World Mental Health Day is an initiative that raises awareness of mental health across the globe. This annual event campaigns against stigma and discrimination relating to mental health issues. What’s more, World Mental Health Day advocates action, guiding people towards the support and assistance they may need. At Varn we believe it’s an important date in the calendar.
As a company we recognise mental health is a serious consideration within our workplace and that taking as many steps as we can to help positively manage mental health is beneficial to everybody in our team. As the mental health charity Mind puts it on its website, “If you look after your employees’ mental wellbeing, then levels of engagement will rise and so will staff morale and loyalty, innovation, productivity and profits.” This is a statement that Varn fully subscribes to.
To mark 2023’s World Mental Day, which this year falls on October 10, we have invited Katie from the excellent Noue Yoga to the Varn offices to run a desk yoga session. It’s an activity that members of the team are looking forward to with varying degrees of excitement and trepidation. Yoga is acknowledged as being good for relaxation, and research studies also reveal that it is effective both as a stress-buster and a mood-enhancer. Katie has promised to explore a number of mindful movements and breath-work techniques with us that will be sure to give our mental wellbeing a welcome boost. This year Varn has also offered an annual subscription to the mediation app Headspace to all members of the team looking for a mindfulness uplift.
Mental health is clearly an all-year round concern and at Varn we are committed to creating an environment where mental health issues can be openly discussed. As our Managing Director Tom Vaughton explains:
“A full-time employee can spend up to 70% of the day that they are awake either at work, travelling to/from work or thinking about work. It is, therefore, imperative that all managers look at time and money spent on wellbeing and mental health as not only an investment but also the right thing to do. Your work impacts your life for better or for worse. In the past, employees have been lazy and have not wanted to take responsibility for their team’s physical and mental health. This shouldn’t be the case in 2023!”
To this end, the company possesses a mental health policy that outlines the company’s provisions to prevent and address mental health issues within the Varn team. To back this up, if necessary, we will also provide a Reasonable Adjustment Passport for any of our team who are suffering from poor mental health.
On top of those safeguards, we have two members of the Varn team who have completed the Mental Health First Aider qualification, courtesy of the St Johns Ambulance, and are available to colleagues for raising issues and signposting to support. The company also provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that includes confidential health assessments, counselling and a 24-hour hotline for personal crises.
To sum up, we take mental health in the workplace seriously at Varn, and are very happy to find time to celebrate an important initiative as World Mental Health Day. As a company we wish good mental health and wellbeing to all.
“I didn’t enjoy butchering this magnificent creature, but you apparently need a wake-up call that even you should be able to understand.”
Grant Hadwin
Domicide is the act of destroying one’s own home. It can also be a tendency, carried out through the repetition of thousands of hidden actions, mostly out of sight and out of mind.
I’ve been wanting to write a post on this subject for a while, but have been holding back, waiting for a triggering moment. And last Wednesday that moment arrived when the Sycamore Gap came crashing into the cosy living room of our collective imagination.
The loss of a beautiful lone tree fuelled a predictable outcry. The media fuelled the outrage, baying for the punishment of some ‘degenerate youth’, before pivoting to turn with less outrage on a ‘crazy old man’, perhaps a ‘former lumberjack’.
What is it about one tree that causes us such outspoken agonies while the destruction of the wider world continues unabated with passive acceptance? Could this have something to do with the power of the totem, working as symbolic pressure valve to channel and dissipate our collective sense of grief and loss at the destruction of our home, releasing our outrage so we can return to business as usual?
When I heard the news, my first thought was not for the tree but for the person who had chopped it down. What could have been their motivation? For this must have been a carefully planned act, and so can’t be easily dismissed as some moment of ‘madness’. No, to me, this felt like a howl of pain, a wake-up call that I recognised immediately.
In 2007 I started a 7-year filmed investigation into the motivations of another ‘environmental terrorist’, who orchestrated another attack on an ancient tree in an apparently mindless ‘crime against nature’. But it was not that simple.
On the islands of Haida Gwaii, a remote archipelago off Canada’s Pacific coast, stood a giant and genetically unique Sitka Spruce, known to the indigenous Haida people as ‘K’iid K’iyass’. Owing to the unusual yellow pigmentation of its needles, outsiders called it ‘The Golden Spruce’.
