Burger Menu Icon Burger Menu Icon Close Menu Icon

Category: Aspectus

Poor comms strategy? You’re fired: how the candidates should have played their cards in this year’s ‘The Apprentice’

By Laura Morrison, Senior Account Executive

So, you’ve come up with your own sparkling idea to make it big: a business plan with a comprehensive profit and loss (P&L), projection of sales, and marketing strategy. Trouble is, you fall short of a £250k investment to bring it into existence and catapult yourself towards becoming a gazillionaire.  

Your options for securing this funding? A bank loan, crowd funding, an angel investor, a knock on the door of the bank of Mum and Dad? Or you could’ve decided that your best option for raising capital is to throw yourself in a pool with 17 other budding candidates on national TV, and gamble that you’ll survive 12 gruelling weeks of tasks and boardrooms to come out on top. You’d think a bright young ex-Barclays employee would opt for one of the more traditional paths before throwing himself to the mercy of ruthless grillings from a Lord of the realm. Alas, Avi Sharma has become one of the latest victims of Lord Sugar’s The Apprentice, back on screens for its 17th series.  

Calculated risk aside, why embark on this treacherous interview process to fight it out for Lord Sugar’s funding and 50 years’ worth of business experience? In a show where bold players can win big, quite often your best bet for fame and success seems to be shortlisting yourself for soundbite of the year (who can forget, ‘there’s no ‘I’ in team, but there’s three in millionaire’).  

The reason to sign up is clear: exposure, publicity, and 16 weeks’ worth of free comms and TV advertising which would otherwise cost you upwards of six figures. It is not the easiest route to get your brand out there, but in a world where personal brand can outweigh the product an influencer sells, it makes three months’ worth of boardrooms seem ever more appealing.  

Of course, this is assuming you can run its course, failing at the first hurdle gets you about as much airtime as a ‘You’ve Been Framed’ clip without the £250. Although, if you’re lucky and play your cards right haggling salmon down from market price at a stall in Brighton, you stand a chance of being remembered, and might even win. 

With the industry’s talent crisis hitting the headlines every day, you can’t blame Lord Sugar for wanting to vet the options over a painstakingly long decision process with the opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ on an employee providing invaluable insight pre investment. Besides being a creative and a sales-orientated contestant, it is obvious that sugar-coating Lord Amstrad is not going to win you his buy-in, but more so the honesty and integrity of each candidate which will convince him of the potential return on investment (ROI).  

This is where an effective comms strategy is something money can’t buy, whether it be the ability to sell your makeshift products to unknowing audience, communicating with your incapable project manager, or selling your business plan to a room full of industry professionals. Despite the gimmicks of the shows, the ability to effectively communicate a business plan to an investor should be top of the list when it comes to preparation for the candidates in lieu of brainstorming slogans to sell the likes of bao buns and tourist tours to Antigua.  

Although proving you can beg your way through boardroom bustles to avoid the dreaded ‘you’re fired’ isn’t exactly written on Goldman’s job specification, in order to stand a chance of being successful as you subject yourself to this process and beyond, how to ‘PR’ yourself (and your brand) should be top of the list. PR is known as ‘the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support, and influencing opinion and behavior’. There is no doubt that the brave souls who apply – and they do in their thousands we are told – are clear on the need to gather support and sway the Lord (not that one) and his trusty lieutenants on the merits of their business plan – even though they run the risk of ruining what is likely to become their most important business asset, their reputation.  

So, before you start spending your hard-earned savings on boardroom suits, hair extensions, and perfect grooming, try the traditional investment routes and build your business and reputation (why not have a look at our website for our own tips?), without the risk of ever being known for a one liner you will undoubtedly come to regret. “I have the energy of a Duracell bunny, the sex appeal of Jessica Rabbit, and a brain like Einstein”, so said a fallen candidate of series 9 – name omitted to protect the remainder of reputation!  

