DAVID COYLE

Head of Commercial Operations Thinkhouse

ACTIVITY Depending on the sectors, brand performances have varied widely. Luckily a lot of our clients are in the FMCG sector and have seen growth during this period. One of our key offerings is to guide brands on how to grow their business by exploiting the channels that are available to them, and for sure there has been an acceleration in digital investment. We are fortunate in Thinkhouse that we are expert in this area and this is one of the reasons why brands value us.

Having said that, Thinkhouse has not been immune from the Covid impact and we won’t be back to our busiest until events and sponsorships are fully activated. However, 2021 is looking strong for us, with a number of exciting opportunities currently in the pipeline for the organisation, both internationally and domestically.

REMOTE WORKING We made significant investments in our IT infrastructure in 2018 and 2019, so teams such as our film and design studios were able to immediately work remotely after the first lockdown without much disruption. Even when there has been no lockdown, we looked after our staff’s safety by asking them to remain working outside of the office.

As we are all aware, working from home has presented many different types of challenges for people, and that is where agencies’ support mechanisms are essential. In this regard, both the PRCA and IAPI have been excellent in launching mental health and wellbeing initiatives for their members.

We deliver our weekly wellbeing programme ‘Fit to Win’ to ensure we’re delivering support and resources for our team to stay healthy, mentally and physically. We stay connected with three full agency gatherings a week

EVENTS Thinkhouse would normally be active representing brands at music festivals and sporting events. We continue to be involved in major events such as Darkness into Light, and managing virtual press events and product launches.

OUTLOOK I think we’re in for a strong rebound during the year. We have already seen a large increase in certain categories, and foresee 2021 to be a year with huge potential for Thinkhouse, for the industry and the wider economy. The pandemic has underlined the extent to which digital interaction is no substitute for the real thing. Once normal life returns, there will be a huge outpouring of celebration and togetherness, and brands will want to be involved in this.