Generated by All in One SEO Pro v5.0.1.1, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Active International Corporate Trade and Media Barter ## Posts ### [Insights](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/) **Published:** May 24, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Why we’re switching off for Global Wellness Weekend](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/why-were-switching-off-for-global-wellness-weekend/) **Published:** August 4, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** From Friday 7 to Monday 10 August, the Active International UK team will be offline for our Global Wellness Weekend. It is a chance to properly switch off, spend time with the people who matter to us and return feeling rested and recharged. ## More than one long weekend This weekend is part of a much broader commitment to looking after our people. Active Wellness was established in 2018 to support wellbeing across five connected areas. Physical Mental Financial Environmental Social Over the years, this has included everything from mindfulness, nutrition and exercise to financial guidance, health support and opportunities to connect with colleagues. Wellbeing should not be treated as an occasional perk. It should be reflected in how people are supported throughout their working lives. A single initiative cannot solve every challenge. But making genuine space for people to pause, without the expectation of checking emails or keeping one eye on work, is a meaningful place to start. ## Planning ahead We have planned ahead with our clients and partners. Our UK team will be offline from Friday 7 August and will return on Tuesday 11 August. Rest. Recharge. Return. **Categories:** News --- ### [From Cannes inspiration to business action: Ruth Cartwright on protecting bold creative work](https://activeinternational.co.uk/ruth-cartwright-cannes-lions-commercial-conditions/) **Published:** July 1, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **Ruth Cartwright joined senior marketing leaders on the Brand Innovators stage at Cannes Lions to discuss AI, changing consumer behaviour, brand expectations and the commercial conditions needed to protect the work that matters.** Cannes is brilliant at celebrating bold ideas. But the real test often starts when marketers step off the plane. After a week of panels, meetings, creative showcases and the odd glass of rosé, the questions become more practical. How is this funded? What is the risk? What are we stopping to make room for it? And how will we prove it worked? > Bold creative work does not just need inspiration, it needs the right commercial conditions around it. > > Ruth Cartwright, UK Managing Director, Active International UK ## What did Ruth Cartwright discuss at Cannes Lions? On the final day of Cannes Lions, Ruth joined Elizabeth Preis at Victoria’s Secret & Co., Jenny Robertson at FedEx and Brad Spychalski at Fetch for a Brand Innovators panel focused on how marketing leaders turn emerging ideas into stronger business decisions. Moderated by Casey Hurbis, the session covered some of the biggest questions facing CMOs today, including how executives are evaluating AI, responding to changing consumer behaviour and building more resilient marketing organisations. For Ruth, the key point was not that marketers need more ideas. Cannes gives the industry plenty of those. The bigger challenge is creating the commercial conditions that allow the right ideas to survive once everyone is back in the business. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC_8869-1024x683.jpg)Attendees at the Active International event, showcasing collaboration and innovation in the creative industry. ## Why the commercial case matters more than ever At a time when every pound, euro and dollar is being questioned, the answer to budget pressure cannot be smaller thinking, weaker work or diluted plans. It has to be a stronger commercial case for the work that matters. That point felt especially relevant at Cannes this year. AI was high on the agenda, but the strongest conversations were not just about speed or automation. They were about judgement, taste, originality and knowing where technology can support better creative and commercial decisions. > The answer to budget pressure cannot be weaker work. It has to be a stronger commercial case for the work that matters. > > Ruth Cartwright ## Protecting the work that matters For Active International, this is close to the work we do every day. We help brands think differently about value, investment and growth, giving them more ways to fund the activity that matters and keep moving in a fast-changing market. By unlocking value already in the business, brands can create more room to test, invest in brand, fund bigger media moments or support creative ideas that might otherwise be cut. Cash-only budget models do not always create the conditions for the best creative outcomes. When brands can think differently about how activity is funded, they give themselves more room to back the ideas that can create long-term value. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC_4590.jpg) ## The post-Cannes question Cannes is full of inspiration. That is its strength. But for marketing leaders, the most useful question now is not only what inspired us. It is what are we taking back into the business, what needs investment and what value can we unlock to make it happen? ## Quick answers ### What did Ruth Cartwright speak about at Cannes Lions? Ruth spoke about how marketing leaders can turn Cannes inspiration into practical business decisions, with a focus on AI, changing consumer behaviour, brand expectations and the commercial conditions needed to protect bold creative work. ### Why does creative work need a stronger commercial case? Because marketing budgets are under pressure. Brands still need ambitious ideas, but those ideas need clear funding routes, risk management and measurable outcomes. ### How does Active International help? Active International helps brands unlock value already in the business, creating more ways to fund marketing activity, reduce risk and protect the work that matters. Bold ideas still matter. But they need the right conditions around them. That is where inspiration becomes action. Read more opinions from leaders at Cannes on [MediaShotz](https://mediashotz.co.uk/postcards-from-cannes-marketing-leaders-key-takeaways-and-what-comes-next/). [Talk to us about creating more room for the work that matters](https://activeinternational.co.uk/contact/) **Categories:** News, timtest **Tags:** timtest --- ### [Active celebrates Best Workplaces in Travel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-celebrates-best-workplaces-in-travel/) **Published:** July 9, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **Kelly Davies, Business Services Manager at Active International, reflects on why supporting Best Workplaces in Travel matters to Active, our partners and the wider travel industry.** Active International was proud to support this year’s **Best Workplaces in Travel** awards, celebrating the businesses creating stronger, happier and more people-focused workplaces across the travel industry. Travel is a hugely important part of Active’s business. From holidays and cruises to hotels, venues, events and hospitality, we work closely with organisations across the sector to help them unlock more value from their partnerships, media investment and inventory. That is why supporting Best Workplaces in Travel matters to us. It is a chance to recognise the companies investing in their people, building stronger cultures and helping the wider travel industry move forward. Active sponsored the **Performance and Recognition Award**, with **Kelly Davies** presenting the award on the night. Kelly attended alongside **Alex Beeden**, joining partners, clients and familiar faces from across the travel community. > The atmosphere really stood out. There was such a buzz in the room, with people celebrating each other’s achievements and recognising the hard work that goes into creating great places to work. > > Kelly Davies, Business Services Manager, Active International UK ## Celebrating an industry built on people The awards brought together a wide range of travel businesses, all recognised for their commitment to creating workplaces where people feel supported, valued and able to grow. For Active, that focus on people sits naturally alongside our own belief in long-term partnership. Great businesses are built by great people. In travel, that is especially true. Whether someone is planning a holiday, booking a hotel, organising an event or managing a client relationship, the experience is shaped by the people behind it. > A best workplace is somewhere people feel they belong. It is a place where people are recognised for their contribution, supported and given opportunities to grow. > > Kelly Davies ## ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/imgi_186_fd6a9e1640d1a288516bf3c372e99ca8-large-300x200.jpg) ## Why workplace culture matters The evening also reinforced a wider lesson for the industry: investing in people pays off. Strong workplace cultures do not happen by accident. They are built through leadership, recognition, development and a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing. When people feel safe, valued and trusted, they do better work. That leads to more confident teams, stronger client relationships and better experiences for customers and partners. For Active, this matters because partnership is at the heart of how we work. Across travel and hospitality, we help businesses think differently about value, investment and growth, creating commercial opportunities that support both our clients and our partners. > When organisations create a culture where people feel safe, valued and trusted, it leads to more confident teams, stronger relationships and a better experience for clients and partners alike. > > Kelly Davies ![Kelly Davies and Alex Beeden at Best Workplaces in Travel event London](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/imgi_175_1525491253ead62f87a30d812ab73382-large-300x200.jpg) ## A personal highlight from the evening One of Kelly’s personal highlights was seeing **Newmarket Holidays** win three awards. > I started my career there and spent 15 years growing up with them, so I still feel very fond of the business. It was brilliant to see familiar faces recognised for all their hard work. > > Kelly Davies ## Proud to support the travel community Active has worked with travel and hospitality businesses for many years, helping partners find smarter ways to fund marketing, generate new sales and make better use of inventory. But events like Best Workplaces in Travel are also a useful reminder that commercial success and workplace culture are closely connected. Better teams build better businesses. Better businesses create better experiences. And better experiences help the whole industry move forward. ![Alex Beeden at Best Workplaces in Travel event London](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/imgi_111_c6014c4491033e94349c2f2e26bddd72-large-300x200.jpg) > Travel is a huge part of what we do, and it was great to spend the evening celebrating an industry I have worked in for many years. > > Kelly Davies Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and thank you to **Best Workplaces in Travel** and **Gail Kenny Executive Recruitment** for bringing the industry together for such a brilliant evening. At Active, we are proud to support the travel industry, proud of the partnerships we have built, and proud to celebrate the people helping the sector grow stronger. Pay Differently, Remove Barriers, Grow Smarter. [Find out how Active works with travel and hospitality businesses](https://docs.activeinternational.com/uk/travel/) **Categories:** News --- ### [Why bold creative work needs commercial confidence](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/why-bold-creative-work-needs-commercial-confidence/) **Published:** July 6, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## Ruth Cartwright, Managing Director at Active International UK, looks at how brands can protect ambitious marketing ideas when budgets, risk and commercial pressure are working against them. In our Active International Leadership Series, we share perspectives from leaders across our business on the issues shaping marketing, media, value and growth. In this first edition, Ruth Cartwright looks at one of the questions sitting behind many of the industry’s biggest conversations right now: how do brands protect ambitious marketing ideas when budgets, risk and commercial pressure are all working against them? “The industry is not short of brave ideas. The harder part is creating the conditions for those ideas to survive once they are back inside the business.” Cannes Lions gave the industry plenty to talk about, from changing consumer behaviour and creative effectiveness to brand expectations and the future shape of marketing teams. Ruth joined senior marketing leaders on the Brand Innovators stage to discuss those themes, including how executives are turning emerging ideas into stronger business decisions. But the more useful point is not just what was said in Cannes. It is what those conversations reveal about the pressure marketing leaders are under once they are back inside the business. There is no shortage of inspiration in the industry. Between Cannes, MAD//Fest and the many other moments where marketers come together, there are always big ideas, bold opinions and ambitious conversations about where marketing should go next. The harder question is what happens when those ideas have to move through budget pressure, procurement, risk, measurement and competing priorities. That is where creative ambition can either gain momentum or quietly get smaller. ## Inspiration is not the problem For Ruth, one of the clearest takeaways from the conversation was that marketers are not short of ideas. The industry has plenty of ambition, imagination and new thinking. What many businesses are short of is the right commercial conditions to help the best ideas survive. That distinction matters. A brave idea does not always get cut because people stop believing in it. More often, it gets diluted because the funding route is unclear, the risk feels too hard to manage, the measurement case is not strong enough or the right partners are not around the table early enough. This is where marketing leadership becomes more than creative judgement. It becomes the ability to protect the work that matters by giving it a stronger commercial case, clearer funding routes and better conditions to move from intent to action. **Bold creative work does not just need belief behind it. It needs commercial confidence around it.** ## The industry is asking the same question The wider industry conversation is moving in the same direction. Ambitious work still matters, but marketers are being asked to prove, fund and defend it in more commercial terms. [Gartner’s 2026 CMO Spend work](https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/cmo-spend) points to a more constrained environment for marketing leaders, with rising expectations and limited budget growth. [WARC has also reported](https://www.warc.com/en/press/press-releases/25-12-03_budget-expectations-fall-faster-than-business-optimism-for-marketers-in-2026) a gap between business optimism and marketing budget optimism, with many marketers expecting better business conditions while far fewer expect their marketing budgets to increase. [Kantar’s 2026 effectiveness work](https://www.kantar.com/uki/Campaigns/Ten-Effectiveness-Charts-2026) makes a related point, highlighting the need for stronger evidence to support decisions around brand building, performance marketing and budget allocation. The same theme came through in the post-Cannes conversation captured by [MediaShotz](https://mediashotz.co.uk/postcards-from-cannes-marketing-leaders-key-takeaways-and-what-comes-next/), where industry leaders talked about what comes next for marketing after the festival. The strongest conversations were not only about inspiration. They were about effectiveness, commercial impact and how marketing proves its value inside the business. For Ruth, that is where the conversation becomes most useful. The question is not whether brands still need brave ideas. They do. The question is whether those ideas have the right commercial conditions around them once they leave the room where everyone first got excited. A campaign may look too risky because the funding route is too narrow. A bigger media moment may feel out of reach because the business is only looking at cash budget. A brand-building idea may be cut too early because it is being measured against the wrong outcome, or judged before it has had enough time to work. “When budgets are under pressure, the answer cannot always be to make the work smaller. Sometimes the better question is whether we have built the right commercial case around the work that matters.” ## Brave ideas need the right conditions around them This is where the right partner can change the conversation. Sometimes the issue is not that a brand cannot afford to back the bigger, bolder or more effective idea. Sometimes the issue is that the brand has not yet found a smarter way to fund it. For Active International, this is close to the work we do every day. We help brands think differently about value, investment and growth, giving them more ways to fund the activity that matters and keep moving when budgets are under pressure. By unlocking value already in the business, brands can create more room to test, invest in brand, fund bigger media moments or support creative ideas that might otherwise be reduced, delayed or cut. That is not about finding a shortcut around commercial pressure. It is about creating better conditions for the work that matters to make it through the business. “A brand may think it cannot fund the bigger idea, when really it has not yet explored all the value already available inside the business.” ## Three questions before cutting the brave idea Before reducing the ambition of a campaign or cutting an idea that still has potential, marketing leaders should pause and ask three questions. 1. **Is the idea actually too expensive, or is the funding route too narrow?** 2. **What value already exists in the business that could create more room for investment?** 3. **Who could help you get the idea through the business without making it smaller?** These questions will not remove every pressure, but they can change the conversation. Instead of defaulting to smaller plans, they help marketing leaders look at how the right work can be funded, protected and measured with more confidence. They also open up a more useful discussion about partnership. If an idea matters, but the budget model is stopping it from happening, the answer may not be to make the idea smaller. It may be to look again at how it is being funded, what value can be unlocked and who can help create a better route through the business. ## From ambition to action The industry does not need less ambition. It needs better conditions around the ambition that matters. That means stronger commercial cases, smarter funding routes, better use of value already in the business and partners who can help brands think differently about how growth is funded. For marketing leaders, the question is not only what inspired us. It is what work is worth protecting, what needs investment and what value can we unlock to make it happen. **Bold ideas still matter, but they need the right conditions around them.** That is how ambition becomes action. Pay Differently, Remove Barriers, Grow Smarter. **Categories:** News --- ### [What Cannes Lions 2026 told us about brave ideas and commercial confidence](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/what-cannes-lions-2026-told-us-about-brave-ideas-and-commercial-confidence/) **Published:** July 1, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** # Cannes Lions 2026 round-up: from inspiration on the Croisette to action back in the business The team returned from Cannes Lions with a clear takeaway: brave creative work still matters, but it needs the right partnerships, commercial confidence and funding conditions around it. It was a scorcher of a week at Cannes Lions. The Croisette was full of panels, meetings, beach sessions, partner catch-ups and conversations about what comes next for marketing. Our Cannes squad had a packed agenda, joined by colleagues and partners from across the industry, including our AMS US colleagues. For us, the most useful conversations were not just about what inspired people at Cannes. They were about what happens next. How do brands protect the ideas that matter? How do they fund them? Who do they need around the table? And how do they turn a week of inspiration into action inside the business? > The biggest Cannes conversations do not end in Cannes. They come home with you. ## Cannes felt bigger than advertising this year One of the clearest shifts was how broad the Cannes conversation has become. It is still a festival of creativity, but the discussion around it now stretches much further into business leadership, culture, entertainment, technology and growth. That matters because creativity is no longer being judged in isolation. The strongest ideas are expected to move through the business, earn attention, build relevance and prove their value. That is a healthier conversation, and a more demanding one. It also reflects what many marketing leaders are facing when they return home. The idea may be exciting. The opportunity may be obvious. But the business still needs to know how it will be funded, what it will deliver and what needs to change to make room for it. ## Partnership was one of the biggest themes One of the standout messages from the week was the importance of true partnerships. In a session with Eli Lilly and Shaquille O’Neal, the discussion focused on how a single campaign collaboration evolved into a long-term partnership built on trust, shared purpose and mutual value. For Kieron Murphy, that message landed immediately. > That’s us. It’s what we’re all about. > > Kieron Murphy That same theme came up across very different conversations. Whether the topic was the future of Total Video at the RTL Group Beach, the changing agency model at the Little Black Book Beach or the evolution of media channels to deliver more effective campaigns, the point was consistent. Short-term transactions are not enough. Brands need partners who can help them create value over time, not just deliver against a single brief. ## Relevance beat visibility Another strong thread was the move from simply showing up in culture to earning a meaningful place in it. The best work did not just chase attention. It understood the audience, the context and the behaviour it wanted to be part of. That is an important distinction. Visibility can be bought. Relevance has to be earned. It comes from sharper thinking, better partnerships and a clearer understanding of what people actually care about. For brands, that creates a commercial challenge as much as a creative one. If the work needs to be more relevant, more participatory and more connected to culture, then marketers need the time, budget and flexibility to build it properly. ## AI was everywhere, but the human question was louder AI was high on the agenda, as expected. But the more useful conversations were not just about speed, automation or producing more content. They were about judgement. How do teams use technology without flattening the work? How do brands move faster without losing distinctiveness? What should be automated, and what still needs human taste, experience and instinct? That feels like the right place for the debate to be. Efficiency matters, but it is not the same as effectiveness. More output is not the same as better communication. The brands that win will be the ones that use technology to support better decisions, not to avoid making them. ## Creative ambition still needs a commercial route This is where the Cannes conversation becomes very real for marketers. The industry can celebrate bold ideas all week. But once teams are back in the business, those ideas need a route through budget conversations, procurement pressure, measurement demands and competing priorities. At a time when every pound, euro and dollar is being questioned, the answer cannot be weaker work. It has to be a stronger commercial case for the work that matters. That is where Active International can help. By unlocking value already in the business, brands can create more room to test, invest in brand, fund bigger media moments or support ideas that might otherwise be cut. ## Our week on the Croisette Outside the panel sessions, some of the most useful moments came from conversations with partners and industry peers. The team spent time with partners including Ozone, JCDecaux, Bauer Media Group, WPP Media, Goodstuff, LoopMe, AdsWizz, VideoAmp, TikTok and Sky. Thank you to everyone who made time to meet, host us, share ideas and talk about what is next for the industry. A special thank you to Ozone for the relax gift bags. After a week like that, the team will be putting them to good use. ## What we are taking home For us, the biggest takeaway is simple. Brands still need brave, brand-building ideas. But they also need the right commercial conditions to make those ideas happen. That means stronger partnerships. Smarter use of value already in the business. Clearer measurement. Better funding routes. And a willingness to protect the work that matters, even when budgets are under pressure. ## Quick answers ### What were the biggest marketing takeaways from Cannes Lions 2026? Key takeaways included the growing importance of partnerships, cultural relevance, creative effectiveness, human judgement in technology-led marketing and the need for a stronger commercial case behind brave ideas. ### Why do partnerships matter after Cannes Lions? Partnerships matter because ambitious ideas need more than attention. They need trust, shared value, smart funding routes and partners who can help brands create long-term growth. ### Who attended Cannes Lions from Active International UK? The Active International UK team included Ruth Cartwright, Kieron Murphy, Cameron Swan, Jane Putley, Chris Stone, David Carpenter, Bethany Harris and Judy Kenny, alongside colleagues from AMS US. Cannes gave the industry plenty of inspiration. Now comes the more important part: turning it into action. [Talk to us about creating more room for the work that matters](https://activeinternational.co.uk/contact/) **Categories:** News --- ### [From Cannes inspiration to business action: Ruth Cartwright joins Brand Innovators panel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/from-cannes-inspiration-to-business-action-ruth-cartwright-joins-brand-innovators-panel/) **Published:** June 12, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Ruth Cartwright, UK Managing Director at Active International UK, will speak at the Brand Innovators Marketing Leadership Summit @ Cannes this June. Ruth will join **The Post-Cannes Playbook: Leadership & Brand Strategy**, the closing Beach Stage session of the Brand Innovators Marketing Leadership Summit @ Cannes. The session will take place on **Thursday 25 June at 2:40pm** on the **Beach Stage**. Cannes is known for its ideas, energy and conversations that shape the direction of marketing. But once the festival ends, the question for leaders is more practical: which ideas are worth taking back into the business? The panel will explore how senior leaders translate emerging thinking around brand, AI and consumer behaviour into decisions that shape teams, capabilities, culture and long-term brand direction. > “Cannes is full of ideas, but the real value comes from knowing what to do with them. I’m looking forward to joining this discussion and exploring how leaders can turn inspiration into practical decisions that shape brands, teams and growth.” > > Ruth Cartwright, UK Managing Director, Active International UK Ruth will join **Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Marketing Officer at Dove**, and **Elizabeth Preis, Chief Marketing & Customer Officer at Victoria’s Secret**, in a discussion moderated by **Casey Hurbis**, former Chief Marketing Officer of BetMGM and Rocket Mortgage. For Active International, this is a conversation close to the work we do every day. We help brands think differently about value, investment and growth, giving them more ways to fund the activity that matters and keep moving in a fast-changing market. ## Session details **The Post-Cannes Playbook: Leadership & Brand Strategy** Brand Innovators Marketing Leadership Summit @ Cannes Thursday 25 June, 2:40pm Beach Stage View the full agenda and register: [View agenda and register](https://brand-innovators.com/events/marketing-leadership-summit-cannes-2026/) [](https://brand-innovators.com/events/marketing-leadership-summit-cannes-2026/) > [Marketing Leadership Summit @ Cannes](https://brand-innovators.com/events/marketing-leadership-summit-cannes-2026/) **Categories:** News --- ### [Women Who Lead brings senior women together at The Ivy](https://activeinternational.co.uk/women-who-lead-senior-women-the-ivy/) **Published:** June 19, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **Active International and Avenir Network co-hosted the latest Women Who Lead: Connections & Conversations lunch at The Ivy, West Street.** A small room, by design. Senior women from business, media, marketing, technology and the creative industries came together over lunch to talk about visibility, legacy and what it means to use your influence well, not as an abstract idea, but in terms of how it actually plays out day to day. ![Guests at the Women Who Lead Connections and Conversations lunch hosted by Active International and Avenir Network](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WomenWhoLeadLunch4.jpeg)The invitation was simple: leave the polished version at the door. That set the tone. The conversation was open, honest and generous, with a good amount of laughter and rather more candour than these things usually allow. By the end, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a one-off. **Women Who Lead will now run quarterly**, with the next gathering in September. ## A room built on proper relationships The lunch was co-hosted by **Ruth Cartwright**, UK Managing Director at Active International, and **Dinah Williams**, Founder of Avenir Network and Avenir Pathways CIC. Between them they pulled together women with very different backgrounds and roles, but plenty in common, chief among it an understanding of what good relationships are actually worth. Not the forced networking kind, but the kind that helps you think differently, opens a door, and gives you a bit more confidence to back yourself. ![Women Who Lead lunch guests in conversation](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WomenWhoLeadLunch3.jpeg)![Guests connecting at the Women Who Lead lunch](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WomenWhoLeadLunch2.jpeg) > “I’m still buzzing from what a gorgeous afternoon we had, and by how lucky I feel to have added so many wonderful women to my network.” > > **Alexandra Beeden** > Client & Operations Director, Active International The responses afterwards said it better than we could. **Jane Putley**, Commercial Partnerships Director at Active International, called it “a delight to be in a room of such brilliant women and to be part of something so inspiring.” The warmth came just as strongly from across the table. **Sophie Catto**, Joint Managing Director at AllBright, admitted she wasn’t sure she’d “laughed and enjoyed myself that much at a work event ever.” **Carli Gooch**, Agency Development Lead EMEA at Reddit, summed the afternoon up as “a gorgeous gathering of tremendous women.” And **Kate Tovey**, Director of Customer Engagement at JCDecaux, valued the chance to “catch up with likeminded women who are creating space for personal reflection and growth.” ![Women Who Lead Connections and Conversations lunch hosted at The Ivy, West Street](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WomenWhoLeadLunch.jpeg)## Supporting Future Reset® The afternoon also gave Dinah the chance to talk about **Future Reset®**, a new Avenir Pathways CIC initiative supporting mid-level professionals navigating redundancy and finding their way back into meaningful work. Rather than charge a ticket fee, guests were invited to contribute towards funding additional places on the Future Reset® pilot. It gave the lunch a purpose beyond the table. ## Why it matters to Active That matters to us at Active. We believe strong relationships remove barriers. We see it in business every day, and it holds just as true in leadership, careers and community. When people with experience and influence choose to share it, the impact travels a good deal further than a single conversation. ![Guests at the Women Who Lead lunch hosted by Active International and Avenir Network](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WomenWhoLeadLunch5.jpeg)![Women Who Lead lunch guests sharing conversation at The Ivy](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WomenWhoLeadLunch6.jpeg) > Leadership presence doesn’t have to be loud or over-rehearsed. Sometimes it’s just showing up honestly, listening properly, and making room for someone else to take their next step. A huge thank you to **Dinah**, **Ruth**, **Kelly** and everyone who joined us. As **Giselle Elsom**, Managing Director at Truffle Social, put it, “I can’t wait for the next one.” The lunch is over, but the group is already asking what’s next, which is about the best result we could have hoped for. “` **Categories:** News --- ### [Active supports WPP Media at Race for Life team](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/a/insights/news/active-supports-wpp-media-race-for-life/) **Published:** June 4, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active International was proud to support **WPP Media** at Battersea Park, London, as their team took part in Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. ## Supporting WPP Media on the day At the London event, our part was a simple one. The event shirts carried the Active International logo, worn right across the course, and we hosted the post-race food and drinks once everyone was over the line. Well done to **Jane Putley**, our Commercial Partnerships Director, who organised our involvement and ran a solid 5k herself. > “The team were proud to wear our shirts with the Active logo, and it was brilliant to see a sea of them around the course.” > > **Emma Dibben** > VP Strategic Partnerships, WPP Media ## A great evening for a fantastic cause For us, evenings like this are a reminder that good relationships are not built in meeting rooms. **Cameron Swan**, Chief Growth Officer International at AMS Growth Partner, summed it up after a shift on the bar: a lovely bunch at the drinks and plenty of great chats, even if a few of the team were still catching their breath. As **Kieron Murphy**, our Chief Revenue Officer, put it, there was lots of positive feedback internally on what a fantastic event it was, with real congratulations to Emma and the team for pulling it together for such an important cause. A huge thank you to **Kate Rowlinson**, **Miles Gamble**, **Kelly Parker**, **Emma Dibben**, **Jonathan Masterson**, **Victoria Appleby**, **Rebecca Cox**, **Fleur Stoppani**, **Craig Smith** and everyone at WPP and WPP Media for letting us be part of your day. What a great evening for a fantastic cause. See you all next year. **Categories:** News --- ### [Ruth in The Media Leader for IWD](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/ruth-in-the-media-leader-for-iwd/) **Published:** March 10, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Our Managing Director, [Ruth Cartwright](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-cartwright-62052b37/), has been featured in [The Media Leader UK](https://www.linkedin.com/company/themedialeader/) as part of its International Women’s Day series, spotlighting the women shaping and inspiring our industry. In her contribution, Ruth reflects on the power of advocacy, allyship, and collective momentum, as well as the brilliant women she has worked alongside throughout her career. “When we back each other’s ideas and opinions, recommend each other for opportunities, and celebrate each other’s wins, we create momentum that benefits everyone individually and collectively.” At Active, we’re proud to support and champion the incredible women across our business and the wider media landscape. 📖 Read the full piece in [The Media Leader](https://uk.themedialeader.com/international-womens-day-a-moment-for-the-women-the-industry-admires/): **Categories:** News --- ### [Supporting Childline](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/uncategorized/supporting-childline/) **Published:** March 25, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We were proud to host a fantastic table of guests at this year’s Childline Ball; thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a memorable evening. Together, the event raised an incredible £533k, funding Childline for over 12 days and ensuring this vital, life-saving service continues to be there for children and young people who need it most. A huge thank you to the board: Karen Stacey, Kathleen Saxton, and Jane Wolfson for their continued dedication and hard work in bringing such an impactful event to life, and to everyone across the industry who supports this important cause each year. Already looking forward to the next one! **Categories:** News --- ### [Will Corporate Trade be a big opportunity for pitches in 2026 & beyond? We get the experts’ views](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/uncategorized/will-corporate-trade-be-a-big-opportunity-for-pitches-in-2026-beyond-we-get-the-experts-views/) **Published:** April 15, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Lee-Baring-scaled-e1776334280635-300x268.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Pedro-Avery.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Rebecca-McKinlay-headshot-240x300.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/tina-fegent-2023-1-800x871-1-276x300.jpg) Is Corporate Trade about to reshape the pitch landscape in 2026 and beyond? As marketing budgets tighten and pressure on performance grows, procurement and marketing leaders are being forced to rethink how value is unlocked – not just negotiated. Corporate Trade is re-emerging as a serious strategic lever, offering a way to drive efficiency without compromising quality, process, or agency relationships. In an article for **Marketing Procurement IQ,** Ruth brings together expert perspectives on where Corporate Trade is heading, how it could influence pitch dynamics, and what forward-thinking organisations should be doing now to stay ahead. **Lee Baring, Managing Director at The Specialist Work**s, states: “Corporate Trade, if planned correctly, can help us offer a creative solution to entrepreneurial clients to help answer a variety of business challenges.” **Pedro Avery, co-founder of media and creative agency Bicycle**, asserts: “When positioned well, Corporate Trade can help reframe how value is presented in a pitch. It can signal an agency’s ability to think commercially and explore ways of extracting more value from fixed budgets, alongside its existing strategic and creative strengths.” **Rebecca McKinlay of Oyster Catchers** affirms, “Barter in a pitch shows an agency is thinking commercially as well as creatively. For clients, it means added media value for the same spend. Plus, flexibility and either no change or an enhancement to the media plan itself.” She continues, “When barter is undertaken well, it’s a clear signal that the agency is focused on working hard to make every pound go further.” **Procurement expert Tina Fegent** advises, “Don’t tack barter on as an afterthought. Too often it’s presented as a bolt-on line at the end of a deck, and that makes it look like a gimmick rather than a strategic lever.” **Avery** adds, “Lead with transparency, evidence, and clear links to client outcomes. When that’s in place, trade can support growth rather than simply being seen as a financial mechanism.” Read the full article published on Marketing Procurement IQ here: [**https://www.mxpiq.com/will-corporate-trade-be-a-big-opportunity-for-pitches-in-2026-beyond-we-get-the-experts-views/** ](https://www.mxpiq.com/will-corporate-trade-be-a-big-opportunity-for-pitches-in-2026-beyond-we-get-the-experts-views/) **Categories:** News --- ### [The New Front Door of the Internet by Dom Blacklock](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/the-new-front-door-of-the-internet-by-dom-blacklock/) **Published:** March 3, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The increased daily touchpoints that we all have in using supportive AI tools, and generative AI tools, via the ever evolving AI chatbots, is not new news. It’s commonplace and will now always be in our lives. Brands and marketing specialists are deep in thought (human thought for the time being…) in how this impacts their investment into their marketing and advertisement. And at Active International, we’re always working at how to support our clients via Corporate Trade, and maximising their marketing ROI. The web as we know it is changing, and is undergoing its biggest shift since Google launched. Generative engines are increasing becoming the ‘front door’ to information (Chat GPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft CoPilot, Perplexity, and the like). Chat GPT alone now has 114 million daily active users, and processes 2.5 billion daily queries. (A huge question on the sustainability of this will grow of course). Google’s Paid Search has long been a dependency as a digital marketing channel for brands of all shapes and sizes at the ‘front door’. And so has the specialism of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): working hard to organically maximise your brand and product visibility the search engine results. However, online search engines are now evolving (or they’re on their way out to meet Blackberry and MySpace in the internet afterlife, up in the cloud somewhere), and soon the days will be gone when us mere humans search for something and have to look through 20 blue website links to decide how to satisfy our thirst for information. Or to buy a new torch, in my case. So this brings in the new acronym GEO, Generative Engine Optimization, the successor to SEO and very likely to paid search as well. GEO will fundamentally alter discoverability, monetisation, and the economics of the internet: GEO is about being “model-visible”, not “search-visible”. Being present in the new internet experience. - SEO = ranking signals, backlinks, organic visibility optimisation. - GEO = trust signals, AI model ingestion, alignment with an AI model’s “worldviews”, and being consistently and regularly corroborated across the web GEO encompass sponsored content and paid advertising formats, but also AI engines organically presenting brands and their products – by information available to them on the open internet, or via data feeds directly from brands / advertisers. Brands will have to rethink how they invest and measure being in the right place, at the ‘front door’ of the internet; through paid advertising; or through organically being visible within AI chatbots. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AI-in-marketing-value-Picture1-300x175.png) *An estimate on the global level of marketing spend into AI.* There are of course huge implications on the experience and overall culture in us using AI engines as commonplace – what is our trust going to be as a user in these chatbots, if ads are appearing and the responses include brand or product placements? What if we have “conversational advertising” with every request we use AI for? Brands will have to marry up being visible, whilst not impacting their reputation negatively. In conclusion, GEO will be as fundamental in 2026-2030 as SEO was in the mid 2000’s. There are potentially game changing implications for brands; expertise and talent; testing and learning; brand and product messaging; retaining marketing performance; onsite performance. Their whole paid search and SEO strategy is about to be ripped up. And this of course bottoms down to cost, and the risk of a negative ROI impact – or equally a huge opportunity to stand out and take a bigger share in the new internet. Corporate Trade, or Media Barter, has always offered solutions in maximising digital marketing investments and ROI. Active International aim to always be ahead of the curve, and are investing in AI talent and expertise, and increased digital, technology and data services. Active is here to help with commercial solutions across all digital investments, during these changing times. **Categories:** News --- ### [Dave Newton at MAD//North: Northern Brands Setting the Pace](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/dave-newton-at-mad-north-northern-brands-setting-the-pace/) **Published:** March 12, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **MAD//North** in Manchester was more than just an industry event — it was a vivid celebration of the creativity, commercial strength and bold thinking that define northern brands today. From standout sessions like **Jet2holidays’ viral success story** to **Jonathan Warburton’s long-view approach to brand building**, it was clear that the North isn’t following trends – it’s *setting* them. In his piece for **LBB Online**, Dave Newton captures the energy and momentum of the two-day festival, spotlighting how Manchester is increasingly being recognised as a serious hub for innovation, commerce and creative excellence. Northern brands and agencies not only held their own on the main stage, they drove conversations that resonate across the wider industry. Dive in to see why northern brands are setting the pace. 👉 [*Check out the full article on LBB Online.* ](https://lbbonline.com/news/MADNorth-Northern-Brands-Setting-the-Pace-by-Dave-Newton) **Categories:** News --- ### [Mark Zagger takes on the Creds Media Marathon for Suicide&Co](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/mark-zagger-takes-on-the-creds-media-marathon-for-suicideco/) **Published:** May 12, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **The Creds Media Marathon is all about bringing our industry together.** Creds connects Media Partners, Agencies and Brands, helping the brilliant work our industry creates live, breathe and be found instantly. It is built around the relationships that keep media moving, making it easier for agencies and clients to discover great partners, strong ideas and useful collateral when they need it. Now, that spirit is moving from the platform to the pavement. Mark Zagger is taking on the half marathon as part of the Creds Media Marathon, helping raise money for Suicide&Co, a national charity supporting people bereaved by suicide. It is a cause that matters. Suicide&Co helps adults in England and Wales access timely, effective support after losing someone to suicide. The charity provides 12 sessions of one-to-one bereavement counselling, giving people a much-needed listening ear and space to begin rebuilding life around their grief. Every £30 donated helps fund a counselling session. So, while Mark does the hard bit, we can do the useful bit. Please sponsor Mark, cheer him on and help support a charity doing important work for people who need it. **Sponsor Mark here:** **[https://www.justgiving.com/page/mark-zagger-2](https://www.justgiving.com/page/mark-zagger-2?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL)** **You can also find out more about Creds here:** **[www.creds.media](http://www.creds.media)** **Categories:** News --- ### [When Media Spend Grows Trees](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/when-media-spend-grows-trees/) **Published:** April 28, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active International and OVO Energy # **When media spend grows trees** How we helped OVO turn media investment into environmental action people could see. When OVO was founded, they set out to make energy fairer, greener and simpler. So when they moved their media buying to Goodstuff, they wanted their investment to reflect that commitment. They asked us for proactive ideas. Not just to talk about sustainability, but to make it visible and real. ## **The Challenge** ### **A purpose led energy brand needed media to do more than carry a message.** OVO did not want their media to simply talk about sustainability. They wanted it to actively contribute to it. They needed a Corporate Trade partner creative enough to make that happen. ## **The Solution** ### **Linking media spend to measurable environmental action.** We created a simple but powerful mechanism: for every £1,000 of media spend, we committed to planting one tree. The initiative was delivered in partnership with The Conservation Volunteers, a charity that works with communities to restore and protect green spaces. It was not a bolt-on. It was not a separate CSR initiative running alongside the media plan. It was built into the media investment itself, giving OVO’s sustainability message a tangible, visible form that people could see and take part in. ## **The Impact** The initiative helped turn media value into measurable environmental and community impact. **16,000** **trees planted** **50,817** **sqm reforested** **46** **community groups supported** **782** **volunteers engaged** **4,692** **hours contributed** ## **Why It Mattered** ### **Most media spend is invisible. This was not.** It turned OVO’s sustainability commitments into something measurable and real. It connected their media investment directly to community action and gave them a more distinctive way to show what their brand stands for. ## **Make your media investment do more** The OVO story worked because all three sides of our model were aligned: a brand with a clear purpose, an agency in Goodstuff with the ambition to do something different, and a Corporate Trade model that could turn media value into visible impact. When those relationships work together, media can do more than deliver a campaign. It can create value that is commercial, creative and tangible. **Whether you are a brand, an agency or a media owner, we would love to show you what this could look like for you.