Related News

Unleashing The Potential of Onshore Wind: Insights from the UK’s first onshore wind conference

By Paul Noonan, Content and Insight Director

As a home-grown, home-blown power source that is now nine times cheaper than gas, terrestrial wind power could transform our energy security and affordability and pave a faster path to net zero. Yet with the UK needing to double its onshore wind capacity to remain on course for net zero by 2030 and just two turbines installed in the whole of England last year, we risk being blown off-course for decarbonisation. And the government has been criticised for rowing back on plans to ease stringent planning restrictions amidst fierce resistance from rural MPs and local groups.

I recently attended the UK’s first ever conference on onshore wind uniting leading lights from government, industry and charities to discuss how we could unleash the potential of onshore wind without damaging local environments or alienating communities. The stellar speaker line-up included the Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Net Zero, the Chairman of the Net Zero Committee and representatives from Energy UK, the Local Government Association, The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Nature Conservancy and the Centre for Sustainable Energy. They revealed how democratisation and localisation, holistic ‘whole system’ planning and transparent, reliable data could finally break the deadlock and detoxify onshore wind. Here were three themes that emerged.

Democratisation and localisation, not compensation

Democratising and localising wind farm development is essential so that wind farms benefit local people and places as well the planet. Communities cannot be ‘bought off’ with compensation from developers but want to be given a genuine say and a real stake in wind farm development. This means giving communities real influence over planning decisions and an opportunity to share in the benefits of projects. Community workshops could be established asking local people to list their favourite views so that wind farms are carefully sited to avoid impeding their enjoyment of nature.

Public tenders for wind projects must focus not only on cost but on creating local content and supply chains so that wind farms create jobs and opportunities for their neighbours. Communities should also be helped to make energy savings through local wind farms and the chance to profit from peer-to-peer energy markets or community-run wind schemes. One developer even gave local communities equity stakes in their neighbouring wind farm.

Transparent decision-making through smart data

Innovations such as data analytics and digital modelling could create more transparent, democratic wind farm development. Developers could give local community and environmental groups virtual tours of proposed sites for wind farms digitally modelling the impact on everything from popular views to bird migration routes. This would enable collaborative planning decisions between communities and developers based on transparent, accurate data.

We could create multi-layered digital maps combining engineering, wildlife, land-use and population data to ensure windfarms are optimally positioned for minimal impact on communities and biodiversity. And a national land-use database could map the best sites for wind farms based on everything from wind to topography data to give each local authority a well-informed series of options for communities to consider. Crucially, transparent methodologies for measuring environmental impact such as the Nature Conservancy’s Site Wind Right tool could ensure spatial planning for wind farms minimises or mitigates environmental damage.

Holistic ‘whole system’ infrastructure planning

A disjointed, point-to-point model of development where each wind farm has to make its own grid interconnection means that power systems are not evolving in sync with renewables. We need to design electric and renewable grids holistically as a joined-up ecosystem designed to intersect around the most cost-effective way to bring clean energy to the masses.

Multi-layered digital maps modelling future power systems and wind farms could be merged with population data to ensure transmission lines and wind farms are designed to intersect and connect with future population centres. In this way, connected data from multiple sources could create more collaborative, joined-up renewable and electric infrastructure.

Mapping the way forward:

The Net Zero Committee says the UK needs to double the installed capacity of onshore wind by 2030 to make net zero affordable and achieve decarbonisation. Yet the omens are not looking good, with the pipeline of wind projects drying up under an effective 10-year moratorium on construction. Only 11% of local authorities have even identified possible sites for new construction because of confusion over where and how to build in a way that achieves democratic consent. What emerged from this event is that transparent, reliable smart data is the key to building bridges between wind developers and local communities so that wind farms can peacefully coexist with nature and their human neighbours.

Related News

Why a PR and marketing career is just like a half marathon

By Catherine Hunter, Account Director

I recently completed a half marathon, and as I was running the 13.1 miles, it struck me that there are quite a few similarities between a PR and marketing career and a half marathon. From training to the big day, there’s lessons we can draw across disciplines.

