Tag Archives: Bristol Business

News

Making everyday rides extraordinary – Firehaus creates Vittoria ‘Own the Unknown’

Firehaus, the Bristol-based brand consultancy, are launching Vittoria’s latest brand campaign ‘Own the Unknown’. The campaign is a collaboration between global leaders in cycle tyre innovation Vittoria and fellow pioneers: percussionist and composer Ian Chang, sustainable trail creators Velosolutions, and members of the new UCI MTB World Cup team Pump for Peace Racing.

The campaign includes 60 and 15 second films which will run on YouTube, brand and partner social channels, as well as a series of interviews with the cast.

Vittoria is best known for its road tyres, used by some of the most famous riders and teams in the world. But it also has a fantastic range of MTB tyres which are increasingly being used by pro riders and teams. Firehaus was briefed to raise awareness of the brand in the global MTB community and reinforce key brand and product characteristics.

Shot on location in Flims, Graubünden, Switzerland three friends (Faranak Partoazar from Iran, Tumelo Makae from Lesotho and Velosolutions boss and downhill star Claudio Caluori) ride out from different start points. Descending from the edge of the Vorab glacier and the wooded valleys 1000m below they eventually meet up at – a destination unknown.

The film captures the interplay between drum surface and tyres hitting the earth’s surface, which takes on an almost spiritual dimension in the dramatic landscape of the Glarus Alps. It also highlights the relationship between cyclists and the environment.

Partners

Originally from Hong Kong, composer Ian Chang has built an impressive roster of progressive pop collaborators such as Moses Sumney, Joan As Policewoman, and Matthew Dear, among others, all while performing internationally and recording as a member of Son Lux and Landlady. One of his latest projects was the soundtrack to cult film Everything, Everywhere All At Once, with his band Son Lux. The film has gone on to win seven out of eight categories at the Hollywood Critics Association’s (HCA) Midseason Awards.

Claudio Caluori is well known to MTB riders around the world. The seven-time Swiss National Downhill Champion and Red Bull World Cup commentator has gone on to develop innovative sustainable trails business, pump tracks, and now the Pump for Peace Racing team. The vision for the team is to offer professional support to riders from nations where MTB is a fledgling sport and they’re prone to marginalisation and discrimination.

Ernesto Garcia Domingo, CCO at Vittoria says, “We are building the Vittoria brand around the idea of The Ride Ahead. This captures the rational benefits of our innovative products and the sustainable business processes we are putting in place. But it also captures the spirit of curiosity, optimism and courage we stand for. Own the Unknown encapsulates this perfectly for the MTB community.”

Ian Bates, Founder and Creative Partner at Firehaus comments, “This is a really interesting collaboration between a group of highly innovative partners. Putting Ian Chang’s experimental music together with cycling pioneers Claudio, Faranak, Tumelo and the world’s most innovative tyre brand Vittoria has added layers of meaning to the campaign. The exceptional features of the tyres are given a new lease of life in the narrative.”

Musician Ian Chang adds, “I’m really happy to see how Vittoria saw the connection between my music and their products and their world. So, it’s fun to see my music manifest itself in that way.”

 

Concept and art direction: Firehaus

Film production: Yanzi Creative

Director: Marco Marcassoli

Ian Chang performance footage: Thrdcoast, New York

 

L & D, News, South West

Armadillo Board Members Qualified with the Institute of Directors

CRM specialist Armadillo CFO, Andy Brown, and chairman, Chris Thurling, have both qualified with the Institute of Directors as Chartered Directors. With fewer than 2,000 Chartered Directors worldwide, the qualification demonstrates the business’s commitment to investing in employee development at every level, as well as the business’s dedication to corporate and social governance.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) is a British professional organisation for company directors, senior business leaders and entrepreneurs. It is the UK’s longest running organisation for professional leaders, having been founded in 1903 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1906.

The Chartered Director qualification process involves the study of four modules: governance, strategy, leadership and finance, followed by an exam for each module and then a further three-hour written exam and an interview with a current chartered director.

Chris Thurling comments: “We understand that strengthening our skills as chartered directors should mean we are able to better serve Armadillo, supporting sustainable, long-term growth. A company director is a profession (as much as an accountant for example) therefore why shouldn’t we be qualified for the role?”

Andy Brown adds: “I’m really pleased that Chris and I have been able to complete this training and qualification together. As well as learning more about strong leadership, governance and strategy, we’ve had the advantage of the shared experience of completing this together and bringing ideas back to enhance Armadillo’s Board effectiveness.”