** [**Get in touch**](/contact/) **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [How Reach plc gets more from their media partnership](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/reachsupport/) **Published:** April 29, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active International and Reach plc # How Reach plc gets more from their media partnership Simpler support for a fast-moving business In 2025, our Business Services team supported Reach plc with a wide range of travel, events and goods requirements. As a long-standing media owner partner, Reach can leverage the value generated through our relationship to access practical business support across their teams, simplifying internal processes and reducing the administrative burden on their people. ## **The Challenge** ### A fast paced national publisher needed simple, reliable support across multiple teams. Reach regularly requires hotel accommodation, conference facilities, flights, incentive trips and employee rewards. These needs often arise at short notice and involve multiple stakeholders across departments, from media and sales to finance and executive assistants. Reach needed a partner that could quickly source and secure hotel space and conference venues, arrange overnight accommodation and travel, manage incentive trips, supply goods such as retail vouchers, and handle complex briefs with minimal input required from their teams. ## **The Solution** ### Responsive, flexible support that reduces the administrative burden on Reach’s teams. Our priority with Reach has been to deliver responsive, flexible support that reduces the administrative burden on their teams. In 2025 alone, Reach used the value generated through their media owner relationship with us to cover a wide range of business needs, including hotel bookings for overnight stays, conference venues with meeting rooms and breakout spaces, flights and travel arrangements, incentive trips, retail vouchers including significant volumes of retail gift vouchers, and additional goods and services as required. ✓ Business travel and accommodation ✓ Meetings, conferences and events ✓ Incentive trips ✓ Retail vouchers and goods Requests are often submitted as high level briefs, with our team undertaking the detailed sourcing, negotiation and coordination behind the scenes. Even when plans evolve or do not proceed, we absorb the legwork, helping Reach keep options open without adding to the internal workload. “We make it easy for Reach. They can come to us with a top line brief and we’ll handle the detail, from sourcing venues to organising travel and goods. It’s about being responsive and taking the workload off their teams.” **Kelly Davies** Business Services Manager, Active International ## **The Result** ### A trusted partnership that turns media value into practical business support. We have built a streamlined process that gives Reach access to a broad range of services through one trusted partner, with minimal administrative burden on their internal teams. The ongoing daily collaboration reflects a strong, embedded partnership that continues to grow. We have worked with Reach, formerly Trinity Mirror, since 2019, building a consistent and collaborative relationship that allows them to put their media value to work across the wider business. “Active International UK is a valued partner to Reach and plays an important role in helping us maximise the value of our media by converting it into meaningful business support. Their ability to turn media value into practical services, from travel and events to goods, makes a real difference to our day to day operations. Whether it’s hotels, conferences, travel or vouchers, the team takes care of the details and delivers quickly, which saves us a huge amount of time internally. The team is highly responsive, flexible, and consistently delivers solutions that meet our needs, often with minimal input required from our side. Their collaborative approach and ease of working make them a trusted extension of our team, and we look forward to continuing the partnership.” **Angela Woodhouse** Director of Trading and Business Intelligence, Reach plc ## **See how the model works for you** The Reach story works because all three sides were pulling in the same direction: a media owner with real business needs, an internal team who trusted us to handle the detail, and a network of suppliers and partners who could deliver at pace. Whether you are a brand, an agency or a media owner, we would love to show you what that could look like for you. [Find out how we work](https://activeinternational.co.uk/contact-us/) **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Bloom & Wild](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/bloom-wild/) **Published:** October 17, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **About Bloom & Wild** Bloom & Wild are one of Europe’s leading online flower and gift delivery services. Founded in 2013 in the UK, they turned the traditional commercial flower delivery model on its head with their revolutionary “letterbox flowers” concept. They’ve seen substantial business growth in recent years, accelerated by increased demand for ecommerce during the pandemic. Since 2019, we’ve worked alongside Bloom & Wild and their media agency to help them unlock value and make their media budget go further. ### **The Challenge** ***Build brand awareness for a scale-up business and increase media efficiency.*** Bloom & Wild—a formerly scale-up business that is now an established SME in the UK—has ambitious plans to take advantage of the huge opportunities they see across Europe’s £14bn fresh cut flower market. One of their key objectives as a relatively young business is to build brand awareness, as well as looking for new and creative ways to draw attention to their product ranges. Considerable growth during the pandemic had also allowed them to fast track some of their marketing and advertising plans—like moving into brand media sooner than initially expected. They needed a Corporate Trade partner that shared their entrepreneurial spirit and could bring creative solutions to the table to support their critical growth period. ### **The Solution** ***£860k of incremental value created across £10m of media*** Our priority with Bloom & Wild has been to generate value by using product buyback to part fund media spend, with the dual aims of creating more sales and lowering cost per acquisition. Not only has this increased their media efficiency, but it has also given them the opportunity to experiment and try new things that might not have been within the original budget. For example, in the run up to Valentine’s Day 2021, Bloom & Wild wanted to stand out, do something different and test print for the first time. Thanks to the value created by working with us, Bloom & Wild were able to turn a creative idea into a fully-fledged print campaign at short notice. They ran their striking “No More Roses” campaign across numerous ad spots— including a full front cover—and were able to reach a wider audience and gain more coverage than would have been possible without our input. Bloom & Wild were also able to upweight their “Care Wildly” brand campaign with our support. With an effective TV ad running across broadcasters, they found Sky to be particularly effective. Working alongside us and their media agency, they were able to upweight and increase investment into Sky which boosted sales at a critical period of growth for the brand. ### **The Result** ***Significant business growth and a productive working relationship.*** Bloom & Wild have continued to go from strength to strength over the course of our partnership. This includes recently acquiring Dutch flower brand Bloomon and French flower brand Bergamotte—signalling serious expansion into Europe. Beyond business growth, we’ve fostered a strong and productive professional relationship with Bloom & Wild based on shared values and a commitment to innovation. We look forward to supporting them in their next phase of growth and succeeding together. **Watch our related video: Conversations with Clients – “[How to Fund Your Marketing Budget with Product](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/how-to-fund-your-marketing-budget-with-product/)” featuring Bloom & Wild, Freixenet Copestick and Dreams** > ***“Bloom & Wild have been working with Active since 2017 when we were still transitioning from a seed to a venture-sized business. It was Active’s entrepreneurial spirit that drew us to the business, but the key for us was seeing how much value the company’s creative solutions brought to its partners.*** > > ***Over the past four years, we’ve been fortunate to see considerable growth at Bloom & Wild, which I’m delighted to say mirrors our evolving partnership with Active. We can directly attribute a portion of our YOY sales increase to the work we’ve done with Active, and in turn, we’ve been able to further invest in our brand and top up our media spend across critical periods in the year.*** > > ***We look forward to continuing our work with Active and embracing, when possible, any new opportunities that their innovative team can bring our way!”*** > > **GARY TAYLOR, MD, BLOOM & WILD** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Kia](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/transforming-kias-value-delivery/) **Published:** June 26, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **From Incremental to Impactful: Transforming Kia’s value delivery** **Background** Active started working with Kia in 2019, having successfully secured the account following a competitive pitch against the incumbent. As part of the pitch, Active committed to delivering significant incremental media value to Kia, working alongside their marketing team. **The Challenge** To work alongside Kia’s agency of record to deliver a strategy that allows Kia to increase its marketing budget using Corporate Trade, to improve the brand’s impact. **The Solution** Active met with all stakeholders to discuss industry insights from the media and automotive sectors. These meetings identified areas of opportunity where Active was able to bring incremental value to Kia via our trading relationships. Alongside traditional media, Active worked closely with Kia and their agency of record to increase digital media spending year-on-year through our involvement. **Results** Since 2019, Active has traded a substantial amount of incremental media spending. This value has helped Kia maintain its desired creative and media spending for new model launches despite market changes and budgetary pressures over this period. As an additional benefit, Active has also been able to facilitate Kia securing a fleet contract from one of our media partners by allowing the media owner to part-fund the cost of the contract in their media space. **Testimonial** > ***“Active International is a valued business partner to Kia and has helped drive incremental value to our business since the start of 2019. By working seamlessly with our media agency, Active has been able to maximise the value delivered across a significant barterable media to date. > The Active team’s strong communication, collaboration, and support make them a very easy partner to work with. We have established a mutually beneficial partnership, and I look forward to continuing this in the future.”*** > > **Jane Fenn, Head of Brand Comms at Kia** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Imperial London Hotels](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/imperial-london-hotels/) **Published:** March 17, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **How we drove bookings and revenue to Imperial London Hotels** **The Challenge** Active’s Business Services team is often the first choice for our media and client partners when planning corporate events, business travel, and staff accommodation. Based on high demand, Active proactively sourced hotels in the Bloomsbury area to meet partner needs, identifying Imperial London Hotels as a leading provider with six properties in the area. Just a short walk from the British Museum, Oxford Street and London’s theatreland, Imperial London’s family of unique hotels in Bloomsbury were the ideal base from which our partners and their guests could explore central London and beyond. **The Solution** **Partnership with Active International** In 2022, Active approached Imperial Hotels as a partner to help them drive new customer acquisition and sales post-COVID-19. Knowing the demand we were able to bring to the properties, Active International made a significant investment with Imperial, committing cash upfront in exchange for a higher ratio of room and event credit **The Results** **Guaranteed Sales and New Audiences** Due to our unique approach to working with our media and client partners, we were able to incentivize them to choose Imperial London Hotels over competitors and attract new guests to the brand. We were active in focusing on corporate bookings and events, driving higher-value bookings. Since 2022, working with Active has resulted in Imperial London Hotels: - increasing hotel business and revenue, from room sales to corporate events - generate over £100k of incremental bookings - finance a refurbishment project at one of their hotels **Testimonial** > ***“Over the past two years, Active International has confirmed over £50k in revenue, highlighting the strength and success of our ongoing partnership. Their strategic approach and commitment to delivering exceptional results has played a key role in boosting revenues and raising awareness of our brand. Active International’s professionalism, dedication, and innovative solutions have helped support our growth, and we look forward to continuing this successful partnership for years to come. > Their ongoing support has been instrumental in achieving our business objectives, and we truly appreciate their proactive involvement in this mutually beneficial relationship.”*** > > **George Chivers, Deputy Head of Sales, Imperial London Hotels** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Celebrity Cruises  ](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/celebrity-cruises/) **Published:** June 28, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** How Active International supported Celebrity Cruises’ media strategy to increase customer base.   **Content:** ### **How Active International supported Celebrity Cruises’ media strategy to increase customer base** Celebrity Cruises is an award-winning cruise line, providing premium holidays at sea through elevated experiences and unmatched offerings across its fleet of innovative ships. An array of premium food and drink options are available, alongside cutting-edge nightlife and rejuvenating wellness experiences, inviting guests to explore and restore throughout their holiday. With ships sailing across the world, Celebrity Cruises offers incredible itineraries from sun-soaked culture-spots across Europe, to nature-filled sailings in Alaska and tropical getaways in the Caribbean. Founded in 1988, Celebrity Cruises operates sixteen premium cruise ships across all seven continents. They regularly win travel awards, most recently becoming the first and only cruise line to receive Four-Star and Recommended Ratings by Forbes Travel Guide 2023. Active International began working with Celebrity Cruises in 2015, and have partnered with their various media agencies to help fund TV and Digital billings. #### **The Challenge** **To maximise media budget and help Celebrity Cruises continue their growth amidst challenging conditions.** The last few years have been a tough period for the travel industry thanks to Covid, Brexit and the uncertain economic climate — to name just a few of the challenges faced. As part of its wider marketing strategy, Celebrity Cruises decided to work with a corporate trade partner, to help drive new customers to cruising, enhance booking offers with additional incentives and make their media budget go as far as possible. #### **The Solution** **Incremental guaranteed sales, increased media and access to new audiences.** As an accredited travel agency, Active International is the perfect corporate trade partner to help clients expand their markets and raise brand awareness with new audiences. We work with a range of clients that align with Celebrity Cruises’ target audience, and have offered voucher incentive schemes to those who may not have tried a cruise holiday before, or may not have considered Celebrity Cruises before. This, combined with the guaranteed incremental business we’ve brought from our network of partners and loyalty schemes, has helped Celebrity Cruises reach new consumers through increased media and offers. #### **The Result** **9 years of helping fund media spend and providing bonus customer and staff perks** During our long-standing relationship with Celebrity Cruises, we’ve helped them: • fund an increase in TV and digital media to boost brand awareness and reach new audiences • provide internal staff incentives like Naked Wine boxes and John Lewis vouchers • offer customer incentives to book with House of Fraser vouchers ##### **THE TESTIMONIAL** > ***“We’ve had a longstanding and very fruitful relationship with Active, working with them since 2015. In that time they’ve brought us new customers to cruising, helped us increase our media budgets and most of all been a pleasure to deal with. “*** > > **Jody Wallace, EMEA Commercial Marketing Director at Celebrity Cruises** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Ruth in SheCanCode for IWD](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/ruth-in-shecancode-for-iwd/) **Published:** March 2, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** In honour of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, SheCanCode has gathered powerful quotes from women across diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages in the tech industry, including our managing director, Ruth Cartwright. “It’s important for me to share my knowledge, expertise and network with women, as we all face similar challenges and barriers. Having joined Active in September 2025 I was keen to join a business that already had a clear and established approach on how their business supports women. 62% of women within the Active UK business are in manager roles with UK leadership being made up of 50% females. Active has proudly earned a spot on the “UK’s Best Workplaces for Women” TM list 3 years in a row. But, I’m mindful that women still hold less than a third of leadership roles across adtech and martech, even as the industry accelerates through streaming, data, and AI. When organisations invest in mentorship, advocacy, and inclusive growth, women don’t just advance, the industry does too. Investing in women at every career stage fuels better outcomes for everyone.” Original article appeared in @[SheCanCode](https://shecancode.io/give-to-gain-women-in-tech-on-what-international-womens-day-means-to-them/) **Categories:** News --- ### [Ruth Cartwright in The Media Leader](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/ruth-cartwright-speaks-to-the-media-leader/) **Published:** February 12, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **The Media Leader** featured an in-depth conversation with Ruth Cartwright, managing director, reflecting on her first 100+ days in the role and outlining her strategic vision for the business. In the interview, Ruth shares how Active is positioning Corporate Trade more centrally in client and agency conversations as brands seek smarter, more flexible ways to unlock value in a challenging market. Her leadership approach centres on clarity, trust-building, and identifying new growth opportunities amid economic and industry shifts. She underscores the importance of Corporate Trade becoming “more central” to conversations with agencies and clients as marketing budgets tighten and plans evolve With a focus on clarity, collaboration, and commercial impact, she highlights the opportunity for Active to drive meaningful growth through innovation and strong partnerships. Looking ahead, Ruth reinforces the importance of responsible innovation, particularly in the use of AI: > *“It needs to add value and should always take a human lens.”* She also speaks to the importance of setting a clear strategic direction for the business: > *“My aspiration would be that I’ve been very clear strategically about what I want to deliver and that I’m already on that path.”* The interview also addresses broader industry themes, including leadership, opportunity creation, and closing the gender gap; reinforcing Active’s commitment to building a progressive, future-focused organisation. [**Read the full interview in The Media Leader**](https://uk.themedialeader.com/ruth-cartwright-on-her-new-role-the-gender-gap-and-finding-business-opportunities/) to learn more about Ruth’s vision for Active’s next chapter. [**Get in touch with our team**](ukreception@activeinternational.com) to explore how Corporate Trade can unlock new growth opportunities for your business. **Categories:** News --- ### [Dom Blacklock on AI ads](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/dom-carpenter-on-ai-ads/) **Published:** January 22, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Ads are coming to ChatGPT, but what does that mean for the industry? Mediashotz asked adland experts for their take on OpenAI’s move, covering opportunities, risks, and what brands need to know about advertising in AI platforms. **Dom Blacklock, VP, International Digital Media, had this view:** “The increasing everyday use of generative AI tools is now permanent and is driving the biggest shift on the internet since Google launched, with generative engines becoming the new ‘front door’ to information. “This change challenges the long-standing power on paid search and search engine optimisation (SEO), as discoverability moves away from rankings and towards visibility within AI chatbots and tools. “Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is emerging as the successor to SEO, focused on trust, corroboration, and visibility within AI models rather than traditional search results optimisation. “As brands and advertisers navigate this shift, measurement challenges and questions of trust, their paid search and SEO strategies will need to be fundamentally reworked. “In this environment, Corporate Trade (media barter) offers proven ways to maximise marketing ROI and reduce risk, and Active International is investing in AI, data, and digital expertise to help clients stay visible and competitive during this transition.” Read more on Mediashotz here: [Ads coming to ChatGPT: Industry experts comment –](https://mediashotz.co.uk/ads-coming-to-chatgpt-industry-experts-comment/) **Categories:** News --- ### [Dave Carpenter, Media Director, reacts to Bellwether Report](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/dave-carpenter-media-director-reacts-to-bellwether-report/) **Published:** January 19, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The IPA Bellwether Report is a quarterly survey that outlines companies’ marketing spend intentions and financial confidence, featuring data from around 300 marketing professionals at the nation’s top companies, and it provides key indicators of the health of the economy. According to the [IPA](http://www.ipa.co.uk/) Bellwether Q4 2025 reading, total UK marketing budgets remained unchanged in the final quarter of last year. In a report published by Mediashotz, our Media Director, Dave Carpenter, had this to say: “The report highlights a shift toward real-world engagement, with brands increasing investment in events and PR to build deeper, more authentic connections. As digital channels fragment, in-person experiences and earned media offer standout moments, trust-building, and memorable interactions that drive long-term brand value. However, ATL still offers unparalleled reach and impact. Smart marketers will be more commercial with their budgets to allow their marketing spend to do both real-world and ATL comms. Flat budgets driven by a lack of confidence in the global economy are unsurprising. Advertisers will naturally gravitate to channels that seemingly give confidence in their ability to deliver, namely, digital performance channels. However, increasing AI usage could reduce paid search spend as fewer impressions become available. AI-driven answers, on-platform experiences, and zero-click results could limit traditional search queries, shrinking inventory. With less need to compete for declining impressions, advertisers can achieve results more efficiently, leading to lower overall spend and a greater focus on quality over volume. This is a massive opportunity for advertisers who can take the principles of digital performance marketing and apply this to above the line brand building, derisked by smart investments such as utilising Corporate Trade.” Read more in Mediashotz here: [IPA Bellwether Q4 2025 – Industry reactions –](https://mediashotz.co.uk/ipa-bellwether-q4-2025-industry-reactions/) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ipa-dundee-1068x601-1-300x169.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Media Fight Night’s 10th Anniversary: A Knockout Success](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/media-fight-nights-10th-anniversary-a-knockout-success/) **Published:** November 11, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Media Fight Night has become one of the most anticipated events in the media industry — a night where media professionals step into the ring to raise funds and awareness for grassroots charities. The tenth edition of Media Fight Night on November 6th was nothing short of spectacular. The milestone event brought together a record 1,800 guests from across the advertising industry, all united by a shared passion for making a difference. This year’s event was especially meaningful, raising an incredible £350,000 for Carney’s Community and Off The Ropes. With this achievement, Media Fight Night has now surpassed the £2 million mark in total funds raised over its ten-year history—a testament to the generosity and commitment of everyone involved. Active was honoured to support such an extraordinary evening. We extend our deepest respect to all the fighters who stepped up for a great cause, and our heartfelt congratulations to John Maloney and the Abbi&me team for delivering a truly memorable night! Here’s to many more years of impact and inspiration. **Categories:** News --- ### [Ruth Cartwright at the Future of Media](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/uncategorized/ruth-cartwright-at-the-future-of-media/) **Published:** November 11, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The Future of Media event in London 2025 took place on November 4-5, gathering industry leaders to discuss key issues and innovations shaping the media landscape. Ruth, UK Managing Director at Active International, joined an exceptional group of industry leaders to address one of the most pressing challenges in global media: striking a balance between global consistency and local truth. Ruth, Ross Sergeant (global media director, Allwyn), Louise Martell (global head of strategy, OpenMind, Mindshare), and VP of Global Media from P&G, Gerry D’Angelo, were interviewed by Omar Oakes. **Panel Highlights:** - Ruth advocated for leveraging local opportunities while benefiting from global commercial and trading frameworks, showing how brands can maximize impact by staying agile and responsive to market nuances. - The discussion explored the tension between global planning and local execution, with Ruth championing practical solutions that help brands avoid the pitfalls of a “one-size-fits-all” approach. - Ruth closed the session with a powerful perspective on the value of Corporate Trade, emphasizing how trading can be a valuable asset to both global and local media plans. Ruth’s remarks reinforced the importance of integrating local intelligence into planning and creative, ensuring campaigns resonate authentically in every market. Read more on The Media Leader: [What actually makes global media planning work: Speed, agility, understanding – The Media Leader](https://uk.themedialeader.com/what-actually-makes-global-media-planning-work-speed-agility-understanding/) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/54905725254_4669a05813_c-1-200x300.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/54905725204_b67fcd81bf_c-1-200x300.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/54905782325_dd950af022_c-1-200x300.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/54902837653_8b23066870_h-200x300.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Dave Carpenter joins as Media Director](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/dave-carpenter-joins-as-media-director/) **Published:** September 18, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Dave Carpenter has been appointed as the Media Director, joining the leadership team alongside the new Managing Director, Ruth Cartwright. As part of his new role, Carpenter will focus on evolving and growing digital and automation capabilities across Active International, as the company continues to expand into new markets. Dave brings extensive experience from his previous role at Goodstuff, where he was the managing partner, investment. Kieron Murphy, chief revenue officer, commented: “We are pleased to welcome Dave into Active. Dave will not only enhance our UK Leadership Team, he’ll also propel our very talented Media Team and market offering to new heights. He arrives with a dynamic energy and extensive market expertise that we are eager to leverage within innovative solutions to our clients and partners. Dave’s remarkable experience in steering impactful commercial investments and strategies sets him apart but equally impressive are his exceptional skills in team development, collaboration, and leadership.” “I’m delighted to see Dave join such a smart and progressive business,” Ruth Cartwright, managing director, commented. “With Dave on board, the focus for 2026 remains to deliver our core best in class, innovative commercial choices for clients and partners, plus extending further into digital, automation and AI opportunities. I’m looking forward to working with Dave and the team.” Dave Carpenter added: “I’m excited to join Active International as Media Director, where I’ll be working with an incredible team to help brands unlock greater value and impact from their media investments. It’s a great time to be stepping into a role that blends innovation, scale, and performance – and I’m looking forward to the journey ahead.” Cameron Swan, UK CEO, contributed: “It’s not often you get to on board so much proven talent in one month, with Dave joining our senior team alongside our new managing director, Ruth. We’re in a really strong position to accelerate, and our leaders will be a driving force. We have big ambitions across digital, technology and automation and these appointments allow us to set up 2026 as we envisioned.” **Categories:** News --- ### [Quizmasters of the Mediaverse takes Manchester!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/quizmasters-of-the-mediaverse-takes-manchester/) **Published:** October 27, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** On October 22nd, the media industry of the north came together for Quizmasters of the Mediaverse for [NSPCC](https://www.linkedin.com/company/nspcc/) and Childline Service. With Hollyoaks stars Anna Passey and Kieron Richardson, alongside [Bryan Scott](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanscott/), leading the evening, the energy was inspiring. Thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of everyone involved, we raised an amazing £17,000—enabling Childline to answer over 4,250 contacts from children and young people who need support most! As headline sponsors, we want to thank our friends at Channel Factory, LDM, Teads, Pearl & Dean, Bauer, KOMI Group, Mail Metro Media, Notorious Communications, Canopy, Republic of Media, News UK, Captify, Vega, Ocean Outdoor, and our creative production partner, Ozone, for making the evening possible. Your unwavering support and participation have made a real difference. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CPG_NSPCC-Quizmasters-of-the-Mediaverse_-418-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CPG_NSPCC-Quizmasters-of-the-Mediaverse_-417-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CPG_NSPCC-Quizmasters-of-the-Mediaverse_-31-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Cameron Swan at Future of Media Manchester](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/uncategorized/cameron-swan-at-future-of-media-manchester/) **Published:** September 30, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **The Future of Media Manchester** gathers over 500 media leaders and future leaders to hear best practice in media, commercial leadership, and market opportunities in the North. Cameron Swan shared insights on “Supercharging the northern media market.” Cameron joined fellow industry leaders Pete Coates, managing director of Omnicom Media Group Newcastle, Kate Bradbury, deputy managing director at Wavemaker North, Lisa Morton, CEO, Roland Dransfield, founder, and Oliver Scull, head of digital and solutions at News UK, to discuss what makes northern media businesses unique, the commercial ecosystem and what it takes to thrive in a changing landscape. Panelists agreed advantages of going north include strong economic growth, access to talent and sense of community. Swan said “Business is about where the talent is and finding meaningful work that drives revenue and makes shareholders money.” The Media Leader covered the session here: [Northern media businesses urged to celebrate their superpower – The Media Leader](https://uk.themedialeader.com/northern-media-businesses-urged-to-celebrate-their-superpower/?utm_campaign=The+Media+Leader+Daily&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_yfN9aJP1Azczxx2hJjOWvcWbTefryR6_X7_tCchNOi0F8MFklQM5Mlj8J8NG5_TbhoH18s6uVkUyFj_-WLDbHK4uMesDy_m4w5yToawLd4ecj9Ik&_hsmi=382275291&utm_content=382275291&utm_source=hs_email) Active appointed experienced media professional Dave Newton as its first Head of Agency Partnerships – North & Scotland in February 2025. The role sees Newton based in Manchester but covering a range of partnerships outside of London, as well as staying closely connected with the head office. Active International already works with a number of clients based outside of the capital, including Kopperberg, Jet2 and independent agency networks. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dave-Cam-Lisa-right-hand-side-300x210.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cam-panel-arms-300x225.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cam-gesture-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [NABS Charity Event: A Night of Glamour and Generosity](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/nabs-charity-event-a-night-of-glamour-and-generosity/) **Published:** September 24, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The NABS Fashion Show was a spectacular occasion that brought together media and advertising professionals for an unforgettable evening of style and philanthropy. Held at Manchester’s prestigious Grand Hall, the event raised funds for NABS, the mental wellness charity dedicated to supporting individuals in the media and advertising industry. As a proud sponsor, Active played a significant role in making the event a grand success. Throughout the night, guests had the opportunity to network with industry professionals and fellow supporters of NABS. In addition to a fashion show, in which our very own Dave Newton took to the catwalk, the event also featured music, a delicious three-course lunch, and an enchanted world in a ‘Secret Garden’. Active was delighted to provide the welcome drinks and adorn the Secret Garden with stunning bouquets from Bloom & Wild, which participants loved taking home with them. We are delighted to confirm that an amazing **£25,000** was raised on the night. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the event a memorable one. **Categories:** News --- ### [Celebrating Our Recognition as One of the 2025 UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/celebrating-our-recognition-as-one-of-the-2025-uks-best-workplaces-in-advertising-media-marketing/) **Published:** September 23, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We are delighted to announce that we’ve been recognised as one of the 2025 UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™ by Great Place to Work® UK! This is a meaningful recognition of our ongoing commitment to the inclusive culture we’re building together, and an award we are delighted to have won for the second year running! Our place on this list is driven by the annual employee engagement survey, measuring the extent to which everyone across Active feels about the culture we’ve developed collectively, making us a truly great workplace for all. **Highlights from our Feedback:** - **Professional Development:** 90% of staff strongly agree with the statement, “I am offered training or development to further myself professionally,” an increase of 5% compared to the previous year and 3% higher than the other businesses awarded in the Marketing & Advertising category. - **Unique Benefits:** 98% of employees agree with the statement, “We have special and unique benefits here,” compared to 87% of staff in other businesses awarded in the category. - **Endorsement:** 94% of staff agree, “I would strongly endorse my company to friends and family as a great place to work,” exceeding results awarded in the category by +2%. - **Management Interest:** 94% of employees agree with the statement, “Management shows a sincere interest in me as a person, not just an employee,” compared to 92% at other businesses awarded in our category. We are very proud of our award-winning team! You can find the full list of all the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing at www.greatplacetowork.co.uk **Categories:** News --- ### [Campaign Best Places to Work 2025](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/campaign-best-places-to-work-2025/) **Published:** May 8, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We are delighted to share that our trade press has recognised us once again for being an outstanding workplace for the eighth year running. *Campaign* evaluates the best companies in the media, agency, adtech and marketing sectors based on their achievements in developing workplace culture and employee experience through leadership, communication, benefits, training, inclusive practices, and wellbeing, among other areas. This recognition is a testament to the collective effort here at Active to go the extra mile and showcases us as a business that delivers exceptional work while also supporting our people. Some of our friends are on the list too – check it out [here](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/revealed-campaign-best-places-work-2025/1916348). **Categories:** News --- ### [Best Workplaces for Women](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/best-workplaces-for-women/) **Published:** July 22, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We are delighted to announce that Active has earned a spot on the **UK’s Best Workplaces for Women™ list, for the fourth year. Active has ranked within the top 30 among the 350 ranked organisations.** The [2025 UK’s Best Workplaces for Women](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/best-workplaces/women/2025) list is made up of employers whose people have told Great Place To Work® UK they work for a place that is inclusive and equitable *for all*. The 350 companies on the list are committed to ensuring a reasonable balance of women and men across the organisation; removing barriers to women’s career advancement; and creating workplaces where all employees, regardless of gender, can flourish. Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work UK, says: “This year’s UK’s Best Workplaces for Women list highlights organisations that are moving beyond good intentions and delivering real, measurable progress. These companies are dismantling outdated norms, prioritising women’s health, and building clear, supported pathways to leadership. This recognition is driven by what matters most: the voices of women who work there. They’ve said, in their own words, that their workplace is one where they’re respected, empowered, and able to succeed. Congratulations to Active International UK for leading by example — and showing what a genuinely inclusive workplace can look like.” **Holly Kennedy, SVP People & Culture**, said: “Being named a Best Workplace for Women is a meaningful recognition of our ongoing commitment to the inclusive culture we’re building together. We’re so proud of the input across our team to support women in work, particularly our global Women’s Employee Resource Group, whose advocacy and passion continue to advance progress across the business. Thank you to every team member who helps make Active a great workplace.” **Managing Director, Cameron Swan** said, “We’re fortunate to receive recognition across different business areas, but this one stands out. It’s not based on a written submission or an external panel. It’s based entirely on how our people feel about working here, which makes it especially meaningful.” The complete list of all the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women is here: **Categories:** News --- ### [Interview with travel expert Gail Kenny](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/interview-with-travel-expert-gail-kenny/) **Published:** July 22, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Gail Kenny has more than 20 years’ experience in executive travel recruitment. In January 2020 she launched Best Workplaces in Travel, a people initiative that showcases and celebrates the best employers in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sector. Active has sponsored the awards for the past two years. We sat down with her to find out more. **What inspired you to start Best Workplaces in Travel, and what was your vision for the company when you founded it?** Gail: The travel industry was on its knees after Covid and had haemorrhaged so much talent. We wanted to showcase the travel industry as a great place to work and award the travel companies who prioritised their employees. We wanted to raise the bar for workplace culture in the travel industry. Our vision was to help travel companies understand the importance of employee engagement and provide them with real insightful people data to improve their workplaces. **How do you define a ‘best workplace’ in the travel industry, and what criteria do you use to evaluate companies?** Gail: Defining a best workplace can vary depending on individual preferences, priorities, and values. Our survey aims to identify the key factors that drive employee motivation and engagement. It will ask employees to prioritise the top six characteristics that are most important to them when coming to work each day. We include these characteristics and factors which contribute to being a great place to work: - Purpose & Contribution - Culture - Systems - Wellbeing - DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) - Employer Brand - C&B (Compensation and Benefits) - Ethics - Comms (Communication) - Team - Leadership - Progression - L&D (Learning and Development) Once the top six drivers are identified, the survey delves deeper into each characteristic, providing a more nuanced understanding of what matters most to employees. By understanding the top drivers of employee motivation and engagement, travel companies can focus on developing strategies that address the most critical factors, ultimately driving improved employee satisfaction, retention, and overall business performance. **What advice would you give to travel companies looking to improve their workplace culture and become one of the best workplaces in the industry?** Gail: To improve workplace culture and become one of the best workplaces in the industry, travel companies should: - Prioritise employee engagement - Foster a positive, inclusive company culture that supports collaboration and growth - Develop effective leadership and communication - Provide opportunities for employee growth and development - Regularly check in and have career conversations, especially with newest team members. - Remember one size doesn’t fit all with work set ups. Flexibility is key. By focusing on these areas, travel companies can create a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent. **As a media barter company, we turn unsold travel inventory, products, or services into incremental sales. How do you see barter evolving further within travel, and what potential do you think it holds?**There will always be unsold inventory, so it can help travel companies optimise their inventory. There will always be a demand for your product, and as this is likely to generate incremental revenue, the concept should be well accepted. **What trends have you observed in the travel industry over the years, and what will the future hold?** Gail: Over the years, I’ve observed trends such as: - Increased focus on employee engagement and workplace culture - Growing demand for sustainable tourism and responsible travel practices - Rise of experiential travel and unique experiences - Digital transformation and the use of technology to enhance the travel experience Looking to the future, I predict: - Continued emphasis on employee engagement and workplace culture - Growing importance of sustainability and responsible travel practices - Increased use of technology, such as AI, to enhance the travel experience - Evolving consumer behaviours and expectations, driven by changing demographics and market trends. These trends will shape the future of the travel industry, and companies that adapt and innovate will be best positioned for success. **Categories:** News --- ### [Active supports Best Workplaces in Travel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-supports-best-workplaces-in-travel/) **Published:** July 22, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** With a core commitment to workplace culture, and over 30 years’ experience bringing value to the biggest names in travel, from airlines and tour operators to hotel groups, Active International was delighted to support Best Workplaces in Travel again this year.​​​​​​​ Best Workplaces in Travel celebrates the travel companies that get it right with their people and culture strategy. Through its anonymous survey, BWIT captures what matters most to employees across the travel industry—a values-based insight into what genuinely drives satisfaction, engagement, and well-being at work. The awards took place on 7Th July at the Grant Thornton UK London offices. Our Business Services Manager, Kelly Davies, who leads our Travel Team, and Alexandra Beeden, Head of Client Relations, were there to present the award for Best Mid-Size Company. Kelly said, “*We were proud to sponsor the Best Mid-Sized Company category at Best Workplaces in Travel 2025. Congratulations to Access Bookings on their well-earned win. It was an inspiring evening reflecting many of the values we champion at Active International UK.* Other categories included Best Small Company, Best Large Company, plus awards for Progression, Happiness, Performance & Recognition, Purpose, Wellbeing & Equity. Congratulations to all this year’s winners! The list can be viewed here: [2025 Winners | Best Workplaces in Travel](https://www.bestworkplacesintravel.co.uk/2025-winners) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kelly-and-Access-Bookings-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kelly-presenting-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Alex-Kelly-Gail-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active supports NABS Walk & Talk](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/uncategorized/active-supports-nabs-walk-talk/) **Published:** July 21, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active is a proud supporter of NABS, promoting and assisting their work to advance mental wellness within the advertising and media industry. Walk & Talk for NABS is a special meet-up for adlanders, helping participants expand their network along a 13 km walking route in London, between Canary Wharf and St Katherine’s Dock, whilst raising money. This year, the event took place on 10 July, and walkers were joined by twenty mentors, including Natalie Bell, Stuart Flint, Karen Stacey, Jane Wolfson, Jamie McCloskey, and Josh Krichefski, who shared their words of wisdom. **Active was delighted to be this year’s Rest Stop Partner**, supplying food and drinks to walkers at the halfway point. Anna Randles, NABS Head of Events, said: “Thank you for Active’s brilliant support of Walk & Talk for NABS. It means the world to us, not only in helping to raise vital funds for our services but also in bringing people in our industry together to connect, chat, and look after their mental wellness. Thank you to the team for providing our walkers with a welcoming rest stop full of great snacks, drinks, and happy faces! The event was buzzing with great energy, and thanks to partners like you, we can keep making these moments happen. Your commitment helps ensure that no one in our industry has to face tough times alone, and we’re so grateful for that.” Over 100 people walked, talked, and showed up for better mental wellness in our industry at Walk & Talk – together raising an incredible £27,000 for NABS! Every step and every pound raised means more support, guidance, and help for those navigating the toughest moments of their careers or lives. