Creative/SME: Prohibition, Substance, Mor Music

LEEDS social media and PR firm Prohibition has added retail destination The Light to its client roster.

The centre, which is part of the Savills Group, has hired Prohibition to better engage with its customer base, as well as visitors and Leeds residents to increase their footfall and deliver an search engine optimisation programme.

The brief includes working with The Light’s 26 tenants which include Nandos, Starbucks, Radisson Blu, Vue and Virgin Active.

Prohibition was recently named in the list of Top 50 PR Agencies in the North.
Stephanie James, marketing manager at The Light, said: “We hired Prohibition not only because we were impressed with their digital expertise, but because their thinking was underpinned by big, bold, creative ideas.

“The retail and leisure market is extremely competitive in Leeds, with many new players coming to the market in recent years. As such we need to think smarter, and more cleverly about how we position ourselves and engage with consumers, and Prohibition’s appointment is central to this.”

Will Ockenden, director at Prohibition, commented: “We’re firmly focused on delivering our clients exciting, high impact work that demonstrates a genuine return on investment, whether that’s web traffic, footfall, or sales.

“That makes The Light the perfect brief for us and we’ve got an exciting programme of campaign work in the pipeline. The Centre is an amazing space with some quality tenants, and we’re ecstatic to be working with such a well-known venue.”

The appointment follows a period of strong growth at Prohibition that has seen it double in size over the past 12-months, as well as pick up briefs for brands including Netto, Silentnight Group and Interflora.

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TWO design entrepreneurs have launched a startup consultancy.

Steve Wills, previously part of highly-acclaimed graphic design agency, B&W Studio, has teamed with ex-publisher, Leigh Tasker, to create Substance.

The new consultancy is headquartered in Sheffield’s emerging Kelham Island district but also has an additional office at Leeds’ Round Foundry Media Centre.

Substance has already secured instructions from a number of impressive clients including healthcare brand, Omnicell, and Sheffield-based manufacturer, Home Décor.

The firm has already won project work with regeneration specialist, Igloo, Manchester-based residential developer, Renaker Build, Liverpool architects, Snook, and Northwood Investors, the owners of Number 1 Broad Gate in Leeds.

Mr Wills was formerly creative director at agency, Attik, working for clients including British Heart Foundation, Nike, First Direct, Republic, Guinness UDV, Urban Splash and RIBA.

He said: “The opportunity to create a new design business with Leigh represents a real turning point for me; our combined experience of branding, communications and all-round client knowhow instantly puts us on the map for companies seeking a pedigree communications agency partner.”

Managing director, Leigh Tasker, who for six years published leading regional property title, PaD Property & Design Magazine, said: “As proponents of brand, our own identity is a critical measure of what we believe in. ‘Substance’ says all one needs to know about the importance we place on meaning, credence and the basis of ideas – combined with rigorous strategic thinking and brilliant creative execution, there’s an indisputable commitment in our work to integrity, effectiveness and quality.”

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YORK-BASED guitar retailer Mor Music has secured a deal for further working capital after a deal with One Stop Business Finance.

Mor Music, based in Franklins Yard off Fossgate in York, plans to build a £12,000 recording studio.

Phil O’Dea, director of Mor Music added: “Of the funders we spoke to only One Stop Business Finance really understood the challenges that we face and put together a flexible and sensibly priced loan which gives us the capability to move our business forward.

“The fact that Andrew speaks our language and understands small business makes them very easy to work with.”

Andrew Mackenzie, managing director of One Stop Business Finance and Part Time Executives commented: “This type of flexible loan from our own funds is exactly the type of transaction we are becoming renowned for.

“By structuring this deal the way we have, Mor Music will be able to look forward to a bright future with the opportunity to increase its stock levels at key times in the retail calendar such as the run up to Christmas.”

The legal work on this project was undertaken by Ben Slack and Nicola Collins of Clarion Solicitors in Leeds.