With a turnover of £36.1m last year, Chester based FirstLine Digital, is the UK’s largest independent installer of digital, terrestrial and satellite equipment and one of only 2 suppliers to Sky for domestic installations in the UK. The Savvy Partnership was appointed to work with the company following a competitive 3-way pitch last month.

FirstLine Digital Managing Director Mike Davies, commenting on the appointment of The Savvy Partnership said – “The challenge for FirstLine Digital is that as a business we have experienced year on year rapid growth since we started. This growth presents us with many challenges one of which is to improve the level and quality of brand awareness nationally as well as improve our own internal communications”.

“We were really impressed by the Savvy team and their ideas and we’re looking forward to working closely with them over the coming months”.

Established in 2004, The Savvy Partnership provides public and private sector organisations with high quality outsourced marketing support and project management. Their services are designed to complement an organisation’s existing in-house marketing function, filling the gaps in skills and resources and providing fresh ideas and marketing impetus.

Partner David Adams commenting on the FirstLine Digital account win said “The digital sector is rapidly growing and the industry opportunities are huge. The brief we have been presented with for FirstLine Digital is really interesting and a big challenge but one that we’re looking forward to delivering over the coming year”.

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Throughout the year, business partners Helen Freeborough and David Adams who each elected a charity which was close to their heart, are going to undertake a series of fundraising events to help raise money for their chose charity.

One of the first activities the pair will be undertaking is the famous Morecambe Cross Bay Walk. David and Helen, who both grew up on the shores of Morecambe Bay, have decided that during the summer months they will undertake the walk a 9 mile walk across the treacherous quick sands and three Rivers of the Bay.  

Both completed the walk as children and are looking forward to repeating the experience. “Standing in the middle of Morecambe Bay looking at the hills of the Lake District is quite simply awesome.” commented Helen. “We’re hoping to get friends and family to join us on what should be a memorable day out and raise as much money as possible”.

In addition to this, Helen, now a qualified Manchester Green Badge Tour Guide is planning on donating the fees from one of her Manchester Guided Walks to her chosen charity The Princess Royal Trust for Carers.

David who in his early years spent 14 years serving with the 4^th Battalion The King’s Own Royal Border Regiment, has chosen to support ‘Help for Heroes’, an organisation formed to help those who have been wounded in Britain’s current conflicts. David says “historically successive British Governments have not been particularly good at supporting those men and women injured following an armed conflict. Although things are improving, given both the age and numbers of personnel returning to the UK with in many instances horrendous mental and physical injuries, I believe they need and deserve all the help they can get.”

Helen has chosen to support the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, a charity she has been associated with for over 15 years. THE PRTC provide information and support for Carers of all ages through a network of Carers Centres in the UK.

“Throughout all the years I have been involved with the PRTC the one fact that comes back to me time and again is that Caring knows no bounds. There is no discrimination because anyone can find themselves taking on a caring role. It doesn’t matter where you come from, whether you are male or female, young or old. I’ve met children looking after parents and struggling with schoolwork through to a 70 year old looking after a partner with Alzheimer’s. Carers rarely complain, they simply get on with it but therefore need help before they reach crisis point”.

There are 6 million carers in the UK today and with an ageing population and people with learning disabilities and illnesses living longer, it’s expected that within 10 years there will be 13 million carers throughout the UK.

For more information on both these charities please visit:

www.carers.org

www.helpforheroes.org.uk

Related Reading:
FirstLine Digital Raises Funds for Help for Heroes

The firm’s expansion plans sees the agency move this month from the Box Works into a 2500sqft contemporary loft space in Salford, to meet its current business demands.

Helen Freeborough, Director explains: “We have seen a major upturn in our business as a result of the current economic crisis.

“We are finding that clients who have downscaled their marketing departments during the last few months are now realising that despite this, they still have products and services to sell and promote and therefore do need some marketing activity. And in turn, we are getting an increased number of enquiries about providing short term and ongoing marketing support.”

The Savvy Partnership provides companies and agencies with high quality marketing support and project management – services specifically designed to complement existing in-house marketing teams, filling in the gaps in skills and resources and providing fresh ideas and marketing impetus.

The aim of the two phase survey is to help Manchester Digital and the MDDA gain a better understanding of the digital sector and its needs in order to more effectively inform, influence, advocate and promote the best interests of the regions digital businesses.. Participants will be invited to complete a short online survey about their particular business and any issues they might currently be facing as a digital company.

