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Blueprintx Shareholding Announcement

Today, marketing and management agency Blueprintx announce changes to its shareholding with founders Rob Hughes and George Woffenden acquiring all shares from private investors, including Amvest a family office. The buyout, which comes following an ongoing period of extended growth, represents a significant milestone for the agency as the founders look to take the next evolution in the agency’s journey.

Blueprintx was founded seven years ago, operating at the intersection between brands and talent. The agency has since grown its exclusive talent roster to include the likes of Tony Adams MBE, Christine Ohuruogu MBE, Fikayo Tomori, Joshua Buatsi, Carmen Jorda in addition to delivering marketing and PR campaigns and activations for clients such as Expedia, Sobha Realty, Spabreaks.com and The Sun.

Founders Rob Hughes and George Woffenden commented “We are hugely thankful to Amvest for their support and trust over that past seven years during which the agency has exponentially grown across both its core functions of marketing and management. The buyout is testament to the agency’s success over recent years and will see the agency further deepen its services in off-pitch talent representation and brand marketing.”

Richard Matthews and Paddy Bamford of Amvest said “It’s been a pleasure to support the elevation of Blueprintx since the business’s inception in 2018. It’s been a great journey in a service led industry which is notoriously difficult to navigate and drive significant commercial growth. Founders Rob and George have done a fantastic job of navigating the landscape and we look forward to observing the company’s continued progression”.

Following the buyout founders Rob and George will take full ownership of the business.

BLUEPRINTX SHAREHOLDING ANNOUNCEMENT

Today, marketing and management agency Blueprintx announce changes to its shareholding with founders Rob Hughes and George Woffenden acquiring all…

CLUB LEGACYZ x BLUEPRINTx

Great to welcome sports memorabilia and collectibles brand Club Legacyz to the Blueprint marketing roster.

Blueprintx will be working with the innovative new brand to deliver full service PR as they look to disrupt the landscape of memorabilia and collectibles. Club Legacyz have already partnered with the top five clubs in Europe and are set to unveil further partnerships across clubs, talent and wider sports in the future.

WELCOME CLUB LEGACYZ

Great to welcome sports memorabilia and collectibles brand Club Legacyz to the Blueprint marketing roster. Blueprintx will be working with…

SPIN GENIE x BLUEPRINTx

We are delighted to announce a further addition to our brand marketing clients, in casino brand Spin Genie.

Blueprintx have been hired to undertake a long term influencer led campaign with a fun and unique creative to roll out across the coming months. You got to spin it to win it…🎰🧞‍♂️

WELCOME SPIN GENIE

We are delighted to announce a further addition to our brand marketing clients, in casino brand Spin Genie. Blueprintx have…

LEADERS IN SPORT x BLUEPRINTx

Great to welcome sports publisher, global events provider and community, Leaders in Sport to the Blueprintx family. Blueprintx have been hired by Leaders to deliver marketing and PR activation for the brand’s new signature event 4se which fuses the worlds of sport, entertainment and culture.

WELCOME LEADERS IN SPORT

Great to welcome sports publisher, global events provider and community, Leaders in Sport to the Blueprintx family. Blueprintx have been…

Our View

“To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America.”

These were the celebrated words delivered by Patricia Arquette at the Oscars in 2015 during her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress for the film Boyhood. A speech that was, at the time, endorsed by Meryl Streep. While the Oscars has had its fair share of awkward moments, it’s equally been used as a platform for greater societal good and lobbying of causes that touch global audiences. Very rightly so.

In the wake of Sunday’s Oscars ceremony and a slap accompanied by a foul-mouthed rant, the PR industry has set about dissecting the moment and what it means for Big Will and the prestigious awards ceremony.

Some industry skeptics have analysed every inch of the footage from the stage, assessed Chris Rock’s relationship with Will Smith and accused it of being a PR stunt. Surely not?

Physical assault on someone over an ill-judged joke to reignite attention around a global awards ceremony? God forbid the ideas that were left on the creatives’ cutting room floor…

At the time of writing, Will Smith has not long released an apology directed at both his victim Chris Rock and The Oscars. It does what it needs to – offers justification wrapped around his wife’s condition and delivers apologetic sincerity to those he directly impinged.