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/54654250935_eb9f298f98_w-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/54654250395_80036fba8f_w-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/54654164934_4df6e9fc08_w-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/54654164499_bd8fe03c92_w-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/54653928621_ff2fbfb813_w-300x200.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/54653928096_afb9a0f60d_w-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active awarded for Wellbeing](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-awarded-for-wellbeing/) **Published:** June 26, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **Active named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing™ 2025** Active is proud to announce that we have been named on the [UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing™.](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/best-workplaces/wellbeing/2025) The Best Workplaces for Wellbeing list focuses on employees’ holistic experiences of wellbeing at work, including their work-life balance, sense of fulfilment, social support, job satisfaction, and financial security, to reveal the best workplaces for wellbeing in the UK. Our inclusion officially acknowledges our commitment to creating a consistently and overwhelmingly positive employee experience and to fostering cultures that are proven to drive business, improve lives, and improve society. To compile the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing List, [Great Place To Work®](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/) reviewed our culture, benefits, and approach to leadership and development alongside anonymous responses from our employees. They then used these data insights to benchmark our company’s employee value proposition against the culture our employees actually experience. Only the businesses that achieve the highest scores after evaluation receive Best Workplaces™ status. Cameron Swan, Managing Director, said: “Being recognised on the Great Place to Work list for Wellbeing is really special to us. It reflects something we all believe in… when our people feel healthy, happy and supported, they thrive. And when they thrive, so does the company. It’s simple, and it’s core to who we are.” Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work UK said: ” As we mark the fourth year of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing™ list, we’re proud to celebrate organisations that go above and beyond to support their people’s mental, physical, financial, and social health. When employees feel truly valued and supported, they’re healthier and more energised, motivated, and aligned with their organisation’s goals. Congratulations to Active on earning a well-deserved place on this prestigious list!” This award is our second from Great Place To Work over the past 12 months, as we also featured in the UK’s Best Workplaces™ 2025 lists! We were also included in the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing lists in 2023 and 2022. **Categories:** News --- ### [NSPCC Childline Ultimate Sports Day: A Day of Fun, Competition, and Generosity](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/nspcc-childline-ultimate-sports-day-a-day-of-fun-competition-and-generosity/) **Published:** June 30, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The Childline Ultimate Sports Day is more than just a day of fun and competition; it is a testament to the industry’s unity with a shared goal. On Thursday, July 19th, 450 influential media figures from some of the biggest brands gathered together in London’s Regents Park, all aiming to raise £175,000 for the NSPCC’s Childline Service**. Active was delighted to sponsor the event and compete with our own team.** The event featured various sporting challenges, with teams competing to be crowned the Childline Ultimate Sports Day champions and win the coveted trophy. The atmosphere was electric, filled with camaraderie and a competitive spirit, all for a wonderful cause. Kathleen Saxton, Chair, Ultimate Sports Day Committee, said: “This day would not happen without all of you who take a team, so thank you for finding and committing that budget. We especially need to thank Dean, Cameron and those at Active International for their Headline Sponsorship here in London (and at the inaugural Quizmaster’s of the Manchester MediaVerse) who, along with Ocean Outdoor, have made such a difference to the charity this year.” We are thrilled to announce that this year’s event was a huge success, with the final total currently standing at £185,000. This incredible amount will help us answer 46,250 contacts from children and young people who need our support. Thank you to everyone who contributed. Over the past three years, this event has raised an impressive £1,070,000, making a significant impact on the lives of children and young people who need our help the most. Watch the highlights video from the day here: [Ultimate Sports Day 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NknKzQP-Z6U) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-19-at-17.08.42-300x225.jpeg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CPG_NSPCC_Ultimate_Sports_Day_velcro-wall-300x200.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CPG_NSPCC_Ultimate_Sports_Day_ping-ball-3-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CPG_NSPCC_Ultimate_Sports_Day_washing-machine-2-300x200.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CPG_NSPCC_Ultimate_Sports_Day_competitors-1-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Copy-PG_NSPCC_Ultimate_Sports_Day_Kathleen-logo-2-300x225.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active supports NABS Stranger Than Summer](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-supports-nabs-stranger-than-summer/) **Published:** June 17, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The “Stranger than Summer” event, held at City Central at the HAC’s garden marquee, is a highlight in the advertising, marketing, and media industry’s social calendar. This much-celebrated event offers a unique blend of entertainment, live music, and fantastic fairground rides, all infused with an otherworldly twist. Beyond the fun and festivities, “Stranger than Summer” serves a greater purpose. By attending this event, industry professionals help raise much-needed funds for NABS, an organization dedicated to advancing the mental wellness of everyone working in advertising, marketing, and media. With demand for NABS’ services rapidly rising, the support from events like this is crucial. The funds raised make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals in the industry, ensuring they can access the support and resources they need. We were delighted to support NABS again this year, helping to raise a massive £154,000. Sue Todd, CEO at NABS said, “Having Active International as one of our sponsors for Stranger than Summer enabled us to put on a brilliant party, while Active International were able to place their brand front of mind to our 875-strong audience. The end result was a fantastic evening that raised a wonderful £154,000 to advance our industry’s mental wellness.” ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/54584296503_6fa32dfd68_c-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/54584248384_3d96942282_c-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/54576953446_607a632bf2_c-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/54576953441_13cf3eed7e_c-300x200.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/54576953466_a126b4ed3b_c-300x169.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/54577133884_8eb061dde5_c-300x200.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Ruth Cartwright joins Active as MD](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/uncategorized/ruth-cartwright-joins-as-new-managing-director/) **Published:** May 20, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## ***Cameron Swan steps into newly created CEO role amid company’s continued growth in digital and new markets*** Active International is pleased to announce the appointment of former Sky Media executive Ruth Cartwright as its new managing director. After serving as managing director of Active International’s UK team for four years, Cameron Swan has been promoted to a newly created CEO position. These moves come as Active International further positions its growth across new markets and digital innovation. Cartwright will join this September. “Ruth’s senior leadership, experience, and talent will enable us to further accelerate our digital, technology, and automation ambitions,” commented Cameron Swan. “She’ll continue the evolution of Active in the UK and be an important part of our growth plans.“ Ruth Cartwright said: “I’m honoured to be joining the Active International team on this stage in its journey. The sector is clearly evolving, and that evolution is only going to accelerate over the next 12 months. When I met Cameron and the senior team, I was struck by their thought leadership and deep knowledge of the landscape, and I know this is a business that is really well positioned to thrive, with ambitions to lead the market. Cartwright is a well-respected media executive with more than a decade of experience leading high-performing investment and broadcast teams across major agencies and media owners. While at Sky Media, she played a key role in shaping the company’s investment strategy and commercial positioning, “connections mean everything.” She joined Sky Media from Dentsu Aegis Network, where she was managing partner, delivery. Prior to that, she held the position of broadcast director at Maxus. Cartwright joins a company with a deeply rooted culture of inclusion and excellence, consistently recognised by [Great Place To Work](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/) for four consecutive years across key areas including Wellbeing, Women, and Advertising. The business has also been celebrated in [*Campaign Magazine’s* Best Places to Work](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/revealed-campaign-best-places-work-2025/1916348) every year since the list began, reflecting a workplace where people are empowered to thrive and diverse perspectives are truly valued. “A brilliant team deserves a brilliant leader, and I know we’ll have that in Ruth,” added Cameran Swan. “Not only is Ruth an incredibly strong commercial leader, she’s also an exceptional mentor. We’re so pleased she’ll join us to lead the Active UK team.” Cartwright will spearhead UK operations and lead the company’s day-to-day operations from September. She will oversee the UK operations, with a particular focus on strengthening digital partnerships, automation capabilities, and future-facing solutions. Meanwhile, Swan’s move to the role of CEO at Active International will see him leading on growth and digital innovation across new markets. These investments in leadership mark a new era for the global corporate trade company, which recently expanded its operations into the north of the UK. “Brands are navigating a more complex marketplace than ever, with a surge in content and digital choices for consumers,” said Dean Wilson, Global Chief Operating Officer of AMS. “As the media landscape continues to evolve at unprecedented speed, Cameron’s new role positions Active International to drive further growth across digital markets.” ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Untitled-design-3-1-e1747740606253.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Funding media owner business costs](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/how-we-funded-over-160m-of-business-costs-for-media-owners-in-2024/) **Published:** March 17, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **How we funded over £160m of business costs for media owners in 2024** **The Background** Active has trading relationships with leading media owners in the UK across TV, OOH, Radio, Digital, Cinema and Publishing. **The Challenge** To allow our media owners to pay for significant percentages of their business costs, such as tech, travel, fleet, events and energy, with their media space. **The Solution** We work alongside media owners’ procurement and finance teams to identify significant business costs that could be met by one of our client partners. Our involvement does not change the conditions of the RFP or the procurement process. Still, it drives incremental value for the media owner and impactful new business for the proposed client partner. Through our solutions, the media owner can pay a significant amount of the contract value in the media space. **The Results** Agility. Collaborations. Solutions. These solutions empower our partners to Achieve More—whether it’s helping media owners cover business costs using media space (achieving cost efficiencies) or providing our clients with a compelling USP that drives significant new business opportunities and strengthens their pitches. Over the last 12 months, we have funded £160m of business costs for media owners across renewable energy, electric/hybrid vehicles, conferencing, business travel, and marketing. Media owners that engage with Active on business costs receive incremental value from their Corporate Trade (Barter) partnership and can be more competitive for clients. Using media space as a way to fund essential expenses allows our partners to achieve more. **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Resource, value and capabilities: Corporate Trade supporting in-house digital teams](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/resource-value-and-capabilities-corporate-trade-supporting-in-house-digital-teams/) **Published:** April 29, 2025 **Author:** Consultant **Content:** **By Dom Blacklock, VP International Digital Media, as originally featured in [Marketing Procurement iQ](https://www.mxpiq.com/resource-value-and-capabilities-corporate-trade-supporting-in-house-digital-teams/)** Corporate Trade, or media barter, is a business solution that allows an advertiser to part-fund media with cash alternatives, like its own products, services, or assets. Corporate Trade is not a new concept – it’s been used for nearly 40 years across traditional media. It is commonplace for marketing campaign buys across traditional TV, print, outdoor, radio and direct digital. However, Corporate Trade is now being used within the more fluid digital transactions or programmatic buys that use auction-based buying models – now even across, digital audio, digital OOH and Connected TV. Digital marketers use it for optimised budget allocation, business KPI optimisations, non-fixed volume delivery, dynamic pricing and mid-campaign changes. **But what if you are a brand who has decided to take your digital in-house?** In recent years, there has been a shift in the marketing landscape as brands choose to bring their digital operations in-house, rather than relying on external agencies. This is driven by several key factors. Cost Efficiency – Brands sometimes have concerns over value. By eliminating agency fees, companies can significantly reduce their marketing expenses. Brands going this route claim to have created up to 40% more margin. Knowledge of the Brand – Dedicated In-house teams have a deep understanding of the brand’s values, goals, and target audience. Control, Accountability and Agility – Having an in-house digital team provides brands with greater control over their marketing efforts. This control extends to the ownership of data and the ability to make swift adjustments to campaigns. Agility is crucial in the fast-paced digital landscape. **How Corporate trade companies can help** Corporate Trade companies such as Active International UK offer a comprehensive suite of services designed to empower companies in this transition and, ultimately, allow them to pay for it in a different way – uncovering meaningful value. Expertise and Insight – They bring a wealth of expertise and insights to the table, helping companies to navigate the complexities of in-housing CTV and programmatic. A deep understanding of the digital advertising ecosystem ensures that companies can maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their campaigns. Technology and Infrastructure – In-housing requires robust technology and infrastructure. Companies such as Active provide access to cutting-edge programmatic platforms and CTV solutions, enabling companies to take full control of their advertising efforts. By leveraging advanced technology, companies can achieve greater transparency, optimize their ad spend, and gain actionable insights into their audience behaviour. Corporate Trade companies offer extensive support to ensure companies are well-equipped equipage their campaigns. Cost Efficiency – One of the significant advantages of in-housing is the potential for cost savings. Working with Corporate Trade companies helps you to achieve greater cost efficiency by eliminating the need for intermediaries and optimizing media buying processes. This allows companies to reinvest savings into their core business activities, driving growth and innovation. **How Corporate Trade maximises digital marketing ROI for client search and social buying teams** Running Corporate Trade mechanics within paid search and paid social is typically a bit different, namely due to the media supply owned by Google and Meta – who are obviously huge companies and not setup in the same way as standard media owners. Companies such as Active International work in this space in various ways to enable a corporate trade benefit to client direct buying teams, even when they are buying in their own Google or Meta business accounts. The main area is increased ROI in product sales – corporate trade can enable a guaranteed product purchase amount for every pound put into search or social, this is typically when the client is using corporate trade across a wide mix of media (e.g. digital and also TV, radio, OOH etc). For example; - £10,000 paid social spend expects to return 500 sales, at a cost-per-acquisition (CPA) of £20 (or an effective ROI) - But when corporate trade is incorporated, the corporate trade partner would commit to buying, say, 20% of product on top of this. So now £1,000 Google paid search yields the same 500 sales + an additional 100 sales on top, paid for by the corporate trade company. This is now 600 sales in total, with a lower CPA of £16.80, and an improved ROI. The above works in various ways across search and social, but can also also work with clients in helping with their hard digital marketing costs for search and social (like resource or technology) through using their product or service to part fund the costs, much like in using media supply, to bring benefits for the overall digital P&L. **Conclusion** To unlock success with Corporate Trade and digital campaigns, partner with a Corporate Trade company with a broad range of supply partners. Look for strong communication from your Corporate Trade partners through the planning and buying process, ensuring no efficiency opportunities are missed. Corporate Trade should never impede normal buying activities. It has the potential to boost engagement, clicks and sales and reduce cost-per-action goals. **Who are Active International** Active International has over 40 years of experience bringing value and connecting businesses all over the globe. As the global leader in Corporate Trade, Active empowers brands to achieve more by optimizing their media investments, monetizing excess assets, and driving sustainable growth. Backed by a powerful global trading network, an award-winning culture, and a team of 600 professionals across 10 countries, Active generates over $1 billion in turnover annually. About the author [Dom Blacklock](https://www.linkedin.com/in/domblacklock/), VP International Digital Media, [Active International](https://activeinternational.co.uk/) **Categories:** News --- ### [What Manchester does today.. | The Drum](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/im-from-down-under-i-believe-manchester-can-steal-londons-thunder-the-drum/) **Published:** April 16, 2025 **Author:** Consultant **Content:** **By Cameron Swan, Managing Director, as originally featured in [The Drum](https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2025/04/11/i-m-down-under-i-believe-manchester-can-steal-london-s-thunder)** Gary Neville and I might have our sporting differences, but there’s something we firmly agree on. Namely, the great potential of the city of Manchester. When he quoted Disraeli on his Instagram last month, I found myself giving the post a like. He was heralding the whopping £2bn investment secured for the development of a new, completely upgraded stadium for United, [close to the current Old Trafford site](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgprplz94yo "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgprplz94yo"). Disraeli’s line, “What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow,” might have its origins in a vastly different generation, but it’s having a resurgence 200 years later. Just today there’s another report out from EY showing the Northern city is on course to [outpace the UK’s economic growth rate](https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/2148842-manchester-set-to-outpace-2025-28-uk-average-economic-growth-rate-says-report "https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/2148842-manchester-set-to-outpace-2025-28-uk-average-economic-growth-rate-says-report"). And in no way is it the only one to watch. I may not be a native to this country (coming from sunnier climes, about 9,000 miles south and 11 hours ahead) but rather than holding me back, I think that’s given me an advantage. Particularly in medialand. You see, I don’t have the ingrained belief that London is the UK. I don’t feel that the M25 is the invisible force field many still seem to. In my homeland of Australia, we have distinct cities with distinct strengths – and there are a range of them. From the cultural highs of Melbourne to beaches and barefoot Sydney to a tropical buzzy Brisbane. And in fact, none of them can or should be summed up in a line or phrase, which is part of their beauty. There’s no assumption that targeting Aussies means starting and ending in Sydney. That’s the lens I try to overlay on the UK. But all too often, I’m fighting a losing battle. Yes, London is still a dynamic powerhouse, and we’re in no way tired of the potential of the capital and the opportunity it brings. But it doesn’t mean everything outside it deserves to be lumped together as “the regions” (a word we’ve actually banned from our vocab when talking geography). It shouldn’t be seen as a homogenous, almost-ran. I’ve always been struck by the distinctness of the local cultures and particularly accents in each area – when we have minor differences 2,300 miles apart, you have Mancunians, Geordies and Bristolians, just hours away from each other. This is a diverse set of cities and towns (and villages) that produces more advertising jobs than the capital, an economy that generates 75% of the country’s GDP and includes a city that’s set to outstrip London on economic output. Disraeli (and Neville’s) Manchester is the largest marketing and advertising economy outside of the capital and then there’s Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and many, many more. Over two-thirds of the UK’s independent agencies are now based outside the M25, according to Agency By Agency. If you believe what you read, house prices are set to [rise highest outside of London](https://moneyweek.com/investments/house-prices/where-will-uk-house-prices-rise-fastest "https://moneyweek.com/investments/house-prices/where-will-uk-house-prices-rise-fastest") in 2025, too. The signals are there for all to see. The government’s 2025 announcement of a [£67m out of London boost](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/regional-growth-to-be-boosted-by-67-million-for-culture-projects "https://www.gov.uk/government/news/regional-growth-to-be-boosted-by-67-million-for-culture-projects") is also a welcome step in the right direction (even if they do still use insist on using the “r” word). As a media pro, I look to the numbers, and maybe because I’m not home-grown, I see potential, rather than secondary cities. The proof is evident – we already work with a range of businesses deliberately located and growing outside of the capital. Over the last few years, 40% of our billings have come from work outside of London and the South East, and I know that’s not a ceiling. Particularly as some of the greatest household names – like Boots, Jaguar Land Rover, Co-op, Dominos and Ikea – are headquartered outside of London. And in a country that’s now more virtually “connected” than ever, having hired our first director based outside of London, we’re quickly seeing the value in actual, human connections created by having feet on the ground. Being an Aussie, any city you can reach by car in a matter of hours should be considered a close neighbor. And it was really important to me that we work with someone based outside of London who’s grown business and seen the potential of projects outside the capital first-hand. Gary Neville may be alluding to the new stadium and 100,000 football fans filling the stands in his post, but I see the potential of these so-called second cities stretching far beyond the next few football seasons. The injection of an additional projected £7.3bn into the national economy annually from this development alone is just the start. Disraeli’s vision is alive and kicking. [**Read more opinion on The Drum.**](https://www.thedrum.com/opinion) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active International eyes growth outside of London with new North & Scotland head role ](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-international-eyes-growth-outside-of-london-with-new-north-scotland-head-role/) **Published:** February 27, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Dave Newton joins as Head of Agency Partnerships - North & Scotland. **Content:** **Dave Newton joins from Future Plc following 20-year media career** Active International UK has appointed experienced media professional Dave Newton as its first Head of Agency Partnerships – North & Scotland. Newton joins from 10 years at Future Plc where, based in Manchester, he worked as business director. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/image-231x300.png)*Cameron Swan, Managing Director UK; Jane Putley, Commercial Partnerships Director; Dave Newton* Newton’s media career spans more than 20 years and has included roles with leading media owners and media agencies, allowing him a wealth of experience and a 360-degree view of the industry. Agencies included Mediavest, PHD, and Carat, where he specialized in managing relationships outside of London. He spent three years at the Guardian before joining TI Media, which became part of Future Plc in 2020. He is also joint chair of NABs, the national media and advertising charity, in the North. The new role will see Newton based in Manchester but covering a range of partnerships outside of London, as well as staying closely connected with the head office. Active International already works with a number of clients based outside of the capital, including Kopperberg, Jet2 and independent agency networks. **“Our decision to expand our presence outside of London, in Manchester and beyond, is driven by our belief of its strategic importance,” comments Jane Putley, Commercial Partnerships Director at Active International.** “Dave’s role will be pivotal in spearheading our initiatives in Manchester and beyond. With his deep understanding of the market, combined with his strategic vision, we believe this will enable us to tailor our services to meet the specific needs of our clients and agencies, along with driving innovative customer solutions and delivering exceptional value.” Three in five advertising jobs are now based outside of London, according to the Advertising Association \[[source](https://www.ukaop.org/hub/uk-advertising-spend-reached-9-2bn-in-q1-2024#:~:text=Advertising%20is%20a%20UK%2Dwide,economy%20across%20the%20whole%20country.%E2%80%9D)\]. Meanwhile, according to the ONS, the non-London economy is worth £1.94tn \[[source](https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/regionaleconomicactivitybygrossdomesticproductuk/1998to2022)\] and Manchester’s economic output is set to grow more quickly than London’s by 2027 – at 2.2%, based on figures from EY \[[source](https://www.pro-manchester.co.uk/newsrooms/manchester-set-to-outpace-uk-economic-growth-between-2024-and-2027-finds-ey-report/#:~:text=When%20measured%20by%20Gross%20Value,will%20be%20Reading%20(2.5%25))\]. **“The growth, aspiration and clear direction of Active International drew me to the role, but it was the warm and welcoming culture that sealed my decision. I was fortunate to be invited to a team awayday before joining, and I was instantly made to feel part of the company. Active International truly values growth outside of London and sees its vast potential, and I’m looking forward to being feet on the ground, drawing on my network and knowledge to strengthen ties and forge new relationships,**” said Dave Newton, incoming head of agency partnerships – North & Scotland. Cameron Swan, managing director of Active International, added: **“We’ve been looking to tap into the talent, growth and potential of the market outside of London for some time, and Dave was the perfect choice to allow us to do that. He understands the landscape of these thriving economic areas, has a holistic view of the industry and is ready to work hand-in-hand with big clients and agencies. Plus, he’s a good fit for us culturally, which was clear to see from the start.”** Active International has been accredited by Great Places To Work for the last four years consecutively, including for Wellbeing, Women and Advertising. **Categories:** News --- ### [O2](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-and-o2-enters-a-new-vertical/) **Published:** October 28, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** In today’s highly competitive mobile communication market, leading players have raced to develop service enhancing benefits to draw corporate clients away from their current providers. These enhancements are hugely beneficial for clients to better manage their contract spend and highlight areas which can be optimised. Active works to further improve the efficiency of contracting with O2, by facilitating corporate customers to part fund the significant cost of their contract with their product or service. By working with Active and introducing Corporate Trade into the fold, companies from Media, Retail and Leisure industries have been able to use media space, last season’s fashions and attraction tickets to part fund the cost of their telephony contracts whilst still delivering full contract value to O2 in cash. [O2](https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/sim-only-deals "https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/sim-only-deals") partnered with Active over 7 years ago, which has helped [O2](https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/sim-only-deals "https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/sim-cards/sim-only-deals") to stand out when pitching against their competition and offers a significant benefit for any client looking to move their contract. “We have worked with Active as a valued partner for over 7 years, over this period they have helped O2 to gain over £10m of new business contracts from a number of our key corporate targets by allowing them to part fund the cost of working with us in product, I look forward to working with Active in the future to drive even more value for the business” **Simon Valcarcel** Head of Creative, o2 Telefonica **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Media Fight Night 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/media-fight-night-2024/) **Published:** November 18, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Active once again supports Media Fight Night. **Content:** **Active proudly supports the annual charity boxing match** Media Fight Night (MFN) 2024, the annual charity boxing event that brings ad land together to battle it out and raise money for charity, took place this year at Park Plaza Westminster in London on Thursday, 7th November. The event was also live-streamed to the masses via Twitch, extending the audience beyond the 1500 ad landers in the room. Since its inception in 2015, Media Fight Night has raised over £1.4 million for Carney’s Community, a youth club dedicated to transforming the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This year it also supported Off the Ropes, a mental health charity that empowers young people and adults through boxing. Once again, Active sponsored the event and provided Active branded hoodies to all the fighters. This year’s line-up featured 16 prominent media professionals from brands and agencies across the industry. These fighters included: Seun Odeneye (IPG Media Brands), Paul Evans (sixtyForty Marketing), Amanda Rosevear (ALF Insights), Leigh Yoxall (PHD Media), Wayne Mensah (Time Out), Charlotte Ford (Diversity Media Sales), Kenny Maxwell (Mean Broadcast), Hannah Marshall (IPG Media Brands), Xavier Keenan (Ocean Outdoor), Mira Childerhouse (Warner Bros Discovery), Gareth Cross (The Telegraph), Dory Tse (Rakuten Advertising) and Mark Burborough (The London Standard) The night went with a bang, with a group from Active and their guests cheering on the fighters. ## Money raised We are delighted to report **that the total raised from the night is £285,000—the highest amount raised in a single event to date.** **Abbi Jeffery, co-founder of Media Fight Night, said:** **‘We’re extremely proud of our partnership with Active International. They are a partner that has been instrumental in the event’s success both from a fundraising and participation perspective, and our achievement of raising over £285k this year wouldn’t have been remotely possible without their support. The entire team are advocates of the event and passionate about what we are trying to achieve for the charities we work with, and we are eternally grateful for everything they do.”** She continued: “Thanks to Active’s support, we are thrilled to share that we raised an impressive total of £285,000 for the grassroots charities we support—our highest amount raised in a single event to date! This brings us even closer to reaching the £2 million milestone we’ve set for next year’s 10th anniversary celebration.” Laura Learmouth, [who fought in 2022](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/queen-of-the-ring/ "who fought in 2022"), commented: “What an incredible night of boxing, raising over £285k for [Carney’s Community](https://www.linkedin.com/company/carney%27s-community/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_detail_base%3Bteh0TQF3Ryugx7JTL2D7WQ%3D%3D) and Off The Ropes. This achievement is nothing short of extraordinary. A massive shoutout to Abbi Jeffery, John Maloney, and the [abbi&me](https://www.linkedin.com/company/abbi-and-me/) team for orchestrating another brilliant evening. And, of course, a huge round of applause for the boxers who inspired us with hours of training and dedication to put on an incredible show. You have shown us what relentless effort and passion can achieve. [Media Fight Night](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mediafightnight/) constantly proves how the media industry can come together to make a real difference.” We look forward to helping make Media Fight Night even bigger and better for next year’s 10th anniversary. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DL1_7553-1-1024x683.jpg)Media Fight Night 2024 at the Park Plaza, London UK. Picture Date November 7th 2024. Picture by Dan Law/DanLawPhotography.com![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DL1_7539-2-1024x723.jpg)Media Fight Night 2024 at the Park Plaza, London UK. Picture Date November 7th 2024. Picture by Dan Law/DanLawPhotography.com![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DL1_7591-1-1024x669.jpg)Media Fight Night 2024 at the Park Plaza, London UK. Picture Date November 7th 2024. Picture by Dan Law/DanLawPhotography.com![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DL1_7599-1-1024x716.jpg)Media Fight Night 2024 at the Park Plaza, London UK. Picture Date November 7th 2024. Picture by Dan Law/DanLawPhotography.com![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fight-Night-1-1-768x1024.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Jet2holidays](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/jet2holidays/) **Published:** April 2, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Jet2holidays is a package holiday provider and the largest tour operator in the UK, after overtaking TUI to the top spot in early 2023. **Content:** ### **Jet2holidays is a package holiday provider and the largest tour operator in the UK, after overtaking TUI to the top spot in early 2023.** They fly from 11 UK bases to more than 68 overseas destinations, with over 550 resorts on their books catering to a wide range of tastes and budgets. Their industry-leading customer service has been widely recognised by awards from trusted names like TripAdvisor, Trustpilot and Which? Active International have enjoyed a productive and successful corporate trade partnership with Jet2holidays and their media agency Wavemaker since 2017. In that time, we’ve helped them expand their customer base in the UK market and navigate challenging times for the travel industry — including the impact of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and now the cost of living crisis. #### ****Challenge**** ***Increase marketing budget and expand UK-wide brand recognition while driving business efficiencies.*** When we first started working with Jet2holidays they were reasonably well known in Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland where they fly out of a number of regional airports. However, brand recognition was significantly lower in the rest of the UK — particularly the South. Jet2holidays were looking to boost awareness of their flights and holidays out of London and other southern bases, with the ultimate aim of increasing sales in this area. Working with Wavemaker, we helped them achieve these goals and increase their marketing budget with our unique holiday trading model. #### **The Solution** ***Guaranteed holiday sales that part-pay for media spend and boost brand exposure to new audiences.*** As a bonded travel agency with ABTA and ATOL accreditation, Active International’s trading model allows us to incentivise people to choose Jet2holidays over their competitors. We offer discounted holidays to our partner network, while Jet2holidays receive 100% of the cost of every holiday we sell. These guaranteed sales are then used to part-fund media spend across TV, radio, cinema and print. It’s the same model we use with other big name travel companies, from package holidays to airlines to hotels, with much success — because it’s low risk with no downsides. We guarantee and deliver sales through trading media spends that were going to be spent anyway, as well as working closely with Jet2holidays’ media agency Wavemaker to ensure no disruption to media planning and buying. #### **The Result** - *Trading together since 2017* - ***Guaranteed ROI for Jet2holidays of 20% in sales on all media traded.*** As the relationship has progressed Active have more than **tripled** the volume of holidays purchased annually over five years — and right through the pandemic — we’ve guaranteed and delivered considerable sales volumes of holidays to Jet2holidays, as well as introducing new customers who have converted into repeat bookers thanks to Jet2holidays’ excellent customer service. As an accredited travel agency we handle the booking admin, and as experienced media traders we liaise directly with Jet2holidays’ media agency and the Media Partners. This means very little time is needed from Jet2holidays to facilitate the process, and they can enjoy all the benefits. We’re looking forward to our continued work together and have plans to help them find other business costs they could potentially part-fund with holidays. > ***“We’ve been working with Active for six years now, and in that time, they’ve generated holiday sales and revenue in the millions. The relationship between Active, Wavemaker, and Jet2holidays has been seamless, with no added resources. It’s a win-win; we drive business efficiencies, get revenue, and enjoy a great relationship. “*** > > **Charlotte Kernohan, Head of Brand Communications** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Active at the Marketing Procurement iQ Conference](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-at-the-marketing-procurement-iq-conference/) **Published:** April 24, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** John Charlesworth and Alexandra Beeden joined The Marketing Procurement iQ Conference at London's Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. **Content:** Last week, the two-day [Marketing Procurement iQ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-procurement-iq/) Conference took place at London’s Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. The event dove into the latest thinking on marketing procurement, creative production, and media management. ![London's Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club Reception Exterior](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Londons-Kia-Oval-Reception.jpg) **London’s Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club Reception Exterior** ![London's Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club Reception Exterior]()**London’s Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club Reception Exterior** ![London's Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club Reception Exterior]()**London’s Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club Reception Exterior** ![London's Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. View of the pitch.](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Londons-Kia-Oval-Surrey-County-Cricket-Club-Grounds.jpg) **London’s Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. View of the pitch.** ![London's Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. View of the pitch.]()**London’s Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. View of the pitch.** ![London's Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. View of the pitch.]()**London’s Kia Oval, home of Surrey County Cricket Club. View of the pitch.** Chaired by industry experts Tina Fegent, global marketing procurement consultant, and Nick Manning, media agency co-founder, and ex-agency CEO, it featured many excellent speakers and leading industry partners delivering business intelligence across challenges and opportunities of marketing procurement and media management best practices. Day 2, 17th April, was Media Day. Nick Manning introduced Corporate Trade as the “*unsung heroes of the Media Industry*.” ### **Too good to be true: can Corporate Trade drive incremental benefit for your business?** Our Director of Client Relations, John Charlesworth, and Head of Client Relations, Alex Beeden, took the stage with a speaker session busting Corporate Trade myths and demonstrating how it solves issues and drives incremental benefit for businesses. ![John Charlesworth and Alexandra Beeden speaking at The Marketing Procurement iQ Conference](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Active-at-the-Marketing-Procurement-iQ-Conference.jpg) John Charlesworth and Alexandra Beeden speaking at The Marketing Procurement iQ Conference ![John Charlesworth and Alexandra Beeden speaking at The Marketing Procurement iQ Conference]()John Charlesworth and Alexandra Beeden speaking at The Marketing Procurement iQ Conference ![John Charlesworth and Alexandra Beeden speaking at The Marketing Procurement iQ Conference]()John Charlesworth and Alexandra Beeden speaking at The Marketing Procurement iQ Conference #### **Myth 1: ‘It’s niche’** In fact, £400m + of UK media billings are funded annually via Corporate Trade. Two-thirds of the top 30 UK advertisers are engaged with Corporate Trade. #### **Myth 2: ‘It complicates our agency relationship’** We work with some of the biggest agencies in the UK, from big agency groups to independents. #### **Myth 3: ‘My media plan will be compromised’** The planning process, pricing, and quality remain the same. There is no change to the invoicing process, and your media plan is auditable as usual. Working with us is entirely additive to an advertiser’s usual media planning and buying arrangements. ### **How brands are using Corporate Trade** Brands are using Corporate Trade to solve issues and drive incremental business. These include: - Cost saving - Solving Stock Problems - Enhancing Cash Flow - New Routes to Market - Driving Sales - Infrastructure Funding If you’d like to hear more directly from [John Charlesworth | LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncharlesworth1/) and [Alexandra (Neal) Beeden | LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-beeden/), get in touch. **Categories:** News --- ### [Campaign Best Places to Work 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/campaign-best-places-to-work-2024/) **Published:** May 14, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** We’ve done it again! We are delighted to have been named one of Campaign UK's Best Places to Work 2024 for the seventh consecutive year, ranking us as one of the best employers in adland. **Content:** ### We’ve done it again! We are delighted to have been named one of Campaign UK’s Best Places to Work 2024 for the seventh consecutive year, ranking us as one of the best employers in adland. The list celebrates companies that are highly regarded by their employees and can demonstrate how they benefit their staff. The campaign measures commitment and achievements in developing workplace culture through: - Recruitment and employment practices - Diversity, equity, and inclusion - Organisational benefits - Giving back, wellbeing initiatives, work-life balance - Employee feedback and engagement. #### **Of the accolade, Cameron Swan, Managing Director, said,** ![Cameron Swan](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Cam-Swan-540x600-1-270x300.jpg)*“Awards, like Campaign UK Best Places, allow us to celebrate what we as a team work towards every day – a happy, healthy, and positive workplace for all Activians. It’s a way to celebrate our values and the environment we have co-created as a team. And what a team it is; I am so proud to work shoulder-to-shoulder with this group every day.”* #### **Dean Wilson, Global Chief Operating Officer, stated:** ![Dean Wilson](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Dean-Wilson-1_540x600-270x300.jpg)*“Year after year, we are one of the consistently best places to work in adland. This is down to hard work and dedication to continuous improvement in creating a great workplace.”* **To the Active UK team, Dean continued:** *“Everyone contributes in many ways to make it the best it can be. Thanks to you all.”* #### **Gemma Atkinson, Global Chief People Officer, reflected:** ![Gemma Atkinson](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Gemma-Atkinson-1_540x600-270x300.jpg)*“Last year, I said that awards like this are for you and because of you, and in year 7, this is still true. Great work.”* Congratulations to every single member of the Active team who makes this workplace amazing. We’ll continue listening to our team, so we can create an even better workplace for everyone. Finally, we are sending a shout-out to all our friends and partners who made the list! The scheme was open to brands’ marketing divisions plus agencies spanning creative, media, digital, design, production, and PR. A two-stage assessment was carried out, plus staff completed a confidential questionnaire on their workplace’s culture. ![Active International UK Group Collage](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Active-group-photo.jpg) **The list of winners can be found on Campaign here:** [**Revealed: Campaign Best Places to Work 2024 (campaignlive.co.uk)**](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/revealed-campaign-best-places-work-2024/1872235?bulletin=campaign_breaking_news&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20240514&utm_content=Campaign%20Breaking%20News%20(71)::www_campaignlive_co_uk_article&email_hash= "Revealed: Campaign Best Places to Work 2024 (campaignlive.co.uk)") **Categories:** News --- ### [Active named one of the UK's Best Workplaces for Women™ 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-named-one-of-the-uks-best-workplaces-for-women-2024/) **Published:** July 30, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Active is proud to announce that we have been ranked #52 in the list of 90 companies awarded in the small category in the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women™. **Content:** Active is proud to announce that we have been ranked #52 in the list of 90 companies awarded in the small category in the [UK’s Best Workplaces for Women™.](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/best-workplaces/women/2024) This is our third consecutive year of winning Best Workplaces For Women! The Best Workplaces for Women™ list recognises companies in the UK that are committed to ensuring a balance of women and men across the organisation; removing barriers to women’s career advancement; and creating workplaces where all employees, regardless of gender, can flourish. **The criteria for achieving an award as a best workplace for women is below:** Best Workplaces for Women Eligibility - Certified and Trust Index© for women population above Best Workplaces™ thresholds - Confidence level of 95% (+/-5%) for data from entire workforce - Need to employ at least 10 women – **Active employs 30** - Have at least 25% women in the workforce – **Active has 60%** - Organisation has a minimum of 20% women in non-executive management roles – **Active has 63%** - For company with 51 employees and over, at least 1 woman on executive/c-level management or on the board of directors – **Active has 6 (including UK and global leaders based in UK)** To compile the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women™ List, Great Place To Work® analysed the anonymous responses of females in the workplace and considered their daily experiences of innovation, the company’s values, and the effectiveness of their leaders. They then used these data insights to benchmark our company’s employee value proposition against the culture our employees actually experience. Only the businesses that achieve the highest scores after evaluation receive Best Workplaces™ status. Our inclusion on this exclusive list officially acknowledges our commitment to create a consistently and overwhelmingly positive employee experience, to foster cultures that are proven to drive business, improve lives, and better society. Cameron Swan, MD, said: *“* *We’re lucky to have so many talented and impactful females working with us every day and this award celebrates this. Diversity, belonging, and inclusion is something we all contribute to and is part of the fabric of being a true Activian, congratulations to you all. A proud Active moment yet again!”