As I round the corner to Teamspirit, a communications agency based in London, I start to wonder what I’m in for. Based in a red-brick building with gilded signs, I’m suddenly worried that Teamspirit will be much too proper for a ruffian such as myself: as I enter I’m reassured that this is not the case. The team is friendly and welcoming, and I find myself laughing a lot. A dog joins us for the second day, and spends his time being fussed over by people with plenty of other things to be getting on with. 

I get to meet a wide variety of the team - a fully integrated agency, Teamspirit includes Creative, Strategy, Comms, Digital, and more. They are all fascinating people, so specialised in subjects I cannot even hope to keep up with. A fiercely intelligent strategist asks me if I know anything about large scale ad campaigns. I tell him I’ve seen Mad Men. He laughs.

As a journalism student, going into PR is often seen as selling your soul - joining the dark side, as it were. After my time here, I’m led to believe the opposite is true. Journalists are hunched over computers, chasing stories on X, sniffing out what Trump’s tariffs mean for the economy; PR is conducted in colourful offices by interesting people, group-chats full of fun little GIFs.

Skills-wise, the jobs are similar: writing articles, finding angles, avoiding any twists too far from truth. Research drifts across desks, surveys are completed on the street outside, and people crane over computer screens to natter about one article or another. It’s just the people you’re doing it for that are different - instead of a newspaper, you’re writing for a client, trying to generate stories and comments on their behalf that the press might pick up. 
PR people talk about journalists as journalists talk about their confidential source - they take them out to lunch, get their nails done together, and know journos by name - “oh, will Paul like this? It’s his sort of story”

Every morning the PR team does a ‘papers meeting’. I am given the Daily Mail, and asked to bring in a few financial stories that they run. I am not particularly effective at this task. Finance is not exactly my Mastermind topic - the extent of my fiscal knowledge is scoffing at the price of London Guinness. Still, everyone is very kind, and insists that they started out not knowing anything about finance either. I’m starting to believe them - I’ve learnt more about diversifying my investments in these last three days than I did in the preceding twenty-three years of life.

My time here has involved a diverse array of tasks - an article on tea and cake pairings, press releases about Gen Z’s relationship with money, stress-testing surveys, I’ve done it all. The sheer variety of agency work - problem solving every minute of every day - is fascinating, and makes the time pass incredibly quickly. 

I’ve learnt how to bake PR into an article, without overcooking the self-promotion. I’ve learnt how to construct a quote in a client’s own tone of voice. I’ve learnt how to weave facts into a press release. I’ve learnt, essentially, the other side of journalism: how to create all of the things that journalists use to create stories from. I love writing: that’s why I’m here. I want to see my words read. After this experience, all I’m saying is that maybe journalism is the wrong business. 

Teamspirit has made me feel beyond welcome - they’ve made me feel a part of the team. So much so that when I wake up tomorrow there will be a strange agency-shaped hole in my life. A hole that will persist until I hop back on LinkedIn, use everything I have learnt from all of these wonderfully talented professionals, and get myself a real job…

Quite possibly one in PR.

As my final day draws to a close, I am promoted to trolley-pusher. A cart is loaded with snacks and drinks, and I walk through the aisles. I peer at screens, full of contacts, copy, and Photoshop, and happy faces turn around at the sound of my squeaking wheels. People smile at me as they crack their Thursday evening refreshments, and I feel at home. I thought I’d found my calling, writing to these PR briefs, but it turns out I have a higher purpose. All the active listening in the world could not grant me a place in Teamspirit’s heart anywhere close to what those four simple words achieved in seconds: __“anything from the trolley?”__

Has PR turned my eye from journalism?

Wallflowers don’t get to dance. In saturated marketplaces, such as financial services, where B2C and B2B products and services regularly blur into a sea of sameness, harnessing the standout power of brand personality is crucial. It’s no longer enough to have a quality product; how a brand shows up and engages is what truly sets it apart. 

