to help Aldi’s internal communications team engage all colleagues effectively. The partnership includes support with internal communications strategy, creative campaigns and measurement.
Richard Thornton, Communications Director at Aldi said: “We have seen a huge amount of growth in the last few years and this expansion is driven by our people, so it is more important than ever to ensure we are communicating well with all colleagues across the business.
“We were looking for an agency that could act as an extension to our internal communications team and Synergy Creative was the perfect fit. Their team’s expertise in bringing internal comms to life in creative and measurable ways made them stand out.”
Emma Holland, Client Services Director at Synergy Creative, said: “We are delighted to be working with such a fast-growing and brilliant brand. We’re all Aldi regulars, so to be collaborating so closely with the brand is an exciting opportunity for all of the team at Synergy.”
The news comes as part of a brilliant year for Synergy Creative, following a host of award wins (including eight Internal Communications and Engagement Awards), a number of new clients and several key hires into the team.
About Synergy Creative:
At Synergy, we believe in the power of people; to imagine, excite and inspire. Ambitious brands trust us to help their people take action, delight customers, transform cultures and create change.
We engage people with impact through insight-driven creative comms and experiences that connect with employees and change behaviours.
As specialists in internal comms and employee engagement, we think, write and gather some brilliant resources to help guide and inform your employee communications. For more information, visit: https://www.synergycreative.co.uk/
This is the second edition in our featured members series, where we profile our members and showcase the amazing businesses and individuals within our network. In the last edition we interviewed AMBITIOUS PR, if you haven’t seen it, give it a read here.
This month we hung out with Kerry Harrison and Richard Norton from Tiny Giant, here’s what they had to say…
Tell us about Tiny Giant, who are you?
Tiny Giant are all about moving ideas with minds and machines. They’re a studio that wants to create and create and create. They’re a house of ideas, not just a house to inhabit, but to live in and I think that’s what separates them so much…because they’re so passionate about their ideas… it’s very much about feeling like you’re a part of something larger, a part of what’s important.
Well that’s what a neural network would say, but if you asked Kerry and Norts then…
So it’s us, Kerry Harrison, Richard Norton, plus our technical director Derek Ahmedzai. Fun fact, Ahmedzai means the tribe of Ahmeds. Do you notice that the last 2 letters of his name are AI? That’s why we asked him to join our merry jamboree. We also love to collaborate – so if anyone is keen to join forces, give us a call.
What do you do?
We do quite a lot of different things, but I’d say there are 3 main things. We help our clients tell compelling stories with social media, websites and content, we’ve both been doing it for over 20 years. We’re also interested and excited by online bots and smart speakers like Alexa and Google, lately we’ve been playing around with chat bots and voice technology. Lastly, AI, we use it to supercharge our client’s creativity and make headlines with fun things like AI cocktails and cakes.
How long have you been a Bristol Media member?
We’ve both been with Bristol Media for a long time prior to Tiny Giant. Before we took the plunge and set up Tiny Giant, we both worked for other local agencies who were members of Bristol Media. It’s a long history!
What are you most proud of as a business?
In terms of what we’ve achieved so far, creating the first ever AI curator for the Cheltenham Science Festival is a huge highlight for us. It’s been really cool working with them because the person that came in as the coordinator wanted to create some noise and excitement, so she was open to everything. We’ve done some amazing things like live interview with Aida on BBC Radio Gloucester, featured in plenty of blogs, plus an animation is on the cards. It pushed us creatively because we’d never done anything like it before.
What’s your favourite office gadget?
Our Alexa, we can’t even remember a time before smart speakers. Tiny Giant even has its own Alexa skill, Tiny Giant Tales, so you can stay updated on what we’re up to.
Whose work do you admire and why?
In Bristol, we love Fiasco Design, they create beautiful work plus they do an event called Thread which always gets inspiring speakers. Outside of Bristol, a company called Lord Whitney, who create these otherworldly dreamlike sets for music videos and advertising.
What’s your favourite place in Bristol/this area?
