Who we are
I’m Ann Gould and I set up 26 Marketing to provide top class marketing thinking and media buying to businesses that want to get the most out of their marketing communications programme without the hassle and expense of appointing a big agency.
For 25 years I’ve planned and implemented marketing strategies and media campaigns for businesses of all sizes and in all industries.
I’ll match my approach to whatever your brief requires - defining a marketing strategy, creating a tactical media plan, or simply providing an extra pair of hands so you can deliver projects already lined up. Lots of organisations have a great marketing plan but staying on top of everyday business means they lack the bandwidth to make it happen.
When you appoint 26 Marketing, you get a senior marketing professional (not the account junior – I don’t employ any) working directly for you and with you. I will always be your first and last point of contact. If the brief requires it then I’ll tap into my network of great marketing and communication specialists to give you the precise mix of insight and practical skills you need to make your marketing programme accomplish all it should and take your business forward.
How we work
26 Marketing’s approach is down to earth, unfussy and hands on.
First, we’ll have a conversation about your business, your customers, your challenges and objectives. When it comes to choosing media, we’ll identify precisely who you want to reach.
Often, I’ll carry out some research so we understand the reality of the situation. What do customers most value about your business and product? Is there something you could do better? How do you compare with competitors? What media are your current and prospective customers most likely to use?
Once we know what we’re dealing with, we can put together some practical recommendations, time frame and budget. Then, if needed, I’ll help you put all that into practice.
Last but not least, we track and measure the effectiveness of our work, so you understand what the impact has been and how we might do things in the future.
Who we work with
26 Marketing clients are largely small to medium sized businesses across a range of industries and sectors, both locally in Bath, Bristol and the Cotswolds, as well as further afield.
They include The Marketing Society, Hailo, Highgrove Estate, Handel Hendrix House, Ocean Outdoor, Outdoor Plus, Outsmart and Insite, and iconic Bath brands such as the Roman Baths, Fashion Museum, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath’s Historic Venue Group, Bath Half Marathon, Bath Christmas Market, Holburne Museum and Thermae Bath Spa. Local Authority clients include Bath & North East Somerset Council, as well Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucester City Council and Marketing Cheltenham.
Testimonials
Ann has been an invaluable support to marketing Christmas at Highgrove. She has helped us to grow ticket sales for the event year on year by making strategic recommendations based on our business and marketing needs. Ann knows how to get the biggest ‘bang’ from a budget, so even when it’s limited, it’s effective. What stands Ann is apart, is her ability to also advise on marketing campaign themes, ensuring our artwork and content hits the nail on the head. She knows what works and what doesn’t, and how to deliver the biggest impression with our audience.
Having grown our business over 15 years without a formal marketing strategy, we found ourselves at a crossroads pondering how to maintain our growth trajectory. I brought Ann in to independently assess what our customers and other key stakeholders truly thought about our business and our people, and then to build a marketing plan to focus us on our future growth ambitions. Entrepreneurs are rarely the easiest of characters to work with (we think we know it all already!) and yet we all found Ann’s approach to be both detailed and thorough, inclusive and collaborative, insightful and very thought-provoking. We found both her thinking and deliverables to be clear, precise and confidence-boosting. It has fascinated me how much I now use some of our core values and brand culture in everyday business conversations and how much is strengthens our firm’s proposition in the marketplace; I should have brought Ann in a decade ago!
I've commissioned research work from Ann on several occasions and I have always had excellent results. She takes time to work through the brief in detail and always adds value to a project. She has put together bespoke desk and field research projects in media and marketing for me but is also adept at strategic marketing thinking. She's also smart and personable, and she delivers work of a very high quality.
We have worked with Ann for the past 10 years during which she has always provided a very high level of media input, in terms of matching audience to environment, consistently delivering us the very best value in terms of media spend and providing strategic advice on relevant new media opportunities. However it is her creative approach, combined with really meaningful media insight and evaluation, that has led to some amazing marketing amplification for our product. I would highly recommend working with Ann to anyone who is looking for an experienced marketing professional or media planner/buyer.
