Two industry-leading marketing companies have become the first to take up residence in Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, boosting the city’s credentials as a creative hub.
Sister companies EMO and The Real Adventure (TRA) have brought together more than 220 marketing professionals from across the South West, including a site in Clifton, into the prestigious waterfront Glass Wharf building at Temple Quay.
The Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone was launched last year by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) on 173 acres (70 hectares) of land surrounding Bristol Temple Meads Station.
It aims to create almost 17,000 new jobs over the next 25 years, particularly in Bristol’s burgeoning creative sector.
Don Elgie, group chief executive of Creston, the parent company of EMO and TRA, said: “We are delighted to lead the way with our move into the Enterprise Zone. Our investment sends out a strong message to the market about our commitment to the region and allows Creston to firmly establish itself at the forefront of the growing creative hub in the South West.
“Co-location affords both EMO and TRA the opportunity to share and develop creative ideas and continue to drive strategic growth for clients.”
EMO is the UK’s only integrated marketing agency focusing on what it calls localisation. Its client list includes Tesco, Department of Health, Toyota, IHG and Jaguar.
The Real Adventure is a relationship marketing agency with a long-standing client base of blue-chip clients including Cow & Gate, Black Horse Finance, Tropicana, Walkers Crisps and Evian.
The agencies, which are relocating from offices in Bath, Swindon and Bristol, share a common marketing approach which centres on helping brands get closer to customers – both physically and attitudinally.
TRA joint managing director Matt Hardy said: “We are excited about becoming part of Bristol’s creative sector and hope to enrich and embrace the diverse talent and expertise in the area.
“Bristol is renowned for its vast number of highly successful creative businesses and our move reinforces the message that regions like the South West, and cities like Bristol, can compete with the very best that London has to offer. We hope that the creation of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone as the region’s creative industries hub will help raise the profile of the South West’s creative sector nationally.”
EMO managing director Nick Davies added: “Bristol is home to some of the UK’s finest creative and cultural talent. It is also an attractive location for business investment, a great place to live and work and is actively investing in growing its commercial profile.
“These factors make it the ideal place for leading organisations to base their businesses. At EMO we are proud to be part of building Bristol’s importance as a creative hub. Currently our team is situated across three different locations. The move to a new space will enable us to bring them together in one open-plan environment. We are looking forward to moving and are pleased to be the first of what we hope are many creative-minded industries to relocate to the Temple Quarter.”
Bristol City Council leader Barbara Janke said: “This is exactly the type of investment we hoped to attract to the Enterprise Zone. It shows the confidence that business has in Temple Quarter and I hope this is the first of many such relocations to the zone, bringing new jobs and investment.”
The Enterprise Zone will offer occupiers benefits such as business rates relief, streamlined planning and a commitment to provide superfast broadband.
