Savvy News Issue 4
Welcome to the fourth edition of 
Savvy News, the quarterly newsletter
 from The Savvy Partnership.
2012
 
 
Helen and David

Welcome to the latest edition of Savvy News, the newsletter from The Savvy Partnership. We’ve both been busy over recent months and if you’d like to know what we’ve been up to please do read on. In this edition we’ve got news about our recent expansion and new offices, thoughts on the forthcoming Olympics and the impact this will have on the North West region, an introduction to our featured supplier Fat Media, client wins and a more personal news update in our ‘Other Hats’ section.

We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it so please do feedback and let us know what you think.

Helen & David

 
News
New Year - new offices - new numbers

We’re very pleased to announce that as part of a planned programme of expansion and growth, The Savvy Partnership has moved offices.

We have relocated our Castlefield office to Speakers House on Deansgate in the centre of Manchester as well as taking office space in Lancaster, with one of our strategic partners, Fat Media. Our new contact details are as follows:

Manchester office: Lancaster office:

The Savvy Partnership
5th Floor, Speakers House
39 Deansgate
Manchester
M3 2BA
Tel. 0161 214 0945

The Savvy Partnership C/O Fat Media Ltd
Storey Creative Industries Centre
Meeting House Lane
Lancaster
LA1 1TH
Tel. 01524 509 079

Please note that our old office telephone number (0161 834 6729) is no longer connected. Should you experience any problems however contacting us on either of our new landline numbers, please don’t hesitate to use our mobile numbers which can be found on the ‘Contact’ page of our website. Many thanks.

8 and counting

January 2012 sees The Savvy Partnership turn 8 years old which in marketing terms is a lifetime - with the recent emergence and popularity of a host of new marketing tactics such as augmented reality, QR codes and social media just in the last couple of years.

With a new office now open in Lancaster, the relocation of our Castlefield office to Deansgate and a busy couple of months ahead in terms of pitches and starting work on new projects, things are looking positive for us, in what can only be described as difficult and uncertain trading conditions for many businesses.

Happy Birthday Savvy and lots more to come!

Clients
Ark

We’re extremely pleased to be working once again with Castlefield based architectural practice Ark, after being appointed as their marketing partner on an exciting new project.

This is the 2nd time Ark have used our services, the first time being back in 2006 when Savvy worked on a branding and positioning project. The initial phase of the work is due to start at the end of January with the project running through into the summer.

Ark is only one of a number of new clients we have started working with in recent months which include:

  • Restorative Solutions - a Preston based not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC), committed to promoting restorative practice through facilitation, consultancy and by training others to use and develop restorative skills.
  • CS Systems - an Old Trafford based Apple and PC system specialist, specialising in a range of business critical IT services that include network design and system integration through to IT support, database design and secure offsite data back-up.
Brand Logos
Comment
Does your 2012 marketing planning need some clarity, focus and direction?
Marketing Direction

There are many good business reasons why it makes sense to carry out a Marketing Audit.

Disruptive technologies, an ever changing marketplace and the diversification of services in response to trading conditions means that businesses regularly need to review their proposition, positioning and marketing messages in order to ensure that they are up-to-date and relevant to their target audience.

Savvy’s Marketing Audit service is designed to provide a snapshot of a businesses’ marketing activity and planning, and to provide independent and objective feedback in the context of current marketing objectives and customer needs.

In simple terms, the Marketing Audit is there to provide your business with focus, clarity and direction as to any future marketing strategy. The charge for a Marketing Audit is just £1,100 + VAT for SME’s. The charge for larger businesses is dependent on company size, structure and profile and can be provided upon request.

For more information please click here.

David

Olympic Gold for North West
Olympics 2012

Last week I attended one of the most interesting and dynamic presentations I’ve been lucky enough to attend in a long time, held at (one of) Manchester’s finest Theatre’s of Dreams, Old Trafford Football Ground, about the forthcoming 2012 Olympics and the impact the games will have across the North West region.

With less than 200 days to go now until the Olympic opening ceremony, which takes place in London on 27th July, the presentation was part of a nationwide series of events taking place around the UK, to highlight the regional benefits of the games and help maximise their economic, sporting and social legacy. Whilst the main games are taking place in London, a number of high profile events are taking place around the country and Manchester is hosting much of the football competition during the games.

Chaired by Andrew Stokes, CEO Marketing Manchester, guest speakers included the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Culture and Olympics (himself a qualified level 9 FA referee) and James Berresford, Chief Executive Visit England, together with Ruth McKenzie, Director of the Cultural Olympiad.

It’s impossible to underestimate the scale of what is going to happen with these Olympic Games but it’s estimated that over 4bn people (that’s more than half of the world’s population) will watch the opening ceremony. Alongside the games, there is running what can only be described as a Cultural Olympiad for all to get involved in. Our government want each and every one of us to get involved – this really is a unique moment in time and the first time the UK has hosted the games since 1948 and we’re all being encouraged to get involved at whatever level.

For those who don’t naturally gravitate to the sports field (that’s me) then do at the very least get out there and watch the Olympic torch pass through your neighbourhood. The Olympic Torch starts its journey on 19th May and is going to visit over 1000 local communities. With 70 overnight stops en-route to the opening ceremony, the torch will be in the North West for 7 nights that include stops in Chester (29/05), Bolton (31/05), Liverpool (01/06), the Isle of Man (02/06), Windermere (21/06), Blackpool (22/06) and Manchester (23/06).