[Kerry] The Watershed, I really like what they do there, plus I really love independent films and going to their cinema. A little place out of Bristol I love is the view from the top of Ashton Court, where you can look over the whole of Bristol, it’s gorgeous.
If you could sum up Bristol/this area in 3 words, what would they be?
Welcoming, chilled, collaborative.
What’s the best tip/trick you’ve learnt as a business?
Resilience and positivity. As a start-up it’s not always easy, but it’s much better to DO the thing and think about what could go right rather than what could go wrong. You need to have a positive mindset, keep going and always look on the sunny side.
What exciting plans have you got coming up this year?
We’ve got a few talks coming up, we’ve just finished Social Media Week and K In The Park with the BBC’s Hannah Fry. And there are lots more in the pipeline like the World of Work Conference at the Henley Business School. We’re going to build some storytelling bots, and generally doing a lot of festivals – look out for all kinds of things – bots, AR filters and lots of creative AI.
If you’re interested in collaborations (particularly if your name has an ‘AI’ in it!) get in touch with Kerry and Norts. Thanks to Tiny Giant for getting involved.
It’s just over two weeks until the next keynote event in our Vision series where we welcome Steve Chapman, artist, philosopher, TEDx speaker, and all-round supporter of the weird and wonky, to Bristol.
Steve’s entertaining talk promises to explain how to nurture what makes us uniquely weird so that it becomes our creative super power, if you haven’t got your ticket yet then book HERE. We spoke to Steve ahead of the event to find out more…
1. What can attendees at ‘You’re Beautiful Wonkiness’ expect from the event?
Some stories and conversations about what it really means to be a creative human being and the importance of weirdness (or as a minimum being just weird enough) if we want to make a difference in the world.
2. What do you hope attendees will take away from the event?
I hope that people will gain a re-kindled love for their natural born wonkiness: those unique talents, quirks, and ways of seeing the world that we consciously or unconsciously traded to fit in better and be more like everyone else. I hope people will leave with a sense of creative mischief and a bold experiment to make a difference to something that’s important to them.
3. When we first spoke with you, you mentioned that your philosophy was “screwing around with normality.” How do you live by this?
The short answer is that I’ll share some examples of this at the session! The rather longer answer is that I am constantly curious about how common sense and expertise stifles, rather than enables, change. So, when I spot stuckness I’m intrigued by how I can create an experiment that is counter-intuitive or the opposite of what is “normal” simply to see what would happen. And the important thing about an experiment is that you don’t know if it is going to work or not. So learning to live with failure and rejection is as much part of this as the joy of seeing something take-off and have a life of its own.
4. How should organisations be embracing the idea of celebrating employee weirdness?
The first thing I would say is that there is no point in doing it unless a) you are serious about it, and b) everybody brings more of themselves to the workplace, be you a work experience person or the CEO. I come across so many organisations that say “We want more creativity in the workplace” but are really saying to me “Can YOU get THEM to come up with more ideas for ME!”
This work is much more difficult than people appreciate as it requires a fundamental shift in the cultural permission to be more “mad, bad and wrong” in the workplace, to be counter-cultural in service of the change they are wanting to see. This requires loosening the grip of what is regarded as “sane, good and right” around here, just enough to promote bold experimentation, creativity and innovation. I wrote a blog a few years back that I would send to organisations that wanted to speak to me, to check how up for it they really were: https://canscorpionssmoke.com/2016/11/05/want-creativity-workplace-serious/
5. If you could only offer people one piece of advice about their approach to creativity, what would it be and why?
Be more obvious and try much, much less. Work on becoming more of what you already are rather than striving to become something you are not already. And if those around you reject you, humiliate you or shame you for doing this – find some different people to hang around with!
You’re Beautiful Wonkiness: The rise of the outsider is taking place from 12.30 – 2.15pm on Tuesday 16th July at Origin Workspace, Bristol.
Did you know The Professional Contractors Group estimates that there are 1.4 million freelancers working across industry sectors in the UK?
The South West’s freelancer economy is booming, so we’re pleased to offer this workshop with Sarah Williamson, Partner, and Jenny Marley, Associate, from Ashfords LLP.