* Holly Kennedy, SVP People and Culture, said: *“This award shows our commitment to supporting and empowering women through our approaches to work, people practices and workplace culture, and is testament to our overall dedication to equity and inclusivity for all. Ccongratulations to our whole team!”* Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work UK said: “*Workplaces are only great if they’re great for all employees.* *“Importantly, each of the companies on the list have been commended by their own female employees through their anonymous feedback that told us their workplace has gone above and beyond to ensure that women employees are treated fairly in terms of recognition, training, and promotion opportunities.* *“Congratulations to Active for making this prestigious list!”* ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/alex-and-kelly-BestWorkPlacesinTravel221.jpg) ![]() ![]() ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/girls-rainbow-arch-1024x821.jpg) ![]() ![]() ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/girls-away-day-768x1024.jpg) ![]() ![]() ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/LTA-Bike-Ride.jpg) ![]() ![]() ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NABS_STS2024_press-wall-1-1024x583.jpg) ![]() ![]() The full list of all the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women™ can be read at: [**https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/best-workplaces/women/2024**](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/best-workplaces/women/2024) **Categories:** News --- ### [Campaign's  'ever-present agencies'](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/campaign-best-places-to-work-active-consistently-makes-the-grade/) **Published:** May 20, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Campaign has updated its readers that just seven businesses have successfully been named in the list every year since the list’s inception in 2019. Active International is one of those seven companies! **Content:** ## Campaign Best Places to Work – Active consistently makes the grade! Advertising and creative communications trade press Campaign UK ranks 100 adland businesses with its Best Places to Work award. Last week, Active again made the list! Campaign has updated its readers that ***just seven*** businesses have entered and successfully been named in the list every year since the list’s inception in 2019. Campaign has coined these businesses as **‘the ever-present agencies.’** #### **Active International is one of those seven companies!** Inclusion represents seven years of consistently providing the best inclusive work environment for our people, for media solutions and client success stories. ![Cameron Swan](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Cam-Swan-540x600-1.jpg)**Cameron Swan, Managing Director, said** *“It’s great to be part of a small but incredible group of businesses that consistently strive to be the best place for their team.”* The Best Places to Work list celebrates companies highly regarded by their employees and can demonstrate how they benefit their staff, with no charge for employers to participate in the survey. It is a fantastic acknowledgment of our team’s dedication to continuous improvement for us to be on the list of ever-present agencies. It is also rewarding to see us nestled with great friends Goodstuff, Digital Cinema Media, Rocketmill and Mobsta. ![Campaign Best Places to Work Rankings (2019 - 2024)](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Campaign-best-Places-to-Work-2019-2024.jpg) Source: [Campaign UK](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/campaign-best-places-work-2019-24-ever-present-agencies/1873284 "Campaign UK") ![Campaign Best Places to Work Rankings (2019 - 2024)]()Source: [Campaign UK](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/campaign-best-places-work-2019-24-ever-present-agencies/1873284 "Campaign UK") ![Campaign Best Places to Work Rankings (2019 - 2024)]()Source: [Campaign UK](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/campaign-best-places-work-2019-24-ever-present-agencies/1873284 "Campaign UK") **See the full article on this link:** [**Campaign Best Places to Work 2019-24: the ever-present agencies (campaignlive.co.uk)**](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/campaign-best-places-work-2019-24-ever-present-agencies/1873284 "Campaign Best Places to Work 2019-24: the ever-present agencies (campaignlive.co.uk)") **Categories:** News --- ### [Cameron Swan at the Media & Marketing Innovation BI Summit](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/cameron-swan-at-the-media-marketing-innovation-bi-summit/) **Published:** October 23, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **The Media and Marketing Innovation BI Summit took place in London on 22nd October**. Hosted by IPG Mediabrands, Managing Director [Cameron Swan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronswan-/ "Cameron Swan") moderated two talks uncovering how brands connect with audiences. **First, Cameron sat down with [James Robinson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-robinson-94048416/ "James Robinson"), Senior Vice President of America, Enterprise, and Europe at HMD Global, to discuss partnership strategy**. Robinson shared the benefits and potential pitfalls of partnerships, unpacking the strategy behind their creative collaboration with Barbie. HMD successfully leveraged the iconic Barbie brand by blending nostalgia with cutting-edge tech. James stated that HMD focuses on **“servicing the community in a better way, being perfectly adaptable to bringing a solution to life.”** As a result, HMD’s Barbie flip phone brings back the joy of simpler times with less screen time, reconnecting with what matters most in a playful way. He also unpacked **the Better Phone Project, an HMD project to co-create a new phone with parents**. The aim is to tackle the impact of smartphone use and social media on the well-being of children and Gen Z. HMD is seeking solutions to give parents control over their children’s screen time and social media use. Secondly, Cameron shared the stage with **[Rachel Walsh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/missrachelwalsh/), Marketing and Digital Director at Tag Heuer**, part of LVMH. Rachel shared her insights on the power of cultural moments to bond a brand with its community. Tag Heuer stays ahead of trends and leverages cultural insights to maintain relevance, showing up in key cultural moments in authentic ways. In essence, Rachel and her team strive to associate the brand and their ambassadors with events where eyes will be. She cited their triumphant stunt with the youngest-ever Olympic medal winner, Sky Brown. Brown showcased her skateboarding skills on the first-ever floating half pipe on the Thames. The stunt made headlines across print and online media and generated huge returns in media value. The event took 8 months to plan. **Rachel and Cameron discussed the importance of cultural calendars. Rachel asserted the need to amplify brand ambassadors at the right moments and prioritize pace to create impact.** The importance of finding brand ambassadors with the same values and ethics was emphasized. The Media and Marketing Innovation BI Summit explored the latest trends and celebrated innovation, with industry leaders’ insights. Our thanks go to Brand Innovators for organising and IPG Brands for hosting. Find out about the Better Phone Project here: [HMD | The Better Phone Project – About](https://www.hmd.com/en_int/better-phone-project/about) Photo credit: Stuart Bailey Photography ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/james-smiling-cam-panel_Stuart_Bailey_Photography_2024-10-22_0031-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cam-and-james-panel_Stuart_Bailey_Photography_2024-10-22_0029-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cam-and-james-panel--1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cam-and-James-press-wall_Stuart_Bailey_Photography_2024-10-22_0024-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Brand_Innovators_Media__Marketing_Innovation_Summit_Batch_05_Stuart_Bailey_Photography_2024-10-22_0005-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Brand_Innovators_Media__Marketing_Innovation_Summit_Batch_05_Stuart_Bailey_Photography_2024-10-22_0009-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cam-and-rachel-walsh-panel_Stuart_Bailey_Photography_2024-10-22_0001-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Brand_Innovators_Media__Marketing_Innovation_Summit_Batch_03_Stuart_Bailey_Photography_2024-10-22_0009-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/crowd-23-1024x683.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Cameron Swan at The Future of Media London on ‘Making future-ready leaders’](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/cameron-swan-at-the-future-of-media-london-on-making-future-ready-leaders/) **Published:** October 16, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The Future of Media conference, held on 8-9th October in London, brought together over 700 senior and future media leaders to discuss best practices, changing business models, and growth opportunities. Our Managing Director, Cameron Swan, led a panel discussion on **‘Making future-ready leaders: adopting new mindsets for the modern manager.’** Alongside Michelle Sarpong, commercial lead at the7Stars, Future 100 leader and NABS mentor, and Lorraine Jennings-Creed, Director of Wellbeing Services and Culture Change at NABS, the discussion addressed **the mental wellness skills gap among managers**. The role of managers has evolved; many are being promoted younger, but expectations are higher, and time is more squeezed than ever, so traditional training methods are no longer sufficient. The newly launched **NABS’ Mindsets for Managers Programme** aims to empower upcoming, new, and middle managers to build resilient, healthy teams. The programme is crucial as early career managers often feel overwhelmed and unprepared for their responsibilities, despite being the go-to for mental wellness issues. Last year, NABS ran the community consultation ALL EARS. The data has been used to inform the design of their Mindsets for the Managers training program. Cameron, Michelle and Lorraine discussed NABS All Ears research: - **42% of people experiencing mental wellness issues would approach their line manager first**, even though managers are not always prepared for these responsibilities. - **23% of people feel that mental wellness is not taken seriously within the industry** - **35% feel unable to discuss their mental wellness challenges** at work. This is particularly concerning as those who need support the most often feel least able to seek help. - **Workers who rate their manager as ineffective are significantly more likely to plan to leave their organisation within the next 12 months**. - **LGBTQ+ respondents are 23% less likely to feel they can be themselves at work**, impacting their willingness to discuss and seek help for mental health issues. Two main streams of thought emerged in their discussion: what companies can do to support future leaders and current managers and what individuals can do to support their own development if company resources fall short. The newly launched NABS Mindset for Managers Programme is designed specifically to tackle these issues. It equips managers with essential skills to support themselves and their teams. The programme focuses on mental wellness, self-care, personal growth, and fostering supportive and inclusive work environments. The programme includes **workshops** on mental wellness conversations, coaching skills, managing team pressure, leading through change, and inclusive leadership. Additionally, there are sessions on feedback, holding safe spaces, and navigating challenging conversations. Lastly, the program offers **speed mentoring** opportunities for managers to engage in meaningful exchanges with industry leaders. As new and middle managers are more squeezed and overwhelmed than ever before and as we increasingly diversify our teams, the group agreed that we all need to be better versed in how to spot mental wellness challenges and how to handle them when they arise. NABS resource exists to help. Learn more about NABS ALL EARS here: [NABS All Ears Community Consultation Report](https://nabs.org.uk/all-ears/) Learn more about Managers’ Mindsets training here: [Managers’ Mindsets – Mental Wellness Conversations – NABS](https://nabs.org.uk/event/managers-mindsets-mental-wellness-conversations/) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cam-panel-1-2-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cam-panel-2-1-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cam-panel-3-1-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cam-panel-4-1-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cam-panel-5-1-1024x683.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Audience-1.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FOM-Cam-on-stage-1-819x1024.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FOM-stage-1-771x1024.jpeg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/balcony-1.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/foyer-1.jpg)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/signage-1.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active helps raise £28k for NABS at Manchester Fashion Show](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-helps-raise-28k-for-nabs-at-manchester-fashion-show/) **Published:** October 2, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** On Wednesday 25 September, Active’s agency team descended upon Manchester to attend what was dubbed, “the event of the season”. **Content:** On Wednesday 25 September, Active’s agency team descended upon Manchester to attend what was dubbed, “the event of the season”. NABS Fashion Show 2024 brought the carnival vibes, with the gathering of leaders and future leaders from the North West’s adland partying like it’s going out of fashion! Active International UK was proud to support the show, providing welcome drinks and raffle prizes, whilst River Island were NABS’ Fashion Partner. Media and advertising industry movers and shakers modelled the brand’s Menswear and Womenswear. The Fashion Show gives the opportunity for those who prefer not to model to sit back and spectate at a table, enjoy the show and a three course meal. The show was followed by a raffle, entertainment, and dancing. With a make-up station on site at Audacious Church too, guests also had the option to get themselves glittered up! ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 Hosts](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NABS-Fashion-Show-Manchester-Active-UK-hosts-1024x576.jpg) ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 Hosts]() ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 Hosts]() ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 Model](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NABS-Fashion-Show-Manchester-Active-UK-model-1024x576.jpg) ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 Model]() ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 Model]() ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 drummers ](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NABS-Fashion-Show-Manchester-Active-UK-samba1--1024x683.jpg) ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 drummers ]() ![NABS Fashion Show Manchester 2024 drummers ]() ![NABS Fashion Show Nick Lisa Neesh with stage signage](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NABS-Fashion-nick-lisa-neesh-stage-1024x768.jpg) ![NABS Fashion Show Nick Lisa Neesh with stage signage]() ![NABS Fashion Show Nick Lisa Neesh with stage signage]() ![Neesha and Kieron](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Neesha-and-Kieron-1024x703.jpg) ![Neesha and Kieron]() ![Neesha and Kieron]() ![Kieron make up](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Kieron-make-up-1024x683.jpg) ![Kieron make up]() ![Kieron make up]() Active is proud to support NABS due to the vital work they do. NABS provides several vital services to support the advertising, marketing, and media community. They received 4,500 calls to their Advice Line in 2023, which was a 13% increase year-over-year. NABS offers a variety of services including: - **Emotional support**: They provide emotional support through their advice line and other resources. - **Financial guidance** - **Career advice** - **Training and workshops**: They organize expert-led sessions on topics such as anxiety and ADHD, offering coping strategies and techniques. - **Grants**: They offer grants to support individuals in need. These services are aimed at advancing mental wellness and supporting the overall well-being of the media and advertising community. This aligns with Active International’s own core commitment to wellbeing and inclusion. Thank you to the team at NABS, to our fellow partners, sponsors, guests and friends. Together, we helped the event raise an incredible £28,000 – their biggest fundraiser ever outside London! **Categories:** News --- ### [Active International recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-international-recognised-as-one-of-the-uks-best-workplaces-in-advertising-media-marketing/) **Published:** September 24, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** The 2024 UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™ list was launched this morning by Great Place To Work® UK, recognising Active International UK among the list of organisations in the Small & Medium category. **Content:** The 2024 UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™ list was launched this morning by [Great Place To Work® UK](http://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/), recognising Active International UK among the list of organisations in the **Small & Medium** category. Active’s employees anonymously reported that our multifaceted wellbeing strategy makes the company a great place to work. Active is committed to working practices founded on flexibility, trust and commitment, to support us all effectively collaborate and promote a healthy lifestyle rhythm. This includes hybrid working, working from anywhere, mental health support and enhanced benefits integrated into our company culture. Great Place To Work® UK administered their research-backed Trust Index© employee survey and analysed the responses of UK-based Advertising, Media & Marketing employees to determine the Best Workplaces™ list. The surveys asked employees to comment on how their company supports their work-life balance, sense of fulfilment, job satisfaction, psychological safety and financial security. Evaluations also included an assessment of how well the organisation was able to deliver consistency of their employee experience across all departments and seniority levels. Analysis of the sector employee survey responses found: - **68% of employees at the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing feel they “receive a fair share of the profits made by the organisation” compared to a UK average for the sector of 45%** - **83% of employees at the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing agree “we have special and unique benefits here” compared to a UK average for the sector of 47%** - **92% of employees at the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing feel “people are encouraged to balance their work life and their personal life” compared to a UK average for the sector of 61%** - **90% of employees at the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing say “this is a psychologically and emotionally healthy place to work” compared to a UK average for the sector of 61%** - **86% of employees at the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing say “I want to work here for a long time” compared to a UK average for the sector of 67%** ![Group Photo - UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WEb-Banner-Group-and-Award-1024x535.jpg) ![Group Photo - UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™!]() ![Group Photo - UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™!]() Holly Kennedy, SVP People & Culture, said: “Making the Great Places To Work list for workplaces in Advertising, Media, & Marketing is a great achievement. Active has a core commitment to advancing workplace culture focusing on inclusion and wellbeing, and we are dedicated to continuous improvement in these areas. Congratulations to the whole team!” Laura Learmouth, Media Director, commented: “I feel so proud that Active has been recognised asone of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Advertising, Media & Marketing™ I am extremely passionate about our industry and the great people within it. I couldn’t think of better sector to work in. It is upon all of us to innovate, support new talent and future-proof, so that we can continue to create opportunities for both business and personal development. Working for Active, I see this every day and it makes me excited to see what the future holds for our amazing team.” Wayne Chim, Finance Director, said: “Another fantastic achievement for Active to be recognised as A Great Place To Work in 2024. Being part of such an inclusive and innovative environment inspires me every day. The continuous efforts that Active has made to enhance the workplace reflects our commitment to mutual respect, collaboration and excellence.” Kieron Murphy, Chief Revenue Officer, said: “A testament to our wonderful team’s dedication, curiosity, and inclusive culture they’ve helped us build at Active. Thank you to all our amazing people, and of course to our wonderful clients and partners for your support. We look forward to continuing our journey of excellence, mutual growth, and above all creating a workplace for all to excel.” Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work® UK said: “Advertising, media and marketing cover a dynamic sector heavily influenced by rapidly changing consumer behaviours and emerging tech. Leaders at the UK’s Best Workplaces acknowledge that there will always be parts of one’s job which will cause stress, and which cannot be changed – such as the fast-paced landscape of certain industries. As such, these organisations champion a multi-faceted wellbeing strategy which is integrated within their company culture and everyday ways of working. From mental health and psychological safety to job design and fulfilment at work – these organisations have implemented effective, holistic strategies able to target all dimensions of employees’ wellbeing, leading to a healthier, more engaged workforce. Congratulations Active International for creating a truly ‘great’ workplace.” ##### **For more information, visit [www.greatplacetowork.co.uk](http://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk)** **Categories:** News --- ### [Best Workplaces in Travel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/best-workplaces-in-travel/) **Published:** June 11, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Active has a core commitment to workplace culture and over 30 years of experience bringing value to the biggest names in travel. That’s why it was our pleasure to support Best Workplaces in Travel. **Content:** #### **Active supports Best Workplaces in Travel** Active has a core commitment to workplace culture and over 30 years of experience bringing value to the biggest names in travel. That’s why it was our pleasure to support [Best Workplaces in Travel](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bestworkplacesintravel/). The [\#BWITAWARDS](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=bwitawards&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7208395258030604288) was launched to celebrate the importance of attracting, engaging, and retaining talent in the travel industry. Awards night took place on Monday 10th June. We sponsored the award for Performance Recognition, which was won by [Holiday Architects](https://www.linkedin.com/company/holiday-architects/) and picked up by founder [Andrew Hunt](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-hunt-06b7a736/). [Gail Kenny](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailkenny/) co-founded the awards in 2020 to recognise and celebrate travel brands who excel in employee engagement. She was appointed to the Board of Directors at AWTE (Association of Women in Travel and Enterprise) in 2022. Best Workplaces in Travel is an annual employee engagement survey plus recognition awards. Participating organisations receive their own survey results with data to inform their strategic planning and enable business improvements, which in turn drives progress onto the list. It operates in partnership with workplace culture expert, [Hendrick & Hyde](https://www.hendrickandhyde.com/), and is powered by [Korero Technology](https://www.hellokorero.co/). Gail commented, “We are on a mission to showcase our industry as one where people aspire to work. Thanks Active International for your support this year. What a great evening celebrating the Best Workplaces in Travel and revealing the collective insights from Korero.” Kelly Davies, our Business Services Manager, has 20 years travel experience and has worked at Active since 2019. Kelly ensures we utilise the travel, goods and services inventory on our books and she delivers best-in-class customer service to all our partners. Kelly said, **“**Active UK are dedicated to maintaining the highest level of knowledge and expertise to deliver exceptional service to our travel clients. Staying informed about industry trends and priorities is crucial to us. I’m so pleased we were able to support Best Travel Workplaces this year, gaining valuable insights directly from industry professionals. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new connections within the industry.” Alex Beeden, Head of Client Relations, ensures our clients receive the best account management possible and she keeps our partners up to date on everything new in the world of Active. Alex said, “Travel inventory is hugely valuable in our world of corporate trade. Ensuring we have enough product to trade with Media Owners keeps the barter cog turning. It’s important to us to show these clients our commitment to celebrating their work and championing their achievements. The event also gave us a great opportunity to meet new people and explore new opportunities.” Active Business Services is our dedicated travel, events and hospitality department – a fully accredited (ABTA and ATOL) team comprised of experienced travel and event executives committed to allowing our clients achieve more by utilising Corporate Trade. Our unique offering and access help Active put your products and services directly in front of hundreds of clients and partners seeking travel and event solutions, and our model works to guarantee brands new business. Congratulations to all the [Best Workplaces in Travel](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bestworkplacesintravel/) 2024 winners for a brilliant achievement and to Gail for a great night! The complete winners’ list is [here](https://www.bestworkplacesintravel.co.uk/2024winners) ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BestWorkPlacesinTravel112.jpg) ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BestWorkPlacesinTravel124.jpg) ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BestWorkPlacesinTravel153.jpg) ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BestWorkPlacesinTravel188.jpg) ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BestWorkPlacesinTravel220.jpg) ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Awards 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Award Winners 2024](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BWITWinners4-1.jpg) ![Best Workplaces in Travel Award Winners 2024]() ![Best Workplaces in Travel Award Winners 2024]() **Categories:** News --- ### [NABS Stranger than Summer](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/nabs-stranger-than-summer/) **Published:** June 6, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Active has a core commitment to workplace culture and advancing mental wellness. We are dedicated to continuous improvement in these areas, and so we are proud NABS supporters.  NABS is the advertising and media charity that provides services to improve well-being and help those in our industry thrive. **Content:** ### **Active supports Stranger Than Summer 2024** Active has a core commitment to workplace culture and advancing mental wellness. We are dedicated to continuous improvement in these areas, and so we are proud NABS supporters. NABS is the advertising and media charity that provides services to improve well-being and help those in our industry thrive. We had a wonderful time at Stranger Than Summer on Thursday, June 6th, at City Central at the HAC! We saw many friends and peers from across Adland – more than 730 people attended. Stranger Than Summer is a special and renowned night, and it is an honour to support the event. Together, we raised a phenomenal £150,000! ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Exterior Banner](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NABS_STS2024-banner-1024x599.jpg) ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Exterior Banner]() ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Exterior Banner]() ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Presenter ](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NABS_STS2024-presenter-1024x683.jpg) ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Presenter ]() ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Presenter ]() ![NABS Brochure](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NABS_STS2024_-brochure-1024x683.jpg) ![NABS Brochure]() ![NABS Brochure]() ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Table - Active International](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NABS_STS2024_6Jun2024-table-1024x683.jpg) ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Table - Active International]() ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Table - Active International]() ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Press Wall Active International](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NABS_STS2024_press-wall-1024x584.jpg) ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Press Wall Active International]() ![NABS Stranger than Summer 2024 Press Wall Active International]() Thank you to the NABS team and trustees for all your fantastic work, and well done on another spectacular event. A special nod must go to Anna Randles and Sue Todd from NABS and to Alex Beeden and Kelly Davies from our Business Services team, who helped enormously by organising our prize contributions for the night. Watch the highlights video here [**Stranger than Summer 2024 – YouTube**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPSOHeYX-yQ) View the photo gallery here [**Stranger than Summer 2024 | Flickr**](https://www.flickr.com/photos/nabsuk/albums/72177720317872478/) **Categories:** News --- ### [Cameron Swan at Brand Innovators](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/cameron-swan-at-brand-innovators/) **Published:** April 30, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** On Tuesday, 30 April we were at Brand Innovators inaugural Future of Content and Media Innovation Summit, hosted by ITV, with an incredible lineup of speakers exploring the latest strategies and tools shaping our industry. **Content:** ![The Future of Content & Media Innovation Hosted by ITV. Speakers Kelly Williams, Stéphane Coruble. Moderator Cameron Swan](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/LI-fireside-chat-image.jpg) ![The Future of Content & Media Innovation Hosted by ITV. Speakers Kelly Williams, Stéphane Coruble. Moderator Cameron Swan]() ![The Future of Content & Media Innovation Hosted by ITV. Speakers Kelly Williams, Stéphane Coruble. Moderator Cameron Swan]() On Tuesday, 30 April we were at [Brand Innovators](https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-innovators-llc/) inaugural Future of Content and Media Innovation Summit, hosted by ITV, with an incredible lineup of speakers exploring the latest strategies and tools shaping our industry. Our Managing Director Cameron Swan moderated the Opening ITV Fireside Chat with [Stéphane Coruble](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephane-coruble-4b2b893/) CEO of [RTL AdAlliance](https://www.linkedin.com/company/rtl-adalliance/) and our host [ITV](https://www.linkedin.com/company/itv/)‘s [Kelly Williams](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-williams-07436b5/), Managing Director, Commercial, who shared their insights on the future of TV, collaboration across markets and emotionally engaging with audiences. --- Cameron discussed with Kelly and Stéphane the *increasing content options for consumers and the growing complication for advertisers* of where to spend advertising budget and how they tackle complexity in the market. Cameron quoted Jerry Seinfeld from April 2022 who said, “It’s like a firehose of content pointed at our face.” Kelly Williams stated an average person sees up to 5000 adverts every day. He continued; “It’s a competition for memory, advertisers have to create something powerful. ITV delivers mass reach in a brand safe environment. We have addressability at scale. We can offer advertisers fantastic creative opportunities, multi sponsorship for each show, combining creativity, addressability, reach, and data driven propositions. We have invested heavily in outcomes, building tools and initiatives that prove effectiveness of advertising. We have four or five powerful propositions to offer, as advertising is a competition for memory.” Cameron mused that there is an *undeniable cultural significance that comes with TV*; live traditional broadcast, BVOD, streaming, connected TV, whatever the preference or platform. He said advertisers are chasing the ‘content moments’ and societal importance that proven broadcasters offer. ![Cameron Swan speaking on panel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Cameron-Swan-speaking-at-panel-1024x683.jpg) ![Cameron Swan speaking on panel]() ![Cameron Swan speaking on panel]() He asked, “What are you doing to continue to preserve this cultural significance for consumers and how has digital media innovation played a role in that for your advertisers? Kelly reiterated that broadcasters have to emotionally engage with audiences in order to compete for memory. He discussed how ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ had high attention metrics, high trust, and a shared story and was, as a result, a great success in the UK for ITV. He stated how great advertising can have great cultural impact too. “A TV ad is at its most valuable when its changing the conversation.” He quoted eBay changing the conversation about pre-loved clothes, Boots helping to change the conversation around menopause and Heineken with non-alcohol beer. He continued, “Do all three – have high quality creative, media, and measurement and data – and you can create significant advantage.” Stéphane Coruble asserted, “We need to follow the audience, that’s where digital innovation comes in. Linear TV is not dead. Linear viewing TV times in Europe is still three hours. US and Europe are not the same. We need to bring additional things to follow the viewing. There’s no single bullet for every territory – we have multiple initiatives across Europe.” ![Stéphane Coruble speaking at panel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Stephane-Coruble-speaking-at-panel-1024x683.jpg) Cameron discussed *how technology offers unprecedented opportunities for innovation in media and content*. He asked Stephane and Kelly what they saw as the emerging trends that could shape the future of content creation, distribution, and consumption. Kelly stated the journey from broadcast to delivery via IP and innovation in the retail media space, with Tesco, Boots et al adding more data sets. He also discussed integrating brands into shows. “We have thirteen shows in production today that are ad-funded; it’s an area that will grow. Brands are wanting to be a part of the content journey” Stéphane remarked, “Innovation and tech bring premium to the audience. Brands investing in us brings additional services to make sure independent journalism prevails.” Finally, Cameron asked, “Can you share the three *things that excite you about the industry* moving forward?” Kelly listed the content ITV have coming up – the Euros, Britain’s Got Talent, and more excellent drama – the journey to IP and journey to addressability, and what ITV is doing in outcomes. He said, “How to build brands is still really exciting.” Stéphane concluded, “We spend 6m Euros in content every year, we invest in premium content, as a 100% digital and adserved world offering opportunities to connect. We need to partner and connect with each other.” ![Kelly Williams, Cameron Swan, Stéphane Coruble](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BI-day-1-media-wall-1024x683.jpg)Kelly Williams, Cameron Swan, Stéphane Coruble --- Thank you to everyone involved for an illuminating day of passionate ecosystem conversations around powering the needs of brands, advertisers, and consumers. Attendees from Active UK were Elkie Brooks, Snr Marketing Manager, John Charlesworth, Director of Client Relations, and Alex Beeden, Head of Client Relations. **Categories:** News --- ### [Dom Blacklock at Brand Innovators](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/dom-blacklock-at-brand-innovators/) **Published:** May 1, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** On Wednesday, May 1 we were at Brand Innovators Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation BISummit hosted by VML at WPP’s Sea Containers HQ. **Content:** ![The Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation - hosted by VML. Louisa Nichols, Dom Blackrock](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/LI-post-1024x640.jpg) ![The Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation - hosted by VML. Louisa Nichols, Dom Blackrock]() ![The Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation - hosted by VML. Louisa Nichols, Dom Blackrock]() On Wednesday, May 1 we were at Brand Innovators Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation BISummit hosted by [VML](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vml/) at WPP’s Sea Containers HQ. Louisa Nicholls, Managing Director of Digital, Experience, Design, Product & Strategy at [Coutts](https://www.linkedin.com/company/coutts/), spoke with [Dom Blacklock](https://www.linkedin.com/in/domblacklock/), our Vice President of International Digital Media on ‘Unlocking the Potential of Digital in Private Banking.’ --- It was an insightful conversation discussing how investment banking uses digital innovation and engagement to drive growth from the perspective of a luxury, heritage brand. Louisa described how Coutts is one of the oldest private banks in the world, established in 1692, and is one of the “original girl power brands”, as in the late 1800s the founder’s granddaughter Angela Burdett-Coutts was a philanthropist. She helped found the RSPCA and NSPCC, supporting vulnerable children and women.It is the Queen’s Bank, part of NatWest group, and still supports charities, with wealth management and private banking services. Its journey to sustainability includes the ‘magic of Coutts roof garden’, which is a sustainable goldmine of delicious produce, including honey from their own bees. Louisa explained how high street brands are going digital-first but, at Coutts, customers sit with their customer private banking wealth manager. They use “digital as a channel of choice when their customers need it, but get out of their way when they don’t.” ![Louisa Nicholls speaking at Brand Innovators Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation BISummit](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Louisa-Dom-1024x683.jpg) ![Louisa Nicholls speaking at Brand Innovators Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation BISummit]() ![Louisa Nicholls speaking at Brand Innovators Future of Marketing & Digital Innovation BISummit]() She acknowledged Coutts uses data to understand where their customers are on their site or apps and this information goes to the customer’s wealth manager, so when the customer is next back in the bank face-to-face, they can talk through the user experience and their banking needs. As a luxury brand, they look at fellow luxury brand marketing activity, for example LVMH. Louisa expressed admiration for Barbour ‘s collaboration with Ganni; partnering a British heritage brand with a young Scandi brand. Louisa argued that Gen Z’s love heritage brands, and heritage shouldn’t alienate the core market. Dom asked, “When it comes to the potential of digital – AI and crypto currency – how are you future facing?” ![Dom Blackrock speaking holding Active International card](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dom-asking-Active-card-1024x683.jpg) ![Dom Blackrock speaking holding Active International card]() ![Dom Blackrock speaking holding Active International card]() Louisa explained Coutts partners with agencies that bring them thought leadership, and they focus on basics, such as great design and user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) as she explained, “these people are cash rich and time poor.” She argued that disruptors like Uber and Monzo re-benchmark the expectations. She remarked, “You cannot stand still. Plans are out of date within 18 months. Roll with it; everyone is fickle, they’ll go with things that make their lives easier.” Dom asked, “How do you decide where to invest? Louisa explained, “Marketing is lead generation – make it sticky so people want to spend time with your brand and are interested. Be really clear around criteria. We do not really have any above the line marketing as we are so niche.” At the conclusion of their discussion, Dom asked Louisa what keeps her up at night. Louisa responded, “The pace of innovation. We need to pivot at pace but as a small but heritage brand, Coutts can be nimble. ![Louisa Nicholls Coutts & Dom Blackrock - press wall](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Louisa-Nicholls-Coutts-Dom-Blacklock-press-wall-1024x683.jpg) Louisa Nicholls Coutts & Dom Blacklock ![Louisa Nicholls Coutts & Dom Blackrock - press wall]()Louisa Nicholls Coutts & Dom Blacklock ![Louisa Nicholls Coutts & Dom Blackrock - press wall]()Louisa Nicholls Coutts & Dom Blacklock --- Attendees from Active UK were Elkie Brooks, Snr Marketing Manager, Perry Brown, Senior Media Executive, and Josh Gormley, Media Manager Broadcast & Digital. Brand Innovators is a global community of more than 50,000 senior brand marketers from Fortune 500 and other leading global brands, making it the largest professional network of its kind. **Categories:** News --- ### [Cameron Swan joins Dentsu panel, on 15 March 2024 ](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/cameron-swan-joins-dentsu-panel-on-15-march-2024/) **Published:** April 11, 2024 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Excerpt:** Our MD Cameron Swan joined Denstu and their gender network ONE for a panel event entitled 'Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry,' discussing growing gravitas, networking, and visibility. **Content:** #### Our MD Cameron Swan joined Denstu and their gender network ONE for a panel event entitled ‘Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry,’ discussing growing gravitas, networking, and visibility. ![Wide shot of Dentsu ONE Panel Event- Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Cam-wide-shot.jpg) ![Wide shot of Dentsu ONE Panel Event- Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry]() ![Wide shot of Dentsu ONE Panel Event- Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry]() Nadine Agbedetse, Education & Awareness Communicator and Head of ERG (Employee Resource Group) Represent, hosted the panel. Other speakers were Kim Berkin, Client MD of dentsu X, and Balina Hanati, Trader at MiQ International. It was an excellent session with plenty of insights on developing and connecting*.* Cameron shared his tips and experience around amplifying your voice. #### **Feeling Comfortable** Cameron reassured attendees that when networking, it’s ok not to feel comfortable; “It’s not a sign you shouldn’t be in the room,” and his own realisation that “nothing grows in the comfort zone.” #### **Gravitas** “As leaders, saying someone needs to have gravitas is grossly unhelpful. *What* do they need to do differently, and *how* will they do that?” Cameron asserted that putting people at ease is an essential quality for leaders, plus role modeling and showing those coming through the ranks how to connect in person. #### **Curating Moments** ![Cameron Swan Speaking at Dentsu ONE Panel Event- Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Cam-with-mic.jpg) ![Cameron Swan Speaking at Dentsu ONE Panel Event- Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry]() ![Cameron Swan Speaking at Dentsu ONE Panel Event- Dare to Lead: Amplifying Your Voice in Industry]() Cameron advised everyone to seize opportunities externally and cautioned that it is about curating those moments. “It’s about doing things that have purpose and mean something to you. Post-pandemic, for people coming up in the industry, there are opportunities for diversifying what you do. More thought is going into events. Before, the options were the pub, a big black-tie event, or a golf/spa day. There is room for all that still, but it’s about the ‘and’. What else are you doing as a business, leader, and networker?” #### **Authenticity** He advised those starting in the industry to “be authentic, be interested. And no matter how long you’ve been in the industry, we all need people in our network who are super-connectors.” Thank you to Dentsu, Lucy Hubbard, Emma Saddleton, and Grace Sinclair for a great event on providing support, development, and connection. **Categories:** News --- ### [A Night to Remember](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/a-night-to-remember/) **Published:** November 10, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## Triumph and Heart at Media Fight Night 2023 --- ### James Locke’s Exhilarating Performance [Media Fight Night](https://www.mediafightnight.com/) 2023 was nothing short of spectacular, and the buzz is still in the air! It was a night where sportsmanship, excitement, and philanthropy merged into an unforgettable experience. We extend our heartiest congratulations to James Locke for an exceptional performance in the ring. His display of heart and hustle truly embodied the spirit of Active and left us all inspired. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MediaFightNight2023-11-edited.jpg)### The Thrill of the Fight The arena was electrifying, with cheers echoing from every corner. Those of us lucky enough to witness the bouts live, and the many streaming on Twitch were treated to a thrilling spectacle. James Locke stepped into the ring with determination, showcasing not just his skill but a deep commitment to the cause. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MediaFightNight2023-12-1024x768.jpg)### A Punch for a Purpose The highlight of the night, beyond the gripping fights, was the noble cause at its heart. The event succeeded in raising both funds and awareness for[ Carney’s Community](https://carneyscommunity.org/), a testament to the power of sports in driving positive change. It’s a powerful reminder that every punch thrown was more than just part of a match; it was a step towards making a difference. ### A Round of Applause for the Organizers A huge shoutout to the organizers at Media Fight Night for orchestrating another successful event. Their dedication and hard work in bringing together the media community for such a meaningful cause deserve immense recognition and appreciation. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MediaFightNight2023-10-1024x768.jpg)### Looking Ahead As we reflect on the adrenaline-filled night, we’re reminded of the impact we can make when we come together. Here’s to making a difference, one round at a time. We eagerly await the next #MediaFightNight, ready to support, cheer, and contribute to a cause that’s close to our hearts. Thank you to everyone who participated, attended, and streamed the event. Your support is what makes nights like these truly knockout! ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MediaFightNight2023-8-768x1024.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Celebrating Ecovadis](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/celebrating-ecovadis/) **Published:** November 30, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **Another Year of Excellence in Sustainability** We are thrilled to share some exciting news with our community: For the second consecutive year, we have earned the prestigious Silver EcoVadis accreditation. This remarkable achievement not only highlights our unwavering commitment to sustainability but also places us at the forefront of responsible and ethical business practices. ## **What Does This Mean for Us and Our Partners?