There it stood on the banks of the Yakoun River for 250 years, protected from the enveloping tide of industrial logging in its own protected reserve, complete with tourist trail and signage. Until one night in January 1997, when a lone former logger and timber engineer called Grant Hadwin arrived under the cover of darkness to cut it down.
For the Haida, ‘The Golden Spruce’ was much more than an object of scientific curiosity, a beautiful ‘freak’ of nature. For them this was a mythical being, a boy transformed into a tree, a sacred elder that stood as a wonderous manifestation of the connectedness of all things- a kin-centric belief system.
And Grant Hadwin, himself an instrument of the system of industrial extraction, had come to destroy it in a self-proclaimed act of protest. What kind of madness was this?
This is an extract from the letter that Grant wrote to the authorities justifying his actions:
“Dear Sir or Madam,
I don’t care much for ‘freaks’ whether they teach in University classrooms, sit in corporate board rooms, perform in the circus or are put on display as examples of old growth forest.
I mean this action to be an expression of my rage and hatred towards university trained professionals and their supporters whose ideas, ethics, denials, part truths and attitudes appear to be responsible for most of the abominations done towards life on this planet made in the name of ‘progress’.
I didn’t enjoy butchering this magnificent creature, but you apparently need a wake-up call that even you should be able to understand.
It was challenging to leave this majestic plant in a temporary vertical position.
The next storm will cause this one thousand year old plant to fall into or near The Yakoun River. Please find enclosed some of the last known photographs of ‘The Golden Spruce’.
Yours truly,
Grant Hadwin.”
And this was my film interpretation of the aftermath of what had happened.
What insight might this story give us into the mind of the individual who took down our cherished Sycamore?
And what does this particular choice of totem, the lone tree left standing in a sea of devastation, tell us about the timeless forces of corruption at work on humanity, and about our separation from the land, our natural home?
The Golden Spruce came with its own ancient mythology, with a story that began with the murderous arrival of the Europeans in 1774. The British came bearing ‘gifts’ of blankets laced with smallpox, hoping to wipe the indigenous people from the face of their land. 70% of the Haida population died in the enveloping plague, with lone survivors retreating into the sanctuary of the forest. Among them were a village elder and his grandson. As they fled the village, the boy ignored his grandfather’s advice not to look back, and found himself rooted to the ground, a boy transforming into a tree.
And there K’iid K’iyass stood for 250 years, one tree preserved by the logging company as a living cultural artefact, while the rest of the ancient forest was cut down and hauled to the mill, first as masts for ships of war, and then to build the frames of aircraft that brought death from the skies.
And the Sycamore Gap bears the same legacy. A lone tree, left in a sea of devastation, the land wiped clean by the civilising forces of Rome as far as the wall of Hadrian, built to keep out the savages who still lived from the land and who resisted agriculture, taxation and wage slavery. The wall was there to keep the money economy of Rome safe and sound until the empire burned under Nero, incinerated by the flames of its own self-serving corruption and arrogance.
#Storytelling #Filmmaking #Authenticity #Purpose #Meaning #FilmsToBelieveIn #DocumentaryFilmmaking #FilmProductionBristol #BristolFilmmakers #DocumentaryFilmmakerBristol
Proctor + Stevenson, one of the South West’s largest and longest-established marketing and communication agencies, has undergone a management buyout (MBO).
The award-winning agency, which specialises in business-to-business marketing, has a workforce of 60 people and revenue of £6 million. It was established by Roger Proctor MBE in 1979 and after 44 years at the helm, Roger is retiring.
The company will now be owned and managed by a leadership team of longstanding directors, comprising Ailsa Billington, Managing Director, Dan Hardaker, Director of Digital Design, Steve King, Director of Technology, Phil Robinson, Creative Director, and Nikki Hunt, Finance Director.
The transition to management ownership underlines a commitment to continuity and progression from within, with those on the board having contributed significantly to the business’ success to date, with almost 90 years’ experience at Proctor + Stevenson between them.
The company, whose customers include Panasonic, Rathbones, Daikin, Pure Cremation and the UK Hydrographic Office, has seen substantial growth in recent years. In the past financial year alone, it grew by over 22%, almost 15% above the industry standard.