Similar to his actions, Will Smith’s reputation will undoubtedly take a proverbial slap in the face. There will be a six-month PR assault and, while tainted, his legacy will live on as a formidable Hollywood actor. The Oscars will not condone his actions, while in some guise acknowledging his place as Hollywood royalty. The PR dance will likely be textbook…

So, with the groveling apology now delivered and the reputational repair job underway for Will Smith: was it worth it?

We are living in a world with a global pandemic that continues to fundamentally change people’s lives, a war in Ukraine that followed long-standing conflicts in Yemen, Afghanistan, and many more devastating and dangerous threats. Global icons like Smith hold the ear and attention of so many, on stages that govern and deserve the absolute epitome of success and inspiration. His actions were undoubtedly wrong, on many levels; however, the broader takeaway should be that in those moments, where the world watches, more astute focus needs to be given to the message and legacy you leave and how that inspires towards the greater good of society.

It’s a seismic missed opportunity – and if that’s Big Willie style, I’m not jiggy with it.

Will Smith, Oscars and a slap in the face for legacy messaging #5

At the time of writing, the circumstances surrounding Nicola Bulley’s disappearance are still unknown but, whatever the eventual outcome, a very public scar will be left with Paul and the wider group of family and friends who have been thrust into the media spotlight brought about by the mystery surrounding the case.

That intense glare wasn’t self-prescribed, engineered or orchestrated – it’s a chalice the family have been forced to wield in a desperate bid to guide public opinion while eagerly seeking ways to maintain media awareness around the case in the hope of finding Nicola.

Even for the most skilled PR industry ninjas, that’s quite a feat. Reputation management, crisis management, lobbying, evolving media narratives, not to mention the word monitoring and being in any way confident whether any of what you are saying or doing is helping the critical cause of finding Nicola. So, it raises the question of whether, in such extreme circumstances, should the right to PR representation be a legal right?

Lawyers across the globe will no doubt respond to such a suggestion with a resounding ‘no’, asserting that guidance towards the media and broader public would fall as part of a wider consultation of their services. A view and adamance that, at its root, stems from the acute topic of disclosure and how much to say, when and where.

In response, PRs would ascertain that those core questions form the basis of every brief they execute; be that a crisis, product or brand awareness brief. Further, PRs would overlay the need for swift, accurate communication – a territory which, historically, has also caused friction between legal and PR counterparts, with lawyers largely siding with the ‘less is more’ option.

To jump down from the fence and add some sensationalism, the answer is quite simple. You wouldn’t enlist a dentist to remove a cataract from your eye any more than you would enlist an ophthalmologist to extract a tooth.

Is there crossover? Absolutely, but it’s vital we remove any and all forms of dilution when it comes to the execution of PR, allow the specialists to be specialists and offer an environment for the best possible outcomes.

In the delicate case of Nicola Bulley, it’s unequivocal that the family would have benefited from independent strategic media counsel. From distancing themselves from allegations, continuing and evolving the narrative as we approach week three, to help guide and communicate with the huge volume of public interest and new wave of ‘TikTok detectives’. In the face of such extremity, is now the time to formalise PR’s role and cement its place in human legislation.”

Should PR representation be a legal right?

