About
With our experience in this area, we’ve learnt that FMCG, consumer and retail brands need sector experts to capitalise on the increasing importance of digital communications and drive activation for their brands.
We bring together these expert skills and knowledge in a focused, specialist digital agency.
Digital marketing campaigns
Digital marketing campaigns that bring the 'big idea' to life.
By focusing not on what you do, but on why you do it, our creative work brings the brand truth to life, helping consumers to understand the brand, the product, and its relevance to them.
We create powerful, targeted digital communications to amplify the idea through digital channels, connecting with consumers at the right time, in the right place and in the right way.
Using a range of digital tools and techniques to activate consumers - delivering targeted offers, retail, digital and mobile coupons, and traditional promotions - we use digital channels to drive consumers closer to purchase, with reasons to engage, try, or buy in-store or online.
We provide a complete range of digital services:
- Campaign & brand websites
- Digital display advertising (Banner ads)
- Facebook brand pages, apps & content
- YouTube Channels & Content
- Mobile - websites, games, apps & content
- Email & CRM
Digital sales promotion
Websites specifically built to support on-pack promotions, using our suite of established code entry mechanisms.
- Unique code entry
- Winning Moment' mechanics
- Prize draw entry
- Unique code instant win
- Entry & data management
- Entry validation
And most importantly, we do this seamlessly across digital, social & mobile channels.
Experience
Matt Ramsay
Founder and Managing Director
Matt is co–founder of Activation, and brings over 20 years 'big agency' experience with him, including over 10 years in all areas of digital marketing.
Matt set up Activation to bring his understanding and experience of how digital can really benefit FMCG and consumer brands to the market with a very clear proposition.
Matt has developed many award–winning campaigns with a wide range of leading FMCG and consumer clients and brands, including Nestlé, Purina, Orange, GUINNESS, adidas, Procter & Gamble, COI, United Biscuits, BlackBerry and Peugeot/Citroen.
Matt's agency experience started back in 1993 at McCann Erickson, followed by roles at EHS Brann and Euro RSCG, managing director of InboxDMG, and most recently - before setting up Activation - Managing Director of 20:20, the UKs No. 1 Digital Agency in 2010, 2009 and 2008 (Campaign).
When Matt isn't looking after clients, writing the next strategic marketing plan, or running the agency you'll probably find him flying down the mountains of Wales on his mountain bike.
Find out more about Matt on LinkedIn
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/mjramsay
Follow Matt on Twitter
@Matt_Ramsay
Dan Hirons
Founder and Creative Director
Dan is an award–winning Creative Director and co–founder of Activation. Dan has over 14 years experience developing creative work in the digital space.
Dan is highly passionate about all areas of digital creativity and design; from interaction design, information architecture and user experience, and is fascinated by the ever–evolving digital landscape.
FMCG and consumer brands are Dan's specialty, having developed award–winning digital creative for many leading brands, including GUINNESS, Orange, Coca Cola, Cadbury, Hyundai, Müller, Lurpak, Anchor and Cravendale.
Prior to starting Activation, Dan spent three years running his own successful creative agency. Previously, Dan was Head of Interactive at Carlson Marketing EMEA and Creative Director of full service agency E3 for five years working with a range of leading clients, including Orange, FCUK and Halfords.
Dan's other passions include the internet, technology, gadgets, film and photography. When he isn’t scouring the twittersphere for the next big thing, Dan is playing basketball, cycling, in the gym or spending time with his wife and two young daughters.
Find out more about Dan on LinkedIn
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/dcvhirons
Follow Dan on Twitter
@Dan_Hirons
Why Bristol?
Both Matt and Dan, and the rest of the Activation team have lived and worked in Bristol for a number of years — it is a unique city for creativity and digital expertise, supported by a very healthy media networking community.
In this time we have built up strong relationships with a wide range of Bristol-based experts, with whom we partner to deliver specific services and skills. This is an important part of our proposition, and our wider capability — we handpick the best talent to deliver specific skills and expertise.
It’s also a great city for a healthy work/life balance, which is important for us; it keeps us all fresh, healthy and enthused about what we do. We’re also proud to be in Bristol’s 'greenest' office building.
Bristol is the largest city in the South West, a region highlighted as a Creative Industries National Exemplar in the Government's 2008 ‘Creative Britain’ strategy. The creative industries in Bristol employ around 11,500 people, accounting for more than 12% of all employees in the city. The city has recently been named by NESTA as one of the UK's top ten creative hotspots.
Bristol also boasts a strength in creative sectors unmatched by most other European regional cities - design and architecture, books and publishing, visual arts, theatre and performing arts, including a profusion of festivals and carnivals throughout the year, comedy clubs, street theatre and Europe's leading circus school. Creative quarters such as the Watershed Media Centre, Jamaica Street Studios, Knowle West Media Centre, Mivart Studios, Paintworks, Pervasive Media Studio, Spike Island and the Tobacco Factory are examples of Bristol's vibrant creative community, contributing to its accolade of ‘Second Media City’ in recent years.
There are 39,400 employed in South West core creative industries, working in 9,000 businesses. Looking at 2005—2007 trends, research shows South West creative businesses increased by 10.2%, compared to an England average of 7.7%
Detail and facts courtesy Creative England website
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