The agency’s global footprint has also expanded significantly, particularly in North America, Asia and the Middle East, where it has achieved notable success over three decades. Today, operations in the Gulf Region contribute 25% of overall revenue
Ailsa Billington, Managing Director, said: “The new board members have all risen through the ranks as employees, which is testament to our culture of reward and recognition. We believe in providing opportunities for team members across the lifetime of their careers
“One of our key goals is to continue Roger’s legacy of innovation, with a number of new service launches in the coming year.”
One such service will offer SMEs the affordability and flexibility of design-on-demand services, backed by the expertise of a full-service agency.
To support the work of marketers across the B2B world, Proctors’ newly developed MarTech solution combines the latest technologies with cutting-edge creative, and enables businesses to gather insights into consumer behaviour, optimise targeting and build data-driven marketing strategies.
The new team will also continue many of the CSR commitments Roger spearheaded.
The company is awaiting final certification for B Corp status, with projects such as making education accessible to women in the Middle East a key part of its social governance strategy, alongside a commitment to the Southwest Net Zero strategy.
Proctor + Stevenson will continue to allocate a percentage of its turnover to pro bono support for local charities including charities such as Caring in Bristol, Housing Matters, and Bristol Business Beats Cancer.
It will also continue to deliver the South West Design + Digital Student Awards, an initiative Roger set up as part of an ongoing campaign to tackle the way institutions approach design education, opening doors for the next generation of design talent.
Funding for the transaction was provided by HSBC and legal advice was given by Michael Clarke and Richard Hopkins at Roxborough Milkins.
The idea of flexible working has been around for decades. Christel Kammerer, a German management consultant, proposed the idea of ‘flexiwork’ back in 1965 as she identified balancing childcare with work responsibilities as the reason for a lack of women in the workforce.
This concept didn’t seem to gain real or widespread traction until the Covid pandemic. I think we can all agree that this period introduced a monumental shift, both in the way we live and the way we work. Social distancing, face masks, and hand sanitiser all became common practice in a matter of months. But so did remote working and the introduction of more flexible working patterns.
Perpetual Guardian, a privately held company in New Zealand, were the first of their kind to successfully trial a 4-day work week in 2018, before Covid. So, this working example, paired with the introduction of widespread flexible working during the pandemic both had a huge role to play in the shift to 4-day weeks becoming more common.
We are really happy to announce that at Proctors, we are trialling the 4-day workweek for 3 months, having commenced on the 3rd of July. We understand the importance of listening to our team and supporting them wherever we can, and this represents an exciting milestone in our ongoing journey.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is incredibly important to us, and we understand that even though we are on our journey to be the best that we can be for our people, our planet, and our community, we still have more steps to take to get there. Implementing the 4-day workweek is one of the crucial steps we are taking towards fulfilling our commitment to these values.
If you’ve visited our CSR page, you’ll know that our mission statement is all about putting actions behind our words. We don’t just talk the talk; we always try to walk the walk. And as an agency, we’re driven by purpose, whether that means doing something as small as recycling our rubbish or as grand as hosting an annual student awards ceremony. If it can be done, we’ll strive to do it. This is why we’re implementing a 4-day workweek, because we want to further our positive changes and improve the business structure for our team.
So, what are we doing already, you may ask? Well, here’s a sample…
The office building itself was salvaged by us, reclaimed from an old printworks. We also added 90 solar panels to the roof, which to date have generated 159,758 kWh of energy.
We’re also the only building in the UK coated in CristalACTiV, a coating that reduces atmospheric pollution in the surrounding area.
We have 6 electric car charging points, automatic energy-saving light bulbs, increased insulation, a living wall, compost and recycling, a cycle to work scheme, and that’s just some of the environmental initiatives we undertake.
We also have a number of community-focused CSR initiatives, from the South West Design + Digital Student Awards to working with charities to donate our resources and help them raise awareness and money.
Which brings us back to our people-focused CSR: from providing an inclusive workspace and hosting the PrOscars, to offering mental health first aid to our employees and internships for creatives taking their first steps into the creative industry.
These are just a few examples, but now we are proud to add the 4-day workweek to the list of ways we are trying to improve our CSR journey.
But we haven’t just decided to implement this change for fun. We extensively researched the benefits and implications of this initiative to ensure this was going to be a success.
So, without further ado, here are some of the benefits of a 4-day workweek:
Improved work-life balance
You know that hobby you’re always putting off because you just don’t have the time? Or that volunteering scheme you were always interested in joining? Or even that extra time you’ve been meaning to carve out to spend with your loved ones?
