There is a story behind everything

From a first-class stamp into a business

Albert Einstein famously called compound interest the eighth wonder of the world. But it’s not just interest that compounds; moments do too.

It’s amazing to see how seemingly small moments have compounded over the last 20 years to create the company we are today.

For example, I can remember writing 100 letters to heads of communications at a range of London based firms in spring 2002…and then 100 follow-up calls on an old phone that would probably be considered ‘vintage’ now.

It was one of those calls that led to a meeting with BNP Paribas, that led to a training session, that led to our first film contract, that led to the creation of our film team.

Today, that team is 20 percent of our business and has produced award-winning work for the likes of UniCredit, Essilor and Pernod Ricard.

Crazy to think that it all started with a stamp.

Richard Rivlin, Chairman

Moving house

For most of Bladonmore’s history, we were headquartered at 10-11 Percy Street in Fitzrovia, London. Those of us who were there during those years felt like it was a big part of our identity back then.

The building was old and the lift was slow, but inside was a very different story: an office full of good people with expertise, ideas, and ambition.

Eventually, that ambition outgrew the building’s ability to support it and we moved to our new home at 55 New Oxford Street. It’s only round the corner but it marked a new chapter in our story, one of growth and expansion. And we haven’t looked back (except to reminisce at photos like this!)

Interesting fact: our building receptionist makes a small appearance in Stan Lee’s Lucky Man series.

Nicodemos Pinto, Producer

American icon

My absolute favourite building in New York City is the Chrysler Building, so I was thrilled when we chose to move our New York office here earlier this year.

Since then, we’ve welcomed new clients and colleagues through the doors. It’s such an exciting journey – lots of hard work but also lots of support from the team at our London HQ.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I might have lived in this city for seven years but Alicia Keys’ words are still ringing in my ears: “There’s nothin’ you can’t do. Now you’re in New York”

Leonie Dixon, Director of Operations

Thinking big

We love working internationally – and we want to do more of it. Since becoming CEO, that has been one of my top priorities.

Whether it’s taking UK clients overseas; helping continental European companies access north America; or bringing a global perspective to our US client base. Global stories are our lifeblood.

In the last few years, we have expanded to the US and grown our Gulf-based offering.

Asia now beckons. We’ve recently completed a range of projects in China, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia.

So, watch this space…

Richard Carpenter, CEO

Apart but together

When Covid hit, we stayed apart to stay safe. Our virtual ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions became a weekly bright point for the whole team to keep in touch. We covered everything from cybersecurity to branding to salmon curing to yoga.

My favourite was run by our head of digital, Jamal. He taught us how to make – and flip – the perfect pancake over Teams. I can’t say it was a complete success (there were definitely a few duds) but it did produce a lot of much-needed laughter.

I think it captured something wonderful about Bladonmore: that the people here have many talents, they love to share – and they know how to have fun.

Lauren Webb, HR Manager

Good things come to those who wait

We might not stick to the norms at Bladonmore, but we definitely know how to have fun.

Our 2021 Christmas party summed us up pretty perfectly. Covid put a slight delay on celebrations, but when our Christmas lunch finally rolled around in March the following year (!) we made sure it was twice as good.

Picture the end of the night: inflatable unicorns, bunting, disco lights, a dance floor bearing witness to a lot of questionable moves and shapes, and two of our resident DJs – DJ Mike Mar and DJ Rushie – on the decks!

Truly a night to remember.

Olivia Tharian, Senior Project Manager

A birthday to remember

For our 20th anniversary I was tasked with organising something ‘special’ to celebrate. I applied a bit of creative licence and a few months later, the whole company was making its way to a vineyard in the South of France for a short break.

We stayed in a château that looked as if it had come straight out of the pages of a fairy tale. The agenda was packed: eating, socialising, dancing (a Bladonmore tradition) – and a wholesome team activity or two.

It was a lot of work to organise, but it was unforgettable. And as I enjoyed a glass of rosé by the pool after a surreal Wednesday morning spent truffle hunting with my colleagues, I felt immensely lucky to work with such a great group of people.

Hayley Fletcher, Business Manager

Opportunity knocks

A year ago, I’d never even been to the US. Now, I’m renting a flat in New York City, two streets away from Central Park.

I was offered the chance to jet off from London and join our team here in the Chrysler Building earlier this year.

Getting to grips with a new market and city has pushed me to try new things and meet new people. There are challenges, like finding somewhere to watch the cricket (!), but it’s the kind of career opportunity that doesn’t come round every day. And why I’m grateful to be part of an ambitious, growing business.

Tom Brown, Consultant

In with the old, in with the new

We’re a business. Winning new clients and new work is an important – and exciting – part of how we support ourselves and grow.

For some businesses, that can create a tension between old and new relationships. It’s why I’m even prouder to say that 20 years on, we still work with our very first client.

Our partnership with private equity firm Bridgepoint began with “The Point”, a thought leadership programme focused on Europe. We continue to publish it today.

But as we and Bridgepoint have grown, we’ve worked together in new ways: across coaching, consultancy, and film, from successful exit processes to investor communications and fundraising.

For me, it’s a true example of partnership and why old doesn’t have to mean stale.

Nick McAlpine, Executive Producer/Director

In the desert on a horse camel with no name

This job has taken me to some very interesting – and unexpected – places.

Sometimes we work with a client’s senior team outside of their day-to-day environment. The change of setting helps them focus on building new skills or delivering a new narrative.

When the team comes from offices around the globe, they look for international hubs: Miami, Hyderabad, London, and once, the sand dunes of Oman.

