Say hello to Eurocell

Eurocell appoints creative agency.

We’re proud to announce that we’ve flung open our door to say hello to Eurocell, the leading recycler, manufacturer and distributor of sustainable building products, into the One Black Bear fold.

After a competitive pitch, One Black Bear are proud to announce they have been appointed as part of a roster of agencies to deliver strategic creative communications. We’ll be working hard to help elevate the brand among the trade and open up exciting new opportunities directly with consumers.

Established 50 years ago back in 1974, Eurocell has over 200 branches nationwide and we’ll be delivering an ambitious creative strategy to aid with their equally ambitious growth plans over the next few years.

Kate Hartshorn, One Black Bear managing partner said: “It’s great to be working with a client that has so much enthusiasm for making an impact in the sector. We’re extremely pleased to have been invited in to help them at this critical time in their plans. The building industry is something the team has a wealth of experience in and we’re very excited to get our teeth and claws stuck into one of the biggest names in the game.”

Beth Boulton, Eurocell Marketing Director added “The Bears have the perfect balance of experience, creative specialism and pragmatism to support us in developing our brand and strengthening our leadership position. I am very much looking forward to seeing what we can create together.”

If you’re a brand, marketing or sales manager / director in the trades space, we’d love to talk to you about how we can help raise your brand profile.
We can help make you famous or simply solve some critical business problems with the power of strategic thinking.
Just drop us a note saying “I want to trade up my agency” here.

A new familarity with circularity

Sustainabilty pioneers Circular&Co appoint creative agency.

We’re cock-a-hoop with joy to announce that Circular&Co have appointed us. We’ll be developing overarching strategic and creative work across its sustainable product range.

Based in Cornwall, and founded on the mantra ‘Made from waste to end waste’, Circular&Co derives its name from the ambition to create a ‘circular economy’ or ‘circularity’ for short.
In other words, to make new products from waste products that are then fully recyclable – or circular.

The big ambition, through education and awareness, is to put an end to single use cup usage by consumers and coffee shops alike through the use of reusable and returnable cups.

Commenting on the appointment, Tina Simpson, Marketing Manager at Circular&Co said:
“One Black Bear showed us a wide range of strategic and creative thinking that really pushed us. It’s our quest to get people everywhere binning their single use cups – for good – and we’re really looking forward to working with them.”

Kate Hartshorn, Managing Partner at One Black Bear added:
“It’s so great to be working with a brand so genuinely rooted in the principles of sustainability and reducing waste. We hope to help Circular&Co become the leading voice in the circular economy space through their fantastic ethos and product range.”

Now, all together…

Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel.
Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel.
As the images unwind, like the circles that you find.
In the windmills of your mind.

Tired of your current agency recycling tired old ideas and would like some fresh thinking to reinvigorate your brand? Or if you’d simply just like to have a coffee (in a Circular reusable cup of course) and a chat, then drop us a note saying: “Get the kettle on, I’ll be round in five” here.

Sustainabilty pioneers Circular&Co appoint creative agency.

Are you sitting comfortably?

If you fancy having a sit down with us to chat about more than just rearranging the cushions and changing the colour on the walls of your marketing strategy, then drop us a note saying “Have you seen the remote?” here.

The Mayor and the Bears

Andy Street visits One Black Bear

Well, today was quite something in the history of One Black Bear as we welcomed none other than West Midlands Metro Mayor, Andy Street to OBB towers.

Rounding off 2022 in style, we showed Andy around our newly refurbished offices on George Street, JQ. Andy chatted to every single bear present and even took the opportunity to critique some creative scamps adorning our walls. Our esteemed Chairman, Paul Bramwell, also received a special call out for his continued Create Central contribution so all in all, what a great afternoon.

Jon and I explained how we’d invested significantly to transform an unloved, old jewellery maker’s cottage into a highly finished space and how this has helped our quest to reconnect the OBB team again post COVID. Job creation and developing young talent really drove our passion on this refurb’ project with five new recruits added since we flung open the doors.

The Mayor was also interested in how we’d retained and repurposed age-old features and also vastly improved the building’s energy efficiency rating at the same time. He also kindly agreed to a photo in front of our break out bar (wall art by the brilliant Jim at Seven 9 Signs) but avoided a little tipple.

Thank you so much Andy and Tom for finding the time to come and see us in our new home – it meant an awful lot to us.

West Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street visits One Black Bear

If you’d like to visit us to find out how we can help you improve the West Midlands, drop us a note saying:. ‘Public sector is my personal passion’ here.

