While the summertime is typically considered a quieter period, it hasn’t been the case for our busy PR team who have been powering through the warm days and launching some fantastic work across a number of our clients. 

One of those campaigns has been Scottish Widows' landmark [Retirement Report](https://www.scottishwidows.co.uk/about-us/media-centre/reports/retirement-report.html), which is now in its 20th year. Examining how people think and feel about the future while charting the nation's preparedness for retirement year-on-year. This year, the findings show an alarming number of people aren’t on track for the retirement lifestyle they would like, people are having to work longer to save the money they need later on, and the heavy reliance on the state pension will continue for the foreseeable future. 

Working closely with the team at Scottish Widows and other agency partners, we launched the report at the end of July. Armed with the landmark findings, exclusive data, case studies, expert spokespeople and the support of sporting legend Paula Radcliffe as third-party spokesperson, the findings landed with a bang across broadcast, national, consumer and trade media. Coverage spanned from BBC You & Yours to The Times, The Telegraph and FT with over 100 pieces achieved to date, and more still to come. 

We love working on campaigns like this for a number of reasons. 

Firstly, engaging with a third party spokesperson, like Paula Radcliffe, added a different perspective on the findings. Paula was able to share her own experience of what it was like to retire from her ‘job’ at an early age, and the emotions she encountered. While this isn’t possible with every campaign, adding a third party spokesperson and well-known voice can really amplify the findings into a different space, to a different audience. And for us, the interviews coincided with the day that Andy Murray announced his retirement from tennis after the Olympics - a nice extra news hook. 

Secondly, Scottish Widows is forging a path in the financial services industry and spotlighting the experiences of marginalised communities. The team understands that we don’t all have the same experience and if we are to improve retirement outcomes across the entire population, we need to understand diverse experiences from those living with disabilities, minority groups and the LGBTQ community. And importantly, equip everyone with the tools, conversation starters and small actions they can take to make a positive change to their financial futures. 

Thirdly, with the formation of a new government we’ve been able to work closely with the public affairs team to call for changes needed to get more people in the UK on track for retirement. From lowering auto-enrolment age, widening the scope to bring in self-employed workers, and increasing contribution rates, these calls, if implemented, would have a really significant impact on people’s retirement outcomes - especially for the next generation of retirees. 

We’re incredibly passionate as an agency about transforming the world of finance for the better and these values align closely with Scottish Widows ambitions. And, with Pension Engagement Season around the corner, this certainly won’t be the last you hear from us! 

The warmer summer weather hasn’t seen our PR team down tools. Instead they’ve been busy launching fantastic work across a number of our clients including the Scottish Widows Retirement Report which is now in its 20th year! Read more here:

Marking 20 years of retirement insights with Scottish Widows

When I was first looking at getting into PR I spoke to a lot of people about the industry, in the hopes that I’d glean some information to help secure me a job where I no longer had to ask people if they wanted a receipt. One of the conversations that really stuck with me was with a girl I met on a Facebook group who very directly told me that PR was a predominantly white industry with little to no representation and that it would be a struggle for me to get a job, let alone build a career. 

Whilst she wasn’t entirely wrong - the CIPR’s latest [PR Population Report found](https://newsroom.cipr.co.uk/cipr-releases-analysis-of-census-data-shedding-new-light-on-pr-population/) that 87% of PR practitioners are of a white ethnic background - I felt discouraged at the thought of constant microaggressions and having to fight an uphill battle to be heard.

Luckily, I found Teamspirit who have been nothing but encouraging and supportive of my career, which is why when I was asked if I wanted to join the No Turning Back programme as an ambassador, I was keen to take part. 

Essentially, the programme focuses on supporting diversity in the industry as well as going into schools, colleges and universities to talk to students about the marketing and comms industry. As part of my first foray into the initiative, I got to join a group of three other PRs at East London mosque to chat with four classes across the Tower Hamlets borough about PR and our respective journeys, as well as answer any questions.

The day was a learning curve for both the children and ourselves. It became abundantly clear after the first talk that PR wasn’t something familiar to the kids, which to be fair to them, wasn’t a career I was aware of either at their age. But it did prompt some questions and discussion around what PR entailed and how it linked into things like marketing and advertising which we carried into further talks. We quickly learnt that the kids also responded better when we name-dropped who we’d worked with, or talked about some of the events we’d organised so we made a point to bring that up too. 

After our second panel talk a group of 16 year olds approached us to ask things like how much we earned, what we did for our A Levels, and what we did to make our applications stand out. They were the most engaged group by far and cemented themselves quickly as a highlight of the day. It can be difficult to connect with kids, especially on a subject like careers which must feel a million miles away from where they are, so being able to have at least one conversation with them felt like a huge win for us.

It’s also worth pointing out that the day was a triumph for the organisation. It took the team at  No Turning Back a whole two years of back and forth with the Tower Hamlets council before they were able to make the event happen!

I was beyond surprised to find this out but it was so inspirational listening to Sarah, the Business Lead at the organisation, talk about the constant correspondence and level of planning that went into creating the day. It made me realise just how much went into the day and how lucky I was to be a part of it.

Sofia Cerchiai, one of our PR stars, shares her experience of joining the No Turning Back 2020 team and her first event with Tower Hamlets council

My day at Tower Hamlets with No Turning Back 2020

Last Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the first ethereum exchange traded funds (ETFs), marking another large win for cryptocurrency enthusiasts following the debut of bitcoin ETFs which were approved by the agency back in January. The mere sound of the word ‘crypto’ still frightens and confuses many investors, instantly conjuring up tales of scams, ponzi schemes, legal battles and get rich quick adverts. Indeed to this day, the majority of mainstream coverage of digital assets typically is focused on the above, in crypto-land,  you are either a hero or a zero, all this despite the fact that the asset class has been popular for quite some time. 