In our overpaced world we’re at a point of filtering out the noise – with exposure to 4,000 to 10,000 ads daily[1] and making 35,000 decisions a day[2]. Which is why brands need to be memorable. Audiences aren’t just looking for features – they’re seeking meaningful connections. 

In the helter-skelter chase for growth, financial services brands will continue the innovation charge – from self-directed investment platforms; to new ETF wrappers; to on-demand managed portfolio services; and IFA-accredited influencers. But product and service innovation isn’t enough. The brands have to be badges of trust and meaning. Awareness is only half the battle. And in a world with budgets increasingly heading towards performance-led activity[3], the need for brand-building behaviour that creates stature and esteem remains evergreen.

Never has the risk of ‘blanding’ been more pronounced than now.  

In our report ‘[NoticeMe!](//downloads.ctfassets.net/sxw14dxmazhg/3f5Ii0cJv8Dxd1x76biHyq/8f3217202291e6c5e2a6be8f395d2349/9988_TS_Notice_Me_Report_2025_RGB_UK_AW4_MO.pdf) Why financial services need fame’, you’ll find our view on why financial services need to unashamedly chase fame; our definition of what we mean by fame; a host of noteworthy examples from within and outside the sector; and how to create it.

[Yes.  I want a copy of NoticeMe! please](//downloads.ctfassets.net/sxw14dxmazhg/3f5Ii0cJv8Dxd1x76biHyq/8f3217202291e6c5e2a6be8f395d2349/9988_TS_Notice_Me_Report_2025_RGB_UK_AW4_MO.pdf)

## Sources:

1. [https://colorlib.com/wp/advertising-statistics/](https://colorlib.com/wp/advertising-statistics/)
2. Cowry Consulting. Memory EQ. 
3. [Ebiquity and the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) report](https://www.marketingweek.com/advertisers-focus-performance/)


Financial services firms need fame more than ever.  Find out why and what’s cutting through by downloading our report: ‘Notice Me!’.

NoticeMe! Why financial services need fame

A clip from the Graham Norton show recently went viral, when actress Saoirse Ronan reminded the rest of the male panel of the lengths women need to go to feel safe. Met with applause from the audience, Ronan has been widely praised since the clip aired for accurately and neatly reminding us all of the threat that women face on a daily basis.  

While the men on the panel have also come out to plaud Ronan, it’s abundantly clear from their stunned silence at the time that this isn’t an issue they need to think about regularly. Speaking about violence against women can be uncomfortable, no matter the setting. And no matter how disappointing it is that this is still a concern in 2024, any girl or woman will tell you just how needed it still is. Just as Saoirse Ronan did. 

The UN designates the 25th November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It marks the first of 16 days of action to end male violence against women. With so much abuse towards women happening behind closed doors and going unreported it can be easy to convince ourselves that this is not an issue that impacts us or our loved ones. 

But the reality is that one in three women will be subjected to physical or sexual violence within their lifetime. That’s an estimated 736 million women globally. And the majority won’t seek help or report it. Less than 40% of women who experience violence will seek help, and less than 10% will go to the police. Black women, trans women, and disabled women are at especially high risk. And climate change, economic crises, and global conflicts are only fuelling and exacerbating the problem. 

This year’s election in the US was a further reminder of how very real this issue is. With women’s reproductive rights on the ballot in many states, the previous Trump administration saw delayed authorisation of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act that means reduced federal support and access to healthcare services that are crucial for women, including mental health support and services for survivors of violence. In addition, the behaviour of some of Trump’s supporters may embolden misogynistic attitudes that can create a hostile environment for women both online and offline.

White Ribbon Day acts to remind us of the scale of the issue, but also challenges us to consider the root causes behind this violence. While we may not have witnessed violence against women, we’ve all likely seen and heard problematic language and attitudes. It is up to all of us, regardless of gender, to stand against violence against women, and to fight against the outdated and harmful gender norms - including attitudes towards masculinity - that open the door to misogyny. 

