Digitally-centred marketing, shopper & sales promotion agency, Activation, has announced that it has appointed Claire Moyne as Client Services Director. Previously the Managing Director at Bristol-based Edo, a digital customer experience consultancy, Claire has joined to support Activation with it’s ambitious growth plans, leading and developing client relationships whilst heading the client services function within the agency as a member of the senior management team.
With 23% growth last year, and following a number of recent wins, Activation has a number of exciting brands on its books, and leading these relationships will be an area of focus for Claire. The agency also launched it’s reworked proposition in the summer, with a uniquely differentiated offering in digitally-centred brand, shopper and promotional marketing. This proposition is generating interest in the grocery sector, leading to a growing new business pipeline.
Matt Ramsay, MD of Activation comments – Claire brings with her a unique mix of skills with her experience in leadership, digital, customer and client experience and grocery brand promotions – we know Claire will be an asset to the business and we’re really looking forward to working together and introducing her to our clients, where her abilities will help us grow and improve our overall business. I’m delighted to welcome Claire to the A-Team
With this role, the agency has also embraced flexible working, with Claire also working the role around her recent purchase of a coffee shop in Bristol!
Liz Gadd, Co-Founder and Recruiter at Moxie and Mettle, is an experienced recruiter in PR, Communications, Digital, Social, Creative and Marketing.
In this workshop Liz will share with you some of her 30 years of experience placing freelance PR, marketing, creative and communications professionals. This includes…
Liz looks at CVs, Linked In, direct approaches, and general hints and tips about how to get the right work for you. It’s real world career advice with plenty of knowledge to share about what it’s really like and what really works in finding freelance work with clients and new job opportunities. Liz will also share how to create a perfect 10 second introduction for you and your services, when talking to prospective clients and new contacts.
This workshop will take place on Tuesday 20th November from 0930-1200 at The Ivy Clifton Brasserie, 42-44 Caledonia Place, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4DN. Tickets are £20+VAT for Bristol Media members and £30+VAT for non-members. A light breakfast is included in the ticket price. Booking is via Eventbrite.
AMBITIOUS has been appointed by Whistle Punks Urban Axe Throwing to support the opening of its fourth UK and largest venue to date in Bristol with PR led marketing.
Founded in 2016, Whistle Punks is the first brand to bring axe throwing to the UK high street. Set to open mid-November, Whistle Punks Bristol boasts six lanes, a pumping soundtrack, a bar and a Pizzarova residency. An example of the continued growth of competitive socialising, Whistle Punks has designed an unforgettable experience to bring different people together in city spaces and inspire interaction between strangers. People are encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and try something new.
The brief for AMBITIOUS focuses on building the brand in Bristol and core inbound local markets as well as supporting launch activity including outreach to online and offline influencers.
Jemma Morgan, Marketing Director of Whistle Punks, said, “AMBITIOUS has a wealth of local knowledge, connections and corporate and consumer market experience.”
Sarah Woodhouse, Director, AMBITIOUS commented: “Whistle Punks has captured the zeitgeist for competitive socialising and we are looking forward to creating a successful market entry campaign.”
Whistle Punks sessions are 70 minutes long and take place on a lane consisting of two targets, each lane fits up to 10 players. The session begins with tips and coaching on how to safely and successfully sling an axe by expert instructors who stay with the group throughout the session. Once the practice is over, the competitive spirit kicks in and a tournament takes place in each lane. As soon as a winner is announced, then it’s celebration time in the adjoining bar.
Whistle Punks was the first to enter the UK market with axe throwing as a competitive social activity in a dedicated venue. Founded in 2016, the brand now has four locations across the UK in London, Manchester, Birmingham and the new premises in Bristol, which will boast no less than six axe throwing lanes.
Whistle Punks is leading the way in providing an unforgettable experience, which is all about bringing together new and different individuals and connecting them through the activity of axe throwing. Players reap the social and emotional benefits of a shared, competitive activity delivered in a safe environment.
Whistle Punks has recently received funding from Edition Capital, who are helping to fund the business’ expansion with the opening of further sites across the UK.