** **Sustainability Trust:** Our continuous recognition by EcoVadis is a testament to our dedication to sustainable practices. It reflects our ongoing efforts to integrate environmental stewardship into every facet of our business. **Adherence to Global Standards:** Achieving the Silver EcoVadis accreditation means we are not just meeting but exceeding international sustainability benchmarks. This alignment assures our partners and clients that our operations adhere to the highest global standards. **Risk Mitigation:** A crucial aspect of our success is how we proactively manage environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. This proactive approach is key to mitigating risks and ensuring long-term sustainability. **Future-Ready:** Being awarded this accreditation positions us to thrive in an increasingly sustainability-focused world. It demonstrates our readiness to adapt to the evolving global landscape, where sustainability is not just preferred but expected. ## **Join Us on This Sustainable Journey** The best part of this achievement? It’s not just our victory; it’s yours too. By partnering with us, you are part of this sustainable journey. Together, we are making strides towards a more responsible and sustainable future. Let’s celebrate this milestone and continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable business practices. Here’s to making a positive impact, today and for years to come! **Categories:** News --- ### [Unique challenges for Health & Beauty industry](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/unique-challenges-for-health-beauty-industry/) **Published:** May 26, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **HELP YOUR BUSINESS RECOVER FASTER** ### **Like many sectors, Health and Beauty has its own unique challenges in the current climate.** Whether offloading obsolete stock or using first-line product to fund business costs, the Corporate Trade / Media Barter model is a smart strategy to deliver financial flexibility to balance your business in the What’s Next Economy. We have highlighted solutions where Active International is helping Health & Beauty businesses turn the tables on current challenges being faced by the sector and Achieve More™: **CHALLENGE:****Encouraging customers back in-store**Incentivising customers to return to store will be one of the issues faced over the coming weeks. Active can help you fund the cost of issuing vouchers to encourage customers back into store using your excess stock.**CHALLENGE:****Creating a safe store environment**Reassurance for those customers returning to stores will be paramount to ensure continued revisits. We can help you part fund in-store Thermal Monitoring and Digital Signage Hand Sanitisers with your excess, short-dated or obsolete stock.**CHALLENGE:****Growing your brand share in a more crowded market**With over 240 media owner partnerships, Active can help you to fund future advertising in publications such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, Esquire & Men’s Health, extend your social presence through health & beauty influencers or fund high quality online assets to increase your impact and grow your brand online.**CHALLENGE:****Sampling instore now has health risks**With instore sampling now facing challenges, we can help you increase the value you receive for your slow selling lines to help fund parcel despatch sampling campaigns direct to your consumers.To find out more about the solutions that Active can provide, please contact us ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/a-new-look-health-beauty.png) **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Jane Putley joins Active](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/jane-putley-joins-active/) **Published:** May 17, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## Bridging connections, driving growth: introducing our new Commercial Partnerships Director ***How can we do more with our partners? How can we increase our market share with agencies? How can we drive growth and add value for our clients?*** These are the central questions Jane Putley, our new Commercial Partnerships Director will answer, setting the course for Active International’s growth trajectory and supporting that of our partners’. ## A pivotal position for growth This pivotal position has been created with a singular purpose — to act as a key driver for growth. At Active International, there are three components to this: • nurturing relationships with our existing partners • actively seeking intentional growth through new partnerships • developing new products within the media sphere for the benefit of our partners The Commercial Partnerships Director is uniquely positioned within our business structure, bridging media and agency commercial hubs to create a cohesive, focused approach to revenue generation. ## Equipped for a challenging market Jane comes to us from a background in sales and trading in the publishing industry, having worked for some of the UK’s major players, including Northern & Shell and DMG Media, across the full media mix. This makes her perfectly positioned to contend with today’s challenging and unpredictable market conditions and the unrelenting pace of change in the media sector. ***“I’ve witnessed, lived and breathed the pace of change across the media landscape — as well as the market challenges of the last 10 years in particular.”*** – [Jane Putley](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-putley-9468a011a/), Commercial Partnerships Director. ## Living our Values In addition to her extensive experience, Jane’s people-first approach shone throughout the selection process, which aligns with our organisation’s values. Care, collaboration and a spirit of co-creation are fundamental to how we operate. We believe in fostering a culture that is driven by behaviours and values, not just empty words. In Jane, we’ve found someone who not only understands these values, but truly embodies them. ***“Jane was interested not only in who was in the immediate team, but how the dynamics work across the business as a whole and that showed us something that’s really important to us at Active — people who genuinely care.*”** –[ Cameron Swan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronswan-/), Managing Director. Aside from the expected challenges of starting a new role, including getting to grips with what we do, *how* we do it, and *why*, Jane’s got another challenge to tackle: training for a half-marathon in September alongside her new colleagues. We are excited to see the growth and value she will drive for our clients, partners, and our organisation as a whole. And we look forward to the journey ahead with Jane at the helm of our commercial partnerships. **Categories:** News --- ### [Supporting the Türkiye-Syria Earthquake](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/supporting-the-turkiye-syria-earthquake/) **Published:** May 10, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **Active International recently donated to the Disaster Emergency Committee in response to the recent earthquake that devastated parts of Syria and Turkey.** Initially, we had planned to donate to a local women’s charity to support International Women’s Day in March. However, the destruction caused by the earthquake compelled us to direct our efforts further afield, towards helping those affected in Türkiye and Syria. Women and girls, are often disproportionately affected by natural disasters, and were particularly vulnerable in the regions impacted by the earthquake. Many were already living in vulnerable situations, having fled their homes in Syria and relying on humanitarian assistance. To raise funds for the cause, we committed to donating 5% of the total amount from sales and bookings made in March on our Active Friends and Family site. **By supporting the Disaster Emergency Committee, we hope we have made a humble but meaningful impact and helped those affected by this tragedy.** ## Key Statistics • The UN World Food Programme is delivering food assistance and has reached almost 1.7 million people in Syria and Turkey. • It is estimated nearly 350,000 pregnant women were affected by the earthquake • The World Health Organization has sent health supplies to reach 400,000 people impacted by the earthquake, and warns that health services need to be restored rapidly to avoid a secondary disaster that may harm many more. • The UN Development Programme is supporting the removal of rubble, clearing the way to deliver vital supplies and help restore livelihoods and revive small businesses. • The estimated area of debris is equivalent to an area 10 km by 10 km – equivalent to 14,000 soccer fields covered in debris piled one meter high. • The UN has released $50 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to jumpstart the response and launched a $1 billion flash appeal to provide life-saving assistance to 5.2 million people in Turkey through April. •The UN issued a flash appeal for $397 million for the people of earthquake-ravaged Syria to cover a period of 3 months. ## **REFERENCE ARTICLES** **[Women and girls among most affected by Turkey Syria earthquake, says humanitarian organisation ActionAid ](https://actionaid.org/news/2023/women-and-girls-among-most-affected-turkey-syria-earthquake-says-humanitarian)** **[The Risks to Girls from Violence and Exploitation Following the Earthquake in Turkey and Syria](https://bylinetimes.com/2023/02/16/the-risks-to-girls-from-violence-and-exploitation-following-the-earthquake-in-turkey-and-syria/)** **[The Syria-Turkey Earthquake Has Worsened An Invisible Crisis For Women](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/syria-turkey-earthquake-women-crisis_uk_6401b853e4b01f84dab68ef5)** **[Women and girls are highly vulnerable after Turkey-Syria earthquake destroys their livelihood](https://www.salon.com/2023/02/10/women-and-girls-are-highly-vulnerable-after-turkey-syria-earthquake-destroys-their-livelihood/)** **[For Syrian women, quake adds disaster on top of war’s pain](https://apnews.com/article/2023-turkey-syria-earthquake-earthquakes-health-8b4362d0a4392217c598e3f730edffac)** **Categories:** News --- ### [A Great Place to Work](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/a-great-place-to-work/) **Published:** April 27, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We are pleased to announce that Active has been recognised as a [Great Place To Work UK](https://www.linkedin.com/company/greatplacetoworkuk/) in 2023! This award is a testament to our team members and the exceptional contribution and hard work they deliver every day. We’re not just celebrating our success; we’re also taking the opportunity to analyse the survey results to continue improving and make Active an even better place to work. We firmly believe there’s always room for growth, and we’re committed to doing better every day. We look forward to another year of growth, innovation and success for ourselves, our clients, agencies and media partners, all powered by our incredibly talented team. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GPTWArtboard-2-2.png) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GPTWArtboard-4.png) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GPTWArtboard-3.png) **Categories:** News --- ### [Bella & Duke](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/bella-duke/) **Published:** March 13, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **How Active International support Bella & Duke’s scale-up growth goals** Bella & Duke are one of the UK’s leading pet food subscription services. They offer customised raw food meal plans to help pet owners give their cats and dogs the healthy, happy, long lives they deserve. Launched in 2018 with the mission to provide a healthier alternative to mainstream pet food products, Bella & Duke have delivered over 20 million raw food meals to more than 100,000 pet owners across the UK to date. Active International began working with Bella & Duke in July 2021, alongside their media agency [All Response Media](https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.allresponsemedia.com%2f&c=E,1,tA7rH11Tp5vf8Svyt-TLkVBbwDHgca7wIOUqvvG1nXXM5eELsA42pfkj2exPGuK7jlffhPNLqnJTosSawHju1fMxDobvZ3AUFIK0oRa-mjyDDwK5&typo=1), to extend their advertising reach and raise brand awareness in the UK market. ### **The challenge** ***Build brand awareness to capitalise on UK market trends*** Despite tough economic conditions, [the pet care industry in the UK continues to thrive](https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fstore.mintel.com%2freport%2fuk-pet-food-and-pet-care-retailing-market-report&c=E,1,zvXupGOCVT_RS0ko53O8pV2M4CFcysf7Hn2NRGN7FHi3CQQyVB1g7_MM72pmfWO_yhywDCNoeU20ZS6vt2JagxyzTWIofNWwyg1GJlgxfEY0IeVwkkYyiA6s3QXE&typo=1) — buoyed in part by the uptick in pet ownership during the pandemic and increased consumer focus on pet health and wellness. Bella & Duke are a scale-up business perfectly positioned to capitalise on these trends, along with the growing popularity of DTC (direct-to-consumer) products and subscription services. They require a corporate trade partner that understands the needs of a scale-up DTC business and can provide agile, creative solutions to help them make the most of their advertising spend. ### **The Solution** ***• 10% improved value and sales on trading over a six-figure ad spend*** ***• £20k incremental cash saving*** ***• £200k traded across broadcast and digital media spend*** Our priority with Bella & Duke has been extending their advertising reach throughout the UK to boost brand awareness and their presence in the market. Since the start of our partnership in late 2021, we’ve generated incremental client benefits of over £20k connected to Bella & Duke’s broadcast and digital spend. This benefit has extended the client’s each further, which in turn supports their ambitious growth goals, and has also meant additional investment into our media partners. ### **The Result** ***On-target growth and a strong working relationship*** We are delighted to have played a role in supporting Bella & Duke reaching their ambitious growth targets over the last 18 months as they continue to lead the UK raw pet food subscription market. The partnership doesn’t end here though — we’re looking forward to working closely with the Bella & Duke team on upcoming brand campaigns and continuing to support their exciting scale-up journey. > **“After a successful round of funding in 2021, we investigated potential partners who could help us accelerate our growth further and faster.** > > **We met with Active and explained what we needed in a growth partner. The team at Active introduced us to several of their established clients, who assured us with their own examples that Active would be an ideal partner for our company’s growth.** > > **Initially, Corporate Trade was not a familiar concept to me, but the team walked me through the business model, outlining the benefits to Bella & Duke and the process. From the beginning, it was clear that the Active team has our business interests at heart, and we have a successful, ongoing partnership.”** > > **Tushar Kaul, CMO, Bella & Duke** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Oops we did it again!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/campaignbestworkplace2023/) **Published:** March 23, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Guess what? We’ve done it again! We’ve won the Campaign Best Places to Work award for the sixth consecutive year! Woohoo! We’re thrilled to have been recognized by our trade press for being an amazing workplace. It’s a huge achievement for our team and means a lot to us as a business. It’s not just about the award, though. It’s about the people that make our company great. We’re proud of the culture we’ve built and the people that make up our team. We’re grateful for their hard work, dedication, and passion for what they do. To win this award six years in a row is truly remarkable. It’s a testament to the fantastic team we have here, and the hard work and dedication they put in every day. We’re constantly striving to create an environment where people feel supported, encouraged, and empowered to do their best work. It’s amazing to see that recognized by our industry peers. We know that creating a great place to work is about more than just the jollies and free snacks (although, let’s be honest, those are great too!). It’s about creating a culture that values and respects its employees. It’s about providing opportunities for growth and development and creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, but we know there’s always more work to do. We’ll continue to listen to our team, learn and grow, and create an even better workplace for everyone. So, here’s to another year of being the best place to work. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing team, and can’t wait to see what the future holds. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ActiveUk.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Best Workplace for Wellbeing](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/bestworkplacewellbeing/) **Published:** February 14, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** # **Active International is officially one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing!** Active International has officially been named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing (2023) by Great Place to Work®, the global authority on workplace culture. Great Place to Work’s culture experts analysed thousands of employee surveys, assessing people’s holistic experiences of wellbeing at work to determine the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing list. The surveys asked employees to comment on how their company supports their work-life balance, sense of fulfilment, job satisfaction, psychological safety and financial security. Evaluations also included assessing how well the organisation could deliver consistency of their employee experience across all departments and seniority levels. John Charlesworth, Director of Client Relations, said: ***“Our biggest asset is our team. Ensuring they feel supported, challenged and achieve balance inside and outside work is of significant importance to us as a business and something we will continue to improve and develop as we work in the new hybrid world.”*** *“At the heart of every organisation are its people, and looking after their wellbeing should be much more than a package of impressive perks on a careers website,”* explains Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “*We know when employees feel genuinely contented, and at ease within their roles, they are much more engaged and productive. Now in our second year of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing list, we’re again able to showcase the leading organisations providing cultures conducive to outstanding psychological, physical and social wellbeing. A huge congratulations to Active International for making this prestigious list.”* ***“Wellbeing at Active is a continued commitment to investing in our people, who are the beating heart of any business. We believe wellbeing is physical, emotional, intellectual, and social, which informs how we work and the way we work. We take time to care and connect.”*** stated Gemma Atkinson, Global Chief People Officer at Active International. ### **About Active International** Active International is a global corporate trade company that provides solutions for businesses looking to optimise their assets and reduce costs. Active International enables businesses to trade their excess inventory, capacity or assets in exchange for value in the form of media, advertising, or other goods and services. Active International was founded in 1984 in New York, USA. Today, Active International is a global company with over 500 employees situated in offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. The company works with a wide range of clients across various industries, providing customized trade solutions to help them optimise their assets, reduce costs, and generate value. ### **About Great Place to Work®** Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. In 2022, they launched the first-ever annual UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing list of organisations that stood out as delivering exceptional wellbeing support for their employees across all levels and departments. For more information, visit www.greatplacetowork.co.uk **Categories:** News --- ### [Outlook on Automotive Advertising](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/outlook-on-automotive-advertising/) **Published:** February 16, 2023 **Author:** Consultant **Content:** ## **A Look at automotive advertising in the UK** The UK automotive industry is one of the largest and most diverse in the world, encompassing manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers. The industry faced significant challenges in recent years, including the impact of Brexit, changes in consumer behaviour, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges have impacted the advertising strategies of automotive companies in the UK. Changes in the regulatory environment have also impacted the UK car industry. For example, the government has set targets to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, which has led to uncertainty for some brands, making it harder for automotive companies to justify advertising spending. ## **Shifting trends in automotive advertising** One of the most notable trends in recent years has been the shift towards digital advertising. More and more automotive companies are investing in online channels, including social media, video ads, and influencer marketing. This is partly driven by the changing habits of consumers, who are increasingly researching and buying cars online. Another trend is the growing importance of sustainability in advertising motor vehicles in the UK. Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, and many are looking for cars that are more fuel-efficient or run on alternative fuels. This has led to a greater emphasis on promoting eco-friendly models and highlighting the sustainability credentials of brands. ## **Why should automotive businesses retain a broad media mix?** According to Nielsen’s Auto Marketing Report 2018, automotive businesses should retain a broad media mix in advertising. The report highlights that car buyers interact with an average of 24 touchpoints across various media channels during the purchase journey. Using a broad media mix that includes traditional and digital channels, automotive businesses can reach consumers across different touchpoints and maximise their exposure to potential buyers. Additionally, the report shows that different media channels play different roles in the purchase journey, with TV effectively creating initial awareness. In contrast, search, and social media drive consideration and purchase intent more effectively. By retaining a broad media mix, automotive businesses can use the strengths of different media channels to reach consumers at various stages of the purchase journey and maximise the impact of their advertising campaigns. **Benefit Outline of Broad-Mix Advertising:** **Diverse Audience:** Different advertising mediums appeal to different demographics, meaning manufacturers can target specific audience segments through specific channels. For example, traditional advertising mediums such as TV and radio are still popular with older demographics, while digital advertising channels such as social media are more popular with younger demographics. **Increased Visibility:** By using a variety of advertising channels, manufacturers can increase their visibility and reach more potential customers. The more channels used, the greater the chance that a manufacturer’s message will be seen or heard by someone interested in buying a car. **Flexibility:** Different advertising channels offer different levels of flexibility in terms of message, format, and targeting. This can allow manufacturers to experiment with varying advertising approaches and tailor their message to diverse audiences. For example, a manufacturer may use video advertising on social media to build brand awareness while using search advertising to target people actively searching for a new car. **Consistency:** Using a broad range of advertising mediums allows manufacturers to be consistent with their messaging across different channels. This can help build brand recognition and trust with potential customers. **Measurable Results:** Digital advertising channels can track and measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns in real time. By using a combination of traditional and digital channels, manufacturers can take advantage of the best of both worlds and use data to optimise their campaigns for maximum effectiveness. In summary, using a broad range of advertising mediums is a smart strategy for automotive manufacturers because it allows them to reach a wider audience, increase visibility, be more flexible, maintain consistency, and measure results. ## **Conclusion** The outlook for automotive advertising in the UK may be uncertain, but there is hope; with a focus on a broad mix of mediums, including digital channels and sustainability initiatives, companies can still reach potential customers while demonstrating their commitment to environmental responsibility. Companies can adapt to changes in consumer behaviour while still achieving success within this ever-evolving industry. ## **How can Corporate Trade benefit automotive manufacturers?** Working with us at Active can help car manufacturers advertise by providing an alternative way to finance advertising campaigns, optimising their unused assets’ value, and introducing fleet opportunities. Here are some ways in which corporate trade can help car manufacturers: **Asset Management:** By working with a corporate trade company like Active International, car manufacturers can optimise the value of unused assets, such as unsold inventory, excess equipment, or discontinued product lines. We can help the manufacturer sell or trade these assets for Trade Credits that can be used to fund advertising campaigns. This allows manufacturers to free up warehouse space and improve their cash flow. **Fleet:** We have a network of media owner partners who work with us by using their advertising space to fund their business costs. By working with Active, you can potentially use your vehicles in a fleet arrangement with our partners. Corporate trade can help car manufacturers advertise by providing an alternative way to finance campaigns, optimising the value of their unused assets, and mitigating risk. If you want to learn more about how we can help, don’t hesitate to [contact us](https://activeinternational.co.uk/contact-us/)! *“Active International is a valued business partner to Kia and has helped drive incremental value to our business since the start of 2019. By working seamlessly with our media agency, Active have been able to maximise the value delivered across nearly £5m in barterable media to date. The level of communication, collaboration and support from the Active team is strong and makes them a very easy partner to work with. We have established a mutually beneficial partnership and I look forward to continuing this in the future”* **Jane Fenn, Head of Brand Communications, Kia Motors** **![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/back-on-the-road.jpg)** **Categories:** Articles **Tags:** advertising, automotive, Car, outlook --- ### [New Leadership Restructure](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/new-leadership-restructure/) **Published:** February 17, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **Active International Announces Leadership Restructuring in New Growth Initiative** **London, UK –** Leading global corporate trade company Active International announced today the promotion of Kieron Murphy to their newly-created Chief Revenue Officer role. His promotion is part of a restructuring focused on establishing a digital-first corporate trade ecosystem within the UK media industry. The move supports Active International’s initiative to promote growth, both internally and alongside its partners. Kieron will leave his role as Media Director to set his sights on media revenue sustainability and growth, strengthening commercial partnerships and diversifying products and services from new and emerging media. With 13 years at Active International, he brings expertise in strategic media and content partnerships – skills he’ll use to bolster the company’s goal of working alongside its clients as a partner for growth. *“To still be learning, challenged and energised every day after 13 years at Active International is a testament to our business model, the culture we have built and the fantastic people I get to work with, both internally and externally. The new role provides the perfect platform to enhance alignment, ensure revenue sustainability and growth, better data to aid decisions and build diversification through products and services from new and emerging media.”* – Kieron Murphy, Chief Revenue Officer. Laura Learmouth has been appointed Media Director to take over for Kieron and will bring her 18 years of media industry experience to the table. Laura is a member of the Bloom network, which provides professional support to women in the communications industry. She recently represented Active International at [Media Fight Night 2022](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/queen-of-the-ring/), where she was one of 16 contenders who raised over £200k for the mental health charity Off The Ropes. In her new role, she’ll focus on media partnership development, media investments and revenue planning. *“With a focus on driving intentional growth, I am committed to bringing my commercial and strategic competencies within Media Partnerships and Trading to add to our current Leadership Team expertise and look forward to continuing to champion professional development for all Activians.”* – Laura Learmouth, Media Director. The leadership restructuring also includes the recruitment of a Commercial Partnerships Director, who will be responsible for developing new and existing commercial partners. In addition to its new partner-focused growth initiative, Active International has been establishing itself as a forward-thinking, sustainable workplace – its list of accolades back this up. They’ve been recognised as [Campaign’s Best Places to Work](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/campaign-best-place-to-work-2022/) for five consecutive years. Great Place to Work® UK, the global authority on workplace culture, ranked them 24th in their UK’s [Best Workplaces 2022](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/workplace/item/4585/Active+International) award and included them in their Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing list for 2022 and 2023 along with their Best Workplaces™ for Women list in 2022. Active International also holds a Silver Sustainability Rating from Ecovadis, which measures the quality of a company’s sustainability management system. *“Rewarding and celebrating our talent is important to us, and expanding our commercial leadership is key to delivering our ambitions in the UK. I am thrilled to see our leadership grow and expand in a challenging market.”* – Cameron Swan, Managing Director. ## **About Active International** Active International partners with global brands and household names, working to help them pioneer value creation in depreciating assets so they can focus on building a competitive advantage. They enable their clients to trade their excess inventory, capacity or assets in exchange for value in the form of media, advertising or other goods and services. Active International was founded in 1984 in New York, USA. Today, Active International is a global company with over 500 employees situated in offices in North America, Europe and Asia. The company works with a wide range of clients across various industries, providing customised trade solutions to help them optimise their assets, reduce costs and generate value. **Categories:** News --- ### [Best Workplace for Wellbeing](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/uks-best-workplace-for-wellbeing/) **Published:** February 17, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **Active International officially named one of 250 UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing!** We have ranked 42 in the small organisations category of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing award by Great Place to Work®, the global authority on workplace culture. This is an addition to our [Great Place To Work](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/greatplacetowork/)® certification announced earlier this year. To determine the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing list, Great Place to Work’s culture experts analysed thousands of employee surveys, assessing people’s holistic experiences of wellbeing at work by asking employees to comment on how their company supports their: • Work-life balance • Sense of fulfilment • Job satisfaction • Psychological safety • and Financial security. Evaluations also included an assessment of how well the organisation was able to deliver consistency of their employee experience across all departments and seniority levels. You can find the full list of all 250 UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing at [*www.greatplacetowork.co.uk*](http://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk) ### **A happy workplace is a productive workplace and Active’s commitment to the employee experience truly makes Active a ‘great place to work’.** ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Holly-Quote-1024x536.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Cam-Quote-1024x536.jpg) *“We are so proud to have been named as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing this year. It serves as a thank you to everyone of our team for the support, commitment and kindness we show in creating the best environment we can for each other.”* **Holly Kennedy, Head of HR** *“Recognition for wellbeing is something that we can celebrate together. It has been everyone’s responsibility to design and shape our wellbeing program to support those most important to us- our team. Holistic health and wellbeing have a positive impact on our culture and performance in and out of the office.”* **Cameron Swan, Managing Director** **Categories:** News --- ### [Kia](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-is-a-valued-business-partner-to-kia/) **Published:** August 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “Active International is a valued business partner to Kia and has helped drive incremental value to our business since the start of 2019. By working seamlessly with our media agency, Active have been able to maximise the value delivered across nearly £5m in barterable media to date. The level of communication, collaboration and support from the Active team is strong and makes them a very easy partner to work with. We have established a mutually beneficial partnership and I look forward to continuing this in the future” **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Post Consumer Foods](https://activeinternational.co.uk/3148-2/) **Published:** January 9, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “Active’s inventory solution helps us recover write downs, reduce our cost of sales, and improve our overall profitability. What started as a single transaction quickly turned into many, and we have since built Active’s trading model into our business processes. “Active works closely with our media agency to deliver quality media, and also provides value as a marketing partner. Active proactively recommends optimizations to ensure the best possible results for our brands and our campaigns. Most importantly, we are confident that our brand integrity is always protected in the competitive marketplace.” **David Bagozzi, VP Marketing** Post Consumer Foods **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Canadian Tire](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/canadian-tire/) **Published:** July 9, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “The Active team is wonderful to work with. They are always collaborative not only with us but with our AOR and in times of success and challenges. They proactively offer solutions and adapt to our needs to ensure they deliver value to CTC.” **CINDY CHEN-NG** *Marketing Strategic Portfolio Manager* *Canadian Tire Corporation* **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Sammontana](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/sammontana/) **Published:** February 9, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “We have been in a successful partnership with Active International for several years. Active has consistently succeeded in reselling our stock and have allowed us to keep the media plan unaltered and aligned to our business strategies and the KPIs recommended by our media agency. This relationship allowed us to add extra budget to our media investments and to place successful media campaigns in cooperation with our Media Department I would recommend Active International as a reliable and trusted partner for any business interested in generating extra value by utilising Corporate Trade**.”** **PAOLO MALVADI** *Marketing Manager, Sammontana* **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Young's Seafood](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/food-drink-youngs-seafood/) **Published:** September 27, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **Young’s Seafood** Frozen food specialist Young’s has been working with Active International to leverage their Corporate Trade expertise to provide savings for their media campaigns since 2005. ### **Challenge:** The client had excess inventory of frozen goods. They were facing a write down: they could choose to take the loss on the bottom line or cut other expenses to offset the loss (i.e. marketing spend). ### **Active Innovation:** Active purchased the product at a multiple of its market value using a prepaid expense (Trade Credit). The client controlled where the product was sold through Active and, in this case, Active were able to work with Young’s existing remarketer relationships. This allowed the client to avoid taking a loss on their books and maintained their marketing spend. ### **Execution:** Partnering with the client’s media agency, Active traded TV, Digital, Print and Radio as approved by the agency, meeting ALL objectives, parameters, and pricing targets. The client was also able to fund a percentage of their media spend using the Trade Credits. ### **Benefits:** - Client received a multiple of the market value for underperforming inventory - Media placement according to established guidelines - Since the initial contract, Young’s has executed repeat transactions annually across multiple brands across a period of 15 years. If you’d like to find out more about how we worked with Young’s Seafood and how our Corporate Trade model has helped them Achieve More, please [Contact Us](https://activeinternational.co.uk/contact-us/ "Contact us") and we will be in touch. > “We have worked with Active for over a decade. Throughout that time they have been able to work seamlessly within our existing remarketing structure as well as allowing Young’s to pay part cash part trade in facilitating over £10m of barterable media. By paying us in a multiple of Trade Credits for our excess stock we have been able to drive greater efficiencies in our media buying, while at the same time provide cost savings to other areas of the business. > > This established partnership has allowed us to work with a great team that has consistently provided sustainable commercial solutions, making a significant contribution to our business.” > > Yvonne Adam > Young’s Seafood > Managing Director **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [JML](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/jml/) **Published:** October 1, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We began working with JML in 2003; during our successful partnership, we have processed 15 large stock deals enabling JML to purchase over £30m of media and business services such as corporate travel using their excess stock. Watch our testimonial with Ken Daly, CEO of JML: **Please tell us about JML and your point of difference in the marketplace** JML is an innovative consumer products company. Our real point of difference is that every product that we launch is promoted with video, and that might be online in store or through TV. Well, in many ways, we’re quite excited about the period post COVID because the move to shopping online has been accelerated by the pandemic. And JML has been a beneficiary of that. **What effects have JML experienced through the pandemic?** Our E-comm business has grown by leaps and bounds, but at the same time, actually our retail distribution business has also been very, very strong. Our products are the kind of products that people want to buy when they’re at home more, and that’s the trend that we see continuing. **What has been achieved with your partnership with Active?** JMLs partnership with Active began in 2003, and it’s enabled us to leverage the value of excess stock so that we can use that value to buy media, to buy business services like travel, and we’ve also found new routes to market for our excess stock. So it’s been a very, very productive relationship for us. **Does working with Active International affect the relationship with your media agency?** The media buying aspect of what we do with Active, it doesn’t affect at all the relationship that we have with our existing media agencies. So the two work hand in hand, and it’s enabled us to buy over 30 million pounds worth of media since 2003 using the value of our excess stock to bring the costs down. **Please tell us how JML has benefited from incorporating Corporate Trade** Corporate trade has been very, very helpful to JML. We’ve purchased over 30 million pounds of media, TV media, predominantly as a result of the trade deals that we’ve done with Active. We’ve done over 15 big stock deals. And this has enabled us to buy things like travel, office furniture and a whole raft of other business functions, as well as media. **How simple is it to use Active International’s currency of Trade Credits?** So using Trade Credits to help us buy media doesn’t affect the pricing or the plan. Active work with our existing media agency, and the whole process has been very, very straightforward. **What business services do you access through working with ?** Active have provided travel and procurement services to JML, which been extremely useful to us, because again, it enables us to use the value of our excess inventory, and so we buy flights for people like BA, we stay at Accor Hotels, is just two examples. And again, all of this works through Active’s own in-house travel agency. **Would you recommend Active International?** Of course I’d recommend Active International. The service that they provide has been incredibly useful to JML. They’re a very, very efficient organization and above all they’re really nice people to work with. So yes, definitely would recommend them. **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Frasers Group](https://activeinternational.co.uk/frasersgroup/) **Published:** December 19, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **How Active International supports Frasers Group’s big ambitions** Frasers Group is a UK-based retail and intellectual property group, and includes some of the world’s most iconic brands. Traditionally focused on brick-and-mortar clothing brands, the group has diversified their portfolio considerably in recent years to include online brands and move into new areas such as technology and home furnishings. Active International has been a corporate trade partner to Frasers Group since 2020, having enjoyed a long and successful relationship with House of Fraser since pre-acquisition in 2008. ### **The challenge** ***An agile and innovative partner needed to keep pace with Frasers Group’s big ambitions.*** Frasers Group lives true to their brand values of thinking without limits, no hesitation and owning their decisions. They need a corporate trade partner on the same wavelength to keep up with their ever-evolving, fast-moving business plans and big ambitions. ### **The solution** ***Part funding media and advertising with voucher schemes.*** Working with Frasers Group, our aim was to increase marketing budgets by getting guaranteed return on investment from voucher purchases across their brands. These vouchers then provide prizes, incentives and staff rewards for our network of over 200 media owners and more than 150 corporate clients. Not only does this bring Frasers Group a new audience, but it also provides opportunities for upsell alongside the vouchers. Frasers Group can then part pay for their advertising spend using inventory, while at the same time benefiting from incremental guaranteed business. ### **The results** ***Close to £18m of billings across House of Fraser, and £2.1m to date with Frasers Group.*** To date, we have bought back £167k of vouchers across Frasers Group brands, including House of Fraser, Flannels, Sports Direct and GAME. These have been used by media owners and corporate clients in our network, such as Global Radio, Blow Up Media, William Hill, Reach, Warner Bros. Maximus and City AM. In the future, we hope to continue to be an agile and valuable partner for Frasers Group and looking forward to creating more innovative and interesting client partnerships that benefit Frasers Group and our other partners. *“I’ve now worked with Active for many years, originally in my role at House of Fraser and now across the Fraser group of brands including Sports Direct and Flannels. Active have seamlessly integrated with our Media Agency to help generate additional value off the back of our media buy – without us needing to change our planning process or strategy at all. It really is like magic. They frequently are at hand with relevant solutions to help us maximise the value that’s driven, and are always a real joy to work with. I couldn’t recommend them higher.”* **STEPHEN ENTWISTLE** Group Media Planner and Advertising Manager **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [What's Next with Eddy Edwards](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-eddy-edwards/) **Published:** December 7, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **About Eddy Edwards** Creative and strategist in the Branding, Design and Advertising industry. Eddy started his career back in 1993, working in graphic design, branding and packaging, evolving into account direction and client relations before forming the central London creative agency BEAR as owner/MD in 2000. Sold 50% share in 2016. Currently ‘Head of Brand’ for the UK life insurance disruptor ‘DeadHappy’, having joined their bonkers adventure in 2019. Listen to the full episode: [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com) **About Dead Happy** We exist because we believe life insurance can be done better. When we say ‘better’, we don’t mean a new advertising campaign or a free ball-point pen. We mean real change that makes a real difference. That’s why we’ve reinvented life insurance to be cheaper, easier and better. All designed with the customer in mind. **Our life insurance is:** Jargon-free – we don’t believe in complicated language Fast – getting your life insured doesn’t have to be a laborious process, with us you can get it done in under 3 minutes No long forms – we only ask you 4 questions No tie-ins – cancel anytime, with just one click Tailored to the customer – it’s your life and your death… you decide what you want to happen when you die **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Adam Handling](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-adam-handling/) **Published:** November 9, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “That mentality of how you needed to think as a chef when I was training was cut a fish into a square, be wasteful, who cares, make it pretty, make it perfect. That’s not how I operate.” We speak to Michelin Star Chef Adam Handling about sustainability & food waste in the fine dining restaurant scene, the experience of cooking for the G7 Meeting and the evolution of “fine dining” into “good dining.” At Active, we work globally with many large consumer food manufacturers facilitating solutions to avoid food waste on excess or short-dated produce. This episode with Adam Handling is a great insight into how education, resourcefulness and consciousness can be baked into a successful food business, albeit on a slightly smaller scale than big manufacturers! **Listen to the full episode and check out others at www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com** **Follow Adam Handling** Website: www.adamhandling.co.uk Instagram: www.instagram.com/adamhandling Twitter: twitter.com/adamhandling If you work with us in the UK, we have likely already taken you to Adam’s restaurant, as we are big fans and have been working with the Adam Handling group since 2017. > *“In 2017 we launched our flagship restaurant, Frog by Adam Handling, in the heart of Covent Garden. Shortly after our launch, we partnered with Active International to help us generate lunchtime corporate bookings.* > > *Active have successfully brought us £40,000 in bookings in the first two years via their in-house Travel & Hospitality team.* > > *The process with Active is seamless, and we enjoy the fantastic feedback we receive from their clients about our food and service. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Active and the regular media industry contacts they have introduced us to.”