With an extra day off work, this gives our employees the chance to make the most of their time, however they may wish to spend it.
Increased productivity
More than 95% of the companies in the 4-day workweek trial saw no decline, or even noticed an improvement in productivity, and nearly 15% said that this had improved “significantly”. This is due to the fact that happier, and more content employees are more focused on their jobs than those who are dissatisfied or unfulfilled.
With unhappy employees often being more distracted and, in some cases, distracting others, it makes sense that introducing a 4-day week would cut down on this and boost focus. In addition, employees are likely to have more energy with an additional day away from work, which adds to the improved productivity.
Reduced work stress
Going hand in hand with the above point, the overall mental health of our team members is incredibly important to us. Implementing a 4-day workweek may stand to improve this, with a reduced stress level regarding work due to the additional time off per week. We believe that being able to approach work with a clearer and more refreshed perspective is highly likely to show benefits in this area.
Lower emissions
Around 45% of workers in England and Wales drive to work. Cutting out even one day of commuting for people by introducing a 4-day workweek will build up to have a huge impact on commute-related carbon emissions. With fewer cars on the road, congestion will decrease, and there’ll be a reduced environmental impact. In addition, even though our office is remaining open 5 days a week, as fewer people will be in on certain days, the office-based emissions will also decrease.
But don’t just take our word for it. Let’s hear some Proctorians’ thoughts on the 4-day workweek.
Chris Harris, our People Partner
Why was the decision made to go ahead with the 4-day week in the first place?
The idea came from a discussion following a review of the feedback we received from our employee engagement survey. We were looking at what we could do that would have the biggest impact on our people.
At the time it was mentioned, I thought we would just do some research and then move on to the next idea. Following the research and looking at different ways we could make this work, the idea started to grow, and the Directors made the decision that a trial would be the next best step.
The key factors that we considered related to the impact we saw in other companies that have taken this approach and how it improved people’s wellbeing and productivity.
What are your thoughts on the new initiative?
I am excited to see what impact it has on how we approach our work. My thoughts are currently focused on making sure we allow people to think through any obstacles they may come across during this trial. Change is tough, and being available to help our people and teams navigate these obstacles will build our capabilities as a group and as individuals.
What do you hope to see from doing this?
I hope to see a group that realises its potential and starts to challenge our previous ways of thinking. Taking us forward and being contributors to how we operate as a group and business.
What do you plan to do on your extra day off work?
I am really looking forward to getting those boring chores done that mean I can have a full weekend with the family and not have to worry about it!
Ailsa Billington, Managing Director
Could you tell us more about the decision behind implementing the 4-day work week?
After conducting one of our regular company engagement surveys, it was clear to see that a good work-life balance was one of the key things members of the P+S team were looking for.
One of our core values is taking care of each other, so prioritising the well-being of our employees and making sure they are heard and supported is really important to us. The responses from the survey were the original catalyst into looking into and ultimately implementing the 4-day work week trial.
We also carried out a lot of research into how this approach has worked for other businesses, and the positive outcomes that resulted. We also gave people the option on a few different working patters to vote on, and the 4-day week was definitely the most popular outcome!
What would you like to see from this change?
We have an incredibly dedicated, talented, and hard-working team, and I believe that by embracing this change and continuing to nurture a positive work culture, it will provide rejuvenation and promote creativity and innovation across the business. I’m already hearing plans that people are making for their extra day off and I can’t wait to see what everyone gets up to!
Emily Hawkins, Junior Digital Designer
What are your thoughts regarding the 4 day week?
I’m so excited that we are trialling a 4-day working week! I think this new approach is very refreshing and progressive and shows how the company is adapting to prioritise a better work-life balance for employees. I think that having an extra day off each week will allow me to properly recharge and come back to work feeling more focused and motivated which will increase my productivity and creativity.
What do you plan to do with your extra day off work?
I’m hoping that I can use this time to focus on myself and pick up a hobby, perhaps a fitness class or something creative. I’m planning on trying out something different each week to see what I enjoy! I’d also love to learn a new skill, like photography or a foreign language, or to volunteer for a local organisation.
Spending more time outdoors is also really important to me and I’d love to use some of the extended weekends to explore more of the UK or even take some spontaneous short breaks abroad! I’m particularly looking forward to being able to travel back home and spend more quality time with my family and my dog.