Adding to the Christmas Spirit at One Black Bear

Spirit Healthcare

We’re in very good spirits as we announce another healthy bit of new business.

Long established service providers to the NHS, Spirit Health provides a range of services to make life easier for healthcare providers and patients alike. Spirit Health can help save the NHS millions every year and improve patient care by working with local NHS teams and reviewing their use of medicines. They do this by identifying areas where savings and improvements can be made and working with GPs and healthcare providers in implementing these suggested changes, supporting patients and providing training.

Speaking about the appointment, Creative Partner of One Black Bear, Jon Harrison commented: ‘Spirit offers up some really interesting creative opportunities. Being a complex and heavily regulated sector really does make you work harder and think differently to create something with cut-through. We’re already enjoying putting our OBB creative and strategic stamp on everything we do.’

Matt Jones, Head of Marketing at Spirit Health added: ‘Having worked with One Black Bear before, I know I’m getting a driven, energetic and creatively brilliant agency partner. Having their fresh perspective on things has already seen us produce some eye-catching campaigns and I’m looking forward to what else the team comes up with in the coming months.’

The agency will work across a broad range of briefs including advertising, DM and social as well as product branding development.

If you’d like to know how we can improve your brand health, drop us a note saying “I’d like a spoonful of sugar” here.

MedMin prescribes One Black Bear to treat launch campaign

MedMin appoints marketing agency.

Get Well Soon specialises in elective day case surgery and those conditions the NHS has been forced to postpone because of pressures in the system. The service is targeted at people whose conditions are limiting their ability to work or live a pain-free lives.

Bold plans are afoot to launch Get Well Soon across the UK with Birmingham and the West Midlands being the first to benefit from the service.

Speaking about the appointment, Keith Duddy, CEO of Medmin commented: ‘One Black Bear came highly recommended to us, and from the moment we started working with the team there, it was apparent they understood what we were trying to achieve as we looked to make much needed changes to the way patients could access private treatment. 

I am delighted with the way they have embraced the brief, producing some great creative across the board and we are excited to see how we can build on that momentum in the months ahead.’

Kate Hartshorn, Managing Partner of One Black Bear added; ‘Get Well Soon offers a real alternative for patients who desperately need treatment and can’t afford to wait. Any initiative that alleviates pressure on the NHS can only be welcomed in these incredibly challenging times.’

Media plans are currently being finalised but are set to include outdoor, TV, and radio.

MedMin appoints marketing agency.

If you’re looking for a brand health check, drop us a note saying “I need to see a medical professional” here.

F. Hinds rings the changes with appointment of One Black Bear

F.Hinds rings the changes.

Still a proud, family business to this day and boasting 128 stores in the UK, F.Hinds are looking to differentiate themselves from competitors and push their message across key gifting periods such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Following a competitive pitch involving five agencies, the two Birmingham outfits will now get to work on launching a new brand platform along with tactical activity for the brand.

Speaking about the appointment, Natasha House, Head of Marketing at F.Hinds said “This is something I have been working on internally for the past two years and I am glad that, after a long and very detailed process, we have finally found the perfect agencies to work with. Their experiences and expertise combined will lead us through what is a very new (but exciting) space for F.Hinds. We are looking forward to working with these two Birmingham based gems and I can’t wait to see what work we can do together”

Kate Hartshorn of One Black Bear & Emma Baxter of BBJ&K added, “We’re delighted to be appointed by such a leading, High Street retailer like F.Hinds. It’s great that two Birmingham based outfits won the day and we’re really looking forward to getting started. Thanks to still being a family run business, they have many virtues we can make the most of in a competitive marketplace.”

F.Hinds rings the changes.

If you’d like a shiny, glittering new agency to revamp your retail business, drop us a note saying “I do” here.

Celebrated creative team join One Black Bear

Celebrated creative team join Midlands creative agency

Having met through professional dating website LinkedIn back in 2017, Jenny and Tristan have gone on to form one of the most celebrated boy-girl professional partnerships in the West Midlands since Rosie and Jim.

Their combined awards shelf holds two D&AD New Blood Pencils. Two spots on the Cannes Young Lions Shortlist. 11 Drum Roses Awards. And a Campaign Magazine front cover. Career highlights so far include making singalong TV ads with Aardman for Whitworths. Refreshing Britain’s biggest bike brands with Halfords. Harnessing the lyrics of So Solid Crew for Crucials Sauces. And helping the RNIB create the first braille Christmas cards for people with sight loss.

They’re very much looking forward to working with, and learning from, the longest standing creative team in Birmingham, if not the UK and maybe the world (over 30 years). Oh, and as their careers’ progress, they’re getting better and better at this writing in the third person thing.