Start with the strategy

When signing up to the half marathon, one of the first things I put into place was a training plan – essentially working back from the big day to ensure there was enough time to get the miles in. And like all good plans, injury and flu meant they had to change! Whether doing a report, social bank or even pitching a press release, we need to align our timings backwards in a PR and marketing career to give us the best chance of success, but also to ensure deadlines are met. But strategy goes further than that. It’s about setting up for success. You can execute a creative and compelling campaign but with no strategy, it’s going to be far less impactful than you intended. And so, whether moving to your gate to get started, or kicking of a new client in your PR and marketing career, aligning to strategy is key.

Purpose led approach

As the miles start to hit, and the pain and fatigue sets in, you need to look within and find the strength to carry on. For me, reminding myself of the purpose of why I set out on the half marathon journey to begin with was a big part of the grounding needed to see me eat away the final few miles.


And it’s that same sense of purpose that’s invaluable to help you take the next step in your PR and marketing career. Agencies like Aspectus pride themselves on rewarding people who are doing well, and with two promotion cycles a year, it’s possible to really run in your career and take on the role that really serves your purpose. Whether it is international expansion, or moving into a new sector niche that really drives you, or just being the best at your discipline – by understanding what drives you and the purpose you want to bring to the business can really help to accelerate success.

Different approaches for different outcomes

It was about the 6 mile mark where I decided a bleep test was probably an easier challenge for me. Short, sprint bursts suited my natural style better. The rush of a sprint is the similar kind of buzz breaking news can give you in a PR and marketing career. But it’s also important to know that while a single tactic – like breaking news – can have tremendous media value, alone it is unlikely to create the real impact you’re looking for.


And much like a consistent pace for a marathon is a common approach. Jeffing – where you walk for 30 seconds, run for 30 seconds continually – can be another approach that can have a good outcome. And so, the key for success is really knowing what approach will have the best impact – whether digital, in-depth reports, or press releases – for what you’re trying to achieve.

Celebrate the wins

It’s no secret that not every pitch you do will land, the story won’t capture the hearts and mind of the journalist quite like you hoped – especially when reaching out to top tier media. But that means the victory is all the sweeter when it does! Equally, there are times on the half marathon journey where the finish line feels a step too far to reach, and so it’s important to take stock, reflect and realise the journey you’ve taken and the little wins you’ve had along the way. At Aspectus, we celebrate the wins every week through hijack.


For me, as a non-runner, a half marathon was a significant personal challenge. It took me well outside of my comfort zone and if anything, I learned that once is enough for a challenge like that! But the most important thing for any career, let alone PR and marketing is to seek out challenges to learn from people, develop skills and continually grow.

Related News

GDPR: 5 years of Compliance and Impact

By Marko Batarilo, Senior Development Lead

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has had a significant impact on data protection regulations globally since its introduction in the EU five years ago. This subject continues to keep us on our toes and in this blog, I explore its effects and discuss the updates we have been navigating on behalf of our clients.

The right to be forgotten

One of the key objectives of GDPR is to give individuals more control over their personal data, including the right to be forgotten. This means that businesses must be able to demonstrate that they have a legitimate interest in processing personal data. As data privacy regulations continue to evolve, businesses must keep up with changes to ensure they comply with the latest rules to avoid fines, loss of customers, and reputational damage.

Falling foul of the regulations

Many countries around the world have used GDPR as a model to develop their own rules around personal data protection. Companies have had to review their business processes to ensure compliance with GDPR, including double opt-in rules and email marketing best practises. GDPR enforcement has been minimal to date, but the likes of Amazon, Meta, British Airways and Google have had significant fines and more widely, it’s expected that fines will reach record levels this year.

To date, we’ve mainly seen large corporates receiving fines, but there is a trend emerging where many smaller companies are unaware their websites are not GDPR compliant. Since the implementation of GDPR, website owners require explicit consent from users before recording their personal data.

Many websites are collecting user information through cookies before obtaining explicit consent. This typically happens when websites employ cookies to gather data as soon as a user lands on the site, rather than first presenting a clear, affirmative option for the user to grant permission for data collection. This is a critical oversight as it operates under the assumption that continued use of the website signifies consent, a notion that is no longer acceptable under GDPR. As such, this practice puts these businesses at risk of non-compliance and the associated penalties.