I can’t wait to experience the positive impact that this change will have on everyone’s well-being and on the agency as a whole.
We’re incredibly excited about this announcement as it signifies real change and innovation within the company. Listening to our employees is so important to us, and making sure their suggestions are valued is something we take seriously.
As previously mentioned, this 4-day working week trial will initially run for 3 months so we can see how well it is received by the team and how effective it is at improving our work lives. During this period, we will review the changes and effects, and discuss the option of continuing with it in the long-term.
If you would like to find out more about our corporate social responsibility initiatives, check out our CSR page here.
Emmaus Bristol Wins Place on Noble Deeds Digital Marketing Programme
Emmaus Bristol, which helps people out of homelessness and poverty, has been declared this year’s winner of a place on the coveted ‘Noble Deeds’ programme. Supporting charities and not-for-profits in the South West to carry out their essential activities, Emmaus Bristol will receive an £18,000 package of digital marketing support over the course of six months through the programme.
Emmaus Bristol provides a home and support to up to thirty formerly homeless men and women (known as companions), who also receive training and work experience by helping to run the charity’s shops and its other social enterprises. Enabling them to build the confidence and skills they need to secure future employment.
Funding its vital work, the charity also has three shops across the city and its surrounds, selling pre-loved furniture, clothes and household items. Including its Stokes Croft base which also houses a large warehouse and yard for sorting goods to sell or recycle.
Started in North America twenty years-ago by its sister company, this is the second year Bristol-based digital performance marketing agency Noble Performs has run its Noble Deeds pro bono initiative. The programme, which commits to putting a percentage of annual turnover to dedicated CSR activities, has increased this year’s prize fund by over 30% on its 2022 launch amount.
Entry to become a Noble Deeds Programme recipient opens in May each year with the winning not-for-profit announced ahead of the programme start in September, which runs through to February.
Creating a high level of interest this year once again from the local charity sector, Emmaus Bristol was selected due to the long-term impact it has on the community when it comes to supporting people out of poverty and homelessness.
Lorenzo Campbell, Noble Performs and chair of UK Deeds committee explains; “We love what Emmaus is doing in terms of how it equips people with the skills and experiences they need to build life beyond being a companion. In turn, creating a continuous pathway for those facing homelessness and poverty to get back on their feet and create a way forward for themselves. The way Noble Deeds works itself is not dissimilar, our aim is to help charities maximise the impact of their work through digital channels during the six-month programme, while at the same time giving them the skills they need to continue doing so in the long term.
“There is so much potential here with Emmaus Bristol having several elements to what it does – however, knowing where to focus and what activities will have the maximum impact is not easy. That’s where we come in, helping the in-house marketing team to get that clarity and to build an effective digital marketing programme that will give them maximum return on their efforts.”
With numerous worthwhile entrants to this years’ programme, given the cost-of-living crisis and the increased numbers of families and individuals facing homelessness and financial hardship, Emmaus became a clear winner due to its work in this area.
Talking about how the programme will help Emmaus in its current objectives, Stacey McDevitt, Regional Communications Manager, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Noble team to look at how we can shape our digital marketing efforts further to boost donations and create new revenue streams. As well as our shops and upcycling operations, we also have our online sales team, house clearance service and two new eco-pods for tourists, all raising vital funds for the accommodation and support we offer to help people rebuild their lives.
“This all needs to be communicated to the right audiences by a small in-house team and we hope the Noble programme can help us improve the way we do this. Like many charities right now, being able to fund our activities and do everything we need to do can be a challenge. Being able to identify and reach the right people who might be able to support us through digital channels is an essential part of this. We’re looking forward to drawing on Noble’s expertise here so we can be really targeted and make sure our efforts create the maximum impact. There are so many people who need our help right now in such difficult times financially so the more we can do to support them the better.”
To find out more about Emmaus Bristol go to https://emmausbristol.org.uk, to find out more about Noble Performs go to https://nobleperforms.co.uk,
IN 2023, WE RECERTIFIED WITH A SCORE OF 130.3.
130.3 is an outstanding achievement and something we should all be very proud of.
In 2019, ADLIB was one of a small handful of recruitment businesses globally that certified as a B Corp, our starting point was a score of 82.8. Our belief is that the B Corp assessment provides a structure, with clear measurement, to set clear improvement targets. Our initial certification was simply the start of the journey.
