Don’t ask me how, but five years have passed since I reflected on 438’s 15th anniversary. So, as we reach the big 2-0, it feels timely to bring you all up to speed to where the agency stands today…
The only constant, so they say, is change. And over the past 60 months, the world has changed beyond recognition. A new, unknown pneumonia-like virus shut down the world and changed life as we know it. Over the water, Trump lost the election, faced legal charges, and won again. Back home, the Labour Party ended 14 years of Conservative rule, civilian space travel became a reality, and we mourned the loss of our Queen while coronating our King. Russia invaded Ukraine, the Barbie movie turned the world pink and became the highest-grossing film ever; and Artificial Intelligence has become an integral part of everyone’s lives, promising to enhance IT and the skills of its users…
As an agency, we’ve transformed, too, welcoming new clients like Ecolab, Survitec, ITI and Terry Lifts onboard, and working on partnerships with Manchester United, Paramount and the FA along the way. We’ve seen our team grow, both in and outside the office, welcoming babies and grandbabies to our brood. The business has hit significant performance milestones, and we’ve lost loved ones, including our wonderful Creative Director, Mike, and our beautiful office dog-cum-well-being-officer, Blue.
Remembering Uncle Mike
On 7th December 2021, we lost our beloved Mike Willig to pancreatic cancer. Mike was our Creative Director for almost 10 years, and his memory and legacy live on in 438’s Willig Days, when the team can take advantage of a ‘free’ day and go better themselves. ‘Uncle Mike’, as he is fondly known, was a big believer in nurturing the team’s personal development delivering the best work possible, and we know he would approve of the agency’s continued progress by saying, “You’ve all done very well!”
Although it sadly came far sooner than we’d envisaged, Mike had already prepared us for change. He’d started a succession plan with retirement plans of his own in sight, he guided our current Head of Creative, Andy Fryer, to take over leadership of the Creative studio, supported by Ian Downward. Together, they take charge of making us better and we know that they can, because they learnt from the best.
So, thank you, Mike. We miss you, mate.
A ‘relationships-first’ agency that’s been 20 years in the making
So, in what feels like the blink of an eye, 438 now has 20 years on the clock, and so much has changed in the circle of agency life. A whopping 7,300 days on, our starting team of four is now a considerably larger team of thirty-plus. We continue to work out of our head office in Knutsford, Cheshire, providing in-house integrated marketing and advertising services, including strategy, planning, client service, creative, design, and film production, for a fantastic list of clients.
Maintaining long-lasting, prosperous relationships with incredible brands and great people takes dedication, commitment and continuous improvements. We’ve working relationships spanning more than 12 years with both Element Materials Technology and International Motors Ltd and their brands, and we’ve worked with PepsiCo for close to 6 years. These partnerships have produced some of the most effective, creative marketing campaigns to strengthen further our role as a core part of their teams.
The tenure of client relationships like these is a testament to the exceptional service and solutions our team provides. Further validation is that 80% of our client base has come from referrals and recommendations.
A new way of working
While there are way more negatives than positives from the horrendous SARS-CoV-2 virus, I do think important lessons were learnt as a result. From a 438 perspective, we quickly adapted to the benefits of flexible working and working from home. Call me old school, but I thought you needed the whole agency to work 40-hour weeks in the office. After all, I’d worked at successful agencies, and that’s how they did it. Our clients did the same, so it must be the only way, right?
Wrong. 438 prioritises providing fulfilling careers for all its employees, and the benefit of a better work-life balance, working three days in the office and two days remotely, is proving to be a hit. (From personal experience, avoiding northbound jams on Thelwall Viaduct at 6 pm on a Friday is fantastic!) Together, we’ve built a relaxed, inclusive culture of togetherness and camaraderie. This commitment is reciprocated by every one of our colleagues, and low staff attrition is evidence of the approach’s success – 40% of our team have been at 438 over five years, while a further 44% have been with us for over three years. Retaining clients and colleagues is one of my proudest achievements; we set out to do it from the start, so realising this is a dream come true.
Our fabulous Account Director Sophie (aka Megs) joined us as our first recruit, joining us an Account Executive in 2005
Looking to the future
And so, whilst I may no longer have the perfect eyesight, I can see a great and exciting future for 438. In August 2022, we invited Helenka (aka Hods) to the board. A hard-working, highly talented individual whose ‘P plan’* is making the agency more successful and a better business. Helenka joined 438 straight from university, progressing from our promotional rugby ball parcel packer to Account Executive, Account Manager, Account Director, Client Services Director, and Managing Director. She’s a brilliant colleague, friend, mentor, and an amazing mum to her boys, Freddie and Toby. She pushes everyone and everything we do to get better every day. She makes things happen, and 438’s future is so exciting because of her energy, drive, and commitment.
*Please ask Hods
Not bad for a fag packet business plan devised by a young lad from Stockport
So there we have it. Reaching the age of 52 at 438 was not something I’d considered when we opened the doors in 2005. Why would it? I was just starting out; my children were both still in junior school, my parents were in their fifties, and my own half-century seemed like a lifetime away.
Twenty years on, I feel totally blessed working in a job that I still get great satisfaction from, with brands I’m so proud to work with. At home, I have a loving, fully supportive wife, three grown-up children, a daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, two cats, and my parents and parents-in-law are around to enjoy our progress.
All in all, none too shabby for what started with a fag packet business plan devised by a young lad from Stockport and an even younger lad from Darlington.
So thank you to all clients and colleagues, old and current who made this journey possible…here’s to 2045.