“At approximately 8am on 27 January, Paul Ansell, partner of the much-publicised missing woman Nicola Bulley, said goodbye to her for what may be the last time. That morning was like any other but the events that followed would change the lives of Paul, their family and friends forever.
At the time of writing, the circumstances surrounding Nicola Bulley’s disappearance are still unknown but, whatever the eventual outcome, a very public scar will be left with Paul and the wider group of family and friends who have been thrust into the media spotlight brought about by the mystery surrounding the case.
That intense glare wasn’t self-prescribed, engineered or orchestrated – it’s a chalice the family have been forced to wield in a desperate bid to guide public opinion while eagerly seeking ways to maintain media awareness around the case in the hope of finding Nicola.
Even for the most skilled PR industry ninjas, that’s quite a feat. Reputation management, crisis management, lobbying, evolving media narratives, not to mention the word monitoring and being in any way confident whether any of what you are saying or doing is helping the critical cause of finding Nicola. So, it raises the question of whether, in such extreme circumstances, should the right to PR representation be a legal right?
Lawyers across the globe will no doubt respond to such a suggestion with a resounding ‘no’, asserting that guidance towards the media and broader public would fall as part of a wider consultation of their services. A view and adamance that, at its root, stems from the acute topic of disclosure and how much to say, when and where.
In response, PRs would ascertain that those core questions form the basis of every brief they execute; be that a crisis, product or brand awareness brief. Further, PRs would overlay the need for swift, accurate communication – a territory which, historically, has also caused friction between legal and PR counterparts, with lawyers largely siding with the ‘less is more’ option.
To jump down from the fence and add some sensationalism, the answer is quite simple. You wouldn’t enlist a dentist to remove a cataract from your eye any more than you would enlist an ophthalmologist to extract a tooth.
Is there crossover? Absolutely, but it’s vital we remove any and all forms of dilution when it comes to the execution of PR, allow the specialists to be specialists and offer an environment for the best possible outcomes.
In the delicate case of Nicola Bulley, it’s unequivocal that the family would have benefited from independent strategic media counsel. From distancing themselves from allegations, continuing and evolving the narrative as we approach week three, to help guide and communicate with the huge volume of public interest and new wave of ‘TikTok detectives’. In the face of such extremity, is now the time to formalise PR’s role and cement its place in human legislation.”

LEGACY NOW FAVOURS THE BRAVE

FOR BRANDS AND PARTNERSHIPS IN WOMEN’S SPORT

Three days on from the Lionesses defeat to USA, the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium is being cleared, re-branded and readied for the tournament’s showcase – the World Cup Final.

The England bunting now removed, the stadium no longer carries the hopes of a nation willing their team to what manager Phil Neville described as “a legacy moment”.

So, what now for the Lionesses, the future of women’s football and, more broadly, the role of women’s sport?

In the build-up to – and throughout the tournament – consumers and brands have shown huge faith and commitment to the women’s game.

Ticket sales soared to just under one million, the BBC announced record TV audiences for England’s semi-final, with more than 11.7 million people tuning in, and Nike CEO Mark Parker revealed its USA Women’s World Cup shirt as its best-selling jersey of all time.

But with the global floodlights now dimmed on the Lionesses and with the thick wallets of the men’s Premier League on the horizon, we may well get a truer understanding of the Lionesses legacy.

For many brands the Women’s World Cup would have been viewed as a cultural moment, a moment not to be missed in publishing calendars through fear of being challenged with the equality question.

With one hour until kick-off on Tuesday, self-acclaimed influencer Spencer FC pledged his support to the game’s legacy by offering a financial and kit contribution to an unnamed women’s team in the UK should the Lionesses win.

As the comments, likes and RT’s rolled in, and with the lingering question of why such a gesture hangs solely on the result of the game, the overriding question was, is such ‘band-wagoning’ supporting the long-term health and stability of the women’s game and women in sport?

The same question may apply to multiple sectors – how many brand sponsorships end following the World Cup?

How many column inches will be dedicated to women’s domestic football come the start of the season. How many people will now go and watch Arsenal away to Bristol City? The questions go on.

For women’s football and women’s sport to continue its progression, it requires deep-rooted partnerships from brands and organisations who are willing to invest long term and be part of its evolving DNA.

Brands such as Barclays, who announced an eight-year partnership with the FA and investment in grassroots, for example, should be heralded and championed for their foresight and commitment to women’s football.

The Lionesses will return home national heroes, rightfully celebrated with changing the perception towards women’s football and creating icons to inspire future generations.

Their legacy, however, is now handed to those who shone a light on them during their pinnacle moment with the question – are they willing to do it on a cold winter’s evening in Stoke?

We’re about to find out.

Legacy now favours the brave for brands and partnerships in women’s sport

Three days on from the Lionesses defeat to USA, the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium is being cleared, re-branded and readied for the tournament’s showcase – the World Cup Final.

The England bunting now removed, the stadium no longer carries the hopes of a nation willing their team to what manager Phil Neville described as “a legacy moment”.

So, what now for the Lionesses, the future of women’s football and, more broadly, the role of women’s sport?