But what does this mean for the North West? One of the repeated comments of the morning was that the North West has grabbed this opportunity with open arms and embraced the opportunity for business and job creation. There are over 22 countries that are using the North West as a pre-Olympic training ground – we have the Australian swimming team, the USA Basketball team, Brazilian paralympians and all 15 of the pacific region nations training right here on our doorstep, and there are over 250 companies in the region, ranging from manufacturing through to engineering businesses who have been awarded Olympic contracts, all taking a share of the £160m that’s been brought to the region.

For a full version of the article please click here.

Helen

Other Hats
Manchester Clock Tower Tour WOWS!
  Clock Tower  

As a Green Badge Tour Guide for Manchester I regularly get invited to lead tours around some of the most iconic public buildings and places in the City, but in October last year I was invited to join a team of Manchester Tour Guides to lead tours up the famous Clock Tower at Manchester Town Hall.

Previously closed to the public, the historic Clock Tower was opened up for just 6 weeks giving visitors a unique opportunity to see Manchester and beyond as never seen before. With 177 steps and almost 300ft up in the air, the views from the top far outweighed the long climb!

On the way to the top I made the climb easier and took my visitors into the bell ringing room, the clock room (think of the inside of a watch – only much much bigger!) and to stand behind the four huge clock faces. As well as explaining the history and significance of the tower, guests also learnt a bit more about why the Town Hall was and still is, so important and iconic to Manchester.

Designed by Liverpudlian architect Alfred Waterhouse and opened in 1877, Manchester Town Hall is regarded as one of the most important Grade I listed buildings in England. Still home today to Manchester City Council, the building houses a number of local government departments whilst the magnificent state rooms on the first floor regularly house events and are among the most popular of wedding venues in the North West. The Town Hall is also a famous ‘Body Double’ for the Palace of Westminster in London. It was recently used in the film “The Iron Lady” so if you watch this, pay special attention to the House of Commons scenes which were filmed here in Manchester!

The tour ended on top of the tower, next to Great Abel, the huge 8.5 tonne bell, named after Manchester Lord Mayor Abel Heywood. This is the bell you can hear across the city chiming out the hour throughout the day. Without fail, the first thing everyone said on stepping out onto the narrow cat walk at the top of the tower was “Wow!” From the top of the Clock Tower, there is a 360 degree panoramic view across the City, the Pennines and the Cheshire Plain. Whether a daylight or night time tour, visitors never failed to be impressed with what they were looking at and despite doing the tour more times than my legs care to remember, I never failed to be impressed either.

One of the nicest things about being a Manchester Tour Guide is receiving positive feedback from visitors and I can honestly say that these tours were amongst the most enjoyable I’ve ever given. I met some fantastic people and heard some fascinating stories on the way, from visitors who had their own tale to tell. Standout memories include the large and energetic family group who had in their family 3 past Lord Mayors of Manchester, the lady who had been brought into the Town Hall as a 6 week old baby and was returning for the first time in 60 years and the gentleman who proposed to his girlfriend on the very top of the Clock Tower. And yes, she said “yes!”

My legs only threatened to seize up once (having been challenged by a visiting rugby team to RUN to the top of the tower in one go - I accepted the challenge in a moment of madness) but by Christmas with legs of steel, I felt quite justified in eating copious amounts of chocolate in a guilt free manner!

I’m hoping that after the enormous success of these tours, that in partnership with Manchester City Council, I’ll be doing more of these tours later this year so will keep you posted.

If you’re interested in finding out more please email me at helen@thesavvypartnership.co.uk

Helen

Featured Supplier
Fat Media

Fat Media is an award-winning digital agency based in Lancaster. With a team of 38 and a roster of regional, national and international clients the firm is recognised as one of the leading agencies in the North West.

Established in 2005 the agency has built on a foundation of excellent customer service and a results driven approach to continue to build and grow, almost exclusively on recommendation. Clients include Balfour Beatty, Booths, Encona Sauces, OCS Group, Birds’ Eye, Conlons and Clydesdale / Yorkshire Bank. Recent awards include Creative Business of the Year at the 2011 Red Rose Awards, the pre-eminent awards for Lancashire businesses; and the Web Marketing Association award for Best B2B site for OCS Group; and a Gold Award for best photographic website for Ilford Lab in the Digital Photo magazine awards.

The agency continues to expand and in addition to website design, development, bespoke applications, search marketing, email marketing and social media, the firm has created a graphic design unit to build on its creative strengths; a mobile team to continue its growth in apps and software over handheld devices; launched a video production division to build on the appetite for impactful visual content; and is also creating teams to build on its strengths in the food and drink, travel and tourism, education and financial services sectors. At the heart though is understanding the client, their business requirements and using the right skills, technology and services to drive their business forward.

For more information visit www.fatmedia.co.uk

Fat Media
 
 
Get in touch...
we would love to hear from you,

Addresses
Manchester Office:
The Savvy Partnership
5th Floor, Speakers House
39 Deansgate
Manchester
M3 2BA
0161 214 0945

Lancaster Office:
The Savvy Partnership C/O Fat Media Ltd
Storey Creative Industries Centre
Meeting House Lane
Lancaster
LA1 1TH
01524 509 079

David Adams
07795 083 885
david@thesavvypartnership.co.uk

Helen Freeborough
0794 662 0808
helen@thesavvypartnership.co.uk

Website
www.thesavvypartnership.co.uk

     
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