Marketing and advertising agency Different Narrative has been heralded as “industry leading” after being awarded Effectiveness Accreditation by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.
The accolade was presented to just 30 agencies from the 16,000 registered across the United Kingdom, with the Newcastle-based agency deemed to be setting the benchmark for the industry. The accreditation seeks to drive an expectation of effectiveness between brand marketers and agencies through a central business culture.
For Different Narrative CEO Kieron Goldsborough, it marks a key milestone in the agency’s journey as he seeks to raise the profile of the North East’s advertising and marketing arenas.
He said: “For years the North East advertising sector has been evolving and innovating and now our efforts are gathering pace.
“When we see key local organisations continuing to choose London-based agencies over very capable teams from our region, it reminds us there is still work to be done to shine a light on the depth of creative expertise that sits on our doorstep.
And he believes the Effectiveness Accreditation validates the business’ commitment to client and employee successes.
He said: “Different Narrative is delighted to have joined an elite band of IPA Effectiveness Accredited agencies. This is validation of our efforts across the whole business to create a culture of evidence-based marketing effectiveness. It’s absolutely brilliant news. By delivering effectiveness, not only in our client delivery, but across all our processes, we are providing added value to clients while serving up cost-effective and impactful campaigns.”
Each of the submissions had to demonstrate how their culture is dedicated to effectiveness across four key criteria: Focus, People, Process, and Data, Tools & Measurement.
In preparing a comprehensive submission the Different Narrative team identified three key marketing effectiveness principles, which sit at the core of its campaigns – to develop evidence-based business decisions in partnership with clients, implementing a continuous learning loop of test and learn methodologies and making key distinctions and actions between inputs, outputs and outcomes.
Additionally, a key effectiveness roadmap has been developed to enable employees to stay on track with their effectiveness objectives, while an effectiveness training package enables wider effectiveness in client campaigns and internal processes.
Margaret Jobling, CMO, NatWest Group and Chair of Judges for the 2023 IPA Effectiveness Accreditation said: “Client-agency relationships are the cornerstone of our industry, and it is incredibly important to know that you share common goals and standards of excellence in creativity and effectiveness.
“That’s why the IPA Effectiveness Accreditation matters so much to brands – it signals an outstanding commitment to putting effectiveness at the heart of your agency and being true partners for growth.
She added: “The submissions were all of an incredibly high standard and each of the agencies earning IPA Effectiveness Accreditation are paragons of excellence, setting the benchmark everyone should aspire to.”
The accolade follows CPD Gold accreditation from the IPA earlier this year, while Different Narrative was also awarded the Advanced Good Work Pledge by North of Tyne Combined Authority late in 2022. The Good Work Pledge honours a business which actively values and rewards its team, promotes health and wellbeing, uses effective communication and representation, develops a balanced workforce and gets involved in social responsibility.