Chris and Andy will also be joining the South West chartered directors network. With members representing agriculture, aerospace, tourism and manufacturing, IoD South West reflects the vibrant and innovative sectors in the region.

News, Wales News

Firehaus wrap up first quarter with duo of new business wins

Firehaus, the Bristol-based brand consultancy, is wrapping up the first quarter of 2022 with a duo of new business wins in the form of Vivo Life and the University of Bristol. Firehaus will be working with Vivo Life on brand positioning and will aid the University of Bristol in development of commercial Quantum offering. 

Vivo Life makes 100% plant-based health and fitness supplements. They have an enviable range of top-quality products which are not only great for people using them, but for the environment and world around them. Their growth has been fuelled by growing awareness and desire for plant-based, cruelty-free nutrition, and is underpinned by a strong sense of purpose as a business-for-good.  

With a loyal following in the UK, US and Germany in particular, the business is looking to remain top-of-mind in an increasingly competitive environment, expand awareness to wider audiences within those core markets, as well as access new international markets.  

 Based in Somerset, Vivo Life is the latest purpose-driven organisation based in the region to work with Firehaus on how they scale for growth. 

Firehaus have been appointed to take the Vivo Life team through its Brand Ignition framework, beginning with defining a new Brand Position. Firehaus will also be carrying out its proprietary Spark survey with employees to understand how the brand currently shapes their internal purpose, culture and environment to set the business up for growth.  

Salvatore Notaro, co-founder and Managing Director at Vivo Life comments, “With big change in the competitor landscape since our launch seven years ago along with rising marketing costs, we recognised that we need a new approach to be able to achieve sustainable growth. So, I’m delighted to be working with Firehaus and their Brand Ignition framework to get us to that next stage.” 

 The consultancy will also be working alongside the University of Bristol to develop its commercial quantum offering and brand positioning. The focus will be on Bristol bringing quantum technology out of the lab and into the world to help tackle the challenges of the future. 

Nick Barthram, Founder and Strategy Partner adds, “We’ve been working behind-the-scenes with the Bristol quantum community for a year now and it still remains exhilarating to be part of something which could so fundamentally change the world we live in.” 

Appointments, News

Armadillo appoints Wunderman Thompson’s Andrew Terry as Head of Strategy

Bristol-based CRM agency, Armadillo, has named Wunderman Thompson’s Andrew Terry as new Head of Strategy. Terry will work across its big-name brands including McDonald’s, Disney and Carnival UK.  

Andrew Terry brings with him a rich history of work in the marketing and advertising industries. Most recently Data Strategy Director at Wunderman Thompson, Terry spent three years working across Shell Drivers’ Club globally, and two subsequent years on its multi-million-pound BT account.  

At Wunderman Thompson, Terry trained up the global team and worked across a wide range of different international markets, optimising the model to be as efficient as possible. Always starting with the question ‘How do we understand customers better?’, Terry was responsible for using data to inform personalisation and measurement; loyalty and membership benefits being at the forefront of his role.  

With in-depth knowledge of data acquisition and optimisation, social and digital data strategies and CRM data optimisation, Andrew Terry’s career has spanned the B2B and B2C sectors, with a firm focus on driving excellent ROI.  

Previous roles also included Data and Marketing Specialist at Newsquest, the UK’s second largest publisher of local media, in which Terry worked with internal and external data to support the centralised recruitment ad sales process and deliver business intelligence garnered from transactional information from both regional and economic trends. 

As Head of Strategy, Andrew Terry will work across all Armadillo accounts with a focus on putting data at the heart of decisions made for customers, using data creatively to change customer behaviour and deliver unrivalled ROI; reaching the right people, the right way at the right time. Keen to involve each part of the agency in achieving this, Terry will ensure results are used to feed back into strategy for maximum effect.  

Armadillo CEO, James Ray, comments: “With the rapid growth trajectory of Armadillo, we value outstanding strategy at the heart of all of our campaigns. From the moment we met Andrew we were blown away by his passion and enthusiasm for results-driven strategy. His vast experience and knowledge were exactly what we were looking for and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the team.” 

Andrew Terry adds: “The people at Armadillo are very, very good at what they do. Their long-lasting relationships with big-name clients are a fantastic indication of just how strong they and their operations really are. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be joining the agency.  

“Like most of the UK over the last 18 months I’ve established a relationship with more new brands than ever before & this presents a huge opportunity for brands entering the CRM space.  CRM is a big, big world but Armadillo is at the forefront. They have the unique ability to pull people together and form teams around the client with remarkable pace and effectiveness. Armadillo is a fantastic blend of passion and enthusiasm; skill and talent and I can’t wait to dive in.” 

