Creative East Programme - Marketing Brief

External marketing support to develop and deliver a targeted marketing campaign aimed at recruiting suitable businesses onto the Programme for Cohorts 3 & 4.

Objectives

• Increase visibility of the Programme among relevant audiences, particularly in the catchment areas for Cohort 3 (Peterborough) and Cohort 4 (Cambridge)
• Drive good quality leads resulting in applications from suitable businesses in the relevant catchment areas. Leads are captured by an Expression of Interest online form on the project website. If eligible (screened by the Creative East team), companies are then invited to complete a full application.

Please note - the chosen partner will be asked to focus on awareness raising and lead generation rather than conversion. Conversion is the responsibility of the internal Creative East team.

Audiences

Primary audience

Potential high-growth SME businesses in at least one of the DCMS-defined Creative Industries sub-sectors, including:

• Film, TV, Radio, Photography
• Advertising and Marketing
• Architecture
• Computer Games, IT, Software
• Publishing
• Music, Performing and Visual Arts

Please note:

• Particular emphasis is placed on businesses operating within the Film, TV, Screen and Computer Games and Software sub-sectors to reflect current regional strengths and growth potential
• Eligible businesses must be revenue generating (i.e. not start-ups) and must employ, either directly or as freelancers, at least two FTE staff.

Secondary audiences

Programme funders

o DCMS

Programme partners & stakeholders

o New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership

o Greater Cambridgeshire and Greater Peterborough Combined Authority

o University of East Anglia

o University of Suffolk

o Anglia Ruskin University

o Norwich University of the Arts

o Norfolk County Council

o Suffolk County Council

o Innovate UK

Referral and advocacy sources

o Business support agencies

o Relevant industry networks and strategic groups

o Professional services firms

Desired impacts

• Increased visibility of the programme across the geographical and audience spread
• Increased volume of leads
• Enhanced quality of leads, supporting better lead conversion rate
• All Peterborough and Cambridge cohort spaces filled with appropriate companies and within expected timeframes

What we'd like to see from potential suppliers

We are looking to be guided by the successful supplier on the best marketing strategy, tactics and channels to reach our primary audience - potential high growth businesses in the Creative Industries sector.

We expect consideration to be given to both paid and organic digital activity, as well as PR if this is felt to be a relevant approach.

We also expect the successful applicant to review and make recommendations on how we can improve the current expression of our proposition (including tone and messaging) across all relevant channels (including our website).

With that in mind, please submit an outline campaign activity plan, including thoughts on strategy, tactics, channels, costs (including fee and spend) and your anticipated activity plan timeline.

An additional requirement of the marketing and promotional work included in this contract will be to raise awareness of the value being delivered to creative businesses in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and to share the success stories which emerge.

Case studies / testimonials should be an integral part of the overall content of the contract as these not only pass on the message to businesses who may be candidates to take part in the programme, but also show the rest of the business, investment and public sector funding community that this type of programme can be a game-changer for aspirational businesses.

With that in mind, your plan should demonstrate how you will utilise stories and anecdotes from Cohorts 1 & 2 to help attract suitable businesses to Cohorts 3 & 4. The Creative East delivery team will provide content to include written narrative, images and reels and work with the chosen supplier to promote across relevant channels.

Your plan should also include provision to assist the Creative East team with writing up case studies and promoting the positive impacts of the programme to relevant secondary audiences once the impact of the programme on participating companies begins to deliver change. Suppliers are welcome to include ideas for new content in their proposal.

Consideration should also be given to how you will measure campaign impact and report back to the Creative East team, as well as secondary audiences where necessary.

Please note - we anticipate working with the chosen partner to set agreed campaign KPIs once the contract has been awarded.