Whistle Punks was co-founded and is co-owned and managed by lifelong friends John Nimmons and Jools Whitehorn. After successfully running Battle Bows and London Bubble Football for a number of years, John and Jools founded Whistle Punks after witnessing the new boom of social competitive activities first hand.
Sustainability is a key Whistle Punks brand value. For every Exclusive Lane package booked, Whistle Punks donates £2 to Trees for Cities, a charity that plants trees in urban areas and communities across the UK.
For more informaiton about the launch and opening offers, please contact Greg at AMBITIOUS – [email protected]
The social space is constantly in flux. Content and digital techniques that were sweeping in the “likes” last month, may fail to win over those customers today. For companies – especially those without a full marketing team – it can be hard to keep up with these latest trends and updates. Don’t worry though… we at JMPUK have you covered. Here’s a list of some of this week’s latest updates across various social platforms which we think your brand should take note of.
Instagram is testing allowing businesses to turn their organic shopping posts into ads using Ads Manager, further integrating e-commerce into the feed. With over 130 million accounts tapping to reveal tags from Instagram shopping posts every month, this feature will make it even easier for users to shop the very moment inspiration hits.
Facebook is also testing out a Dynamic Ad variant. This will allow users to discover a product within the newsfeed and then purchase from the ad without ever leaving the platform. Dangerous for us shopaholics… but a golden opportunity for e-commerce brands!
“Businesses have found success with shopping posts and will be able to reach new targeted audiences in a way that’s familiar to people,” said a Facebook spokesperson.
The popular professional network site has added a “Find an Expert” post option, which looks to simplify the process of finding freelancers and professionals. Users can fill in a series of fields, detailing the service they are looking for. This comes after LinkedIn rolled out the “service listings” profile feature in July, allowing freelancers and SMBs to be found in search results for the services they provide. Excellent news for brands wanting to find great talent.
Ever found yourself frustrated with Twitter’s photo uploading feature? Well, you certainly aren’t the only one. Fortunately for us, the social media platform has launched the option to rearrange attached images through a simple drag and drop process. Now you can order your fantastic photos just how you desire!
Facebook is releasing new features and metrics which can be used by marketers to advance their video marketing efforts. This includes:
So there we have it – JMPUK’s round-up of this week’s social media updates. Let us know your thoughts on these, and don’t forget to check back for more!
Instagram has come a long way since its launch in 2010. What used to be a tool for artistically inclined users wanting to take filtered Polaroid-like photos, has now become the source for users to share, discover, and shop aplenty. The picture-sharing app just keeps on evolving. Let’s take a look at some of the platforms most recent updates.
Earlier this month, it was announced that a new feature will be coming that marketers everywhere have been longing for: the ability to schedule content for feed posts and IGTV.
Using the ‘Creator Studio’ by Facebook, users will now be able to add an Instagram account and schedule native content (not sponsored) to post at any time you wish.
This is fantastic news for time-constrained marketers who have, up until now, had to rely on third-party tools to schedule posts – with most of these options being limited due to Instagram’s API restrictions.
It seems that this new scheduling feature has been rolling out to users other the past month, so if you don’t have it yet – hold tight! You likely will soon.
The platform is also trying to think more about its social responsibility. In May, it was reported that Instagram had been testing removing the ability to see how many likes a post has in order to make Instagram a healthier place.
This month, the platform confirmed this test and announced that this was being rolled out to users in six more regions. With the removal of likes, this means that comments will become incredibly important for social proof.
While these tests are just tests at the moment – the fact that the platform has rolled it out to more regions is something to take note of.
In addition to this, the platform has just introduced a new sticker which makes it easy for users to donate to charity through Stories.
The platform recently announced that it will soon start placing ads within the Explore page, where users go to discover new content matching their interests.
These ads won’t appear on the Explore grid itself, but they will show once a user taps on an Explore post and then begins scrolling through the discovery feed.
As the Explore page is where users are really open to discovery, this makes this new ad format very exciting as people here will be most receptive to advertising.
The state of Instagram is one of constant evolution. And so, it is vital for marketers and influencers to keep up-to-date with the latest trends in order to get the most out of the much-loved platform.