I’ll never forget working beneath the desert sky and being joined by an unexpected delegate, ‘Carmel’ the camel, who appeared to be listening closely…

Sandra Davis, Director

Thinking beyond profit

Loud Halo is our pro bono arm, where we support charities and non-profits to communicate with the people who matter most to them.

This year we had the privilege of working with Bowel Research UK. We created a campaign film to generate awareness and openness around bowel disease – which over a million people suffer from in the UK alone.

As part of this, we spoke to people who have been living with bowel disease and listened to their stories. It was incredibly humbling and inspiring to see people talk so openly about something very personal, to see them cry – and to see them laugh as they told their stories.

The charity has told us it’s made a real difference, which feels hugely rewarding. I’m looking forward to doing more of this type of work in 2023.

Sara Tingström, Producer

And the Oscar goes to…

Whenever awards season rolls around, I’m always excited to see how we’ll do.

It’s also a great chance to see what others are doing and to see how our peers react to our work.

In my time at Bladonmore we’ve brought in more expertise and pushed ourselves to become even more creative and more ambitious. It’s fantastic to see us getting recognition for the work we do with our clients, across many different industries.

I particularly enjoyed the Corporate Content Awards this year where we picked up three gold awards, including the Grand Prix for our work with AAC Clyde Space.

We’ve worked closely with their team for two years across our whole offer and it’s great to see that having a positive impact – and being recognised.

Andy Burridge, Client Services Director

A problem shared is a problem halved

In Marketing, we’re always looking for new ways to connect with people and to tell stories. It’s a challenge: there’s a lot of stuff out there competing for people’s attention.

I’ve really enjoyed the process of developing our podcast series, Centre Stage.

Each episode explores a different theme with a new guest. So far, we’ve covered talent, culture, brand, and sustainability.

It’s a place where we can share insights and experiences from across the comms industry. Where we can be open and frank about the communications challenges that we and our clients face – and how to solve them.

You can listen to our latest episode on Spotify, Apple and Amazon podcasts.

Liz Silvester, Marketing Consultant

Adapting to change

I’ve been at Bladonmore for over a decade. COVID-19 has certainly been the biggest challenge we’ve had to face in that time. And of course, we weren’t alone in that.

We had to implement a digital strategy that could meet the challenges of lockdown, and then hybrid working. We also had to communicate our new systems and approach to colleagues at every stage and support them where needed.

Having to go through that ourselves has helped us to be better communicators for our clients. I know I’ve gained a much deeper understanding of the challenges and nuances involved in fast-tracking digital change and communicating change internally.

Jamal Dayes, Head of Digital

Boldly going where we haven’t gone before

Something I love about working at Bladonmore is that, as the world around us changes, we don’t retreat into the familiar. We engage.

We apply our skills in new territories – they don’t even have to be on earth.

Three years ago, we didn’t have any clients in the space industry. Now, we’ve worked with names like Virgin Galactic through to space companies who are just about to go public or launch their first product.

It’s a fast-growing area for us and an industry that I think will touch all our lives. It’s great to be part of it.

Shreena Patel, Associate Director

Growing our expertise, sustainably

Turning chicken poo into plastic.

Why plant-based butters matter.

Building hydrogen corridors in the middle east.

These are some of the sustainability stories we’ve told this year.

We’ve not just worked on behalf of our clients, but the broader community too. We spoke to 15 leading world experts on climate to produce a report, Good COP, Bad COP, that would help businesses play their part at COP27 better.

I’m really proud of the progress we’ve made internally too. At Bladonmore, we’ve begun our own materiality process, assessed our suppliers for modern slavery, and contributed to food banks and soup kitchens. I can’t wait to do more in 2023.

David Willans, Sustainability Director

Highlighting what matters

An agency’s brand is a bit like a cobbler’s shoes. As soon as you meet them, you can’t help but judge their abilities based on appearances.

But more than just looking good, a well put together brand also needs to be accessible, appropriate, distinctive, durable, and flexible.

Did you know that the symbol in our logo represents the letter B written with a yellow highlighter?

To me, it captures our role to highlight the important parts of our clients’ stories – and to help them communicate in a way that stands out.

Anthony Coombes, Creative Director

First day jitters

My first day at Bladonmore felt like the first day of school. I felt nervous about entering a new environment and a new position.

But as soon as I had met my colleagues my mind was set at ease. I discovered Suzanne is from Massachusetts, just like me, which was definitely a bonding moment. Things have escalated quickly and we’re planning on running the New York City Marathon together next year.

Being assigned a ‘buddy’ in my first week also made things much easier. It was great to know I had someone I could turn to if I had any questions.

Training for the marathon aside (!), I’m so excited to be part of this welcoming, kind, and smart team.

Gam Dhliwayo, Senior Designer

Shifting focus

I was a business journalist for more than 20 years before I joined Bladonmore this year.

A journalist’s job is to tell stories all day, every day. And now that I’m here, I can see that’s also Bladonmore’s foundation.

But instead of chasing stories, I now help organisations to tell their own. I’m still having to listen closely, assimilate vast amounts of information quickly and translate that in a clear and compelling way. I still ask the tough questions, but now I do it as a trusted part of the inner circle, advising and digging deep to help them communicate successfully and with confidence.

Lina Saigol, Director

Your story, well told

For 20 years we’ve been guided by this deceptively simple statement. More than a pithy tagline, I think it captures the soul of Bladonmore – how we work and think, how we organise and deliver our services.

It’s your story and no one else’s: relevant and recognisable to all; true to who you are; crafted with an element of wonder you didn’t know was there to begin with.

We bring your story to the world in a way that none can match – uniquely strategic and tactical, holistic and multi-audience, creative and execution-focused, top down and bottom up, and sustainable through the years.

Cathal Smyth, Director of Strategy