James Robinson

Experienced marketing and comms professionals will know exactly what I mean by this. You’d be surprised how many organisations don’t have a clear business plan or strategy – even with people employed who have “strategy” in their job titles! Without that foundation, it’s really hard to build an effective marketing and communications strategy. Of course, there will always be a reactive element to marketing and comms – that’s just the nature of the work. But if most of your time is spent firefighting, something’s off. The best teams spend the vast majority of their time working proactively. It’s better for the team – they’re more creative, morale is higher – and it’s far more effective for the business. It’s also critical that the business and Marketing and Comms teams are on the same page, working toward the same goals, rather than each doing their own thing. This article explains the basics really well 👇

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Savannah Group helped a UK services provider appoint a Chief People Officer to strengthen leadership, align HR with commercial priorities, and build a high-performing people function. 

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Excited to share The Mini View – a quick, data-driven snapshot of the UK communications market. 📊 Discover the latest trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the industry. Check it out here 👉 https://lnkd.in/erwF_G5j #VMAGroup #TheMiniView #SmallButMighty #Comms

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A content calendar isn’t a communication strategy. If you’re leading internal comms and want to align with your organisation’s priorities, what you need is structure and focus. Our five-step strategy framework gives you both. It helps teams move from reactive to strategic and show the value of internal comms in board-level conversations. The model will help align the function to your organisational strategy and includes fundamentals that will ensure your communication is influential and has a real impact. 📥 Download the Internal Comms Strategy Framework on this page: https://lnkd.in/erXphBdA Free to use and designed for impact!

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𝌞 One conference, months of content A single event can fuel training clips, internal comms, marketing reels, and thought leadership snippets. When filmed with foresight, your conference becomes a content engine — not a one-off production. 👉 Discover how to maximise your event’s ROI through video: https://lnkd.in/esj3Hmyf

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Why Your Website Needs One in 2025 The digital landscape has fundamentally changed. With 58% of Google searches now triggering AI-generated responses, your content needs to work harder than ever before. A comprehensive content audit isn't just a nice-to-have anymore—it's essential for survival in the age of AI search. New to AI search optimization?

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Really excited to officially launch our Marketing, Sales & Communications practice at Pure Search. This has been a natural evolution of the work I’ve been doing with clients—supporting them to build high-performing commercial teams that genuinely drive growth. What feels particularly important right now is how much the market is shifting. Businesses aren’t just hiring for capability—they’re hiring for impact, agility and leadership. I’m looking forward to partnering with organisations at all stages, from scaling businesses to global corporates, and continuing to build a brilliant network of talent across marketing, sales and communications. If you’re hiring, restructuring, or just want a view on the market, always happy to have a conversation. Contact me at emmajerome@puresearch.com

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What do Marketing professionals in Oxfordshire really want from their employers in 2025? Our latest Voices of Oxfordshire: Pay & Benefits Marketing Report reveals valuable insights from marketing professionals across our candidate community, highlighting the challenges, motivations, and priorities shaping the profession today. Key findings include: ♦️ Nearly 87% are considering a job move in the next 12 months ♦️ Pay dissatisfaction and limited training are the top drivers of change ♦️ Hybrid flexibility is now non-negotiable for most Marketing professionals ♦️ Career development and wellbeing remain key to retention This snapshot provides actionable insight for employers looking to stay competitive in a fast-changing market. Download the full Marketing Pay & Benefits Report here: https://bit.ly/4o8zJ1n #Marketing #Recruitment #EmployeeExperience #HRInsights #TalentAttraction #Oxfordshire #VoicesOfOxfordshire

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All of this week The Industry Club will be sharing the findings from our AI report with Spark AI So what was one of the big takeaways? 👇 We asked agency leaders about their biggest AI skills gaps, most people expected technical skills to come out on top… But they didn’t. What did we find?  The biggest gaps are actually practical and commercial: Would you agree with this? 💬 18% said prompting and using AI tools effectively 💼 17% said confidence in selling AI to clients 🧠 14% said technical skills — tied with creative and strategic application Interestingly, In-house teams worry more about compliance and strategy, while independents and networks see creative application as their biggest gap. One leader summed it up for us... “There’s real nervousness from traditional roles… Clients are nervous too. If clients aren’t on board, that’s a big blocker.” Interestingly, the agencies making the most progress aren’t always the ones with the best tools — they’re the ones who can talk about AI confidently, credibly, and commercially. There is so much to learn in the report so please do take the time to download and read through. Also please do get in touch with any of us if you have any questions. 📘 Download The Future of Skills & Hiring in the Age of AI for more insights from agency leaders — link in comments.

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🚀 Proving internal comms ROI in 2026 means turning messages into metrics leadership trusts After our live webinar, Ricky Sickelmore — former internal comms leader and employee tech buyer — shared a few rapid-fire tips on how comms teams can prove ROI in 2026 👇 📉 Move beyond vanity metrics — prove outcomes 💸 Connect comms to efficiency, cost, and operational impact ⚡ Show time-to-value through onboarding + adoption 🏡 Make it the digital front door — and quantify the cost of inaction These tips are just the start. Want the full conversation? Watch it on demand 💚 https://bit.ly/4qLXi1b #intranet #digitalworkplace #employeeengagement #internalcommunications #metaworkplace #employeeexperience

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Another insightful release from Logile StoreFront Science, this time spotlighting the UK labour market and the evolving challenges and opportunities shaping retail today. From increasing labour pressures to the accelerating demand for connected, data-driven solutions, the report surfaces the key trends retailers need to watch and where they can drive meaningful operational improvement. StoreFront Science remains focused on delivering the industry insights that help teams work smarter and achieve better outcomes.

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Digital behaviour is shifting fast, and Google’s 2026 outlook highlights the trends shaping how UK audiences discover, consume and engage with brands. A useful read for agencies planning next year’s content, media and campaign strategies. https://lnkd.in/eAfNyNBi

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🚀 Ready to take your Google Ads game to the next level? Dive into the essential Google Ads Audit Checklist tailored for UK digital marketers! 🇬🇧 A thorough audit not only identifies areas for improvement but also highlights what's holding back your performance. From fixing irrelevant keywords to mastering conversion tracking, every detail counts! 🌟 Key Benefits of Regular Audits: 1️⃣ Improved Ad Relevance 2️⃣ Better Budget Management 3️⃣ Enhanced Conversion Tracking Don't leave your campaign success to chance—conduct regular audits and watch your performance soar! 📈👩 💻👨 💻 #GoogleAds #DigitalMarketing #CampaignSuccess

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After 30 years in Tech and Digital Marketing Recruitment, you develop a sense for when the market is about to move. And right now? It's starting to heat up.

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