The 2019 series of ITV’s Love Island came to an end on Monday and the contestants were released back into the world of social media, where they can expect to earn potentially astronomical amounts of money as ‘influencers’ by promoting brands, products and services through their social media accounts.
To help the Islanders navigate the regulatory dos and don’ts of online advertising, ITV in partnership with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently published this Cheat Sheet to Declaring Ads on Social Media, which provides a useful and accessible summary of ASA rules for anyone planning on using social media for commercial advertising. It’s a timely reminder of the key points to be aware of when advertising on social media.
What rules apply to advertising on social media?
A number of different regulations apply to advertising on social media, although the key rules which apply are the ASA’s CAP Code rules and consumer protection legislation, such as the Consumer Protection Act 2015, which is regulated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). These rules apply to anyone who places an advert on social media.
Additional rules also apply if you are promoting age-restricted products (such as gambling or alcohol), food or health supplements, or running giveaways or prize draws
What is an advert?
In the context of social media, an ‘advert’ can include any of the following:
What does the CAP Code require?
The CAP Code states that adverts on social media must be “obviously identifiable” as such. This means that consumers should be able to recognise that something is an advert without having to click on it or otherwise interact with it. To comply with this rule, ASA advice suggests that:
What does consumer protection legislation require?
Consumer protection legislation requires that adverts placed on social media do not contain false or misleading information. This does not stop you from expressing an opinion – e.g. ‘this is the best makeup I have ever used’ – but it does stop you from expressing a fact unless you can back it up – e.g. if you say ‘this makeup is produced in the UK’ and it was actually produced in Spain, you could be in breach of consumer protection law.
What happens if someone breaches these rules?
If someone places an advert on social media which breaches the CAP Code rules, the consumer can complain to the ASA. The ASA will investigate and, if the advertiser is found guilty, the ASA can apply a number of sanctions, including requiring that the advert be withdrawn, that the advertiser be banned from placing adverts on social media, or that their adverts be vetted before they are placed online.
If someone breaches consumer protection legislation, they could expect to be sued by the consumer or investigated by the CMA, which can lead to sanctions including significant fines.
For further information, please contact Jennifer Agate at [email protected] or +44 20 7263 0011.
Social Media Week – a global conference held in over 25 cities worldwide – returned to Bristol in June for the third year running. Our content apprentice, Izzy, had an access-all-areas pass as part of the digital squad to capture content from the week. It was a packed schedule of over 40 sessions, and Izzy has listed the four highlight events from her week…
1. Social Media Trends 2020
“To kick off day 1 of Social Media Week, I attended the sold-out ‘Social Media Trends 2020’ with Drew Benvie from Battenhall. What I found particularly interesting about this talk was trend 2, ‘Insta reality’.
Insta reality is when Instagram users step away from the fake, idealised, seemingly perfect post and instead show a more real and authentic perspective; for example, a ‘woke-up-like-this’ selfie with yesterday’s makeup and bed hair. I for one am exhausted of cherry picking through my camera roll, so I’m excited to see if Insta reality will really take off.
2. Sketchnoting for social
One my favourite events from the conference was Liam Williams’ workshop. I’m a huge fan of doodling, so learning that it’s actually a more effective way of making notes than plain words was great news to me.
In the session, Liam talked us through the different aspects of sketchnoting: shapes, lines, text, icons and faces. At the end we were put the test to create our own sketchnote, and while I’m not an expert just yet, it did teach me that it’s not about drawing ability, it’s about listening and that we should all ditch the lined paper! Look out for some Vision keynote sketchnotes in the coming months…
3. Harnessing the Power of Play
A more niche event, Fat Media’s ‘Harnessing the power of play’ was all about gamification. I was quite shocked to learn that using game-based content creates much more engagement than standard images and videos as users can stay for 30 seconds plus on a game but might spend just a second on a photo. It definitely got me thinking about some ways Bristol Media could implement gamification into our marketing operations.
4. The Social Detail – Closing Party
At the closing party on Thursday night, SMW Bristol ambassadors talked through their highlights. Almost all of them made the connection that the most engaging events were the ones that inspired change. Joyann Boyce from The Social Detail gave an amazing talk about inclusive marketing and then went on to talk on the ‘Activism in the social and digital age’ panel alongside Pussy Riot last minute!