Who’s it for?
Specifically for freelancers, self-employed individuals, and agencies/organisations who employ individuals on a temporary or contract basis, attendees will get a true understanding of the statutory employment rights involved when working as, or with, a freelancer.
About the workshop:
There are enormous benefits in employing freelancers in the creative industries. Freelancers regularly provide a flexible and diverse pool of talent, offering benefits over the traditional employment model. Similarly, it’s becoming an increasingly popular way for individuals to work enabling them to choose when and where they work.
Engaging freelancers and working as a freelancer is not without risks. Simply labelling an individual as self-employed, is not enough to remove an individual’s statutory employment rights. The status of an individual is a question of fact. Following the much publicised Deliveroo and Uber rulings and the rise in the number of individuals working as freelancers, we look at the so called ‘gig economy’ and some of the key employment law and commercial issues to take into consideration:
Tickets & Entry:
The freelancer economy workshop will take place at The Square Club from 3.00-5.00pm on Thursday 11th July. Tickets are £15+VAT for Bristol Media and Square Club members, or £25+VAT for non-members.
About Ashfords
Ashfords is a national provider of legal, professional and regulatory services. They help many different kinds of clients make the most of their opportunities, whilst effectively managing risk by providing legal advice that is not just technically sound but rooted in a wider appreciation of the real world in which we all exist. They aim to always provide straightforward, timely advice, delivered in clear and simple language.
Sarah Williamson is a Partner in the Commercial Team and Technology Sector. She handles complex technology and digital media work and has specific digital media experience in marketing and advertising, adtech, the licensing and monetisation of data and converged technology and media.
Jenny Marley is an Associate in the Employment Team. Jenny advises employers on a wide range of employment law issues including the gig economy and the impact on employees and employers.
The outsider’s time has come! In a society that is stuck in loops of common sense where we have an unhealthy attachment to expertise and logical, linear thinking, something counter-intuitive is needed. It is time for a creative revolution. One in which the outsider sits at the table alongside the experts. Where the passionately inexpert play a vital role in unsticking stuckness. All that you need to bring is your own unique and beautiful wonkiness.
Bristol Media are delighted to be joined by Steve Chapman, artist, philosopher, TEDx speaker, and all-round supporter of the weird and wonky, for this keynote on creativity and the human condition. Steve’s talk is all about nurturing what makes us uniquely weird so that it becomes our creative super power, the role of the ‘outsider’ versus the ‘expert’, and also touches on imposter syndrome, the pointlessness of labelling and the importance of counter culture.
Join us and Steve for this keynote on Tuesday 16 July (12.30-14.15) at the new event space of Origin Workspace, 40 Berkeley Square, Bristol, BS8 1HU. Tickets include a light buffet lunch and are £25+VAT for Bristol Media members, £35+VAT for non-members.
About Steve Chapman
A former Vision speaker, Steve is an artist, philosopher and writer who is interested in creativity and the human condition.
He specialises in working in creative and counter-intuitive ways to help people free themselves from stuck loops of common-sense where creativity, novelty and change are rather difficult. He is the founder of Can Scorpions Smoke? and creator of Sound of Silence, the world’s first silent podcast featuring special guests. As an artist he’s exhibited alongside the likes of David Shrigley and Pablo Picasso and has sold pieces in the UK, US, South Africa and Russia.
He is at his best when he doesn’t quite know what he is doing.
Twitter: @stevexoh
Instagram: @stevexoh
Bristol Media Board Director, Paul Appleby, has been appointed an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, announced on 8 June. The award is for services to the Creative Industries in Bristol & Bath.
A BAFTA award winning producer, Paul worked at the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol for 30 years and has spent the last decade promoting the wider creative industries that Bristol and the surrounding area has to offer.
Paul is a founding member of Bristol Media and has been on the Board since 2005, where he took up the role as Chair in April 2009 for several years.
Commenting on the award, Paul says: “It’s amazing to receive a national honour like this. But although it’s a personal award, I can’t do anything on my own, so it’s also a recognition of the strength of the creativity of the region.