For anyone that is, or knows someone who is facing abuse, whether emotional, physical or financial or simply wants to educate themselves further on this issue, there are resources and support available, which we have listed below:

[White Ribbon Day UK](https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/)

[End Violence Against Women Coalition](https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/) 

[Refuge](https://refuge.org.uk/)

[Solace Women’s Aid ](https://www.solacewomensaid.org/)

[Woman’s Trust](https://womanstrust.org.uk/)

[National Domestic Abuse Hotline](https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/) - 0808 2000 247

It is up to all of us, regardless of gender, to stand against violence against women, and to fight against the outdated and harmful gender norms - read more on the importance of White Ribbon Day from Teamspirit’s Eleanor Ross 

Why we should all pay attention to White Ribbon Day

For those of us London commuters the phrase ‘Mind the Gap’ is ubiquitous in our lives, a reminder to observe the gap between train and platform. Nobody can argue that this isn’t good advice. But does this advice still apply to other areas of our working lives? 

The Fawcett Society has been tracking the gender pay gap since 2013, and Equal Pay Day marks the day each year where women will effectively stop being paid for the work they do compared to men. This year’s Equal Pay day is two days earlier - 20th November -  than in 2023, and is disappointingly the first time that the pay gap has widened since the Fawcett Society began tracking. This calls into question the impact that efforts to reduce the gap are having in reality. 

Mandatory gender pay gap reporting has been in effect for large companies since 2017. Each company is required to make public their gender pay gap and while many companies have been transparent, there are large gaps to overcome. It's clear and understandable that efforts to close the gap, like growing and developing senior women, require time to bear fruit, but there is simply no excuse for the gap to be widening in 2024.

With the knock-on-impact that the gender pay gap has on women’s ability to save, invest and put money away into their pensions (Scottish Widows found that women retire with £100K less than men), this is an issue that we should all care about, no matter our gender. 

At Teamspirit, we’re lucky to work at a business that not only chooses to report on its gender pay gap, but also one that doesn’t have a gender pay gap at all. 

With a new female Chancellor in position, and the last general election seeing the most women elected as MPs ever, there are encouraging signs that progress is being made. As we head into the new Year, we do so with a fresh challenge to reduce the gender pay gap once again. So back to my Mind the Gap metaphor; is it enough to simply ask companies to track their gender pay gap? Should we still be standing back and just minding the gap, or does more action need to be taken?

## Sources:

[https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/news/equal-pay-day-2024-will-be-20th-november](https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/news/equal-pay-day-2024-will-be-20th-november)
[https://www.scottishwidows.co.uk/about-us/media-centre/reports/women-retirement-report.html](https://www.scottishwidows.co.uk/about-us/media-centre/reports/women-retirement-report.html)


The Gender Pay Gap has widened for the first time in since 2013 calling into question whether efforts to reach pay parity are working. With knock-on-effects to women’s ability to save, invest and prepare for retirement, does more action need to be taken?

Let’s not JUST Mind the Gap anymore 

How can there be more plastic than fish in the sea?

How can we let this manifest and continue to be?

Our planet is suffering through our greed and our need

To accumulate unnecessary stuff to satisfy our greed

<br>

For our planet to heal we have to say enough is enough

Recycling is vital and we must all be tough

To ensure the way we live and recycle is at the top of our list

We have done our little bit, updating recycling facilities and I must insist

<br>

That when eating and drinking please be mindful to ensure

You recycle responsibly and I therefore implore

That you wash and dry plastics, and if you have any doubt

About what can and cannot be recycled just give me a shout

<br>

We can no longer continue and allow there to be

More plastic than fish in our beautiful seas

Our planet needs to be protected so she can continue to be

The life force for all life, future generations, for you and for me.

How can there be more plastic than fish in the sea?
How can we let this manifest and continue to be?
Our planet is suffering through our greed and our need
To accumulate unnecessary stuff to satisfy our greed.

How can there be more plastic than fish in the sea?

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Let’s not JUST Mind the Gap anymore