* > > **NICOLA GARTENBERG** > Executive Director, Adam Handling Limited **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Sarah Keith and Dan Hojnik](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-sarah-keith-and-dan-hojnik/) **Published:** October 26, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** On this episode of The What’s Next Podcast, we welcome [Sarah Keith](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAACb9dkBUbyw_lpSJshvb7naNEOM7t4V5gE) and [Dan Hojnik](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAOKEf8Bnsr9XUfi_aJfMzW1UTmZnCMCS3U) from [Involved Media](https://www.linkedin.com/company/involvedmedia/) Australia. They sit with us to discuss new macro marketing and media trends in a post-pandemic world. **About Sarah Keith and Dan Hojnik** Sarah Keith Group MD of Active and Involved Media Having spent 25 of her 30 media **YEARS** in Australia and the UK working on the publisher side of the business Sarah enjoys both the challenge and opportunity that working across Active and Involved presents. Having spent time working in commercially focused roles for media brands as diverse as SBS and Fox Sports Venues, Channel 4 and Publicis the key theme for Sarah in these businesses has been client value creation. Dan Hojnik Media Strategist, GM of Involved Media, (very new dad to Oscar.) Having returned to Australia after 10 years in Strategy and Planning roles in the UK, Dan joined Paykel Media and helped drive the rebrand to Involved Media to reposition the agency firmly as a value creator for clients. Architect of the” Involved to Power of Active” value proposition Dan has been a key driver of strategic thinking both internally across the business and externally for clients for the last two years. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Angus McIntosh](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-angus-mcintosh/) **Published:** October 12, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **About Angus McIntosh** Angus has a wealth of senior-level, blue-chip Procurement experience. As a former Global and Regional CPO with Beiersdorf and Mars, controlling multiple billions of dollars in spend, he knows the function inside out. This means he can provide a uniquely frank and insightful perspective. Angus is also an experienced consultant and coach on Procurement and negotiation and leads Total Negotiation Group’s Procurement practice area. He is also a regular international speaker and writer on procurement and other commercial topics. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Lianre Robinson](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-lianre-robinson/) **Published:** September 28, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Lianre is CEO at Codec, a cultural intelligence platform. She is an award-winning digital marketer, who is passionate about technology, culture, communities and their impact on brands. With 20+ years experience across global companies like LADbible, Livity and Jack Morton Worldwide, she has a wealth of experience in designing and delivering new business and diversification strategies to drive growth and optimise business performance. She is truly passionate about talent development, DE&I and increasing team happiness and performance. She is a member of leading industry organisation WACL (Women Advertising & Communications Leadership) and a proud mentor for the She Says ‘Who’s Your Momma’ program. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Queen of the Ring](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/queen-of-the-ring/) **Published:** September 29, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Our very own Laura *“Double L”* Learmouth is entering Media Fight Night 2022 on 3rd November. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Laura-Fight-Night-1-214x300.jpeg) Laura has been training for half the year in preparation and all the hard work has paid off as Laura was selected as the red team Captain. Laura is going to be stepping out of her comfort zone and stepping into the ring in front of over 1,200 media industry executives, and in true Laura fashion is beyond excited for the challenge. Media Fight Night has been raising money for Off The Ropes for over seven years; a charity that aims to improve the physical and mental health of children and adults under mental health service. We would like to thank London Lites and Pearl and Dean for being kit sponsors on the big night. If you would like to donate to Media Fight Night, please visit their Just Giving page: [www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mediafightnight2022](http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mediafightnight2022) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Laura-Fight-Night-2.jpeg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active Take to the Skies](https://activeinternational.co.uk/3590-2/) **Published:** September 5, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** After rescheduling our fundraising event for[ Demelza Hospice Care for Children](https://www.demelza.org.uk/) four times due to the pandemic and inclement weather, we finally and literally took the leap! Our brave fundraisers initially signed up for a skyscraper abseil over two years ago, but we upped the ante with eight Activians jumping out of an aeroplane 12,000 feet above the Kent countryside on a beautiful summer’s day. **“*They ensure no family member is feeling overwhelmed and offer a lifeline when times get challenging. I couldn’t think of a more deserving charity to support*“**, Daredevil Lydia Allison said of our long-standing partnership with Demelza, who we have supported with several fundraising events and activities since 2018. Thank you to all the Activians, colleagues, friends and family who have helped us surpass our £4,000 goal and well done to The Great Active 8, who risked life and limb for a worthy cause: Chris Stone, Lydia Allison, Mark Henson, Georgia Myers, Kieron Murphy, James Locke, Shalima Koroma and Perry Brown. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Skydive_3-300x162.png) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Skydive_1-300x162.png)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Skydive_2-300x162.png) If you still want to donate, our page is still open for donations: [www.justgiving.com/fundraising/activeinternational-thegratedescent2020](https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/activeinternational-thegratedescent2020) Read more about the great work [Demelza Hospice Care for Children](https://www.demelza.org.uk/) do. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Skydive_4-300x162.png)![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Skydive_6-300x162.png) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Skydive_5-300x162.png) **Categories:** News --- ### [Best Workplace for Women](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/best-workplace-for-women/) **Published:** July 21, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We are really pleased to announce that Active International has been selected as a UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Women 2022 as part of the Great Place To Work programme. This shows our organisation’s dedication to supporting and empowering women through workplace culture, and has earnt us the 58th spot on this year’s **UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Women** list**.** See the full list of winners [here.](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/awards/women/uks-best-workplaces-for-women-2022/) Alongside our other awards for 2022: our GPTW award as a **UK’s Best Workplace,** our GPTW award as a **UK Best Workplace for Wellbeing** and our 5th award as a **Campaign Best Workplace**, this selection recognises all of our contributions in making Active what it is today and we are so proud of what we are achieving! **Categories:** News --- ### [What's Next with Catherine de Lange](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-catherine-de-lange/) **Published:** June 29, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** This episode is slightly different from our usual themes. However, it’s very close to home, very close indeed… this episode is about our brain! We welcome science journalist and author Catherine de Lange to the What’s Next podcast, and she shares insight and top tips from her book Brain Power: Everything you Need to Know for a Healthy, Happy Brain. **ABOUT CATHERINE DE LANGE** Catherine de Lange is an award-winning science journalist and is Magazine Editor at New Scientist, where she has spent almost a decade writing and editing stories about the human body and mind. Her work has been widely published including in Nature, The Observer, BBC, the Telegraph and Washington Post. Her latest book is Brain Power: Everything you need to know for a healthy, happy brain. She lives in London with her husband and children. Buy Brain Power: Everything you need to know for a healthy, happy brain – [activeint.uk/3z9ZyaF](https://activeint.uk/3z9ZyaF) Follow Catherine on Twitter:[ twitter.com/catdl](https://twitter.com/catdl) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Chris Stephenson](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-chris-stephenson/) **Published:** June 29, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Marketing automation works, but how effective is it? What is the future state of brands in Web 3.0? Where is the future of marketing heading? We have a great perspective on this on this week’s episode of The What’s Next podcast with [Chris Stephenson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAFWeNIBxk_bv2t8B382Olh73Ej6Q3oMMRw), Chief Marketing Officer at PHD. In this episode, Chris shares his insights into his co-written book ‘Shift | A Marketing Rethink’, which explores the future of marketing and brand building. In our conversation, we talk about how brands are shifting their marketing strategy away from automation and towards human connection. We also discuss the future of brands in Web 3.0 and the decentralization of marketing. Listen Now! **ABOUT CHRIS STEPHENSON** Chris is Chief Marketing Officer for PHD Worldwide His role is to globally amplify PHD’s vision of enabling marketers to ‘Make the Leap’ – a call to action and reference to how the agency prioritises creativity to drive disproportionate growth for marketers, backed by its proprietary planning platform Omni Studio. Chris is a passionate believer in the mutual benefits of brands engaging people in positive and constructive ways; he believes that considered, creative, integrated, innovative communications create value for audiences, brands and businesses; that reach is not an objective; and that hope is not a strategy. His background is in strategic media and communications planning, and has delivered thought leadership for a range of clients across both Europe and APAC, working on global and regional projects for brands including Singapore Airlines, Unilever, ANZ Bank, Google, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Ferrero, HSBC, Ebay, LG and The Guardian. An industry thought-leader, Chris has co-written three books on the future of the media industry and the impact of machine learning on marketing. A regular and respected commentator on the communications industry, he has presented on stages including Cannes, Spikes Asia and Mumbrella360. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Andrew Baxter](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-andrew-baxter/) **Published:** June 29, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** In our latest episode of The What’s Next Podcast, we speak to [Andrew Baxter](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAACNKNIBxKhrOR5qeyES8GSe25hs91MBWkk). Regarded as one of Linkedin’s Top 40 Influencers in Australia, Andrew has dedicated his passion to helping companies unlock topline growth through sharp strategy and execution. In our conversation, we talk about consumer behavior changes during the pandemic, and how companies can adjust to future unforeseen circumstances. **ABOUT ANDREW BAXTER** Chair, board director, business advisor and marketing thought leader, Andrew is the Chair of Australian Pork, and a Non-Executive Director at Foresters Financial, GrowthOps, BirdDog, Hypetap, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and OzHarvest. He is also a Senior Advisor at BGH Capital and the Adjunct Professor of Marketing at the University of Sydney, and has been the Senior Advisor to KPMG’s Customer, Brand and Marketing business. Prior to this he was the CEO of two of the country’s largest communications agencies, Publicis, and Ogilvy, where he was a trusted counsel to many of Australia’s most iconic brands. Andrew regularly writes and speaks about the future of marketing, in a world where both consumers and technology are ever-evolving. He has been named as one of LinkedIn’s Top 40 Australian influencers, recognised by Campaign magazine as one of the Top 5 Agency Leaders in Australia and New Zealand, and the winner of Australian Marketing Institute’s Sir Charles McGrath Award for his significant contribution to the field of marketing. Andrew is a Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Monash University **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Rishad Tobaccowala](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-rishad-tobaccowala/) **Published:** May 19, 2022 **Author:** Mitch D'Souza **Content:** In this Episode of the What’s Next Podcast we speak Rishad Tobaccowala, dubbed as one of Time magazine’s top marketing innovators, and a well renowned author. Over his 40-year career Tobaccowala has worked across almost every area of marketing and strategy including brand advertising, media, database, direct and interactive marketing. As a pioneer in digital marketing, Rishad established one of the first digital and interactive agencies and helped launch new initiatives in gaming, social, mobile and search engine marketing. As the author of Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of the Data, Rishad explores the idea of how data-driven decisions in modern organizations translate to a more human-centered approach. We also discuss the new possibilities of web 3.0, VR and 5G, and even future impact of Elon Musk purchasing Twitter. Rishad is also is chairman of The Tobaccowala Foundation, which helps over 10,000 people gain better access to health and education in India. **OTHER KEY TAKEOUTS FROM EPISODE:** 📈** **Connectedness is not just about getting along but diversity of voices and faces, connecting multiple goals and combining skill sets.** **⚡ A focus on excellence makes excellent cultures – not the other way around.** **🌎** **At its core, every successful technology has enabled human connection or enhanced human power.** **🧍** **Focusing on people is almost always a key driver in P&L performance.** **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with John Sass](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-john-sass/) **Published:** May 5, 2022 **Author:** Mitch D'Souza **Content:** **Bio** Imagine having a job where your mission every day was to encourage people to GROW! To go outside in the backyard, walk barefoot in the grass, and sink their hands in the soil to plant a garden. That is exactly what John gets to do as VP, Chief Creative Officer for the incredible lawn and garden brands at Scotts Miracle-Gro. A 17-year veteran of SMG, John oversees the development, production and execution of all consumer facing messaging for the brands of Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Bonnie, Ortho, Tomcat and more. Over the past couple years, the marketing world has taken notice of the campaigns and work coming out of SMG, recognized by AdAge in 2020 as one of America’s Hottest Brands, taking top honors from iHeartMedia for the successful launch of a new gardening podcast (Humans Growing Stuff), and even stepped onto the world’s biggest stage by airing the company’s first ever Super Bowl commercial in February 2021. Outside of Scotts, John loves to volunteer his time to serve on the Board of The 2nd & 7 Foundation, and recently as a member of the Upper Arlington Civic Association. In 2017, he was recognized by Columbus Business First as one of the Top 40 Under 40 honorees. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Erin Ewing](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-erin-ewing/) **Published:** May 5, 2022 **Author:** Mitch D'Souza **Content:** **About** Erin Ewing is the CEO and co-founder of Greener Matters, a group of sustainability consultants firmly committed to helping businesses prepare themselves for the new economy of the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit. Before becoming a sustainability professional, he had a 20-year career in media, starting out in classified sales for Dennis publishing then swiftly shifting into digital at CNET Networks, where he began his journey in digital and business transformation. Erin transferred all of his skills to sustainability after having the opportunity to help build Channel 4’s sustainability strategy in 2019. Once Covid hit he seized the opportunity to hit the reset button and launch Greener Matters with his business partner. Erin is on a mission to help businesses understand that they can be profitable and equitable to society whilst also sustaining our planet for future generations. He believes that the urgent challenges that are now facing the world need a radically different way of doing business, which is why Greener Matters now exists, to help realise a vision of fair and just prosperity. He firmly believes that business can help solve the social and environmental challenges facing us today by working together in collaboration, by reprioritizing our values and making planet and people as important as profit. The old way of doing things is slowly dying and a new collective, caring and compassionate way of being is now within reach. Originally from Buffalo, NY, Erin has lived and worked in the UK since 1998, with a 4-year stint in the Middle East between 2009-2013. **Listen to the Episode –** https://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/erinewing **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Ivan Pehar](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-ivan-pehar/) **Published:** April 19, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Ivan Pehar, Head of Canada Ad Sales at Spotify, is an accomplished strategic digital marketing professional with over 20 years’ experience in brand building, media innovation and technology for some of the world’s most respected brands. In this conversation, Ivan reflects on the power of how digital audio has enabled a personalized storytelling experience. We learn how brands have found ways to integrate themselves into the storytelling experience. **Listen:** https://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/ivanpehar **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Campaign Best Place to Work 2022](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/campaign-best-place-to-work-2022/) **Published:** March 24, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Today we celebrate 5 consecutive years of being recognised by Campaign Best Places To Work! This is 5 years of hard work from everyone in making Active UK a wonderful place to belong. This is just another example of how we all can achieve great things, and will continue to do so together. **Categories:** News --- ### [Active Learns Self-Defence](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-learns-self-defence/) **Published:** March 12, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** As part of our celebrations for International Women’s Day and in light of the movement around women’s public safety after the tragedy of [Sarah Everard](https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/reclaim-the-streets-sarah-everard-womens-public-safety-b923519.html), we wanted to do something impactful (literally), we brought in [Defence Lab](https://www.defencelab.com/) to give us an introduction into personal safety and self defence tips. It was a fun event which delivered a very serious message and key takeaways that we will hopefully never have to use. **Categories:** News --- ### [IWD at Active](https://activeinternational.co.uk/iwd-at-active/) **Published:** March 8, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IWD-Cover-1024x535.png)***“International Women’s Day is about deeds and not words. It’s about marking the achievements of women socially, economically, politically and culturally. It’s about calling out discrimination and bias and giving us the time to pause and reflect on the progress we need to make.”*** We asked Activians from our offices around the world how they will help to [\#BreaktheBias](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=breakthebias&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6906992252158418944) in 2022 and we made a short video of their empowering words. **Categories:** News --- ### [What's Next with Andrea Sampson](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-andrea-sampson/) **Published:** March 23, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We speak to Andrea Sampson, Founder & CEO of Talk Boutique, a full-service communication training and coaching business based in Toronto, Canada. Andrea founded Talk Boutique based on her positive experience as a TED Events volunteer and the training as a TED Speakers Coach: *“I needed to be able to help speakers speak in a way that engaged their audience, because what any speaker needs, what any presenter needs is to have a core idea, articulate it well, support it through story and deliver it with power”* During the episode Andrea defines “Thought-Leader” and gives tips on how to become a compelling speaking with an active community. **Listen:** www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/andreasampson **Visit:** https://talkboutique.com **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Manal Siddiqui](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-manal-siddiqui/) **Published:** March 9, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** What’s Next for the internet? We talk metaverse, the decay of web 2.0, artificial intelligence, data ownership and more with Manal Siddiqui, CEO & Co-Founder of Transitional Forms. Subscribe to our podcast: [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **About Manal Siddiqui** Manal Siddiqui is Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Transitional Forms, an interactive entertainment studio-lab in Toronto pioneering the future of intelligent content for the metaverse. She is committed to growing Canada’s position as a globally significant voice in the responsible stewardship of AI and digital technologies, and in progressing society’s understanding of how technological advancements can positively impact fairer, safer, and more inclusive global communities. Prior to Transitional Forms, Manal built foundational operations and strategic partnerships in health for the Vector Institute, one of the premier machine learning and AI research institutes in the world and home to over 500 of Canada’s AI researchers. As a systems change strategist, she has successfully established and scaled innovation-based businesses across public and private sectors. Manal hails from Pakistan, lives in Toronto and holds graduate degrees with distinction from the Bayes Business School, City of London and from the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, in addition to an undergraduate degree in biotechnology from the University of Toronto.  **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Barry Alexander](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-barry-alexander/) **Published:** February 23, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We speak to [Barry Alexander](https://www.linkedin.com/company/2516339/admin/#), VP of Brand Marketing at [Knixwear](https://www.linkedin.com/company/2516339/admin/#), a Canadian underwear brand that is proudly “Redefining Intimates”. Knix is a brand known for its award-winning dedication to inclusion. We asked Barry what steps a brand has to take to embrace community, diversity, and inclusion into their culture: ” It can’t just be a tagline. It can’t just be a message out there at an opportune time in the calendar and dependent on the conversation. It has to be every day, you really do have to reflect and make sure that it becomes part of your DNA.” **About Barry Alexander** Barry is the VP Brand Marketing at Knix with nearly two decades of brand and marketing experience with a variety consumer and entertainment brands. Barry joined the leakproof underwear and wireless bras leader in 2021 where his talented team oversees brand, visual identity, content, and partnerships for Knix’s growing portfolio of products. Prior to Knix, Barry held roles at consumer goods companies such as Iovate Health Sciences, Maple Leaf Foods, Molson Coors, and Kraft Heinz as well as with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. **About Knix** Joanna Griffiths launched Knix with the goal of transforming an underwear market that had too much frill and not enough function. A trailblazer with the creation of Leakproof Underwear, she continues to focus on listening to what people want and bringing revolutionary solutions to life. LISTEN: [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/barryalexander](https://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/barryalexander) SUBSCRIBE: [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](https://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) SHOP: [knix.com](http://knix.com/) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Duncan Stewart](https://activeinternational.co.uk/3350-2/) **Published:** February 9, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We speak with returning guest Duncan Stewart from Deloitte Canada on What’s Next! In this episode Duncan gives us insight into the Deloitte predictions on Games and Gaming Consoles, the churn of SVOD, sports NFTs and good old fashioned reading! Read more on [Deloitte’s TMT predictions](https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions.html) ### **About Duncan Stewart** Duncan is the Director of TMT Research for Deloitte Canada, a member of Deloitte’s US Center for Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT Center) and is a globally recognized expert on predicting the future of consumer and enterprise technology, media and entertainment & telecommunications. He has been co-author of Deloitte Global’s annual Predictions report on trends in TMT since 2008. He meets with hundreds of the top tech, media, and telecom companies globally each year, and incorporates their insights into his work. He presents regularly to companies and at conferences, has a high-profile media presence, and is frequently interviewed on the future of everything. Duncan has 32 years of experience in the TMT industry. As a portfolio manager, he made investments in the tech and telecom sector, and won the Canadian Technology Fund Manager of the Year award in its inaugural year. In his time as an investor he deployed a cumulative $2 billion of capital into global TMT markets, in public and private companies. He is a CFA® charterholder and holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. ### Subscribe! Never miss an episode and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts! Visit [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen ](https://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen)on your device to choose your subscription service or scan the QR Code below: ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/New-Podcast-QR-Code-Grey-242x300.png) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Active learns to Draw!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-learns-to-draw/) **Published:** January 27, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We met with Cathy from the award-winning illustration agency [Scriberia](https://www.scriberia.com/). Cathy hosted a fun two-hour session teaching us how to communicate with drawing. We can use drawing to explain, plan, problem-solve, and tell stories, but as adults, we don’t often bring this skill to the workplace. One of our themes for 2022 at Active is to “Think Differently”. We have training & development plans, activities and initiatives coming up this year to help us learn new and hone existing skills to communicate and collaborate. We think enriching our employee experience is part of what makes Active a great place to work! #### **About Scriberia** It really is simple: Visual thinking gets things done. It does it with clarity, energy, speed, efficiency, style, wit and charm. Whatever your challenge, visual thinking holds the solution. At Scriberia, visual thinking provides the foundation for everything we do, be it a vision-mapping session, a digital sketchnote, a training session or an animation. Visit [Scriberia](https://www.scriberia.com/) to see more of their work and find out about their services. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Post2.png) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Post.png) **Categories:** News --- ### [What's Next with Ron Tite](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-ron-tite/) **Published:** January 26, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## Season 2 of the What’s Next podcast has landed! We speak to [Ron Tite](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAKqpTcBM4v9o4tW2JjOkFrIgPegg0XmLAg), Founder & Chief Creative Officer of [Church+State](https://www.linkedin.com/company/churchstateto/) agency. Ron talks about putting the soul back into advertising and doing things that have never been done before. What a great outlook for 2022 and beyond! Listen, Download, Subscribe: www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/rontite **About Ron Tite** A best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Ron Tite has always blurred the lines between art and commerce. He has been an award-winning advertising writer and Creative Director for some of the world’s most respected brands including Air France, Evian, Fidelity, Johnson & Johnson, Intel, Microsoft, Volvo and many others. He is founder and chief creative officer of Church+State, an agency that unifies content and advertising. In a partnership with Roger’s Frequency Podcast Network, he’s the host and executive producer of the hit podcast, “The Coup”, which recently won “Outstanding Business Series” from the Canadian Podcast Awards and the NY Festivals. He has written for television. Penned a children’s book. Wrote, produced and performed a hit play. Created a branded art gallery. Published an award winning comedy book with CBC Radio’s hit show, “This is That”. And was Executive Producer & Host of the awardwinning comedy show, Monkey Toast. In demand as a speaker all over the world, Ron speaks to leading organizations about creativity, disruption, branding, and leadership. Ron’s first book was, Everyone’s An Artist – Or At Least They Should Be (Co-written by Scott Kavanagh and Christopher Novais), was published by HarperCollins in 2016. His most recent book, Think • Do • Say: How to Seize Attention and Build Trust in a Busy Busy World, hit store shelves in October of 2019. Ron sits on the advisory boards for the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival and the Institute for Health & Human Potential. **Follow Us** INSTAGRAM – www.instagram.com/activeintworld TWITTER – twitter.com/ActiveIntlUK KARIM – twitter.com/karimkanji PODCAST WEBSITE – www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com *The podcast is brought to you by Active International, a global leader in Corporate Trade within the Media & Advertising industry.* **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How to Fund your Marketing Budget with Product](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/how-to-fund-your-marketing-budget-with-product/) **Published:** May 5, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **At our virtual round table event, we invited senior marketing leaders from our UK clients, Bloom & Wild, Freixenet Copestick and Pret a Manger, to talk us through the lessons they have learnt from a turbulent 2020.** - SPEAKERS: Gary Taylor | Director of Acquisition Marketing – Bloom & Wild Lucy Auld | Head of Marketing – Freixenet Copestick Tony Holdway | Former Senior Marketer – Dreams, Domino’s & Pret a Manager We discussed how their businesses have had to pivot, practice agility and be prepared to change plans with a moments notice. Lucy, Gary and Tony also spoke of their experience working with Active International and incorporating Corporate Trade into their marketing plans. Gary Taylor, Director of Acquisition Marketing for Bloom & Wild stated, “*Working with Active has been a pleasure. It has absolutely helped us achieve more for our business … We have been able to use our products to part-fund our media cost, which is obviously a big win.*” Contact us if you would like to learn how Active can enable you to fund your advertising using your businesses products. We can discuss our Corporate Trade model and share case studies and testimonials from our clients. **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Conversations With Clients: Celebrity Cruises](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/conversations-with-clients-celebrity-cruises/) **Published:** January 18, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** # Weathering the Storm with Celebrity Cruises For nearly two years the travel sector has been dominated by uncertainty as the pandemic threatened to unsettle tour operators, hotels, airlines, cruise companies and more. The good news is that cruising is back following the successful 2021 restart season. The operating pause has enabled Celebrity Cruises to return stronger and sharpen their definition of what it means to be a luxury brand. Watch the first episode in 2022 of our ‘Conversations with Clients’ webinar series. We spoke with **Gerard Nolan, *Associate Vice President, Commercial EMEA*** at Celebrity Cruises on how Celebrity has navigated its way through the most challenging conditions the industry has faced, and how working with Active International and incorporating Corporate Trade has helped their business. This webinar is especially relevant to other travel businesses looking for innovative solutions for unsold inventory and a guaranteed ROI on their advertising / marketing spend. Click[ here](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/helping-travel-businesses-to-achieve-more/) for more information on how we work with Travel businesses. ### Celebrity Cruises Success Story The model we most commonly use with our Travel clients is Guaranteed New Sales. This is the model that enabled Celebrity Cruises to use their cruise inventory to part fund their new ‘Isn’t it time?’ TV campaign in the Autumn of 2021. We have an in-house B2B and B2C Travel agency fully accredited with ABTA and ATOL. We sold the Celebrity Cruises inventory through our private networks and corporate partner relationships. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Article-Image-300x279.jpg) **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Helping Travel Businesses to Achieve More](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/helping-travel-businesses-to-achieve-more/) **Published:** January 17, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The Travel & Hospitality industry has a lot in common with the Media industry. Whether its hotel rooms, flights, TV space or poster sites, both rely on a high occupancy rate to stay profitable. The demand dynamics for both industries are the same. When demand is high, both industries wish for more inventory, but during slow times, unsold inventory does not help to offset substantial fixed costs. ### **How can Corporate Trade help with fluctuating demand and unsold inventory?** The **Travel & Hospitality** industry need high occupancy rates for their rooms / flights / seats and to do this they need to advertise to drive both volume of sales and differentiation in the market. Advertising can be a large expense without a guaranteed return on investment. The **Advertising & Media** industry also need brands to fill their media spaces and have business expenses of their own that they need to pay for. This is where Active International’s expertise in Corporate Trade comes in. Corporate Trade (or Media Barter as it is also known) creates a marketplace where inventory, goods and services can be exchanged can be exchanged ***for media investment*** and add significant extra value to all parties. *Corporate trade allows companies to use what they **have** to pay for what they **need**. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business-2.png) ### **How does Corporate Trade work?** Corporate Trade (or Corporate Barter as it is often known) provides powerful solutions to a business by helping to partly fund media advertising costs using their existing products, services or even assets. Active works with three different models of Corporate Trade that can each be tailored for a company’s specific needs: **[Guaranteed ROI](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/) –** *Used for businesses looking to gain measurable ROI from marketing spend* **[Marketing Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/) –** *Increase in media spend using inventory and services* **[Value Restoration](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/) –** *Used to mitigate costs involving slow moving inventory* See our [Success Stories](https://activeinternational.co.uk/success-stories/) for examples of how we have worked with the UK’s top businesses. ### **How has Active International brought Media and Travel businesses together?** Active has consistently delivered significant **new** business to over 30 Travel Partners, establishing new customer bases and managing bookings through their in-house ABTA and ATOL accredited Travel Agency. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business-3.png) ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business-4.png) ### **Benefits of Working with Active for Travel & Hospitality Business** • The ability to part-pay for advertising using products or services • Create new sales channels from Active’s partner networks • Preserves brand equity • Increase media spend by releasing capital tied up in products or services • Test additional or new media channels • Full visibility and control on how goods and services are traded • Media Agency plans and buys media as normal and Active works alongside ### **Get Ahead of the Competition and Achieve More** Corporate Trade brings new value to the market through an alternative way of trading, helping the Travel and Hospitality industry to preserve their cash reserves and make best use of their inventory to bring in new business or pay business costs. With more competition than ever for a share of the consumer’s wallet, using Corporate Trade to fund advertising is an ideal way of working smarter rather than harder. To learn more, please [contact us](mailto:Contact-UK@activeinternational.com) and we will be happy to explain how Corporate Trade (Media Barter) could benefit your business. ### Watch our ‘Conversations with Clients’ webinar with Celebrity Cruises **Categories:** Articles --- ### [easyJet](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-are-a-delight-to-work-with/) **Published:** August 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “We’ve worked with Active International for just over three years now. We barter our event costs in exchange for flights. They are a delight to work with and their account management is prompt and nothing really is much trouble. They have helped us source venues across Europe and negotiated costs on our behalf. They have a quick turnaround for payments of services which means that event last minute event changes can be accounted for. I’m loath to recommend them as we’d like to keep them all to ourselves” **BILL GOSBEE** *Head of Brand, easyJet* **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Adam Handling Restaurant Group](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/success-stories/adam-handling-restaurant-group/) **Published:** December 9, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “In 2017 we launched our flagship restaurant, Frog by Adam Handling, in the heart of Covent Garden. Shortly after our launch, we partnered with Active International to help us generate lunchtime corporate bookings. Active have successfully brought us £40,000 in bookings in the first two years via their in-house Travel & Hospitality team. The process with Active is seamless, and we enjoy the fantastic feedback we receive from their clients about our food and service. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Active and the regular media industry contacts they have introduced us to.” **NICOLA GARTENBERG** *Executive Director, Adam Handling Limited* **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Stanfield’s](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/stanfields-multi-year-media-buying-relationship-with-actives-continues-to-grow/) **Published:** April 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “We’re pleased with the relationship with Active International. What started out as a creative solution to an inventory problem has grown into a multi-year media buying relationship. The Active team has added value to our media buys and to our business” **PETER PORTEOUS** SVP Sales & Marketing – Stanfield’s **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Henkel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-opens-new-doors-for-henkel-with-a-new-found-value-to-their-products/) **Published:** April 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “The Active team provided a unique opportunity for our business to manage excess stock while providing a value outside of traditional sales. In an aggressive promotional environment, it allowed us to continue long term brand support via the trade credit offer whilst also countering a challenging stock problem and opening the door for a new found value to the product. The team were proactive, supportive and easy to work with both at the strategic and day to day level. They worked hard to be a seamless connection between us and our media team” **JODIE LYNCH** Head of Supply Chain Beauty Care – Henkel **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Werner & Mertz](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-and-werner-mertzs-successful-16-year-relationship/) **Published:** April 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “Werner & Mertz has been working very successfully with Active International since 2003 and has implemented a major range of corporate trade solutions over the past 16 years. For about five years, we and our partner have also been active in strategically relevant international markets.” **BENT MELZER** Head of International Marketing Consumer – Werner & Mertz GmbH **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Sharp Electronics](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-works-with-sharp-electronics-as-an-extended-part-of-the-team/) **Published:** April 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “For the past five years I’ve worked with Active’s Retail Marketing team for sourcing and procuring retail fixtures supporting Sharp AQUOS LED TVs as well as our appliance products. Active has been a great partner. They’ve introduced us to some best-in-class suppliers and the fact that we’ve been able to apply trade has allowed Sharp to save considerable dollars while working with premium suppliers. I view Active as an extended part of the team” **TERESA SIEBERT** Associate Director, Marketing Communications – Sharp Electronics **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [We are GPTW Certified!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/greatplacetowork/) **Published:** December 6, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We are excited to announce that we are now officially Great Place to Work-Certified™! “Every single Activian contributes to our great workplace culture, and we should be proud of achieving this together. Being accredited means we are proud to work at Active, feel supported by each other to be our best, and do our best. This isn’t always easy but shows we care. Great cultures are built by great people.” said Cameron Swan MD of Active International UK’s office. The high-level data shows we have achieved a Trust Index score of 88%, which is 5% higher than the last time we took part in the survey a few years ago. As a company, we are going from strength to strength and continuously improving. We feel fortunate to work with a group of people that all personally contribute to an exceptional culture and environment. **About Great Places to Work** Great Places to Work was founded in 1981 and came to the UK in 2000 with the aim to showcase and help organisations create exceptional, high performing workplaces where employees feel trusted and valued. GPTW help employers improve recruitment, retention and productivity by putting employees at the heart of the organisation, analysing what they think and feel and identifying the real issues that need to be addressed. Part of a global organisation, they apply data and insights from approximately 10,000 organisations across the world to benchmark individual performance and advise employers on how to continuously improve employee engagement. Our Best Workplaces™ Programme enables organisations to celebrate their achievements, build their employer brand and inspire others to take action. **Categories:** News --- ### [Magnify Media](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/magnify-media-delighted-with-active-innovative-approaches/) **Published:** April 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “Magnify media is proud to work in partnership with Active International and are delighted with their innovative approach to meet with their ever-growing portfolio. Their willingness to be flexible and transparent with client liaising has resulted in sales and a previously untapped new customer base for Magnify Media. The relationship continues to grow, develop and blossom and we look forward to working closely with them for the foreseeable future” **CLAUDE ABAD Magnify Media** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Perrigo](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-provides-perrigo-with-a-multi-faceted-solutions/) **Published:** April 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “Active International works with Perrigo since 2015 providing us with solutions for the management of our unsold inventories. On the one hand, Active has allowed us to restore the value of our inventories in books by paying us for them up to 3 times the liquidation value that we would obtain if we sold them through our traditional channels. Active has demonstrated during these years commitment and seriousness in respecting the restrictions of remarketing and ensuring the traceability of our inventories always protecting our brand during the process. On the other hand, Active has been responsible for the purchase of part of our media campaigns working hand in hand with our agency allowing us, a considerable saving of cash while the strategy and planning of the campaign have always been respected. They have met Perrigo’s expectations.” **BEATRIZ CAEIRO General Manager – Perrigo** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Kraft Heinz](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/active-develops-a-profitable-sales-model-for-kraft-heinz/) **Published:** April 28, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “The team at Active really took the time to understand our business and worked to develop a sales model that would increase profit as well as streamline our internal processes. Their level of dedication and professionalism, and of course the results to our business, mean that I have no hesitation in recommending Active International.” **Tiernan Lean National Account Manager – Kraft Heinz** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [Dreams](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/actives-partnership-with-dreams-continues-to-drive-media-value/) **Published:** March 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “I have been working with Active International for over 6 years most recently in my role as CMO of Dreams and previously at Domino’s Pizza and House of Fraser. Partnering with Active has proven to be an effective way of driving value for my business either by incrementing the marketing budget or generating additional sales from the media spend we place. All this is achieved in conjunction with my media agency and without changing any of our current planning processes. I would not hesitate to recommend Active to any of my contacts” **Tony Holdway Chief Marketing Officer Dreams** **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [What's Next with Gillian McMichael](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-gillian-mcmichael/) **Published:** December 2, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### What’s Next with Gillian McMichael We speak to [Gillian McMichael MCC](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAW3TIoBaypu7riG_8VeRrL3JeBW854rD94) on what drew her to becoming a coach, her definition of ‘personal transformation’ and what steps she would recommend we take to ensure our own personal success as we wrap up another tumultuous year. ### **About Gillian McMichael** Gillian is an acclaimed transformational coach and is in the top 3% of coaches world-wide. With over two decades of experience of working with Executives globally she has supported over 10,000 clients overcome their barriers to success. Moving beyond fear to elicit agency in those she works with. The founder of Full Circle Global, Gillian’s passion and energetic drive towards excellence in coaching has seen her company rapidly become a market leader in leadership development, coaching and coach training. A champion of professional development, Gillian is a true entrepreneurial leader at the forefront of coaching and leadership growth. Her client list of leaders and managers spans law, property, private equity, banking, construction, IT, and government. Her coaching and leadership development work is recognised as innovative and empowering, evoking awareness and actions that lead to success. She has supported the growth of hundreds of organisations, working in partnership to identify key areas of organisational development. This collaborative approach assists in redefining strategic vision, improving performance and developing the personal ability of teams using facilitated learning and coaching as a foundation to challenge, focus and motivate. Gillian’s extensive experience was founded upon a 12-year career in Human Resources and prior to Full Circle she led New U Coaching as Development & Coaching Director. She is a member of the International Coach Federation ICF, the Association for Coaches, EMCC and an Associate Member of the CIPD and the Institute of Directors. Gillian is also a former member of the ICF UK Board of Directors. Gillian is an ICF globally accredited coach and is holds the MCC certification and an accredited coach supervisor with CSA. She also is a certified Chopra Centre meditation & wellness teacher. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Naren Patel](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-naren-patel/) **Published:** November 11, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Naren Patel** We look at what’s next for diversity within the media & advertising industry. We gain insight from [Naren Patel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAABX3cUBxJllmpvjcDS8iPshlloObrTAzag), founder of [Media For All \[MEFA\]](https://www.linkedin.com/company/media-for-all-uk1/) and previously CEO of Primesight, a leading OOH media company on this episode of The What’s Next Podcast. Naren is passionate about improving ethnic diversity in the Media sector and founded Media for All ([www.mediaforall.org.uk](http://www.mediaforall.org.uk/)), a social enterprise, in 2018. MEFA’s mission is to help Black, Asian & ethnic minority talent thrive through mentorship and support with the ultimate aim to increase diversity within the media and advertising industry. Visit [www.mediaforall.org.uk](http://www.mediaforall.org.uk/) for more information. ### **About Naren Patel** Naren Patel joined the media industry in 1991. He floated the outdoor advertising business Primesight on the London Stock Exchange in 1997, and in 1999 sold Primesight to STV plc. In 2007, Naren led an MBO of Primesight and then grew the business through acquisitions and organic development. He made Primesight one the leading and most successful brands in the media industry, winning Media Brand and Commercial Sales team of the year awards and growing revenue 20X during his tenure. In September 2018, Primesight was acquired by Global Radio and Naren stepped down as CEO of Primesight in July 2019. Naren is passionate about improving ethnic diversity in the Media sector and is now focussed on Media for All (www.mediaforall.org.uk) a social enterprise that he created in 2018. MEFA provides free mentorship and support for Black, Asian and other ethnic talent in media. The group has over 300 Black and Asian members. He works on a pro bono basis and also provides free advice to charities and businesses in the media sector on Diversity and Inclusion. Naren is also a trustee for NABS (The charity for the Advertising industry) and sits on the Finance and Investments Boards. In 2021 Naren launched Geoprove a verification tool for location based mobile advertising #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Active's Dancing Queens](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/actives-dancing-queens/) **Published:** November 30, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Earlier this year, we celebrated Black History Month in the office by sharing education around diversity and black history, attended events, and shared tasty treats and recipes from African and Caribbean traditions. We ended our celebrations last week with a fantastic Afrobeats dance class, and it turns out there are some excellent dancers amongst Active! Our dance class organiser Danielle Nartey-Nevin said, ” I loved organising this event for Active, it was so much fun, and I loved sharing my culture with my colleagues.” We are also helping Danielle collect and ship clothing donations from everyone at Active for a women’s refuge in Ghana that Danielle visited earlier this year. “I met many women who were either widow or separated from their partners who had to work in faraway towns. Many spoke to me about their day to day struggles, including looking after, feeding and clothing their children. They wanted to learn crafts such as sewing or hairdressing, which would give them a steady income. On Christmas Day, I donated meal packages to the women and their children, and they were grateful as this isn’t something they would typically receive. The children were so happy, and this warmed my heart!” ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/bANNER.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active Wins Again!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-wins-again/) **Published:** March 5, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** This phenomenal achievement is a real tribute to the contributions that everyone at Active makes to our workplace culture. We ranked 14th (out of the total of 79 companies awarded) an improvement of 30 places from our position last year. Mark Chippendale, MD commented “We are hugely proud to have risen up the list of Campaign’s Best Places to Work for the third year running. Embracing flexible hours and working from home has enhanced the work life balance of our employees whilst continuing to drive great results for our clients and media partners. But to truly understand why it is great to work at Active, you really have to be with us. The team are energetic, fun, passionate, creative and determined. We really care about delivering for our partners, connecting them in a way that enhances their mutual businesses and it is that focus and challenge which binds us together. Oh, and parties. We do like to party! ”This award is a reminder of the unity and tireless nature of the company. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/active-wins-again-1.jpg) *Holly Kennedy, Head of HR and Jarrod Gowland Smith, Director of Agency Relations at the Campaign Awards.* Holly Kennedy, Head of HR who attended the award night said “We are incredibly proud of being named as a Campaign Best Places to Work for the third year in a row and this accolade is just reward for the hard work that every single one of the team has put into the culture and energy at Active. This great achievement demonstrates the effort and commitment from all the team involved in everything we do; from our focus on developing our people, to our Active Wellness initiatives and our efforts in creating the best environment we can for each other. Our future is about us continuing to support our team to grow, be curious and be the best they can be” *To celebrate our big win we enjoyed a Shake Shack lunch in the office* *.*![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/active-wins-again-2.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active Fourth Win!](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/campaign-awards-active-fourth-win-for-best-places-to-work/) **Published:** May 11, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active International UK has been named one of Campaign’s Best Places to Work in 2021, making it the fourth year we have won this accolade. This year we placed 11th up from 14th last year, evidence of our ongoing commitment to being a notable employer and a great company to work for. Gemma Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer, stated, “Active are both proud and excited to be named a ‘Best Place to Work’. Building a great culture is something we focus on every day. We truly believe that we are better together, and this award celebrates the energy, talent and commitment of every single Activian. This award is for the team and because of the team.” ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Active-International-UK.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/capture.jpg) **Categories:** News --- ### [Celebrating Caren](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/celebrating-caren/) **Published:** March 27, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** On 27th March 2000, Caren Nicholls joined Active International. 20 years later we want to acknowledge, celebrate and thank Caren for the fantastic contribution she has made to everyone and the business. During this almost surreal situation the world is currently finding itself in, we are making time to socialise and support each other. Despite everyone working remotely, we couldn’t let a good excuse for a party go by! We surprised Caren with video messages recorded from everyone’s home office and enjoyed an afternoon in the virtual pub! ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/celebrating-caren-1.png) **Categories:** News --- ### [Introducing Active's new Vice President of Programmatic](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/introducing-actives-new-vice-president-of-programmatic/) **Published:** May 19, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active International is pleased to announce the appointment of Dom Blacklock to the position of Vice President Programmatic. Dom will be responsible for guiding our current programmatic activities and developing opportunities to incorporate Active’s USP, corporate trade, into the automated media buying landscape. Dom will work out of the London office. He will lead the company’s automated buying strategy for all Active International’s 14 global offices and will work closely with the programmatic team at Involved Media, a digital subsidiary of the company, in New York. Dom comes to us most recently from the 7stars, the UK’s largest full-service independent media agency where he was the Head of Technology and Data-Driven Strategy. Prior to joining the 7stars, he was Global Head of Campaign Management at Amnet/Dentsu coordinating programmatic activity across 46 markets. Before that he held several tech positions at MediaMath. Darren Riley, SVP Director International Media and Account Management said, “I am confident that Dom will not only be an excellent match for this position but a great addition to the Active team. He has the right combination of tech knowledge and commercial facing experience to take our unique USP, Corporate trade, to the world of automated media buying, delivering value to our clients and our publisher partners alike”. Dom Blacklock said, “I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the global leader in corporate trade, and to help support and implement programmatic and technology solutions to enable our clients to achieve more across the evolving global digital media landscape”. **Categories:** News --- ### [Launching our new podcast series What's Next](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/launching-our-new-podcast-series-whats-next/) **Published:** January 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **THE ‘WHAT’S NEXT’ PODCAST** Launching officially on **26th January**, Karim Kanji from the Candian Active International office will be hosting and interviewing guests from around the world for their perspectives on the future of marketing and advertising. ### **WHAT IS THIS PODCAST ABOUT?** We all need to be thinking about and preparing for What’s Next in order to achieve more – and that’s what this podcast is all about. We are seeking to gain a more diverse perspective on what will shape the future of marketing & advertising, one 15-minute conversation at a time. I’m your host Karim Kanji and I am excited to share talks I’ll be having with thinkers around the world. If you’re as curious as I am about what’s next, join me and invest 15 minutes of your day exploring big ideas and innovative thoughts. [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com](https://my.captivate.fm/www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com) ### **ABOUT KARIM** Karim has been successfully podcasting since 2010. First with the ‘Social Media Show’ and then the popular ‘Welcome with Karim Kanji podcast’ and a co-hosted show with Gregg Tilston, ‘Welcome to The Music’. 2021 sees Karim launching this new show ‘What’s Next’ with support from Active International where Karim is currently the Director of Emerging and Social Media. In his role within the advertising and marketing industry, Karim has worked with brands such as Popeyes Canada, Melitta, Ricola, 3M Canada, eOne, Nikon Canada, Jamieson Vitamins, Mark’s, LG Electronics Canada, Muskoka Brewery, Post Cereals, Nestle Canada, Dell Canada, GE Canada, Scotiabank, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Microsoft Canada, and many others. ### **SUBSCRIBE TO THE WHAT’S NEXT PODCAST** The podcast can be found on all the usual places you find podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts etc. Visit [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](https://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) to subscribe to your preferred service or point your mobile phone’s camera at the QR code below: **Like, Subscribe and Review!** ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/launching-our-new-podcast-series-whats-next-qrcode.png) **Categories:** News --- ### [The Intrepid 8 and the Grate Descent](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/the-intrepid-8-and-the-grate-descent/) **Published:** January 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Later this year, the bravest employees of Active will be going where no Active employee has been before… …they will be descending one of the tallest skyscrapers in London, the iconic ‘cheesegrater’ with only thin abseil ropes to keep them safe! Kieron, Alex, Mark, Georgia, James, Lydia, Emily and Perry are braving the dizzying heights of London to raise money for our chosen charity Demelza Hospice Care for Children. Please help us smash our target on our Just Giving page [www.justgiving.com/fundraising/activeinternational-thegratedescent2020](https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/activeinternational-thegratedescent2020) **Categories:** News --- ### [Celebrating Diversity with Food](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/celebrating-diversity-with-a-live-cook-along/) **Published:** February 10, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We partnered with the [China National Tourist Office London](http://cnto.org.uk/) and marketing consultant specialists [Make it China](https://www.makeitchina.com/) to help organise an event that would bring our international offices together for a virtual “Cook Along” over a fun Zoom call. Our colleagues from Canada, Mexico, France and the UK came together to learn how to make Golden Treasure Eggs from the Hunan province. Our hosts from Make it China / CNTO London explained the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival traditions and even tested our newly acquired knowledge with a surprise pop quiz! Last year we launched our formal Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging working group. This event is just one of our planned initiatives committing to our Education, Reflection and Action pillars. Learn more about Spring Festival and Chinese New Year traditions at ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/celebrating-diversity-with-a-live-cook-along.png) ### **MAKE IT CHINA** Our partners at Make it China founded their business on the need for services that bring together the best of China, and the best of the Western world. Make it China’s mission is to achieve greater communication and facilitate the sharing of ideas and information. They seek to make introductions, open dialogues, and new communication channels. Visit [Make It China](https://www.makeitchina.com/) to learn more about the marketing services they offer. ***“Our core value is that deeper and wider communication leads to increased success, better results, more innovation and ultimately, a better society.”*** ***Dennis Hu – Co-Founder – Make it China*** ### **DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING AT ACTIVE** In striving to be an employer of choice, Active has always focused on creating an environment to support employees to be the best they can be. In our current and future industry, developing a diverse and inclusive culture is vital in building a workplace that makes everyone feel involved and supported in work and life. We succeed by being better allies and building self-awareness to create knowledge of how we can use our own privilege to amplify others’ voices for a more equitable environment. Our ambition, both for international and relevant to local markets, is to apply continuous learning and integrate our framework of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging into each area of our operations and culture, actioning real change by creating our own inclusive language, enhancing policies and practices, and finding meaningful ways of celebrating our differences. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/celebrating-diversity-with-a-live-cook-along-2.png) **Categories:** News --- ### [Active partners with Evening Standard](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-partners-with-evening-standard-to-support-local-charity/) **Published:** March 26, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Thanks to Active International’s partnership with the Evening Standard, we have delivered the first of a series of advertising pieces for Demelza Hospice Care for Children. We have worked closely with Demelza since 2018 and taken part in various fundraising activities. Over the years, we have sorted clothing donations in the warehouse, enjoyed a spot of gardening, helped out in the charity’s shops and the office favourite, a held a tasty Bake Sale. Since lockdowns and restrictions froze the country, we haven’t supported Demelza as much as we would have liked. So we put our heads together and found this great way of showcasing what we can do as a company whilst also providing fantastic exposure for a local charity. We are delivering various advertising spaces across Evening Standard publications over the next month on behalf of Demelza, helping them raise awareness and support their fundraising. **To learn more and help support please visit** [**Demelza Hospice Care for Children** ](https://www.demelza.org.uk/) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/wrap_visual-1024x622.jpg) #### **Letter from Gemma Atkinson, Managing Director published in Evening Standard** Active Cares. We care about our people, our partners, our work and our industry. Active International was born in Corporate Trade and built to Achieve More. Today we are Achieving More for our charity partner, [Demelza Hospice Care for Children](https://www.demelza.org.uk/). We are celebrating and championing Demelza by donating this advertising space, enabling them to share their excellent work and raise awareness. At Active, we believe in embedding our values into everything we do, so this is our way of saying thank you to Demelza and the many charities who continue to show generosity and make a real difference. We are delighted that we could make this possible for Demelza and their philosophy of making every moment count. Gemma Atkinson MD Active International **Categories:** News --- ### [Cameron Swan joins UK as Managing Director](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/introducing-actives-new-uk-managing-director-cameron-swan/) **Published:** May 10, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **Active International UK names new Managing Director Cameron Swan** We have announced the appointment of Cameron Swan as Managing Director of Active International UK. Swan will relocate from Sydney, where he is currently the Group Managing Director of Active International Australia and Involved Media, to London and take up his role at a date to be advised later this summer. He will report to Active International Chief Executive Officer, Dean Wilson. Swan originally joined Active International Australia in 2009 and was appointed Managing Director in 2015 bringing over 10 years’ experience in the corporate trade business and overall media industry. Dean Wilson said: “Cameron has proven to be an influential leader within our global business and has played an integral part in our business transformation and our growth to date. Swan said “The UK team is commercially strong, innovative and passionate which makes the Active offering compelling for every brand across every category. I am very excited to be taking for the opportunity to face my next challenge within the Active family”. Swan will be taking on the role from Gemma Atkinson, who held the position as acting Managing Director in the UK in addition to her role of Chief Operating Officer, International Division. The new structure is set to ensure strong leadership for both local and international operations to match Active’s growth trajectory. Active International has several awards for Best Places to Work in the UK, Australia, and Canada. The awards recognise organisations that are pioneering best practice across talent, well-being, flexibility, equality, and workplace policies and practices. The global company has operations across 14 countries, with more than 600 commercial, marketing and media experts. **Categories:** News --- ### [Dean Wilson joins Bloom Exchange](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/dean-wilson-joins-bloom-exchange/) **Published:** June 9, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** We are proud to announce our CEO [Dean Wilson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAC-h0cB_PvmutX423VRy50QVrVTR7NqjGs) has been accepted on the [Bloom UK](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomuk/) Exchange. Bloom’s Exchange cross-mentoring programme started in 2019, with the objective to see more men involved in the gender debate. This year 50 industry-leading men are being matched with 50 Bloom members. The pairs will explore the future we face and forge a new way to look at gender in the workplace. ### About Bloom Bloom launched in 2010 as a network to provide professional support for women within the communications industry. In their first year, they had 21 members and a decade later they have over 300. The founders Belinda Stacey, Katie Treggiden and Kirsty Barnes came up with the idea at a [WACL](https://wacl.info/) (Women in Advertising and Communication leadership) event, and joined forces for the good of the industry. Bloom welcomes members from across the broader media, marketing and advertising industries. ### **About Bloom Exchange** Bloom Launched The Exchange in 2019 as part of their objective to engage more men in the gender debate. It’s focus is on a cross-mentoring programme that matches industry-leading men with Bloom members to break down the gender divide barriers. The programme’s ethos is to open up a refreshingly honest dialogue between the genders, help break down the stereotypes that limit the way we interact in the workplace and work together to make our industry more equal for all. Learn more about the programme: [www.bloomnetwork.uk/the-exchange ](http://www.bloomnetwork.uk/the-exchange) **Categories:** News --- ### [Financial Planning and Analysis](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/financial-planning-and-analysis/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Lana Ilchenko, Senior Vice President of Global Financial Planning and Analysis** ### **EDITORS’ NOTE** *Lana Ilchenko joined Active International in 2003 as part of the media team. In 2005, she moved to the finance department where she had a variety of roles until eventually becoming Head of U.K. Finance. She completed industry training to specialize in the financial side of the business and is an FCCA qualified accountant. She started developing an FP&A role for the International division 3 years ago with her current role of SVP, Global FP&A starting in 2018. Ilchenko graduated in 2000 in Ukraine with a master’s degree in international economics, before moving to the U.K., and also holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School.* ### **COMPANY BRIEF** *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full-service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ### **What attracted you to the finance side of Active’s business and what is the focus for financial planning and analysis?** Active was my first job. I started on the media side where I learned how the business was operated. I then became a media trader in our U.K. office. However, my training is in finance and Active’s business model is so fascinating that I wanted to experience the finance side of it. Since I started in media and understood how the commercial side of the operation worked together with my finance experience, Active gave me an opportunity to work with our International Division leadership to develop a new area – financial planning and analysis. I began doing this for the U.K. office and have since been tasked with expanding this to other international offices, culminating in making a move to the U.S. to handle this role on a global level. ### **Is technology playing a major role in how you are conducting analysis and will you discuss the investments Active has made in technology?** We have a dedicated IT department that builds much of our technology in-house, mainly because of our very complex business model. We can’t buy software off the shelf. If we do, we still have to adapt it to our business model. Our original objective was to make sure we could capture information from every office globally and apply it to satisfying the local clients’ needs. Once that was achieved, we then invested in platforms to capture all of this global information to analyze and use it to predict the future and make our clients’ lives easier going forward. ### **How does financial planning and analysis help provide customized solutions for clients?** The most important motto for this company is “helping clients achieve more,” which is the whole reason behind this new role. We work with our clients to understand what the problems are and then try to resolve them. We don’t always know in advance what the problem is going to be. However, creativity at every single Active office is deeply encouraged. Even though we have a basic business model, it evolves as necessary. The solutions we offer clients are completely tailored to those clients. The issue is collecting the data and making sure we can have a system that will process all of it and make our planning for the future easier. Until recently, we didn’t have a coordinated approach to collecting all the data on everything we do. That is where I have come in. I have been asked to make sure that we can collect the data, analyze what we do and, as a result, make better decisions for ourselves and for our clients going forward. It’s a work in progress. It has been streamlined, but because ours is a complex business model, there is a lot of work still to be done. **Categories:** News --- ### [Federópticos](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/testimonials/federopticos-continues-to-optimise-their-media-investments-with-active/) **Published:** April 28, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “At Federópticos we have been working according to the principles that inspired the foundation of the Group for more than 25 years: a high level of qualification, innovation as a complement to professionalism and providing confidence to our clients. One of the keys to success is to consider our key suppliers as “partners” in the development of our activity. Thus, Active International has understood the needs of our business and provides continuous value to the operations of Federópticos, maintaining the level of flexibility and agility that we need to adapt its services to an environment as changing and unique as that of our Cooperative, with the challenges that entails. Being able to rely on Active to manage our inventory surpluses, on the one hand, allows us not only to restore the expected value of these inventories in our books, but also to reduce operational expenses that would detract from our income statement. When it comes to the execution and management of Federópticos advertising campaigns, Active has always respected our planning and its team has been proactive in proposing the most appropriate solutions for each region and target. Thanks to the fact that they have managed to internalize our objectives, we work with a valuable ally to optimize our media investments.” **Categories:** Success stories --- ### [What's Next with Patricia Moser](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/podcast/whats-next-with-patricia-moser/) **Published:** November 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Patricia Moser** The impact of the pandemic and climate change has had a significant effect on global supply chains. With the COP26 Climate Change conference taking place this week, this episode is a timely look inside the world of supply chains and how innovators within the industry are aligning their services with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to provide ethical and beneficial solutions for global businesses. In this episode, we speak to Patricia Moser, founder of i3 Advantage, a high-value supply chain, procurement and sustainability consultancy specialist. In Patricia’s previous role as Chief Procurement Officer for one of the United Nations larger agencies, she experienced how conscientious, considered supply chain & procurement decisions within businesses can impact all of the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals. With her consultancy i3 Advantage, where the “i”s stand for Insight, Innovation and Impact, Patricia can advise businesses on how to make choices that focus on operational excellence, resilience, risk the three tiers of sustainability social, economic and environmental. ### **About Patricia Moser** Patricia Moser is recognized as a pioneer and thought-leader in procurement and supply chain, internationally. She has led positive transformation in multiple sectors, both private and public. Her innovative approaches have garnered global recognition resulting in several prestigious awards. Patricia has the ability to envision and inspire, leading to successful outcomes in complex situations. She has a passion for sustainability, working with organizations to embrace and implement social, economic and environmental sustainability. She believes that supply chain and procurement can positively impact not only an organization but society, which is why she coined this phrase “Supplying Value, Delivering Results, Changing Lives” to capture its impact. Her most recent role was as CPO for a large United Nations organization, where she was able to drive transformation globally. Patricia has now returned to her consulting practice where she continues to supply value, deliver results and change lives. ### **The UN Sustainable Development Goals** **GOAL 1: NO POVERTY** Economic growth must be inclusive to provide sustainable jobs and promote equality. **GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER** The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development, and is central for hunger and poverty eradication. **GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING** Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. **GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION** Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development. **GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY** Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. **GOAL 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION** Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. **GOAL 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY** Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity. **GOAL 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH** Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs. **GOAL 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE** Investments in infrastructure are crucial to achieving sustainable development. **GOAL 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES** To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations. **GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES** There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more. **GOAL 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION** Responsible Production and Consumption **GOAL 13: CLIMATE ACTION** Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere. **GOAL 14: LIFE BELOW WATER** Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future. **GOAL 15: LIFE ON LAND** Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss **GOAL 16: PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS** Access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels. **GOAL 17: PARTNERSHIPS** Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Liz Jones & Daren Rubins](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/podcast/whats-next-with-liz-jones-daren-rubins/) **Published:** October 26, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Liz Jones and Daren Rubins** This episode we take a little look into the world of recruitment: What are businesses looking for when hiring C-Suite executives and what are the C-Suite executives looking for when seeking new opportunities, has this changed since the global pandemic has affected the traditional working models? We asked Liz Jones and Daren Rubins, Founders of Conker, a specialist executive search company that specialises in the media and marcom industries to help us out with the answers! ### **About Conker** Conker is an Executive Search business that finds transformational talent for senior roles in agencies, media owners, digital platforms and client brands. Our remit stretches across commercial, strategic, technical, operational and specialist areas – and often in combination. Learn more about Conker https://conkerwithus.com ### **About Liz Jones** Liz is an experienced commercial leader who understands how talent drives better business outcomes. She is a strong networker and collaborator; passionate about contributing to positive change and business results through diversity, inclusion and well-being. Alongside her most recent role at Dentsu Aegis Network (CEO of B2B), she was also the Executive Sponsor for Diversity and Inclusion and together with HR built the first set of complete diversity metrics for business to inform 2020 goals focused on gender, agile working and ethnicity. Liz led the successful roll-out of unconscious bias training to the leadership team and she also launched the first LGBT+ resource group and gender equality network at Dentsu Aegis Network. She has always enjoyed building diverse, high performing teams. At PSI over eight years she hired over 20 individuals from different backgrounds and markets and in doing so doubled the revenue and profit of the business. A proud WACL member, she drove the recent initiative with LinkedIn using data for the first time to look at gender parity in the Media, Marketing and Communications industry. She has always mentored formally and informally via NABS, WACL, IPA and the wider industry. She is currently on the WACL Exec (Communications and Voice) and was a main committee member of the IAA for many years. Liz is also a NABs Stronger than Summer committee member and mentors for most of the initiatives in the media industry. ### **About Daren Rubins** Daren’s entire career has been built around helping companies and people to achieve their potential. Across 30 incredibly successful years in advertising, Daren has been responsible for hiring and/or leading some of today’s most successful names in the marketing industry. His belief is that motivated talent, in the right environment, can achieve anything. In his 10 years as MD and then CEO of PHD in the UK, the agency experienced unprecedented success. Highlights included; - Pitching and winning Cadbury, Kraft, Expedia, Dyson, Twitter, Confused.com, Purple Bricks, Viacom, British Heart Foundation, P&O Cruises, VW Group, Magners and many more. - Winning eight individual Media Agency of the Year accolades, seven Grand Prix awards and two Cannes Lions Gold awards. - Achieving four consecutive top 100 Best Companies Awards, including 25th, 18th and 16th positions. Daren also co-created the industry-accreditation Advanced Media Certificate, for which he received an IPA Fellowship and has spoken on numerous platforms about talent and diversity, including the 3% Conference, WACL, Token Man, Omniwomen, Bloom and HeForShe. In 2017, Daren became CEO at The Lighthouse Company, where he placed 18 business leaders in as many months. In his spare time, Daren mentors individuals at all levels and also the runs the Marketing Advisory Group for the JW3 Community Centre. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Sonia Carreno](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/podcast/whats-next-with-sonia-carreno/) **Published:** September 22, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:**  We speak to Sonia Carreno, President of IAB Canada, about the cookieless future and what that will mean for advertisers. Sonia takes us through Project Rearc, the IAB’s global call-to-action for stakeholders across the digital supply chain, to re-think and re-architect digital marketing to support core industry use while balancing consumer privacy and personalization. The Rearc project quickly evolved into three working groups: Addressable audiences, Accountability, and a Global Framework, and Sonia outlines these briefly in our bitesize podcast episode. To read more about the IAB’s Rearc project visit: [www.iab.com/blog/project-rearc-an-industry-collaboration-to-rearchitect-digital-marketing](https://my.captivate.fm/www.iab.com/blog/project-rearc-an-industry-collaboration-to-rearchitect-digital-marketing) **About Sonia Carreno** Sonia has been passionate about the Internet and its forward movement in Canada from the start and brings over 20 years of experience touching virtually every aspect of digital marketing. Sonia has led global digital strategy initiatives for international brands including Gillette, Heineken, General Motors, RBC, Coca Cola and Spin Master Toys. Her work has included every discipline of online media and her specialities range from performance marketing to social media strategy and start-up strategy. She has also consulted industry associations and many publishers to help navigate the disruptive media landscape. Her passion for the industry continues in the role of President of the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada where she continues to help drive the industry forward and put Canada on the global stage for online media innovation. In 2021, Sonia was inducted into the Canadian Marketing, Advertising, Communication and PR Hall of Fame for her efforts in bringing the Canadian marketing and advertising industry into the digital age. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Matteo Rizzi](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-matteo-rizzi/) **Published:** January 26, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next Matteo Rizzi** In this episode, Karim speaks to Matteo Rizzi, FinTech Investor. Innotribe Co-Founder, ex SWIFT, Co-Founder FinTechStage.com. Matteo talks about the benefits of hiring talent with an entrepreneurial spirit and what executives need to do to nurture in-house talent. ### **About Matteo Rizzi** Matteo is an unconventional entrepreneur and a book author with two decades of experience in Financial Services. For three years in a row (2014-2016), Financial News has nominated Matteo as one of the “40 most influential FinTech executives in Europe”. In 2008 he co-founded Innotribe, the innovation arm of SWIFT, where Matteo worked for 13 years. He also launched the Innotribe Startup Challenge, the first global deal flow of its kind. He left SWIFT in 2013. From 2013 until 2015, Matteo was a Partner in SBT Venture Capital, one of the first funds (100M USD) solely dedicated to FinTech investment (Series A), building a portfolio of 12 start-ups. In 2015, Matteo created and co-founded www.FinTechStage.com, a platform for Investors, Innovators and start-ups to foster FinTech innovation globally, with some 50+ missions and events all over the world. Matteo founded the Timepledge.org initiative, a global program helping African entrepreneurs in several business domains, from product to strategy to channels management to investors pitching. He is the author or The FinTech Revolution (EGEAN, 2016, ITA) and Talent&Rebels (HOEPLI, 2019, ENG and ITA). Recently, Matteo took the position of Executive Producer of Breaking Banks Europe (a spin-off of Breaking Banks US) available on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify and Google Play. Matteo lives in Estoril (Portugal) speaks five languages, holds a University degree in Computer Science (University of Genova) and a Postgraduate in Financial Transactions (Solvay Business School). ### **Follow Matteo Rizzi** ##### Read Matteo’s book – [Talents & Rebels: Dealing with corporate misfits ](http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081FGQLN1/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_OxYdGbPCDSQTY) ##### Follow Matteo on Twitter – [@matteorizzi](https://twitter.com/matteorizzi) ##### Follow Matteo on Instagram – [@Matteorizziofficial](https://www.instagram.com/matteorizziofficial/) ##### Visit Matteo Rizzi’s website – [http://matteorizzi.me](http://matteorizzi.me/) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Jane Ractliffe](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-jane-ractliffe-co-founder-and-md-of-standard-media-index/) **Published:** January 26, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Jane Ractliffe** In the first interview for the ‘What’s Next podcast, Karim speaks to Jane Ractliffe, Co-Founder and MD of Standard Media Index. Jane gives us her insight and predictions for What’s Next and why Australia/New Zealand is an excellent place for marketers to test and experiment whilst the rest of the world is still in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic. ### **About Jane Ractliffe** Jane runs the Australian and NZ operations of [Standard Media Index](https://www.standardmediaindex.com/), a global provider of real-time advertising expenditure data, a business she co-founded in 2009. A former media editor of The Australian, Jane’s background is in media, a business journalist specialising in the sector for 15 years. Media remains Jane’s passion, although these days she’s focused on SMI’s business development and innovating in the reporting of new and essential ad spend metrics. They’ve recently introduced the world’s first Future Ad Demand data and are leading the way in reporting Digital Ad Formats (Online Video, Audio etc.) and Static and Digital Outdoor Ad format expenditure data. They’re now working on the first pricing metric for Digital media. Jane has a BA (Journalism) and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment. ### **Follow Jane Ractliffe** Follow Jane on Twitter – [@JaneRactliffe](https://twitter.com/JaneRactliffe) Follow Standard Media Index on Twitter [@SMI\_Data](https://twitter.com/SMI_Data) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Paul Skinner](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-paul-skinner-founder-of-marketing-kind-agency-of-the-future/) **Published:** February 9, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Paul Skinner** In this episode of the What’s Next podcast, we speak to Paul Skinner, Founder of Marketing Kind and Agency of the Future. Paul shares his thoughts on how marketing can play a more positive role in the world and how marketers have the essential qualities and skills to contribute to societal change. As businesses look to recover and rebuild, Paul discusses the importance of establishing and reconnecting with purpose, not only for shareholders but all stakeholders including employees and society on the whole. Subscribe to our podcast in all the usual places for insights into Marketing, Advertising, People and Culture from interesting guests from all around the world. Podcast can be found in all the usual places for more links please visit[ www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/) #### **About Paul Skinner** Paul Skinner is an award-winning strategy consultant, social entrepreneur and the author of Collaborative Advantage: How collaboration beats competition as a strategy for success. He believes the paradigm of competitive advantage may now be constraining our business success rather than increasing it. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of Ben and Jerry’s, agree, providing Paul’s book with a tasty endorsement: ‘Collaborative Advantage offers the perfect recipe for successful businesses that improve lives.’ Paul is the founder of the social enterprise MarketingKind, which is a membership community dedicated to harnessing the power of marketing to better advance humankind. He is also the founder of the Agency of the Future, which empowers client organisations to better understand, define and mobilise around their purpose to drive sustainable growth. And he is an advisory board member at the Museum of Brands, an Expert Advisor for the Future Strategy Club and has been awarded an honorary visiting fellowship by Edge Hill University Business School. ### **Follow Paul Skinner** [**Paul Skinner Website**](http://www.theaof.com/) [**Paul Skinner LinkedIn**](http://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-skinner-a73b8921) [**Paul Skinner Twitter**](https://twitter.com/iPaulSkinner) [**Paul Skinner Book**](../../umbraco/Collaborative%20Advantage_%20How%20collaboration%20beats%20competition%20as%20a%20strategy%20for%20success.html) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Professor Dr. Jonathan A.J Wilson](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-professor-dr-jonathan-a-j-wilson/) **Published:** February 23, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Professor Dr. Jonathan A.J Wilson** In the latest episode of the ‘What’s Next’ podcast, we welcome [Prof. Jonathan A.J. Wilson PhD DLitt](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAtgNmcBgcTdEkvYtKTnle7GAIlScB_WaC4), Professor of Brand Strategy and Culture at Regent’s University in London. We enjoyed a conversation with Professor Dr Wilson on how businesses should avoid tokenism in their advertising and company culture and how the smart money is on embracing this watershed moment. ***“Avoid tokenism, hire experts!”