“Our place alongside London and Manchester is testament to the concentration of brilliant people in a relatively small region. It’s great that Nick Sturge, who runs Engine Shed, also has the MBE – we’ve been on the journey together for the last decade, developing “CreaTech” as the region’s USP.”
Paul spearheads a number of projects at Bristol Media, including Visualiser, an apprenticeship programme designed to build connections between the best creative talent from our community and Bristol Media member companies.
As part of Bristol’s UNESCO’s City of Film project, Paul also leads ‘Our City’, an annual short film competition for young people to celebrate Bristol by making short films about life in the city.
Chairman of Bristol Media, Chris Thurling, says, “I’m delighted for Paul, he works tirelessly behind the scenes to celebrate the creative industries, raising the profile of the region and spreading the word about the achievements, both in and outside of Bristol. An MBE is truly deserved.”
Paul was heavily involved in the launch of Digital Bristol (now Digital Cities), an initiative now run by the BBC Academy. He is also chair of the creative industries sector group of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
“We’ve still got a lot to do in developing the Industrial Strategy,” Paul adds, “I’m looking forward to what the future holds and continuing to celebrate and recognise our region.”
Paul will receive his MBE at a later date to be announced.
(Image: Paul Appleby talking at Vision Bristol)
Agents of Change: Think, Create, Play in partnership with UWE Bristol Equity – making its debut right here in Bristol – represents new and unheard voices. Join influencers from different disciplines who are making moves as agents of change to spark inspiration, debate and share best practice.
Keynote speaker Jide Adetunji, co-founder of GUAP MAG, followed by a panel discussion on curating your brand and creative practice, networking opportunities, and new artists showcase.
GUAP is the UKs first video magazine, allowing you to watch all the amazing content rather than read it. The aim is to ‘Inspire’ and ‘Entertain’ young people across the nation by delivering rich and quality video articles each month. The inspirational articles are designed to open young people’s eyes to the opportunities that exist within society and show them individuals who are living out their dreams in the hopes that they will learn and be inspired to greater things in life.
Abbi Bayliss, Adibah Iqbal, Parys Gardener
Panelists discuss their own creative journeys, developing their brands and creating opportunities.
Sponsored by UWE Equity, University of Bristol Student Union and Get Set for Growth
13:00 – 13:10 – Introduction video by Mayor Marvin Reeves
13:10 – 14:00 – Keynote address: Jide Adetunji (Co-Founder GUAP MAG)
14:00 – 15:00 – Panel Discussion
15:00 – 16:00 – Networking and Artist Exhibitors
Bristol Media has appointed Kirsty Phillips as Marketing, Events and Operations Manager, bringing a wealth of client service and marketing communications expertise to the South West based creative industries membership organisation.
About Kirsty’s role
A newly-created full time post, Kirsty will be charged with delivering an exciting programme of events for members, developing marketing communications activities to support membership and managing Bristol Media’s day to day operations. A large part of her role is to champion members outside of the city, raising the profile of Bristol’s creative industries above and beyond the South West.
With a background in client services and over 12 years’ experience working for agencies in the South West as well as internationally, Kirsty has worked with brands including the National Trust, GSK, American Express and McDonald’s, planning and delivering direct marketing, events and branding projects.
Chris Thurling, Bristol Media’s Chair, commented: “Kirsty will be a great addition to the team. She has a breadth of experience that will really help drive our activities, support important collaborations between our members and continue to drive creativity, innovation and the fame of the region across the South West and importantly beyond.
Kirsty added: “Living in Bristol I know just how thriving a city it is and the huge potential it offers. I’m really excited to be joining an organisation committed to raising the profile of a sector that I’m passionate about and am looking forward to helping Bristol Media grow from strength to strength.”
Contact Kirsty
Kirsty is based at the new Origin Workspace on Berkeley Square and is interested in hearing from potential speakers and companies who would like to get involved in Bristol Media’s plans for the year ahead. Contact [email protected].
According to Business West’s Business Skills and Training Survey 2017, 64.9% of businesses in the West of England have never hired an apprentice, with lack of time cited as the main reason.