Appointments, News

Create Health kicks off 2021 with new hire

Strategic and creative healthcare agency, Create Health, whose creative work includes global and national campaigns for big healthcare brands such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, ConvaTec, BD and HOYA, has welcomed new marketing manager, Carrie Fick, to the team this January.

Carrie brings with her 12 years of experience, both agency and client-side, working for brand leaders Nokia and Samsung. There she worked in European Partnerships and branded events on the likes of the Olympics, Nokia Snowboard and Nokia Trends Lab, and then subsequently worked for branding and advertising agencies in Bristol on the likes of OralB (P&G, Geneva).

Fick comments, “I worked for Create Health five years ago launching a major brand campaign for one of their flagship clients. The campaign culminated at a European Expo where we had a contortionist and 2 silk artists hanging from the rafters cirque de soleil style to communicate the product experience. Not an everyday occurrence at a Healthcare Expo I can grant you that and it got them noticed. And that’s what I love about it. The opportunity to reimagine and experience healthcare in a way that grabs your attention so you can see it in a unique and meaningful way and make an impact on people’s health and wellbeing. It’s exciting and I’m thrilled to be back working with them, joining at a time when Healthcare has never been more important, topical or relevant”.

The addition of marketing manager, Fick, follows five new hires in the year 2020 and marks the expansion of the growing team at Create Health.

“I’m really looking forward to shining a light on what the agency does, creating quality conversations around creativity and the benefits of emotional engagement,” adds Fick. “I’ve quietly watched Create Health evolve from a boutique agency moving to the city and now working with European and Global clients. The quality of their work and creativity is inspiring from Vagisil’s ProHydrate to The Anna Freud Centre – empowering adolescents to take control of their mental health . I’m excited to strengthen partnerships within our network and internationally with thenetworkone, as well as find partners to do brave new work with.”

Ed Hudson, managing director, commented: “We are so glad to be kicking off 2021 by welcoming Carrie. She is an extremely talented individual with an analytical mind and a deep understanding of business. We are very much looking forward to working with her again, especially as we head into an exciting year for the agency.”

Creative News, Health, News

Create Health – Bristol-based Healthcare agency – joins The Network One

Strategic and creative healthcare agency, Create Health, whose creative work includes global and national campaigns for big healthcare brands such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, ConvaTec, BD and HOYA, today joins The Network One, the world’s largest independent advertising and marketing agency network.

The Network One provides independent agency owners and senior directors with the opportunity to stay ahead, network, share and learn through member workshops, global conferences and specialist publications.

Ed Hudson, Managing Director at Create Health, comments, “Joining The Network One is an opportunity for Create Health to deepen our reach internationally, mirror our global client base. We look forward to collaborating with an exciting network of creative independent agencies; so we can learn from them and collaborate with them.”

Create Health joins over 1,200 agencies in 109 countries within the network and aims to seize the opportunity to partner with independent agencies from across the globe, joining a community that is passionate about in furthering the cause of creative marketing.

 

Bristol, Children and Childcare, News

Charlton Nursery in Bristol to remain open for children of key workers throughout the crisis

Bristol-based Charlton Nursery has confirmed it will keep its Charlton Imperial branch, based in Winterstoke Road, open for any key worker children throughout the current Coronavirus crisis. A dedicated team will be running the nursery and they have capacity for up to 78 children.

The setting is open from 7.30am to 6pm every week day, for breakfast, lunch and tea, and the team are welcoming children who have key worker parents or carers, both new and those who normally attend either the Imperial or Flax Bourton branch, which is based in North Somerset.

“We’ve had a lot of enquiries recently and we are keen to support in any way we can,” commented Helen Nott, CEO and co-founder. “These are unprecedented times and having childcare in place can make the difference between being able to perform a critical role or not. We hope by committing to staying open we will be able to make a difference.”

The emphasis is on running day-to-day nursery life as normally as possible for all children, with in the moment planning and observations continuing, as well as plenty of outdoor activities.

There are currently 12 staff working at Charlton Imperial, including a cook to provide fresh hot meals, and Early Years leads. The team will ensure workers are in place depending on the level of demand. They are rotating where possible and management staff are working from home where it’s practical to do so.

Meanwhile, children of non-key worker parents or carers who cannot attend are receiving regular updates from staff on the Famly app, such as videos of staff reading stories and leading activities, ideas for things to do, links to other activities and learning resources.

All voucher schemes are accepted and Charlton Nursery is open to children from six weeks to five years old, 51 weeks a year.