There was so much to take away from both these sessions, but the one key thing is this: ‘Being inclusive in your content should be standard. Being representative of the people around us and the community we live in should be the norm’ – Joyann Boyce.
While I’m glad I won’t be running from venue to venue in the rain again anytime soon, I am so grateful to have been part of the experience. I’ve taken away new skills and knowledge that I can put into practise moving forward in my career. I’ll definitely be signing up to take part again next year and would 100% recommend that everyone in our industry get involved in some way, shape or form as a speaker, sponsor, digital squad member, or just attendee. Bring on Social Media Week Bristol 2020!”
We’d like to introduce our new ‘Featured Member’ series – a monthly article where we showcase the amazing businesses and individuals within our member community by sharing their stories and experiences.
To kick it off, we caught up with the team behind Social Media Week Bristol, AMBITOUS PR, to find out a little more about who they are and what they’re up to…
Hi AMBITIOUS! So, tell us, what do you do?
We’re a PR agency delivering integrated strategic communications. Our focus is corporate and business-to-business. This is our strength; it’s what we do best.
Our clients include global private healthcare providers, education institutions, property companies, tech platforms and workwear. We work nationally and internationally from our office based in Bristol. And, our services include strategy & planning, reputation management, content creation, media relations, influencer engagement, social media management, events – online, offline and everywhere in between.
For us it’s about the thinking. It’s about the execution and it’s about the commitment to never being boring. Like our manifesto ‘If it’s boring it’s not AMBITIOUS’ our aim is always to slice through the white noise and deliver stand out work.
Who’s in the team?
Our fab team of 12 is led by three hands-on directors and includes PR consultants, digital and social media experts, copywriters, event manager, former journalists and a junior content apprentice.
When did you join Bristol Media?
Over six years ago…
What’s your favourite place in Bristol?
We’re a social bunch, so regular team lunches are always favourite places. Our office is just off Whiteladies Road, so we’re spoilt for choice. Bosco, Souk Kitchen, River Cottage and the Lido tend to get the votes.
What are you most proud of as a business?
For the second year running AMBITIOUS have been awarded Best PR Agency of the Year at The Drum’s RAR Awards. Last year was the first time we entered and so were thrilled to pick up the top national award. It’s the only award that is 100% client rated, so real testament to the clients we work with and how they value what we do for them.
We’re a big fan of gadgets, what’s your favourite office gadget?
Definitely our Alexa! We have our apprentice Izzy to thank for bringing that joy into our daily lives.
What exciting plans have you got coming up this year?
We had our busiest year last year and 2019 is looking to top that. We’re investing in growing the team this year so excited to welcome new additions to AMBITIOUS.
As the organisers behind Social Media Week Bristol we’re gearing up for a packed schedule of over 40 events next week. And, we’re finalists in a few awards (The Drum & PRCA) so some fun nights out too.
Whose work do you admire and why?
We’re loving what the guys at Tiny Giant are all about. Creative AI, voice & bots – it’s an exciting space and they’re right here in Bristol. They’re set on combining ideas with technology including a recent project creating the world’s first AI-created cupcakes!
What’s the best tip/trick you’ve learnt as a business?
We’ve reflected much of what we’ve learnt as a business into our values as they best reflect what’s important to us.
One of those is ‘People Matter Most’ and so we put being human at the top of our priorities. We’re talking empathy, understanding and kindness. To everyone. It’s about creating a culture that values opinions, nurtures talent and listens. Ultimately all work is about relationships. And, when you get it right, it can lead to great things.
If you could sum up Bristol in 3 words, what would they be?
Spirited, community, interesting
To find out more about AMBITIOUS or to contact them to discuss opportunities, visit their member profile.
Keep your eyes peeled for our next Featured Member, they’ll be talking about AI and bots, can you guess who it will be?
There’s still time to grab the last few tickets to SMW Bristol. With 40 events to choose from, the sessions cover everything from social media for small businesses, blogging and influencers, B2B social strategies and social trends to look out for. Plus, we’re founding event partners, so Bristol Media members benefit from 25% off keynote sessions at The Everyman when using the code: BRISTOLMEDIASMW.