This regulatory landscape is here to stay

Privacy-driven spending on compliance with privacy laws has increased dramatically since the introduction of GDPR in May 2018. Companies have had to invest more in privacy technologies to gain the trust of their users and avoid fines. The use of business models that rely on sharing personal information is changing rapidly.

GDPR has therefore had a profound impact on the way companies operate, from how they collect and use personal data to the way they market their products and services. As privacy regulations continue to evolve globally, businesses must be able to adapt and demonstrate their compliance with the latest rules.

What’s been the impact on digital traffic?

Studies show that the introduction of GDPR has led to a 15% overall reduction in website visits for businesses across Europe and the United States, with direct website traffic and email marketing message visits decreasing by 4.5% and 7%, respectively. Email and display advertising traffic was also shown to have reduced by 35% and 29%, respectively.

These are significant figures and therefore a key challenge is to comply while minimising the impact on digital marketing results.

Staying on track

Cookie management tools and privacy-enhancing technologies will continue to play an important role in ensuring compliance with data protection regulations and building trust with users in the years to come. We offer expert assistance in implementing cookie management tools and optimising website traffic while minimising the negative impact on direct website traffic and email marketing.

If you would like to know more about GDPR and its impact on your website or digital marketing efforts, then get in touch here.

Related News

The Pursuit of Excellence

By Katy Galasinski, Chief Growth Officer


As our CEO, Alastair, said, at Aspectus, branding, marketing and communications is all about creating client success. And when we recently launched our new brand, we shared our formula for success, our X factor, our special sauce.


A key part of this is Excellent Execution. I want to let you all in on what that looks like at Aspectus. And what better way to do so than crowdsourcing intel from my talented Aspectus colleagues, whose endless energy, talent, and precision deliver success after success for the businesses and brands we call our clients.


“Clients don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” – Charlie Bonner-Davies, Junior Designer


Excellent execution for clients begins with striving to be an extension of their team. We count financial services, tech, energy, industrials, and capital market companies as clients. But in practice, our clients are not companies at all. They are people: the one, two, or three executives, heads of communications or marketing, or CEOs that trust us with protecting their businesses’ reputations and brands. This trust is something every team member at every level works hard to create.


“Excellence for me means showing up every day as a safe pair of hands for my clients – making sure they trust us to get things done when we say we will, to a high standard.” – Nuala O’Sullivan, Account Executive, Energy


“In my eyes, excellence consists of many moving parts – stellar communication, insightful recommendations, valuable results and always putting your best foot forward, so we can build a strong and trusting relationship with clients.” – Ivy Gitarts, Senior Account Manager


It also means knowing what clients need before they know they need it. To do that we have to put ourselves in their position and adopt their POV. It takes time to develop this informed intuition with a client. We must immerse ourselves in the company’s marketing, sales, and business objectives. We have to fully comprehend the nature of their business, the marketplace in which they compete, and their offerings. And we must truly understand them, what their ambitions are, what keeps them up at night and how they like to work.


“Get a solid handle on your client’s objectives and your client’s boss’ objectives right from kickoff. Understand their obstacles and challenges and identify the gaps that you and your account team can fill.” – Christina Hong, Account Director


Once a client is confident that we have their backs, are in their corner, and consistently watch out for their best interests, they really do think of us as indispensable extensions of their team – integral partners in their business. Partners that support them from strategy to success in a way that creates meaningful business outcomes.


“No matter how good your strategy, in the end success always hinges on the execution. Ideas have to be distinct, relevant and challenging enough to change people’s hearts, minds and behaviors – or all your great thinking up front will go to waste. The reverse is also true. Execution is only excellent if it serves a brand’s big picture and takes it a step or two further towards success.” – Dan George, Associate Director


Different agencies undoubtedly treat their clients in different ways. For us, the term “client” doesn’t do justice to how we think about those companies who keep our lights on. And since each client point-of-contact has a unique personality and different workflows, and objectives specific to their businesses, we must be agile and adaptable.


“When I worked in-house, the agencies that stood out the most that we worked with were the ones who were able to proactively anticipate our needs, as well as reactively gauge when our needs or usual way of doing things had changed and switched pace accordingly.” – Christina Hong, Account Director


So that’s what Excellent Execution means to us. As you can see there is nothing formulaic about it. It’s an attitude that runs deep here at Aspectus. An attitude that empowers our people to do their very best work for our clients, for Aspectus, and ultimately for themselves.