We set out our intentions through the publication of our annual impact reports and set the bar high. This approach and transparency ensured we achieved the focus and accountability needed to make improvements and reach our goals.
This impact report reflects on our recertification, what we have achieved, and provides a glimpse into where we head next.
GOVERNANCE – In 2020 ADLIB converted to a 100% employee ownership model. True stakeholder capitalism. Our recertification score acknowledges this transparency, from an internal perspective with regards to the day-to-day financial management, quarterly updates and access to the entire P&L. External publication of impact reports on social and environmental performance and commitment to our code of conducts.
WORKERS – We’re a people business in every sense of the phrase. Since our initial certification we have invested heavily into our team through numerous initiatives to build a stakeholder model that is fit for the long term.
COMMUNITY – At the centre of any community is a shared belief in attitudes and interests in common. For ADLIB, community covers a lot of ground. We support regional ecosystems, provide insight and advocate for international communities that are fighting for equality. The team have built their own communities from the ground up, we’ve supported community based projects that improve people’s lives, and play an active role within the B Corp community.
ENVIRONMENT – As a B2B service provider we store an increasing amount of customer and candidate data. Given our learnings from within the Green Tech South West community, we are increasingly aware that the life cycle of storing, processing, and transmitting digital information is an area that we need to pay significant attention to.
CUSTOMERS – In 2021-22 we aimed to improve our customer score by 10 points via the MotherBoard Charter. After long discussion with B Lab it was concluded that Mums in Tech are not recognised as underserved. Furthermore, the initiative is a not for profit, charging charter signatories an administration fee only and therefore no points were awarded. Our response was threefold.
Savvy art buyers get the chance to snap up bargain artworks and join in the fun as the RWA’s Secret Postcard Auction returns.
Following the huge success of the 2022 Secret Postcard Auction, the event will run online from 28 October to 9 November, with a physical display of the artworks on show at the RWA from 4-9 November.
An unmissable event in the RWA annual calendar, and a major fundraiser for us as an independent charity, the Secret Postcard Auction offers you the opportunity to make the winning bid on original artworks by famous, or soon-to-be-famous, artists!
As the name suggests, all the artworks are postcard size – albeit a large postcard, at approximately 14 x 19cm cm (5½” x 7½”). The postcards can be viewed, and bids can be placed on our 32 Auction site. It’s great fun and bidding can get fierce but there’s plenty of opportunity to grab a wonderful original work of art for as little as £40!
This year, as well as being online, you’ll have the opportunity to get a closer look at the postcards while they’re on display in the Youngwood Room at the RWA from 4 – 9 November.
Last year’s postcards included works by Sir Frank Bowling RA, Eileen Cooper RA, Maggie Hambling, David Remfry RA to name just a few. This year’s entries have started to roll in and we can already confirm contributions from Jeremy Deller, Anne Desmet RA, Simon Drew, Gilbert and George RA, Kurt Jackson RWA, Andrew Lanyon, Sir Richard Long RA RWA, Mali Morris RA, Cathie Pilkington RA and Bob & Roberta Smith RA, with many more to be revealed.
All of the contributing artists are named, but the identity of who did which artwork is anonymous until the auction has closed.
Bidding opens for the public on 28 October and will close at 10pm on 9 November 2023.
Since its re-opening last year, the RWA has welcomed more visitors to its building than at any time in its history and brought life-enhancing creativity to people who’ve never had that opportunity before, but we can only continue to do this with your help.
As an independent charity with less than 1% of costs covered from the public purse each year, we rely on our fundraising efforts to keep the doors open and run our outreach programme, engaging people in some of Bristol’s most under-represented communities. The money raised by the Secret Postcard Auction is a vital contributor to our finances. Last year we were blown away by the support, as donations reached over £70,000, while bidders still walked away with incredible bargains.
Keep an eye on the RWA website for details, and GOOD LUCK with your bidding!
secretpostcard.org.uk
As we celebrate our 14th birthday this week, we’re looking back on 2023 to date. As always, we’ve been doing everything we can to help our clients thrive and survive in the current economic climate. We’ve helped clients launch new products and services, expand into new markets and to new audiences. We’ve also adjusted work and media spend to suit changing price points and profit margins. We pride ourselves on being with our clients through thick and thin, and 2023 has been no different.
