Credit: Phil Dolby, published under a CC BY 2.0 licence

January is always the beginning of our busiest quarter and this, the fifth January since we started Thwaites Communications, is no exception but one thing has made this New Year especially exciting.

Returning to the office after a short break, we were over the moon to get a letter from the Executive Director for Government Communications, Alex Aiken confirming that we’ve been selected to be on the government’s communications framework for editorial services. As expected and as it should be, the process for getting onto one of these 11 rosters or ‘lots’ is incredibly rigorous. More than 600 agencies applied so the competition was tough. We were up against some of the biggest and best agencies in the country, and it’s amazing to be one of eight companies selected to deliver editorial services to government clients.

SMEs

The Government Communication Service or GCS said last year that it wanted more small agencies on the framework, so our hopes were high that we would be taken seriously.
And it’s great to discover that 69% of the agencies on the new framework are SME’s. All are agencies that like us, can quickly get to the heart of what’s needed by clients, have a knack for connecting issues with audiences, and can turn work around at lightning speed. At Thwaites we pride ourselves on giving our clients access to the industry’s best expertise from people who then continue to provide advice, guidance and hands on delivery. And who don’t disappear into the shadows once a client has signed on the dotted line!

Regional focus

As someone who spent many years working in the regional media, and then managing regional campaigns in my government career, I’m also chuffed to see lots of regionally-based agencies on the roster. I understand that there are 22 agencies from outside London. Our team at Thwaites is spread across the UK, and we have bases in the North West (heart of the Northern Powerhouse) and the Midlands (serving the Midlands Engine) as well as in London. So we understand how regional media, partners and stakeholders tick.

Writing great stories

As an ex journalist, writing has always been my passion. Creating compelling stories is one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of working in communications. But our job involves so much more than that. We aim to take content one step further, making sure that the narrative results in action. Whether that means directing people to a website, encouraging them to take part in a campaign, download an app, attend an event, or read a report. Seeing those measurable results is the reward for really effective communication. It’s what inspires us and it’s what we’re looking forward to delivering as part of the framework.
More on the Framework from Campaign magazine
If you’d like to work with us through the framework, please enquire via the Crown Commercial Service website.

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