Bath-based communications agency Clearly has taken on four new staff and launched an undergraduate internship program after chalking up a 59% increase in revenues over the past six months.
The firm has also pledged to donate 2% of total revenues to environmental and social impact programs – with a target of £500,000 over the next seven years.
While the past year has been a turbulent one for the communications and public relations industry and 2021 is looking equally challenging, it is already shaping up to be the most financially successful in Clearly’s seven-year history.
It has already expanded its team to 14 on the back of a doubling of clients in the past six months alone.
Driving this growth has been the launch of a new suite of services that include digital marketing, video content creation, creative and web design and corporate branding.
Founded by Paul MacKenzie-Cummins, pictured, in 2014, Clearly provides communications, content and creative to a portfolio of 18 regional and national clients spanning the recruitment, technology, finance, legal, education, and charity sectors.
The agency, which also has a consultant based in California to support the company’s clients with operations in the US, has this month launched its first paid internship scheme for university undergraduates in addition to registering for the government-funded Kickstart Scheme.
It has vowed to create three posts to support 16-to-24 year olds who are currently unemployed.
Meanwhile under its pledge to people and planet, 2% of every penny it earns each month will be given to environment and social impact initiatives, including those tackling homelessness, child literacy, youth unemployment and water poverty.
The agency has set itself a target of giving at least £500,000 to such causes over the next seven years.
At the same time, a tenth of the team’s time each month is being allocated to providing pro bono services for good causes locally with three organisations currently supported.
Clearly founder and managing director Paul MacKenzie-Cummins said: “2020 was an extremely challenging year for many businesses, and we certainly were not immune to many of them. But we quickly adapted to the prevailing winds.
“By developing a range of new services that not only met the constantly shifting needs of businesses in the context of the here and now, and those that would likely be in demand several months down the line, clearly was able to bounce back and record our fastest rate of growth since the business was founded in 2014.”
He said PR was no longer just about getting media coverage for clients.
“The increasing proliferation of the media is making it harder for businesses to be seen, read, and heard by the audiences they need to engage,” he added.
“By adding a digital and creative dimension to their outreach campaigns and enhancing the brand itself, businesses can make a bigger impact, gain more influence, and positively impact their bottom line like never before.
“We work at all levels, but to answer the need for new beginnings during and post-pandemic, we are launching a start-ups package specifically aimed at addressing all comms, branding and content needs for new start-ups right from the outset.”