Despite the media coverage and fears associated with it, many of which are well-intentioned, digital assets continue to grow in prominence and popularity. This is illustrated by a recent study of global institutional investors which found that 60% were familiar with the asset class, 51% were invested in it, with one in seven admitting they are likely to increase their allocation towards it in the next two to three years. This demonstrates the tide and attitude towards digital finance is definitely shifting.

The big question for those in the industry who are trying to bridge this gap is how exactly do they do it? Enter the California Roll (stay with me here). Before I explain just how digital assets are like raw fish, I must admit this idea came from the mind of our Strategy Director Dan Perry, who stumbled upon it by reading work by behavioural psychologist Nir Eyal so all credit to both of them for this. 

In the 1970s, Japanese restaurant owners in the states were struggling to entice diners into their restaurants. Raw fish was not part of the established American diet and the cuisine was just altogether alien. But by swapping the unfamiliar raw fish, tofu and seaweed for more familiar ingredients like avocado and crab they provided a gateway to sushi in the form of the California Roll. Making the unfamiliar familiar, and therefore more palatable.

The blending of the familiar with the unfamiliar is a proven method for encouraging the widespread adoption of new products, the key issue at hand here. This therefore, can be applied to the world of finance, in the form of unfamiliar assets in familiar wrappers e.g. Bitcoin ETF or familiar assets in unfamiliar wrappers e.g. Tokenised gold.
The initiative therefore lies with those established traditional finance businesses that are able to market their digital asset capabilities as an evolution of those products we all know and love rather than a revolution. This should encourage wider spread adoption and, in time, more positive media coverage and better public opinion.  

## Sources:

[Fidelity Digital Assets Research: Institutional Investor survey](https://www.fidelitydigitalassets.com/sites/g/files/djuvja3256/files/acquiadam/June%202024%20Institutional%20Investors%20Digital%20Asset%20Survey%20-%20Key%20Findings%20%2805.29%29.pdf) - Survey of institutional investors by Fidelity
[https://www.nirandfar.com/california-role-rule/](https://www.nirandfar.com/california-role-rule/) - Original California Roll story by Nir Eyal 
[https://www.ft.com/content/f36d7eeb-03d6-4dab-909a-d5d4524a4edb](https://www.ft.com/content/f36d7eeb-03d6-4dab-909a-d5d4524a4edb) - FT article on the approval of Ethereum ETFs


What could Digital Assets and Sushi have in common? Perhaps more than you think. PR Senior Account Executive Luke Hall takes a look at how the success of the California Roll might just be the model for bridging the gap on digital assets.

Why Digital Assets are like Sushi

It was a beautiful game last night. Fresh off the win and ahead of England’s preparations for the Euro’s final (yes, that’s right!), we’ve been thinking about what we can learn from Southgate’s approach to bringing a team together. A team that’s formed from a range of backgrounds and experiences, think Walker vs. Bellingham, but presents a unified approach and achieves results. And while there have been some questions around the tactics, England played a blinder last night and have shown they’ve got what it takes in the big moments.

In the world of business, where it isn’t always as clear cut as the ball hitting the back of the net, there are some lessons we can learn from the England team’s success. 

Teamspirit’s very own Pirlo, known for his creativity and vision, Adam Smith has shared thoughts on what we can all learn about teamwork and collaboration from the men's football team. 

1. __You don't always have to play Bellingham and Foden together.__

The strongest teams realise that they don't always need the best people in the room all the time, they need the best mix of people in the room. Though you could argue this after last night’s performance!

2. __Every team needs some streetballers like Cole Palmer.__

Character, grit and drive goes far further than skillset.  Hire character, train skill. Note, this isn't the best best analogy because Cole Palmer has grit and endless talent.

3. __Wear Southgate blinkers to block out the noise.__

The best teams have a clear and shared goal. They don't get sidetracked by distractions like what their competitors are doing or what the media is saying - eyes on the prize.

4. __It's OK to be more Ivan Toney.__

Trust is the most important attribute of a strong team. If your team trusts and works fluidly together, it means one team member can afford to take their eyes off the ball momentarily, because the rest of the team has your back.

5. __Leaders need to don the Southgate Shield.  __

It is the job of a leader to step up and take the flack when things get sticky. When a team knows their leader will walk into the battle for them, they'll reciprocate that attitude ten-fold.

Teamspirit’s very own Pirlo, known for his creativity and vision, Adam Smith has shared thoughts on what we can all learn about teamwork and collaboration after England's win in Dortmund last night. 

You don’t always have to play Foden and Bellingham together

We are thrilled to have won Best PR Campaign at the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) Annual Shareholder Communication Awards, held earlier in June. 

The PR award, which was secured for the second year running, was in recognition of a campaign revealing the state of the UK IPO market.  The judges remarked this campaign was ‘highly impressive and something industry professionals can spend a lifetime trying to achieve’ and commended the high quality of coverage the campaign had attained, including front page in the Financial Times.  

The AIC developed these awards to demonstrate the industry’s commitment to providing excellent communications. The awards recognise those member investment companies and their managers that stand out by using effective communication methods to keep shareholders informed.

Teamspirit wins Best PR campaign at the AIC Shareholder Communication Awards

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Thu 15 Aug 2024

Marking 20 years of retirement insights with Scottish Widows

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Thu 25 Jul 2024

Why Digital Assets are like Sushi

Wed 10 Jul 2024

You don’t always have to play Foden and Bellingham together