Agency roundup: 26; Brand Ambition; Powerhouse; and more

Leeds-based digital agency, 26, has been appointed by fashion-brand Victoria Beckham following a six-month multi-stage competitive pitch process beating seven other UK agencies.

The agency will be responsible for programmatic media, SEO and data strategy to help Victoria Beckham grow its reach and better connect with an international audience and fashion circuit in a multi-faceted way.

Robyn Blake, head of digital at Victoria Beckham, said: “It was 26’s holistic approach to digital acquisition as well as the ability to make the complex, simple, which really set them apart.

“The team have the knowledge and challenger mindset needed to enhance our digital effectiveness and propel our marketing strategy forwards.”

Scott Sadeghian-Tehrani, media strategy director at 26, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be working with the Victoria Beckham team on such an iconic brand.

“The brand is surging throughout the UK and internationally and we’re looking forward to working together to navigate the brand’s next frontier of growth with a focus on diversifying the media mix and driving marketing effectiveness.”

John Ward, business development director at 26, added: “We’re thrilled to add Victoria Beckham to our client roster, alongside other fashion icons such as Tag Heuer, Dior and Ted Baker.

“Our team have extensive experience across fashion, retail and ecommerce and they can’t wait to get started to drive digital success in the run up to the peak trading period and beyond.”

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Yorkshire-based care group, Springfield Healthcare, has joined forces with Leeds-based digital marketing agency, Brand Ambition to develop a design concept for its latest marketing campaign.

This will be the first cross-channel marketing campaign for Springfield Healthcare, which employs over 600 people to care for 450 residents across seven care homes in the Yorkshire region.

In a bid to reverse the stigma and perceptions of care homes within the media, Brand Ambition used AI to create a juxtaposition between younger and older generations.

The design features a group of children dressed up as older people with the strapline – ‘Luxury care homes so good we wish we could move in too.’

Briefed by Springfield Healthcare to create a digital campaign that would stand out and make an impact in the sector, Robin Hetherington, creative director and co-owner of Brand Ambition said: “We wanted to deliver a creative concept that put unparalleled luxury care at the forefront of the creative.

“When we started to explore ideas, we thought about how care homes might be seen through a child’s eyes and we wanted to take this idea to its illogical conclusion – settling on the question ‘what if a care home was so good, children wanted to sneak in?’

Head of marketing at Springfield Healthcare, Rachael Dunseath, said: “We wanted to break the mould in a sector that is showing no signs of slowing down.

“With an aging population, it’s important that together we change the perception of care homes now and in the future.

“We wanted to be bold with a campaign that would make people stop, smile and take a second look and we’re delighted with the creative developed by Brand Ambition.”

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Leeds-based content production agency, Powerhouse, has become the first independent agency in Yorkshire to become part of Ad Net Zero, a global steering group supporting the advertising industry in tackling the climate emergency.

It joins some of the world’s biggest agency holding groups, media owners and tech companies to set the agenda and drive sustainability policy for the advertising industry and those associated with it.

CEO at Powerhouse, Neil Adams, said: “It’s no secret that our industry can be carbon heavy. We’ve been working on addressing this for some time and we’re passionate about supporting our clients to do the same.

“We’re finding most of our clients both brand and agency side have a keen focus on operating sustainably for commercial reasons, but often this sustainability mandate does not translate into day-to-day marketing practices.

“99% of the briefs we’ve received in 2023 have overlooked sustainability considerations and 96% of clients we’ve worked with this year have not requested our sustainability credentials. We want to support our clients to change this.”

As an official supporter of Ad Net Zero UK, Powerhouse will participate in the creation of sustainability standards and best practices which will shape the industry.

It will also have early access to brand new tools, resources and regulatory changes which, with the help of the wider Ad Net Zero team, it will be able to embed into its own and its clients’ work.

Powerhouse will be responsible for helping to implement Ad Net Zero’s five-point action plan to decarbonising the advertising industry and promoting sustainable practices.

The plan includes the mandatory setting of public science-based net zero targets, as well as annual reporting against those targets.

Adams added: “Powerhouse’s sustainability journey started in earnest during Covid, when we couldn’t physically get to shoots.

“We quickly found solutions through technology and innovation, and it became apparent that these solutions were both more sustainable and more efficient.

“Since then, we’ve championed sustainable solutions, from creating virtual sets to creatively replicating overseas locations in the UK and switching to plant-based menus.”

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Educational resources supplier, Findel, has appointed Leeds-based Brand8 PR to provide ongoing corporate public relations consultancy.

Findel’s brands and websites offer more than 32,000 products to educators and parents based in the UK and overseas with the business exporting to 130 countries.

The company has also launched an expert primary educator-backed online lesson planning and delivery resource.

Called EuHu, which is pronounced “yoo-hoo” and is short for Educator Hub, all the content on the free-to-use and subscription-based platform has been created by 14 teachers regarded as experts in their fields.

Headquartered in Hyde, Greater Manchester, Findel also has a distribution centre and offices in Nottingham and employs around 300 people.

The company is backed by Leeds-headquartered private equity firm Endless, which supported a management buy-out in April 2021.

Brand8 PR also advises another Endless investment, global celebrations group Wonder.

Findel chief executive, Chris Mahady, said: “Brand8 PR has an excellent track record of successfully providing corporate PR consultancy across a range of sectors.

“We first worked with the agency on the communications around our rebrand. Since then, we have expanded our remit with them to advise on communications across our stakeholder value proposition.”

Brand8 PR managing director, Rob Smith, said: “Findel has been a purpose-led business for more than 200 years and remains dedicated to ensuring it supports educators worldwide to meet the needs of children.

“Through a combination of great products and services such as EuHu, outstanding customer care and ongoing innovation, Findel remains at the forefront of its markets.

“Our brief sees us working closely with the senior management team to further raise awareness of the company’s truly distinct culture and capabilities.”