Related News

Insight unleashed: rediscovering the real magic behind the buzzword and harnessing its value in a data-driven world

By Ellie Jackson, Chief Client Strategy Officer

‘Insights.’ It’s one of those words, isn’t it? You know – the ones that get thrown around rather liberally over a period of time. And then, almost without you noticing it, you realize its true meaning has been diluted. 

For me, a true insight comes at the far end of a spectrum where ‘information’ sits on the left-hand side and ‘intelligence’ in the middle. Information is simply organized data. Intelligence is what the information tells us. Insight is the ‘a-ha’ moment. It’s that intelligence cleverly applied to the wider context of the situation that gives us an edge over everyone else. True insight requires us to understand what others don’t so we can make moves they can’t see. 

An Axe (marketed as ‘Lynx’ in the UK, Ireland, Malta, Australia, New Zealand and China) campaign from a couple of years ago really brings this to life. They worked with Google to investigate young men’s online searches: that data is the information. Searches like, ‘Is it ok for guys to eat tofu?’ and, ‘Is it ok for guys to do their eyebrows?’ formed the basis of the intelligence: there is a high level of insecurity among this group about what masculinity really means. The insight therefore was that what men are searching for is reassurance that it is okay to be themselves. Thus, a campaign was born: ‘find your magic’. 

Here at Aspectus, we talk about ‘intelligent insight’ – that’s core to how we support clients. In many ways, the ability to offer insight is a central reason to hire an agency. It’s something we see as being at the heart of the value we can offer our clients. That’s why our sector specialisms in technology, energy & industrials, financial services and capital markets are so important to us. It’s only because we understand these markets so well, and from every angle, that we can truly understand different stakeholder motivations and concerns. And although every situation is unique, now we’ve grown to around 100 people globally without diluting our sector focus, that wealth of experience is a real goldmine for us – and by extension our clients – to draw on. The ability to see the full picture from the outside is one of major sources of value of hiring an agency, after all. 

Intelligent insights goes deeper at Aspectus, too. We have a specialist Brand, Insights, and Strategy team, which works alongside our sector specialists. We are firm believers in rooting our strategic decisions in evidence, and that’s why we preface all our brand and messaging projects with stakeholder mapping, audience research and a deep-dive into competitor/partner/client positioning. That basis ensures we have the necessary information to generate valuable insights. True creativity cannot exist without that insight to hang off.  Insights are needed to steer that punchy, possibly even provocative, idea that’s really going to deliver success. That kind of creative energy only delivers when it’s grounded in meaningful insights and real-world thinking. 

For clients, this approach might mean identifying trends in their own data that they would not otherwise have been able to pinpoint. Or spotting industry themes that can align with their messaging and resonate with their audience. Or hitting upon the perfect mix of channels to communicate with their stakeholders. It’s that neat idea that is usually so brilliantly simple that once you see it, you can’t imagine how you didn’t think of it sooner. Ultimately it means getting them to their communications and business successes.  

While all this value will remain, we are standing on the brink of a major shake-up of our industry. The increasing use of AI technologies will bring considerable changes – well-documented already by others – not least of which will be to support an insight-led approach. The ability to more quickly and  easily interrogate data will provide strong foundations of information and intelligence for insight-led thinking – the ‘human-in-the-loop’ layer where we add our value. 

Whatever happens, we’ll continue to focus unapologetically on insight-led strategies. And we’ll try to be strict with ourselves about only using the word when we really, really mean it. 

Related News

Whitepaper – ESG comms: threading the needle

While the benefit of incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into business strategies is widely understood, there is still a fear among many of getting it wrong. Do too little, and you risk accusations of not caring; but do too much, and you risk being accused of greenwashing.

With both possibilities having real business consequences, navigating this road is challenging, but crucial.

The key lies in communication. Ensuring that the way you are conveying your ESG strategy is careful, precise and considerate, of both your audience and your context.

