Better News and PR

Judges select our 2020 Vision shortlist

Date:

01/10/2012

THE 2020 Vision judges have reached their big decision in our £25,000 branding competition.

An impressive list of 29 Teesside firms had put themselves forward for the prize – a long-term package provided by the Better branding agency of Stokesley.

That could include creation of a marketing strategy, brand development and website work to comprehensive social media training and support. It obviously struck a chord with many firms out there and the judges knew they had their work cut out to construct a shortlist of contenders who would face our panel of experts and pitch for the big prize.

But now our own Gazette ‘Dragons’ – Business Editor Mike Hughes, Mark Easby and Kate Burton of Better, Alastair Thomson, dean of Teesside University Business School and SSI’s head of communications John Baker – can reveal which six are on that final shortlist. (more…)

The Queen’s Speech Poster featured on FPO, a division of UnderConsideration.

Date:

28/08/2012

We are very proud, and of course very excited, to hear that our recent Queen’s Speech poster campaign has been featured on FPO (For Print Only). 

Launched in 2009 — and now in its second version as of March, 2012 — FPO (For Print Only) is a blog dedicated to the visual stimulus and the detailing of the development and production of printed matter: Annual reports, books, business cards, stationery suites, collateral materials, posters, packaging and anything else where ink meets substrate.

Our unique and hand-crafted limited edition posters and commemorative downloads are inspired by some of the most inspirational, quirky and amusing quotes from the speeches that HRH Queen Elizabeth II has delivered during her 60-year reign.The design combines typographical techniques with the delicate monochrome illustrations of true British icons. Each poster has been screen printed, by hand, in black onto 100% recycled hand-made paper and then individually stamped, signed and numbered. (more…)

GrowthFunders Crowdfunding Platform is launched.

Date:

27/08/2012

We’ve very excited to be part of the team that is supporting the design and development of a new crowd funding platform which will be launched later in the year. 

GrowthFunders is a crowdfunding & business growth funding online investment platform. The platform, built in the North East, supports Entrepreneurs with business ideas and Investors with available funds. (more…)

Delivering Service Excellence with Newcastle University Business School

Date:

22/08/2012

Date: Thursday 6th September 2012
Time: 13.45 – 18.30
Venue: Newcastle University Business School, 5 Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4SE

After the summer months, which hopefully present a chance to get away from the 9-5, we should come back to work feeling refreshed, revitalised, ready for new challenges, and with new ideas. With this in mind, the Business School is offering a unique chance for business leaders to get that extra ‘breathing space’ away from their desks, and to see how they can revitalise their firm when delivering their services.

For one day, regional businesses are invited to attend a free event to grasp the pieces of the jigsaw to develop and deliver service excellence within a company.

Book now by clicking here: Delivering Service Excellence (more…)

Win £25,000 of Brand Support

Date:

31/07/2012

As a proud partner of the Evening Gazette’s 2020 Vision campaign, we’re launching a unique competition which is open to all business owners on Teesside. As you will already know, it doesn’t matter how brilliant your business idea is, you won’t get very far without a strong brand presence and an armoury of effective marketing tools. 

Make sure your company is noticed. Take the necessary steps to invest in your future, and in the future of the region as it powers towards 2020.

WIN a £25,000 Boost for your Business.

Better, as a 2020 partner to the Evening Gazette, are offering you the chance to win a package of brand consultancy and design worth an impressive £25,000. The perfect prize for any business looking to revitalise its brand, or for a start-up looking to make its mark. (more…)

Giving young talent a chance. That’s Better.

Date:

27/07/2012

We often talk about our passion for supporting local graduates and promoting retention within the North East. To back this up we’ve made a commitment to providing opportunities to encourage our awe-inspiring emerging talent to stay in the region. 

In a follow up to our recent involvement in Teesside University’s Creative Teesside event, we’ve been working with some of the degree show graduates to plan a summer of internships.

Over the last week we’ve had the pleasure of Fiona’s company. Fiona is a dedicated, highly creative and very lovely designer from North Yorkshire. Rather than us telling you all about it, we asked Fiona to describe her experience… (more…)

Middlesbrough College and the Digital Youth Academy launch World’s first Social Media Apprenticeship

Date:

06/07/2012

Enterprise, entrepreneurship, skills development, digital, social media and Teesside, all things that are very close to our hearts. So, we were honoured to be there, recently, when Teesside grabbed another World first as the ‘Social Media Apprenticeship’ was launched through a partnership between Middlesbrough College and the Digital Youth Academy. 

The apprenticeship is designed to support young people in harnessing their online knowledge – and understanding of social media tools – in order to help them find work within businesses struggling to fully understand the opportunities created through constantly evolving digital platforms.

Social media and digital marketing is now a critical part of business and brand communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in supporting our clients and our business networks by delivering workshops focused around not only understanding the tools but, more importantly, the conversation that happens across them. So, for us, it’s exciting to see the introduction of some formal development and accreditation around such a new(ish) and unaccredited area of marketing communication. (more…)

Vince Cable lavishes praise on the North East’s manufacturing heritage.

Date:

05/07/2012

It was heartening to see Business Secretary, Vince Cable, in our region yesterday as he visited several companies that are working hard to boost the manufacturing industry in the North East.

In a subsequent interview with ITV News he talked about the importance of manufacturing to the British economy, praising the North East for its ability to continue to build on its manufacturing heritage by developing new technologies to serve our future. Vince specifically referred to the renewable energy sector, something that is very close to our heart, not only because we strongly believe in its benefits, but also because we have considerable experience of working with some of those local pioneers including MPI Offshore and PD Ports. (more…)

Proudly supporting ‘A Touch of Class 2012′.

Date:

We’re delighted, and very proud, to be supporting ‘A Touch of Class 2012′ – the Annual Charity Dinner sponsored by Chapters Hotel & Restaurant & the house designer wear. The dinner is in aid of the Holistic Cancer Care Centre & for this year, we will be donating a percentage to Help For Heroes. 

Now in its 7th year, A Touch of Class continues to grow from strength to strength, with previous events having raised in excess of £110,000.  With this year’s event to be held at the delightful Gisborough Hall, A Touch of Class remains one of the most exclusive events in the North East social calendar. (more…)

In the words of Tesco…’every little helps’.

Date:

28/06/2012

Funding is now available for North East Businesses to support marketing, web and brand projects through NBSL. As a registered provider we’re working with a number of our North East clients, who’ve accessed this fund to support brand and web projects, to get that bit of extra value out of their marketing budgets.

We thought you might find this useful too. There’s more information below or if you’d like a chat about how this fund can support your project then give us a call on 08451 222611 or drop us an email.

(more…)