Our clients have seen some great successes in 2023. In many instances we’ve helped clients to exceed target ROI and hit KPIs, showing that businesses are still thriving in today’s climate. Our managed Google media spend is up 80% year on year – a testament to our team and their ability to keep delivering strong results. To learn more about recent successes, see our case studies here.
It’s been a strong start to the year for Loom, too. We’ve had six new businesses join our client portfolio, We’ve achieved some fantastic accreditations and our team continues to expand. And while we’re also adapting to current circumstances, we’ll continue to work hard and help our clients get through even the toughest of challenges.
A big thank you to all our loyal clients and our extremely capable team, who have made all of this possible. Below, we take a look at some of the key changes in 2023 and reflect on the progress we’ve made.
We’re delighted to be working with a number of new clients this year. From gardening and cooking to education and kitchenware, we’ve teamed up with a variety of B2B and B2C businesses in 2023, which include:
Representing a diverse range of industries, we’ve already helped them get closer to their business goals with our digital marketing strategies.
And it’s not just new clients. This year we’ve also had three new digital marketing experts join the team; Tegan, Hugh and Daniel.
Our new additions have already been invaluable in ensuring Loom delivers the best possible service to our clients, and we’re delighted to have them onboard.
As well as returning from maternity leave myself, we’ve also welcomed Tommy back from parental leave. He’s dived back into work and is already making us wonder how we survived without him.
“After a few months off to spend time with my little girl, I was so excited to return in February. Nikki and the team did an incredible job whilst I was off. It’s not been an easy climate in which to run a business over the past year, and I’m really proud of how committed the team are to clients and their success. Whilst we love celebrating strong results with clients, we also pride ourselves on being able to navigate through the tricky times with them.” Karen Pearce
2023 also saw a milestone Loomiversary for Tom Spooner, marking ten years as part of the team! Since joining Loom back in 2013, he’s made an undeniably huge impact on Loom, creating and implementing market-leading digital marketing strategies . Anyone who has had the pleasure of working with Tom knows the level of thought, understanding and strategic input he has on accounts. A real marketing force and we’re proud to have him.
“It’s been a genuine pleasure to mark a decade at Loom and reflect on the evolution of our industry and Loom as an agency. I firmly believe that we’re currently delivering the best service to our clients with an incredibly talented team. I’m immensely proud to be a part of Loom and look forward to helping existing and future clients overcome challenges to succeed.” Tom Spooner
It’s always nice for achievements to be recognised. We’re proud to have three new accreditations this year for our performance and employment practices.
As always, we couldn’t have achieved any of these without our clients and team. We provide all the support we can and are grateful for those who support us. We’re 14 years young and we still have clients from day one.
“It’s been a great start to 2023 at Loom. We’re so proud to now be awarded the Great Place to Work accreditation, as well as being part of the Google Employment Charter South West. Both accreditations are a testament to the culture, values and team here at Loom. We’re always looking for ways to make it an even better place to work and have lots more planned for our 15th year.” Vicky Hockley
As our team continues to expand, we needed a new office to accommodate everyone. Fortunately, we didn’t need to move far. We’re now on the second floor of Temple Studios, located just by Temple Meads station in the heart of Bristol, meaning we’re still easily accessible for both our clients and team members travelling from further afield.
Each quarter we book an evening as a social for the Loom team. In March, we took part in a pottery evening hosted by local potters Pottymouth Workshop at The Star and Dove pub in Totterdown. While we might not be quite ready for The Great Pottery Throw Down, everyone enjoyed the opportunity to get together as a team and take their handiwork home with them.
In June, we went on a glamping trip to the Wye Valley. After canoeing down the river Wye, the team took part in guided foraging lessons and farm tours and played games at the campsite, with refreshments provided by a mobile pizza oven and cocktail bar.
The weather can make or break a camping trip, and fortunately, we were blessed with sunshine (which also helped dry out the occupants of a capsized canoe). It was a great opportunity for everyone to relax and bond, and for our new Loomies to meet the rest of the team.
Keep up with life at Loom by following us on Instagram.
Our Illoominate initiative aims to deliver digital skills to the next generation of professionals in Bristol. As part of this, we have advised charities on how to improve their digital marketing strategy through Media Trust and also offered work experience internships at Loom for all ages.