Download our whitepaper to delve into the ins and outs of ESG communications from our team of experts, where you’ll gain insights into:

  • The importance of having an effective ESG communications strategy
  • Dodging the landmines and avoiding getting it wrong
  • Making sense of the maze of terms, and how to use them effectively
  • Top tips for best practice

Related News

3 Key learnings from 3 months in PR


By Sophie Rivas, Apprentice: This is what I’ve learned over the last three months in my B2B PR Apprenticeship role, and why you should consider embarking on the same journey.

I began working at Aspectus full time just three months ago as part of its new Aspectus Academy program. Having started this apprenticeship without any prior experience and being straight out of Sixth Form, I had a lot to learn and adjust to.

Looking back, I have developed my skill set a lot in the space of just 12 weeks . So, if you’re considering an apprentice scheme and wonder what it’s like to transition from Sixth Form into full time work and want some insights into workplace relationship building then this is the blog for you.

New kid on the block

Having applied to both University and to Aspectus’ apprenticeship, I felt divided and wanted to carefully consider my options. I always knew I wanted to work in marketing, so it was not as much the area holding me back but more the size of the decision and how it could dictate my path.

What helped me make up my mind was the fact that, unlike university, I may not get a chance like this ever again to get my foot in the door and gain real-life experience in both PR and marketing. Particularly given the current economic crunch with people looking for new roles (due to salaries not rising with inflation), I decided to grab my offer by the horns.

The first big transition was walking into an office environment straight after Sixth Form, with previous misconceptions about what working in an office would be like. I was of the opinion that I would never want to work in an office because I did not get the appeal of sitting in one spot and completing the same monotonous tasks every day. Now looking back on that it feels a bit ironic and almost the complete opposite of what I am doing at the moment!

Hybrid Working

At Aspectus we have a flexible working structure, with the chance to work both at home and in the office. We are encouraged to come into the office just one day a week alongside your team.

It’s an exciting to join the workforce during a time of such change and flexibility – with majority of workers wanting to carry on with the hybrid working model post pandemic. Naturally, there are pros and cons to hybrid structures, but with the freedom to make it work for you, you have autonomy over how you plan your week to make it as versatile as you please.

I find the office helps with motivation, procuring office friendships (more on that later), and access to all the resources such as additional screens – and not to mention, a free meal on Mondays and Friday’s

Some days in the office are busier than others, and on the days where I’d prefer a little quiet time and heads-down working, I can opt to work from home, which is something I’m grateful for.

Building office relations

Another side of working that was daunting at the beginning of my apprenticeship was having to build new connections and bonds with a completely new group of people.

Going in, I was very reserved as I wasn’t sure how I should come across or how I would get along with others in the office. Learning to accept that although I am younger and less experienced than everyone else in the office, I am still pretty interesting and able to bond with people in the office regardless

Through working in the office, I have been able to grow my relationships with co-workers and build stronger bonds. We have an award winning company culture and a comfortable, friendly office environment, with an open-plan break-out space for people to chat over lunch or coffee, making it easy to cross paths with new co-workers.

On top of this, the Aspectus Academy has a rotational structure, which means I gain experience and build my technical knowledge when working in the different team sectors across Technology, Financial Services, Digital Marketing, Capital Markets, and Energy & Industrials. Not only does this arm me with 360 knowledge as I continue to develop over the course of my apprenticeship but has been an amazing experience for helping me advance my soft skills such as communicating and meeting new faces as I move between teams. And the best part is, you don’t have to feel like you’re having to start a completely new job from scratch!

Now, I feel I have really found my place within Aspectus over the past few months, and I can confidently say that I am very excited for what the following duration of my apprenticeship at Aspectus will bring.

So, if you are a student looking to go into an apprenticeship here’s a key round up of my learnings:

  • Be open to new experiences, and let people change your mind, aka – The office isn’t so bad!
  • Hybrid working is new, find a balance that works for you ‍
  • Relationship building is key it will help you feel more comfortable with yourself and your abilities when you have people your friendly with to support you!

If you are interested in applying to the 2023 Aspectus Academy apprenticeship, submit your application here.

Related News