Tuesday 16 July 2019, 12.30 – 14.15: Origin Workspace, 40 Berkeley Square, Bristol, BS8 1HU.
For our July keynote we’ll be joined by Steve Chapman with his new talk ‘You’re Beautiful Wonkiness: The rise of the outsider and the revolution towards non-sense.’ If you’re a fan of the weird, wonderful and downright wonky, this one’s for you.
Steve will talk about the role of the outsider, imposter syndrome, the pointlessness of labelling and the importance of counter culture. Keep your eyes peeled for his #FREEART which he’s letting loose into the Bristol community – and let us know on twitter if you find any.
TICKETS: £25+VAT for Bristol Media members // £35+VAT for non-members (includes a buffet lunch).
Don’t forget, Bristol Media members can take advantage of exclusive discounts on venue hire, weekend cocktails, waterfront suppers, and much more! Take a look at the member benefits or click here if you’d like to find out more about joining.
To access member benefits you’ll need to prove you’re a member, find out how to set up your mobile membership card here.
Pop in for a cuppa and claim 10% off at Caffe Clifton, an independent café set in the heart of Clifton. Find out more.
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Today is International Women’s Day, an annual day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women all over the world. To raise awareness against gender-based bias, the theme this year is #BalanceforBetter.
While it may seem like a balanced world at times, with female prime ministers and CEO’s, the truth is women are often under-represented in business and their achievements can go unnoticed. At Bristol Media, we recognise the integral work women do within the creative industries in Bristol and feel it is important to celebrate and show our support. Fortunately for us, we have some inspiring women on our board of directors who want to highlight what International Women’s Day means to them.
For Kate Gorringe, Bristol Media Director and Creative Director at Mr B & Friends it’s about raising women up in opportunity and confidence to achieve the success they deserve:
“Not long ago I met a design director who quizzed me on how to make the leap from senior creative to creative director. I was taken aback that the more I talked to her about ‘putting yourself out there,’ the more she tried to talk herself out of it – ‘What if I can’t do the job?’ This just throws a spotlight on how we habitually doubt our own abilities. Thing is, she almost certainly can do the job already, she’s probably been doing it for years, but she’s shrinking back when we know the guys are pushing themselves forward, even if they’re less experienced.
“If there’s one thing I want women on this day to do, it’s apply for that job. You won’t be able to do everything on the job spec, you won’t get every question right in the interview – but guess what, neither will the men. Let’s redress the imbalance – apply for that job, we are all routing for you.”
Roberta Fuke, Bristol Media Director and CEO of Speed Communications adds: “Balance in all things just makes sense. And gender balance in business makes perfect sense. So why are women so under-represented and under-rewarded so often? Empowering, encouraging and enabling women to both effectively contribute to and benefit from their contributions, is not only good business practice, but critical to shaping a balanced and better world. Making gender balance a matter of fact rather than a matter of ambition must be the goal. I’m delighted to support #IWD2019 and #BalanceforBetter.”
Lis Anderson, Bristol Media Board Director and Director of AMBITIOUS PR: “Promoting gender balance in our business is something that we discuss openly and importantly act upon. The industry is changing, and we support that. At home, one of the challenges / opportunities I think about often is being a mother of a young son. I will never know what it’s like to walk in his shoes, as he’ll never understand what it’s like to walk in mine, but I take responsibility in my role as mum and a woman in helping him experience balance and hopefully playing some role in equipping him for his future.”
It’s not just the females on the board who are working towards achieving a better balance. Chris Thurling, Bristol Media Chair and Executive Chairman of Armadillo CRM, says “I have two daughters and don’t like the idea of them experiencing a gender-biased society. Women need to have the same opportunities as their male counterparts and I will support them at every step, so I pledge to celebrate women’s achievements, not just on International Women’s Day but in the future, too.”
What does International Women’s Day mean to you? Are you or your business promoting a balanced workplace? If so, we’d love to hear how! Connect with us on Twitter @Bristol_Media.
[Image: Roberta Fuke (top left), Kate Gorringe, Chris Thurling (bottom left) and Paul Appleby, Directors of Bristol Media]
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