This year, we’ve already welcomed two Loom interns, Tyler and Jazmine, who were given an introduction to digital marketing at Loom and did a great job getting stuck in with some tasks set by the team. Find out how they both got on here and here.
As well as dealing with tougher circumstances, there have also been some huge changes to the digital marketing industry in 2023. Notably, the transition from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has meant a huge amount of work collecting as much data as possible and ensuring the transition went smoothly for our clients. We have invested in GA4 training for all our Loomies and have supported this with regular sessions for personal development and team knowledge shares, ensuring we were well prepared to guide our clients through this process.
Find out more about GA4 in our guide.
At the tailend of 2022, Google updated their Quality Rater Guidelines, expanding the concept of E-A-T (‘Expertise, Authority and Trust’) to include ‘Experience’. This update was designed to tackle poor-quality content, which, of course, wasn’t a problem for clients using Loom’s SEO and Content services! With AI tools and boilerplate content quite common on the web, it makes sense that Google made this change to promote valuable content written for users, rather than search.
Find out more about the EEAT update in our blog.
Speaking of AI, the rise of artificial intelligence continues to make waves in the industry, as content generation becomes more sophisticated and accessible. We explored what it can offer and its limitations but concluded it’s no match yet for the skills, expertise and human touch of the Loom content team.
Given the challenges our clients have faced this past year, it’s more important than ever to keep on top of the latest marketing trends in order to help our clients adapt. We’ve been pivoting our work to accommodate both industry developments and the external factors businesses are currently facing, creating intricate strategies that build and maintain strong online visibility.
To stay up to date with the ever-changing digital marketing industry, explore our Insights section.
It’s not easy running a business right now. With so many challenges to navigate, 2023 hasn’t been the easiest year for everyone. Saying that, we’re here for our clients every step of the way and are proud to be sharing our journey with them.
We’re delighted with all that we’ve achieved this year and look forward to seeing what the next one brings. We’d like to give another big thank you to our clients, partners and our team for all that they’ve done to make 2023 such a success.
“We’re really proud of what our team has achieved in our 14th year, doing what they can for our clients and taking our strategies from strength to strength. Our next year is all about focusing on building a more purposeful-led agency, and understanding how we can embrace machine learning to achieve even more for our clients and build on the successes of this year.” Nikki Ellison
If you’d like to find out more about our digital marketing services, whether that’s PPC & Biddable or SEO and Content, then browse our website or get in touch today.
We are super excited to be bringing MotherBoard events to Bristol!
When: Wednesday 19th July 2023.
What time: 6.30pm – 9pm
Location: Huboo, 41 Corn St, Bristol BS1 1HT
Drinks and pizza provided.
Speakers include:
Rav Bumbra, Founder of Cajigo
Rowena Innocent, SVP Engineering at Ultraleap
Chloe Allan, Technology Manager, Just Eat
David Maher Roberts, Managing Partner of Digital DNA & Founder of TechSpark
Join us for the first Bristol MotherBoard community event! This event will be a networking event, with a panel talk starting 7.30pm.
With 50% of women leaving the industry by the time they are 35, we will be asking the important question “how we can retain more women in tech”.
We will offer practical takeaways including how businesses can support their female talent and drive retention, how businesses can offer an inclusive environment for mums and what we as individuals can do to support our peers and be advocates for all women working in tech.
If you have not been to one of our events before, MotherBoard is a community, event series and charter for everyone who believes we need more support for women working in the tech industry. We encourage everybody to join who is interested in understanding more about how to drive inclusion in the workplace.
Please RSVP to confirm your place.
Gear up and get ready to take part in our cycling team showdown this July, The Grand Tour. While the pros are racing hard in the Tour de France, company cycling teams will be competing to win The Grand Tour Trophy and raise money for charity.
Active Teams is an award winning Bristol startup and for the first time ever we’re opening up an Active Teams challenge to ANY company. Teams of three colleagues from any company or organisation can enter. There’s a nominal entry fee of just £40 per team, which goes to cycling charity Cycling UK.
The team with the highest combined cycling mileage will claim the trophy and earn eternal bragging rights! Employees can take part in our challenges wherever they live and work – ideal for remote or hybrid teams.
If you’re a team leader, why not ask if anyone wants to take part? If you’re not a leader, ask your manager? So gather your teammates and get ready to show the world what you’re made of. Visit our website to submit your team by Friday 23 June!
https://activeteams.co.uk/thegrandtour