Yet with 96% of companies who take on an apprentice reporting benefits to their business (National Apprenticeship Service), organisations who do not consider this option when hiring or developing staff could be missing out.
Read on to find out more about some of the key benefits to employers of hiring an apprentice:
Increased Productivity
An astonishing 72% of businesses report improved productivity as a result of employing an apprentice, according to the National Apprenticeship Service. Having an extra pair of hands on the team means more tasks can get completed and you may even have time to explore projects or carry out research that you would not have previously been able to do. Although there can be time spent assisting an apprentice, the increased overall productivity can outweigh this.
Increased Revenue
On the back of this, increased productivity usually means an upturn in revenue and profit. The National Apprenticeship Service claims that the average person completing an apprenticeship increases productivity by £214 per week, so what’s not to like about that?
Lower Staff Turnover
Apprentices are often loyal to the company in which they gained their training and qualifications, with The National Apprenticeship Service reporting that 71% stay with the same employers once they finish their apprenticeship. They recognise that you have invested time and money into training them up in a particular skill, and at the same time will feel integrated into your organisation so will repay that with loyalty, resulting in a lower staff turnover and in turn, less money spent on recruitment.
Fix Skills Gaps
Taking on an apprentice within your company means that you can teach them the specific skills you need as a business. Working with a training provider, you can also use apprenticeships to upskill your existing staff where you feel it is needed most, so whilst technology advances and different skills are needed, you can protect your company from skills gaps that could have a negative impact in the long run.
Revitalise Your Business
Apprentices often come into an organisation with a fresh perspective, as well as bags of enthusiasm and energy. This can have a positive effect on your existing staff too, who may enjoy having someone with new ideas join the team. A positive workforce are more likely to perform better as well, so really it’s a win-win for you.
Build Your Brand
Apprenticeships are big news and are becoming a more popular recruitment method across all industries. Any organisation that has an apprenticeship scheme is likely to be seen as a business that is forward thinking and likes to invest in their staff, and that is attractive to anyone, whether they’re looking for a new role, or great company to work.
Apprenticeships can benefit any size of business, whether you’re a large corporate, SME or start up. Need more advice and information on where to start? Why not get in touch with the Skills Team at Business West who can let you know the best next steps to take. You can email them or call 0330 124 4446.
January is traditionally the busiest time of the year when it comes to looking for a new job and with the continued strength of the creative sector, there’s no reason for 2019 to be any different. Why not get ahead and treat yourself to membership of Bristol Media? If you’re a freelancer and you join before 5pm on Wednesday 9th January 2019 we will even give you 3 months FREE so you’ll get 15 months membership for the price of 12.
Creative companies regularly search our online directory and freelance database on SW Creative Jobs to find their next pair of hands for both freelance and permanent roles so give them a chance to find you with an online profile in our member directory. Your online profile is just one of the many ways that Bristol Media can help you connect with creative employers across the region. In addition we hold a variety of networking events and training workshops throughout the year to help inspire you and keep your knowledge and skills up-to-date. And if your CV is looking a little tired and in need of a revamp we can point you in the direction of our recruitment partners who will be more than happy to advise and help get you that all-important interview.
Here’s what some of our freelance members have to say…
“As an independent creative, membership of Bristol Media is a ‘no-brainer’ for me. A valuable asset in terms of the events and support they facilitate, but also a number of clients have found me through the website directory” ~ Carys Tait
“Sometimes being a freelancer can feel a little isolating, Bristol Media does a great job at connecting creative freelancers in the city, it’s a great platform to meet like-minded people” ~ Mark Sharman
“A number of businesses have contacted me after finding my freelance profile through Bristol Media. Happily, most of them are now regular clients” ~ Sam Tarbuck
At just £40+VAT, freelance membership will make you part of one of the UK’s biggest creative networks and could potentially open up limitless opportunities. It could be the best £40 you’ll spend this year! If you’d like to take advantage of this offer just sign up online here and we’ll add on your additional 3 free months and email you confirmation.
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