See more of their genius by clicking here.

Celebrated creative team join Midlands creative agency

If you’d like to see what amazing ideas they can have to transform your brand, drop a note saying: ‘I want some Jenny and Tristan magic dust sprinkling on my briefs’ here.

One Black Bear grabs a pizza the action.

Dodo pizza appoints UK creative agency

Dodo, the international gourmet pizza chain has appointed One Black Bear to help push its continued expansion within the UK.
Already based in 15 countries, Dodo has bold ambitions to be the equivalent of Dominos with outlets right across the world. A truly tech’ led fast food business, Dodo currently has a handful of UK stores with plans for many more.

With its more artisan, gourmet approach to pizza. Ranging from its signature Roman-style dough and topped with local, British toppings including lobster & mango. To the most colourful and amazing salad bowls. One Black Bear will look to bolster awareness and propel the brand both tactically and strategically.

Speaking about the appointment, Kate Hartshorn, Managing Partner at One Black Bear said:. “This is a really exciting one for us. A pizza brand that’s looking to shake up a very crowded marketplace thanks to a fantastic product and a huge dollop of creativity. It’s our aim to grow with Dodo as they gain a foothold in the UK market and position them firmly in the mind of UK pizza fans.”

Misha Chernyshev of Dodo Pizza added:. “We have exciting ambitions for our brand and One Black Bear are a great fit to help us meet those ambitions. They have provided clever tech’ solutions to meet our marketing targets. Plus some completely crazy leftfield stuff to grab attention and create noise for our brand.”

Dodo pizza appoints UK creative agency

If you’d like to have a chat with us on how we can top that with your brand. Drop us a note saying: ‘Easy on the chilli on mine’ here.

One Black Bear is proud to announce membership of the IPA.

One Black Bear is proud to announce membership of the IPA

There are lots of great reasons to feel honoured to join the IPA (Institute for the Practitioners in Advertising) and we’re looking forward to everything being a full member agency offers.
The training, the seminars, the fantastic insight resources on offer to name but a few.

It’s more than just a badge. It’s a catalyst for us to look at the business as a whole if we’re honest. Belonging to such a revered organisation makes you want to get the rest of your house in order.

It’s all part of coming back better if you like.

Fifteen months plus into a pandemic means you have time to take stock. Look at areas you want to improve and generally assess how we could make OBB even better and stronger. Both for our clients and our people. We’ve talked about becoming members on and off for some time – and for one reason or another, it never quite happened. Too busy, too much other expense, too…..many excuses basically.

Now felt like the right time and we’re so very glad we’ve done it.

So that’s why the IPA logo will, following an extensive refurb’, hang pride of place in our new home in a new part of town… more on that in the coming weeks.
Next to our own new logo.
And above the desks of new staff. Very, very talented staff too (and that’s all we’re saying, for now).

So new affiliations, new home, new agency ID and new staff. Basically a new beginning.

Thanks go to the IPA for allowing us in, because the process of joining made us think about how and where we belong generally.
After 18 years, we feel and indeed are established – but still yearn to come back from the most bizarre of times feeling re-energised.
The hunger is still very much there. Who fancies an agency style lunch to celebrate?

If you’d like to talk to us about the importance of your agency being in the IPA, drop us a note saying:. ‘I need a serious agency that takes its responsibilities seriously’ here.

LÜRZER’S ARCHIVE | National Express Student Campaign

International recognition for National Express ad campaign

We’re honoured to be included in Vol.02-2020 of the LÜRZER’S INT’L ARCHIVE magazine.

The quarterly publication has been collating, displaying and archiving the best advertising work from around the world since 1984. So no surprise we feel proper chuffed to sit alongside the industry greats.

The campaign for National Express ran late last year to target students who were planning on making their first trip home after going to university. As well as running in press and outdoor, also appeared as a radio commercial and as online video in social media channels.

International recognition for National Express ad campaign

If you’re interested in how we make brands famous on the biggest of stages, drop us a note saying:. ‘Set me up a meeting. I want to go global but happy to see you in Birmingham… just don’t make eye contact’ here.

Coming up smelling of Roses

Award winning Birmingham creative agency

We had our best ever year at the prestigious Roses Creative Awards organised by The Drum.

Winning 1 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze from 7 nominations.

The Gold went to our Sleep Out poster for St Basils (which also picked up a bronze). We also got a bronze for out Hike for Homeless ad and then a silver and a bronze for the National Express student campaign.

We’re proud to say the haul was the most picked up by any Birmingham or Midlands creative agency. Yay us.