It is the first time that such an in-depth survey has been carried out and it is hoped that the results will not only provide an accurate overview as to the size and profile of the regions digital sector, but also offer an insight into the issues facing those operating in the digital sector as well as help identify the areas where such organisations need support and assistance from organisations such as Manchester Digital.

Shaun Fensom, Chair of Manchester Digital commented – “The digital sector has grown enormously over the last ten years and the progress made in the North West has been incredible, resulting in a wealth of expertise across the region.

The survey comes at an important time for the digital industry in the North West, celebrating this year the 60th anniversary of the world’s first computer ‘baby’ who was born in Manchester and the scheduled opening of Mediacity in Salford in 2012.

What we hope to gain from the survey is a much better understanding of the digital sector in the region and the issues faced by those working in it. By asking directly what their experiences are and how they see the industry developing, the results from the survey will enable us to develop services and membership benefits in direct response to the real world needs of our members and the sector in general”.

The first phase of the survey is scheduled to be carried out over the next three weeks.

The ‘Free Friday’ initiative has been designed specifically to help small, start-up and incubator businesses, members of Savvy’s four strong management team will work for free on Fridays helping non-client business with free marketing consultancy across the areas of Marcomms, New Product Development & Innovation and Online Marketing.

To qualify for a ‘Free Friday’, applicant businesses must be of ten employees or less and based along the M62 corridor. They will also need to demonstrate a need for marketing advice in order to improve their internal and external communication, build brand, generate media interest or stimulate customer demand in order to help their business become more successful.

“The concept of ‘giving something back’ is a powerful one for all of us at The Savvy Partnership’ said Helen Freeborogh. ‘We have all been involved on a personal and business level with Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives for many years and Free Friday is perhaps our version of this. It’s about giving something back to the next generation of entrepreneurs and young business men and women”.

Director David Adams commented – “The type of businesses who approach us and the advice they will want will vary enormously and this in itself will be a challenge. I’m hoping that through our Free Friday initiative we can help the next generation of entrepreneurs and businesses out there in a very practical way by providing access to high quality marketing support at no cost. Savvy’s recent expansion in both consultant numbers and office locations means that with our combined skill set and geographical coverage we’re now in a position to do this”.

Formed in 2003 The Savvy Partnership has a wealth of marketing and business development experience across industry sectors ranging from property, leisure, manufacturing, automotive and professional services. As an agency Savvy is dedicated to helping businesses to become more successful through the provision of outsourced marketing consultancy, coaching and support. Available on a project or retained basis, The Savvy Partnership offers client’s high quality outsourced strategic, tactical and operational marketing support and project management.

Having already run a number of Free Friday workshops in both London and Manchester on an informal basis, the agency is now inviting anyone interested who qualifies to contact them via the email enquiry form on the website’s Contact page if they would like to be considered for some free strategic consultancy.

Manchester Digital is the independent trade association for the thriving ICT and new media industries in the North West of England. The association’s aim is to actively promote Manchester’s growing digital business sector as a centre of excellence, influence and innovation, as well as attract business and inward investment from the UK and worldwide.

As part of the ongoing growth and development of the association which was set up in 2001, a brand positioning and strategy proposal is being written by David Adams of The Savvy Partnership who will work alongside Fudge’s creative team in the development of the new identity.

David comments: “It is felt that as an organisation, Manchester Digital has come of age. Certainly as the association with the responsibility of representing and promoting what is arguably the most influential and innovative creative and digital hub in the UK, it was thought appropriate to both re-position the brand and develop a new brand identity that would reflect the values and aspirations of the association as well as those of the companies, industries and region it represents as we move into what is a very exciting and challenging time for Manchester and the NW, with landmark initiatives such as Mediacity:uk just around the corner”

Also being looked into is the establishment of a ‘Kitemark®’ badge that can be attributed to member companies for use in their communications and on their website.

David Eccles of Fudge comments: “We are really looking forward to getting our teeth into this project as Manchester Digital is at the heart of our NW industry. There is a challenge to develop an identity that will move the association forward in the right way, and are looking forward to working with The Savvy Partnership and other member organisations to make sure we get it just right.”

www.fudgestudios.com
www.manchesterdigital.co.uk