*** **Subscribe to the podcast at [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/drjonathanwilson](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/drjonathanwilson)** #### **About Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson** Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson has spent over 20 years in industry and academia as a practitioner with [two doctorates](https://www.dundee.ac.uk/stories/halal-guru-receives-rare-degree-dundee) – specialising in what he calls the ABCDs of Business and Culture: Advertising, Branding, Communications, and Digital. He started his career in the late ‘90s, working in media owner and client-side advertising management roles in London – ranging from sales, sponsorship, planning and buying, to events and PR. In 2005 he moved into marketing consultancy, professional training and academia. Professor Wilson has published over 200 pieces of work, spoken at over 100 conferences across the globe and featured in LinkedIn’s annual Top Voices awards list for [4 consecutive years](https://www.regents.ac.uk/news/top-voices-dr-jonathan-wilson-named-on-linkedins-annual-list). Also, having graduated from 4 different faculties, previously been an elite athlete, and worked as a professional musician and songwriter, he aims to champion the art of Science and the science of Art. #### **Follow Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson** Website: [drjonwilson.com](http://drjonwilson.com/) Twitter: [twitter.com/drjonwilson](https://twitter.com/drjonwilson) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/drjonwilson](https://www.instagram.com/drjonwilson) LinkedIn: [www.linkedin.com/in/drjonwilson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjonwilson/) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Duncan Stewart](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-duncan-stewart/) **Published:** March 9, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Duncan Stewart** This week’s podcast features quickfire insights into the ‘TMT Predictions 2021’ report published by Deloitte. Duncan Stewart, Director of Research for Deloitte Canada and co-author of the report, gives us further insight into 3 key topics featured in the report: - The continued growth of online medical services, which is providing fairer access for people living in rural parts of the world and changing the healthcare industry. - The rise of women’s sports and the vast market potential that advertisers can take advantage of whilst the sector is still maturing. - How changing gambling laws in the USA and Canada will deliver huge growth in the North American Sports Betting industry similar to the marketplace in the UK. Listen to the full episode – [http://activeint.uk/duncanstewart](http://activeint.uk/duncanstewart "activeint.uk/duncanstewart") Read Deloitte’s TMT Predictions 2021 report – #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Carl Honoré](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-carl-honore/) **Published:** March 23, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Carl Honoré** We have a quick chat with Carl Honoré about slowing down! Carl is the voice of the Slow Movement. “In a world addicted to speed, slowness is a superpower!” **Subscribe and Download here –** [**www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/carlhonore** ](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/carlhonore) #### **About Carl Honoré** Carl Honoré is a bestselling author, broadcaster and the global voice of the Slow Movement. His two main-stage TED Talks have racked up millions of views. His first book, *In Praise of Slow*, chronicles the global trend toward putting on the brakes in everything from work to food to parenting. The *Financial Times* said it is “to the Slow Movement what *Das Kapital* is to communism.” Carl’s second book, *Under Pressure* explores how to raise and educate children in a fast world and was hailed by *Time* as a “gospel of the Slow Parenting movement.” Carl’s third book, *The Slow Fix*, explores how to tackle complex problems in every walk of life, from health and relationships to business and politics, without falling for superficial, short-term quick fixes. Carl’s latest book, *Bolder: Making The Most Of Our Longer Lives*, explores ageing – how we can do it better *and* feel better about doing it. It’s also a spirited manifesto against ageism. Published in 35 languages, his books have landed on bestseller lists in many countries. *In Praise of Slow* was a BBC Radio 4 *Book of the Week* and the inaugural choice for the *Huffington Post* Book Club. It also featured in a British TV sitcom, Argentina’s version of *Big Brother* and a TV commercial for the Motorola tablet. *Under Pressure* was shortlisted for the Writers’ Trust Award, the top prize for non-fiction in Canada. *Bolder* was a BBC Radio 4 *Book of the Week* and a *Reader’s Digest* (UK) Book of the Month. Carl featured in a series for BBC Radio 4 called *The Slow Coach* in which he helped frazzled, over-scheduled people slow down. He also presented a television show called *Frantic Family Rescue* on Australia’s ABC 1. Carl is an advisor to Jack Media, which makes messaging apps, and sits on the Board of Trustees of Hewitt School in New York City. Carl lives in London. While researching his first book on slowness he was slapped with a speeding ticket. ### Follow Carl [www.carlhonore.info](http://www.carlhonore.info/) [twitter.com/carlhonore](http://www.twitter.com/carlhonore) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Tina Fegent](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-tina-fegent-marketing-procurement-specialist/) **Published:** April 6, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Tina Fegent** In this episode of the [What’s Next](https://activeint.uk/tinafegent) podcast, we speak with Tina Fegent, a leading specialist and consultant in Marketing Procurement. Marketing Procurement is the buying of goods and services that support an organisation’s Marketing investment. It covers the Marketing 4 P’s – Product; Price; Place (Distribution) and Promotion. It is a wide-ranging category covering spend areas such as advertising through to the negotiation of sponsorship contracts. Tina gives her insight into how Marketing Procurement has grown, evolved and where it is headed. The What’s Next podcast explores big ideas and innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing and Advertising. Our guests come from varied backgrounds across the industry; the topics we seek to cover include cultivating positive company culture, consumer & industry trends, leadership and more. **Listen, download and subscribe to the podcast:** [**activeint.uk/tinafegent**](../../umbraco/activeint.uk/tinafegent.html) ### **About Tina Fegent** Tina Fegent was one of the first to work in Marketing Procurement over 25 years ago. Tina then established many of the first Marketing Procurement teams in the UK for Cellnet (Telefonica), SB (GSK) and Orange & France Telecom. From Lucozade Sports bottles to Orange Arrows Formula One Racing, there isn’t a category of marketing that she hasn’t procured. She was then the first Procurement person to work agency side at Grey Advertising and Lowe London as their Commercial Director. An experience that taught her how agencies work commercially. In 2006 she set up Tina Fegent Consulting to offer a Marketing Procurement Consultancy service to clients. Recent clients (in the last 12 months or so) have been Amazon, SSE, PepsiCo, Halfords, Imperial Tobacco, Checkatrade, P&O Ferries and Aldi. She works at a strategic level to help identify what is required to make marketing procurement successful in an organisation. Market knowledge and stakeholder engagement being some of her key attributes. She manages and works alongside clients and agencies to make sure the best commercial relationship is in place. She also mentors and trains marketing procurement teams and individuals. She has chaired the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) Specialist Knowledge Group on Marketing Purchasing since its inception in 2006. She was a key contributor to the Magic and Logic initiative and am a regular speaker globally on Marketing Procurement. And very proudly she was the first Marketing Procurement person to appear in Campaign’s Annual A List of the most powerful people in the Advertising industry! She is also the volunteer Director of Recruitment for the Conscious Advertising Network, which is trying to make sure that the industry ethics catches up with the technology of modern advertising, and brands are being asked to sign up and support the 6 manifestos that are in place to counteract topics such as fake news and ad fraud. --- ### **Follow Tina Fegent** [www.tinafegent.com](http://www.tinafegent.com/) [www.linkedin.com/in/tina-fegent](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-fegent-fcips-2103573) [twitter.com/tinafegent](http://www.twitter.com/tinafegent) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Steve Dennis](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-steve-dennis/) **Published:** April 21, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Steve Dennis** We speak to Steve Dennis, author of ‘*Remarkable Retail How to Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption*‘. Steve gives us an overview of the retail industry; the impacts of shopping mall oversupply, lack of diversified shopping experiences and the evolution of e-commerce. Steve also takes us through ‘The 8 Essentials of Remarkable Retail’, a framework that guides brands in the design of enduring, highly profitable and intensely customer-centric growth strategies. ### **About Steve Dennis** Steve Dennis is a leading global retail influencer, keynote speaker & consultant, Senior Forbes Contributor, and bestselling author, ‘Remarkable Retail’ Steve Dennis is a consultant, keynote speaker and author focused on retail growth and innovation. He has been named a top global retail influencer by multiple organizations and his thoughts on the future of shopping are regularly shared in his role as a Forbes Senior Contributor. His new best-selling book is “Remarkable Retail: How to Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Digital Disruption” and he is the host of the Remarkable Retail podcast. During a 30 year career as a senior executive at two Fortune 500 retailers–and more recently as a strategic advisor–Steve has worked with dozens of retail, consumer, luxury and social impact brands to inspire, catalyze and design their journey to remarkable results. As a sought-out keynote speaker, Steve has delivered talks on six continents, sharing his unique perspective on what it takes to reignite customer growth in a world of constant change and shifting consumer preferences. He has contributed commentary to Bloomberg/Business Week, the BBC, CNBC, CNN, the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal, among many others. Steve is currently the President of SageBerry Consulting. Prior to founding SageBerry, he was the chief strategy officer and SVP, multichannel marketing for the Neiman Marcus Group. Steve received his MBA from Harvard and a BA from Tufts University. ### **Follow Steve Dennis** [stevenpdennis.com](../../umbraco/stevenpdennis.html) [twitter.com/stevenpdennis](../../umbraco/twitter.com/stevenpdennis.html) [www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpdennis/](http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenpdennis/) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Dan Bates](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-dan-bates-ceo-founder-of-rebel-energy/) **Published:** May 18, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Dan Bates** We speak to Dan Bates, Founder and CEO of Rebel Energy about launching a new breed of energy supplier in the UK. Dan’s mission with Rebel Energy is to address inequality and the climate crisis with a startup that addresses 3 mega trends in the energy industry: 1\. Global Regulatory Changes. This can be seen in the USA’s renewed commitment to the Paris Agreement, many countries and businesses commitment to carbon neutrality by the middle of the century and the upcoming COP26 UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Glasgow, Scotland later this year. 2.Technology Changes. With advancements in wind, solar and tidal energy generation and the huge shift over to electric vehicles. 3\. Consumer Changes. Consumers are seeking more ethical businesses, exploring choices and placing money into companies that they trust. Dan also discusses the UK startup culture that has enabled challenger, ‘disrupter’ businesses to flourish with many traditional barriers disappearing. **Subscribe and Download the podcast here: [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/danbates](https://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/danbates)** **About Dan Bates** Dan is the CEO and founder of Rebel Energy, a supplier of energy to UK households. Rebel Energy is built around a social mission to provide affordable clean energy. Dan has a desire to make a difference in society and show that big business can be good business. Prior to founding Rebel Energy, Dan spent over 15 years at BP in a variety of senior leadership roles. **About Rebel Energy** Rebel Energy is a new breed of energy supplier, providing clean energy to households in the UK at an affordable price. Rebel’s on a mission to address inequality and combat the climate crisis with a benevolent mindset. Rebel with a cause, energy with a difference. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Abba Newbery | CMO | Habito](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-abba-newbery-cmo-habito/) **Published:** June 2, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Abba Newbery** In this episode, we chat with one of Active’s clients – Abba Newbery CMO of Habito. We asked Abba to tell us why Habito is the ‘What’s Next’ of Mortgage Broker/Provider in the UK. The UK mortgage industry is archaic, and possibly even broken when we consider how people are now living their lives. People who are self-employed or have non-linear careers struggle to find mortgages that fit them, Habito was founded to challenge the old ways. Abba explains the ‘B Corp’ accreditation that Habito holds and how it aligns with Habito’s mission to help people find a home, a home that is or has the potential to be environmentally sound, and a part of an integrated community. Subscribe to our podcast at [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/) or search for us on your favourite podcast provider #### About Habito Habito is an online mortgage broker that promises to take care of the entire mortgage process for you – hassle-free. … It also offers its own range of buy-to-let mortgages, and hopes to deliver residential mortgages in the next few months. In March 2020, Habito won Best Mortgage Broker at the British Banking Awards. #### About B Corp Certified B Corporations are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. This is a community of leaders, driving a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Active UK is currently looking at the B Corp requirements and process Learn more about B Corp here #### About Abba Newbery Abba Newbery is CMO at Habito, the disruptive tech driven mortgage business, now also proudly a B Corp Abba Newbery is the CMO of Habito, a tech start-up founded in 2016 with the mission of setting people free from the hell of mortgages, and that has since become the fastest growing mortgage broker in the UK. Prior to joining Habito, Abba was Head of Commercial Strategy at News UK and Managing Partner for Communications Strategy at Universal McCann. Abba has also been a mentor on the Google Start-up Accelerator programme and the YouTube Creator mentoring scheme. Listen to the full episode [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/abbanewbery](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/abbanewbery) #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Adrian Montgomery](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-adrian-montgomery/) **Published:** June 16, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Adrian Montgomery** We talk with [Adrian Montgomery](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAADRf37oBZLHZJmcTZ0qGc0WJXoT6BEuu-ok), CEO of [Enthusiast Gaming](https://www.linkedin.com/company/enthusiast-gaming/), about the meteoric rise of the e-sports and gaming industry and why its a vital space for advertisers/marketers. “60% of Gen Z prefer e-sports over traditional sports”. A statistic that may seem strange to some, however, Adrian illuminates how the US election zoned in on the Gen Z vote by getting on board the gaming train. The potential for the advertising & marketing industry is vast, with privacy updates being extensively rolled out and impacting available third-party data. The wealth of first-party data in the growing gaming community will be crucial for advertisers seeking to reach a demographic that is hard to find using traditional media routes. Listen to the episode on our podcast mini site here – www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/episode/adrianmontgomery #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Zoe Howorth](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-zoe-howorth/) **Published:** June 30, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Zoe Howorth** We talk to WACL member Zoe Howorth (Women in Advertising and Communication Leadership) on a range of topics from Olympic advertising for brands, leaning on her experiences as Marketing Director for Coca Cola UK . To ‘Meat Free Mondays’, an initiative, which has encouraged millions to reduce their meat intake, positively impacted the environment and raised climate change awareness. And finally Zoe discusses why working for businesses which puts emphasis on the 3 Ps of ‘Profit, Planet & People’ is rewarding and fits the emerging, accountable consumer mindset. “Consumers want brands with good utility, have real purpose and are more than a commercial entity.” #### **About Zoe Howorth** A classically trained marketer who began life at Procter and Gamble, benefiting from their world class graduate program with roles on market leading laundry brands Ariel and Daz. After stint at United Biscuits which built strong commercial awareness , Zoe joined the Coca-Cola Company in 1998. Over a 15 year period Zoe progressed from Brand Manager to Marketing Director, across this time she led the marketing campaigns from idea to execution across all of the brands , led international campaigns and worked in developing and rolling out marketing capability programs (The Coca-Cola way of Marketing) for the next generation. In her final role as Marketing Director she oversaw Coca- Cola’s marketing of the 2012 Olympic games and also served for 3 years on the GB Leadership team which stewarded the whole business through the breadth of strategic, legal, HR, customer and corporate affairs. Finally, Zoe was the lead interface with the companies Sales and distribution partners (Coca-Cola Enterprises) where her role was to deliver inspirational programs which could work ‘at the point of purchase’ in a collaborative way with the sales teams. More recently, Zoe has transitioned into portfolio non executive roles and holds 3 board positions. The first of these is Water Babies International, a global baby swimming business, Playfinder , a tech business enabling the online booking of sports facilities across the UK. Finally, Zoe is Chair of Houston PR which is an innovative PR consultancy with excellent pedigree in both consumer and financial PR. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Kevin Edwards](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-kevin-edwards-ceo-skip-the-dishes/) **Published:** May 4, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### **Whats Next With Kevin Edwards** Undoubtedly one of the most fascinating brands of the past year is Just Eat Takeaway, a British-Dutch dot-com company; in this episode, we enjoyed speaking to Canadian subsidiary company SkipTheDishes CEO Kevin Edwards. Kevin talks about the lessons learned throughout the pandemic; the effect on their business and independent restaurants. ### **History of Just Eat Takeaway** Canadian online food delivery company SkipTheDishes was acquired by Just Eat in 2016 for $200M. The following years saw several mergers and acquisitions across many international markets of scale-up delivery services. By 2020 UK’s Just Eat (which had already acquired SkipTheDishes, Menulog, hungryhouse) merged with takeway.com to become ***Just Eat Takeaway***. In March 2021, Just Eat Takeaway said it expected further growth in orders in 2021 after the pandemic helped drive a sharp rise in revenue for the year. The food delivery group hailed an “exceptional” 2020 after posting revenue of €2.4bn (£2bn), up 54 per cent from €1.6bn in the previous 12 months. The company reported three consecutive quarters of growth over the year, with overall orders rising 42% to 588m. #### **About Kevin Edwards** Kevin was appointed Chief Executive Officer, SkipTheDishes in November 2018 after joining the business in April as Chief Marketing Officer. Proving to be a transformational leader, he was appointed to lead Just Eat’s North American portfolio as Skip entered their next stage of global business growth. With over 30 years of consumer strategy experience, global logistics expertise, and organizational change leadership, Kevin brings a depth of experience to the rapidly-growing business and industry. Prior to joining Skip, Kevin was the Chief Marketing Officer for the global Movember Foundation, and held the position of Vice President of Marketing for Office Depot in both North America and Europe where he led teams through organisational change, international integration and brand evolvement. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Brian Gallagher](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-brian-gallagher/) **Published:** July 14, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **What’s Next with Brian Gallagher** In this episode, we speak to Brian Gallagher, who shared his insight as the Chief of Sales at Australian Media Owner SCA on the changing media landscape and how the pandemic has helped shine a light on localism. SME businesses were the first to feel the pain of the Covid-19 outbreak in Australia. SCA quickly mobilised a ‘Shop Local’ campaign on a national basis, with localised campaigns running on social radio shows, where local people could call in and talk up their favourite local businesses. *“…because of the very highly social nature of radio, we were also able to use our morning shows, our drive time shows, and our daytime shows to get consumers to call in and tell stories about great local vendors, what they were doing, and how they’d helped them.”* Brian also spoke on the attractiveness and dominance of the big giants Google and Facebook for SME advertisers and why SCA brought in more digital marketing experts to help their customers understand the importance of advertising outside the giants with a blend of mediums to achieve their goals. *“Facebook can operate at any budgetary level. They operate in a dashboarded scenario… It’s a slot machine for marketing; depending on how sophisticated a client you are, you can very quickly put a lot of coins in the slot. Cost per acquisition seems to rise inexorably. We feel very strongly that those platforms, while appearing convenient or cost-effective, there’s a hidden cost there, and our small to medium advertisers, in the main, don’t see how that works. We are fiercely local about our content and our connection with our communities, but we’ve implemented more and more executives who are experts in digital marketing in these communities so that they can take hold of those advertisers and say, “Yes, you should be in search. “Yes, you should be in social, “but you should be deploying in this manner.”* #### **About Brian Gallagher** Brian has over 30 years’ experience in the broadcast and digital media industries, from advertising sales to developing video content production business’s. He has focused his career on the successful intersection of content and brand storytelling. Brian has led the successful development of brand integration strategy and workflow for broadcasters and production companies which led to him to build a successful brand funded television programming business. Brian has developed several business’s from start-up stage to commercial success. In his current role as Chief Sales Officer at SCA he enjoys driving business growth for the many major advertisers and SME’s that SCA support via Australia’s largest network of Radio, TV and Digital, by driving a passion for ‘great ideas inspired by insight’ across the team. #### **About SCA** Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) is one of Australia’s leading media companies reaching more than 95% of the Australian population through its radio, television, and digital assets. Under the Triple M and Hit network brands, SCA owns 99 stations across FM, AM, and DAB+ radio. SCA provides national sales representation for 34 regional radio stations. SCA broadcasts 93 free to air TV signals across regional Australia, reaching 2.7 million people a week, with Ten Network programming and advertising representation across regional QLD, southern NSW and regional Victoria, Seven Network in Tasmania, Seven and Ten in Darwin, Remote Central and Eastern Australia, and Seven, Nine and Ten in Broken Hill and Spencer Gulf. Sky News Regional will also be broadcast in 17 of SCA’s regional markets across Victoria, Southern NSW and Queensland. SCA operates LiSTNR, Australia’s free audio destination for consumers housing radio, podcasts, music and news. SCA also provides Australian sales representation for global open audio platform SoundCloud and Sonos Radio. SCA’s premium brands are supported by social media, live events and digital platforms that deliver national and local entertainment and news content. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What's Next with Robert Jacobi](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/whats-next-with-robert-jacobi/) **Published:** July 28, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### **What’s Next with Robert Jacobi** “Digitalization is not the goal, digitalization is a means to an end, and the end is to become a fully customer-centric company.” We spoke to [Robert Jacobi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAALjOycB-790O7dA6OLcLKyP2GupKi0zNNw?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_company_admin%3Bc%2F4HjRkAQOKrWEVffF%2BBpw%3D%3D) from [The Nunatak Group](https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenunatakgroup/), a specialist digitalization consultancy on our latest podcast episode. Robert talks to us about the seismic shift to digitalization accelerated by the pandemic and the key recipes needed for companies to innovate. #### **5 Recipes for Innovation** #### **About The Nunatak Group** The Nunatak Group is the go-to strategy consultancy when it comes to digitalization. They support clients from all industries in their digital transformation and help them achieve sustainable growth. Nunatuk combine strategic and analytical know-how with a pragmatic and results-oriented approach. #### **The What’s Next Podcast** Big Ideas and Innovative thoughts on the future of Marketing, Media, Advertising and more! Launched in January 2021, we have enjoyed great conversations with guests from all over the world covering topics such as global consumer trends, diversity in company culture, economic recovery and businesses ‘building back better’ post pandemic. **Subscribe to the Podcast:** [www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen](http://www.thewhatsnextpodcast.com/listen) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Global Growth](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/global-growth/) **Published:** October 1, 2018 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Dean Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, International Division, Active International** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Dean Wilson joined Active International in 2002 and in 2016 became Chief Executive Officer of the International Division. He has worked in the media industry since graduating from Leeds University in 1994. Prior to joining Active International, he held various commercial roles at Television Sales and Marketing Services Ltd., Channel Four Television Corporation and ITV Digital.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](../../../)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## What have been the keys to Active’s success and will you discuss the entrepreneurial culture within the firm? One of the critical success factors for us as a business has been independence and our private ownership. As a result, we have been able to adapt and change and make quick decisions as the market has evolved. We have shareholders and investors who are connected to a fast-changing landscape in the media environment. They make quick decisions on our direction and what we’re able to do. They are entrepreneurs at heart, having built this organization from nothing, so they always have a hunger for building the next thing. These have been key ingredients and consistent factors in our growth story. ## Will you discuss the firm’s evolution from its origins in barter and how do you define the business today? Our origins are rooted in trade and buying underperforming assets and inventory from customers. That still remains a critical part of our core today. Some of our long-standing clients still use us primarily for that and it’s a key part of their business model. It provides them with a competitive advantage, so that isn’t ever going to go away. What we have done over time is broaden our services and solutions. One of the key elements that encapsulates where we are today is that we’re really able to provide commercially agile solutions to our customers. We have the underperforming assets solution and know how we can help businesses with these. However, we have also been able to provide solutions to airline companies and hotels to refine how they use their inventory and assets with the customers we bring them. We’ve been able to trade with other companies in professional services, and other categories like energy. The breadth of businesses we have gotten involved with has widened over time. If we look at our roots, trading with the media providers is still a critical part of who we are, but how we serve our clients beyond that benefit has evolved from just underperforming asset assistance to a much broader range of products and services. Today, we’re in a position where most of the teams talk about commercially agile solutions and helping our customers achieve more of what they want for their businesses. In this fast-paced environment where things are changing quickly, they’re looking for Active to provide them with ways and means to create extra value for their businesses. ## Will you highlight Active’s global footprint and which areas offer the greatest opportunities for growth? Within international, the Canadian and Mexican businesses are strategically important in Active having a strong offering to our customers in North America. Our Western European business is also really robust and we have enjoyed tremendous growth in the U.K. and in France. We have a business in Spain that has been growing for several years and we’re reaching a critical tipping point there where we can become a bigger business. We have also opened a second office in Hamburg. Further afield, in Asia-Pacific, Australia has been a country where we have been able to establish strong credentials in the marketplace and we’re now well positioned for several years of decent growth. We’re now looking at ways to invest and expand in Australia and use that as a base to see what else we can do in that region. ## Do you need to have offices within those markets in order to serve clients most effectively? In most of the main markets, we have a local team with local leadership on the ground that is supported by an international management team. I am based in London with our international CFO; we have a global sales director based in Dusseldorf; and we have a global media director based in New York along with our VP of Finance. We have a team that helps connect and support all of the offices, but it starts with the managing director and a local team because the majority of the customer, media and agency relationships that are crucial to the smooth running of our business are held locally. Eighty percent of all of our revenues are local to each market. We have some global clients in multiple territories, but like most networks, the majority of the billing and income are local. Our businesses are locally run and are culturally sensitive alongside an international team that provides strategic direction, alignment and support. A key aim for my team is to connect the offices together, promote collaboration and represent our international interests in New York effectively. ## How well understood is Active’s business today? Our industry has definitely grown up and is more widely known and understood across the world in general. The U.S. and U.K. are mature markets and there is a high level of awareness of our industry. For other markets, it has been a journey. In Spain, it’s about educating, meeting customers and explaining our business model and what value we can bring to them, and as a small B-to-B business, that will be a work in progress for quite some time. France and Australia are in between – they are now well-established and well-known markets and are making that journey towards wider acceptance like in the U.S. and U.K. Different cultures adopt this model at different rates, so more of the developed countries have the mindset of being quite accepting of different business models, so they got there quicker. Some of this relates to how long we have been there educating the market and some of it is cultural but, overall, we’re in a great place towards acceptance. ## Are you generally working with clients at multiple layers within the company and, as Active has become more of a financial solutions-based company, has that changed the level at which you need to have the client relationship? Absolutely. Thirty years ago, our key stakeholder for our proposition was the Chief Financial Officer, but today we definitely have as much engagement as we can throughout an organization. The CFO may be our advocate and sponsor, but we want to know the general management and have a relationship with them so they understand the value our brand brings to their brand. Just as importantly, we want to have an engagement with the people who are responsible for the media and marketing budgets because they are the people we work with the most day to day to have a successful relationship. The most successful relationships we have are with those companies where we have multiple touch points in finance, general management, marketing and marketing procurement. **Categories:** News --- ### [In Uncertain Times, Marketing and Supply Chain Team Up to Achieve More](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/in-uncertain-times-marketing-and-supply-chain-team-up-to-achieve-more/) **Published:** October 20, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** October 14, 2020 The ongoing pandemic has reshaped the way business leaders perceive disruption. Writers, [academics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clayton_Christensen) and various publications have frequently described business disruption linked to transformational technology and start-up competition. This year, nature gave us a not-so-friendly reminder that threats can come from anywhere. What may seem to be the least likely to happen, can happen; even the most microscopic opponent![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/nothing-8.html)s can cause historic global upheaval across many industries. **The very clear lesson is to expect the unexpected.** Businesses today are faced with tremendous pressure to navigate between now and next. The Covid-19 virus has humbled all of us with a newfound appreciation for how dependent our businesses are on the basics: functional supply chains, intact sales channels, and employee/consumer health. Whether the disruption has happened on the supply side or the demand side, business leaders around the world are reconsidering these basics, with emphasis on risk mitigation and business continuity. They are updating their playbooks and exploring innovative options to protect their businesses now and to better respond in the future. For many businesses it meant rethinking the way in which they did business altogether – curb side pickups, grocery deliveries, online fitness, and more. New threats require new approaches, and supply chain now plays a far more prominent role in fulfilling the customer promise. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/in-uncertain-times-marketing-and-supply-chain-team-up-to-achieve-more-1.jpg) # SUPPLY VS. DEMAND CHALLENGES If you’re selling more than you can produce during Covid-19, your playbook might consist of exploring geographic supplier diversity, evaluating raw material needs, investing in labour and production, re-thinking employee safety and operations, and shifting customer communication and brand messaging. If you aren’t selling enough product, you’re faced with an entirely different set of challenges. There’s a lot at stake; with jobs, people and workplace culture in mind, many businesses are rightfully attempting to bring clarity to revenue forecasts amid uncertainty. Scenario planning, cashflow preservation, cost-cutting, layoffs, right sizing production and liquidating unsold product are just some of the ways businesses are seeking to gain control over their short and long-term health. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/in-uncertain-times-marketing-and-supply-chain-team-up-to-achieve-more-2.jpg) Despite these efforts, many businesses are faced with unsold merchandise that is tying up valuable cashflow in a warehouse. Familiar methods for managing overstock generally include deep discounting, bundling (e.g. buy one, get one), or even outright disposal. In each case, businesses resort to these tactics under duress and assume some degree of financial loss. Further, disposing product in the interest of brand protection has increasingly become a taboo exercise within a society that prioritizes corporate social responsibility. The added challenge: Marketing budgets are often the first to be cut as leaders seek to yield noticeable bottom line returns quickly. And in the short-term, this can help. However, [economist and “the Godfather of effectiveness” Peter Field, backed by numerous studies](https://thinktv.ca/research/advertising-in-a-downturn-revisited/), has warned that while cutting advertising budgets is a temporary fix to a short-term deficit, it could put brands at a significant competitive disadvantage during the recovery period. # INNOVATE WHILE YOU OPERATE: MARKETING & SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERSHIP Within every challenge awaits opportunity. Forward-thinking business leaders view disruption as an opportunity to innovate and untether from unchallenged ways of working. One such emerging innovation is the partnership between marketing and supply chain in a strategic Corporate Trade transaction. In such a transaction, a business trades the excess inventory in their warehouse in exchange for a higher value in media. Paying for what you need with cash alternatives is a powerful way to uncover untapped value. We’ve seen it make [headline news at the consumer level](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/08/20/guy-once-swapped-paperclip-house-this-woman-is-trying-do-same/) in the form of bartering, and the commercial level adaptation of barter, known as Corporate Trade, is soaring in popularity among business leaders. **Hubert Wat,** former VP Marketing for **Rocky Mountaineer** in Canada, talked to CPA magazine about Corporate Trade in 2014 “It’s a win-win for everyone. We got something we needed – visibility and ratings – by leveraging our own assets and inventory. I could have liquidated assets and got less than retail price. Instead I got full retail value and used media credits to buy what I wanted to anyway.” ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/in-uncertain-times-marketing-and-supply-chain-team-up-to-achieve-more-3.jpg) In Australia, **Henkel** has successfully leveraged Corporate Trade to derive more value from excess inventory. “This has provided a unique opportunity for our business to manage excess stock while providing a value outside of traditional sales.” said **Jodie Lynch**, Head of Supply and Beauty Care “In an aggressive promotional environment, it allowed us to continue long term brand support via the trade credit offer whilst also countering a challenging stock problem and opening the door for a new-found value to the product.” Since this type of trading transaction is more complex than barter or a direct swap of goods, companies enlist the help of Corporate Trade organizations, like **Active International**, who have a unique mix of product liquidation and in some territories media planning and buying expertise. With an international footprint, they have the ability to service the needs of global brands; buying and selling inventory and executing media campaigns across 14 countries. It is a strategic solution that delivers both value and predictability within a business, with benefits realized in finance, sales, logistics, and marketing. **02 Telefonica**, a telco organisation in the UK have worked with Corporate Trade firm Active International for over 7 years. “Over this period, they have helped O2 gain over £10m of new business contracts from a number of our key corporate targets by allowing them to part fund the cost of working with us in product.” said **Simon Valcarcel,** Head of Creative. The result? A proactive and strategic approach to achieve more with less: recovering value on unsold product; moreover, an approach that safeguards against cuts to demand generating investments like media and promotion. In an uncertain economic climate, Corporate Trading is an innovation that enables businesses to proactively address challenges and achieve a level of clarity and predictability across several areas. # HOW CORPORATE TRADE HELPS SUPPLY CHAIN & MARKETING ACHIEVE MORE **Finances** A useful tool to mitigate risk and recover write-downs on unsold stock. When demand for product is uncertain, you can receive up to 3x market value using Corporate Trade. **Sales** A predictable buyer of your products means predictable achievement of sales targets. Sales shouldn’t spend time putting out fires and discounting overstock. Instead, their focus should be on selling high priority, high margin products to tier 1 customers. **Logistics** Clear warehouse space for faster moving, newer product. **Seasonality** A strategy to manage seasonal inventory that could not be purchased when stores were closed during lockdown. **Marketing** Budget cuts can be replenished with credits, or no-cash media campaign options. Count on predictable marketplace coverage and guaranteed ROI. **Speed** Use it as a short-term tactic to quickly bridge the gap between current stock and cashflow problems. Or as a long-term strategy to pave the way through a successful recovery period. Maintain predictable sale forecasts and maintain consumer share of mind through consistent media presence. “The service is invaluable to our business,” says **Rena Chatterjee, Marketing Director for Jacobs Douwe Egberts in Australia**. “Importing much of our product from Europe, some of which has limited shelf-life brings a major logistical challenge. Being able to monetize excess stock saved prevented write-off costs. And having dollars to reinvest behind out brands and bolster our budgets brought substantial benefit.” Covid-19 is not the first nor the last marketplace disruption in our lifetime, but there is opportunity in every challenge. Sometimes innovation can be as simple as dismantling [silo mindsets](https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2013/10/02/the-silo-mentality-how-to-break-down-the-barriers/#2b8d5348c7e9) to plan the best way forward. Businesses who are currently scenario planning and seeking to manage cashflow and risk through the crisis, should consider marketing and supply chain collaboration. Creating greater alignment can result in a measurable benefit to the business, operations and ultimately, the customer. Innovate while you operate to achieve more in the recovery period. **Christian Kirschbaum** SVP International Sales & Business Development Active International [christian.kirschbaum@activeinternational.com](mailto:Christian.Kirschbaum@Activeinternational.com) To learn more about how Corporate Trade can help your business achieve more, [contact us](../../contact-us "Contact Us") today. **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Changing routes to market for the Fashion industry](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/changing-routes-to-market-for-the-fashion-industry/) **Published:** May 14, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ### **Whether its out-of-season stock, changing routes to market or failing business models; Fashion Retail has been under siege.** **To help get Fashion Retail businesses back on their feet we have studied the key issues the industry has been facing in recent weeks.** **We want to share how Active International’s Corporate Trade / Media Barter solution can help you Achieve More.** **![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new.jpg)** **MONETISING UNSOLD SEASONAL STOCK** Active offer innovative solutions to allow funding through alternative means other than cash, allowing you to multiply the market value of your unsold stock. **STIMULATE SALES** Using traditional and online advertising campaigns to engage with and retain customers is likely to be essential. We enable you to part fund your future advertising spend using your unwanted stock, making your advertising investment with any of our 200+ UK media owner partners much more efficient. **REOPENING STORES SAFELY** Retailers will need to encourage staff and visitors back into stores by putting in place proportionate protective measures. We have recently connected with a technology partner to provide a Thermal Monitoring People Management System and Digital Signage Hand Sanitiser to ensure the safety of returning customers in store. **To see some of our de-branded success stories:** [High Street Department Store](../../success-stories/general-retail-high-street-department-store "General Retail - High Street Department Store") [High Street Retailer](../../success-stories/fashion-beauty-high-street-retailer "Fashion & Beauty - High Street Retailer") [Multinational Retailer](../../success-stories/general-retail-multinational-retailer "General Retail - Multinational Retailer") **To find out more about the solutions that Active can provide and how we have worked with our current Retail clients, please contact us:** Mark Henson Head of New Business 07384 833682​ **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Leveraging new purchasing behaviours in the Consumer Electronics industry](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/leveraging-new-purchasing-behaviours-in-the-consumer-electronics-industry/) **Published:** May 5, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active International, offers financial solutions to businesses with underperforming assets utilising the Corporate Trade / Media Barter model – an agile & bespoke business option in the current environment. These are just a few of the ways where we can enable you to use what you have, to pay for what you need, helping you to Achieve More: ### **Back Your Winners** Active helps you to shift unwanted stock and convert it to a multiple of future marketing spend, helping you place investment behind your most profitable brands. ### **Outpace The Competition** Leverage Active’s partnerships with over 200+ UK media owners across all media channels to grow your customer base and increase market share. ### **Monetise Online Returns** Customers buying online have higher return rates. Active can provide you with open-box solutions that ensures the value you receive from unsellable stock is multiplied through your planned marketing spend. ### **Encouraging Customers Back Instore** Incentivising customers to return to store will be one of the issues faced by retailers. Active can help you fund the cost of issuing vouchers to encourage customers back into store funded via your excess stock or marketing spend. ### **Recent Stats from across the Electronics Industry** ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/pivoting-profit-consumer-electronics-1.png)![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/pivoting-profit-consumer-electronics-2.png)![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/pivoting-profit-consumer-electronics-3.png)![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/pivoting-profit-consumer-electronics-4.png)![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/pivoting-profit-consumer-electronics-5.png) **Please contact us for any inventory challenges you face, whether now or in the coming weeks; we will provide you with options to place your business in the best position for the upturn.** Mark Henson Head of New Business M: 07384 833682​ > “For the past five years I’ve worked with Active’s Retail Marketing team for sourcing and procuring retail fixtures supporting Sharp Aquos LED TVs as well as our appliance products. Active has been a great partner. They’ve introduced us to some best-in-class suppliers and the fact that we’ve been able to apply trade has allowed Sharp to save considerable dollars while working with premium suppliers. I view Active as an extended part of the team” > > Teresa Siebert > Associate Director, Marketing Communications > Sharp Electronics **Categories:** Articles --- ### [5 Ways Active Helps The Food & Drink Industry](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/5-ways-active-helps-the-food-drink-industry/) **Published:** April 27, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **Due to the Covid-19 pandemic there are many challenges affecting businesses across all sectors. In the last few weeks we have been proactively working with our clients to identify pain-points and establish where we are able to offer solutions.** We want to share these conversations with businesses in similar situations; demonstrating where Active’s Corporate Trade model could alleviate specific operational issues. In the cases outlined below, we have been able to provide commercial solutions to significantly improve the net value to the business: ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/5-ways-active-helps-the-food-drink-industry-1.png) 1. A dairy company looking for new ways to resell it’s short-dated product 2. A beer company forced to buy back its own product to keep pubs afloat and looking for efficient ways to dispose of £0 value stock when there is no retail value in its product 3. A soft drinks company searching for additional export markets for its excess stock to avoid flooding the domestic resale market 4. An FMCG company looking for ways in which to recoup lost value due to a price collapse in the resale market. 5. A chocolate manufacturer needing to find a solution for products that were destined for cancelled events. (*A happy ending as they went to a range of charities*) ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/5-ways-active-helps-the-food-drink-industry-2.jpg) ### **Active International enables businesses to pay for what they need with their own product or service, helping them Achieve More.** Whether offloading obsolete stock or using first-line product to fund business costs, the Corporate Trade model (or Media Barter model as it is also known) is a smart strategy to deliver financial flexibility as businesses balance delivering on today’s needs with tomorrow’s vision. To understand more about the 5 Ways Active has been helping their clients in the Food & Drink sector or to see other examples of how Active has worked please see the relevant Success Stories: ►[Young’s Seafood](../../success-stories/food-drink-youngs-seafood "Food & Drink - Young's Seafood") ►[Frozen ](https://activeint.uk/2W2GndO)[Food Manufacturer](https://activeint.uk/2W2GndO) ►[Fast Food Retailer](https://activeint.uk/2Y8BNgx) ►[Drinks Brand](https://activeint.uk/3aI6wUy) In normal times and especially now in the current crisis, the types of assets with potential to be traded typically include: - Unsold inventory - Short dated products - Product returns that are eligible for re-sale - Capital equipment ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/5-ways-active-helps-the-food-drink-industry-3.png) Please contact us for any inventory challenges you face, whether now or in the coming weeks; we will provide you with options to place your business in the best position for the upturn. **Mark Henson** Head of New Business M: 07384 833682​ [Download this article](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/5-ways-active-helps-the-food-drinks-industry.pdf) [Download our White Paper:](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/the-financial-directors-guide-to-corporate-trade.pdf) **The Financial Directors Guide to Corporate Trade-** *7 Things Every Financial Director must know before engaging in Corporate Trade* > “We have worked with Active for over a decade. Throughout that time they have been able to work seamlessly within our existing remarketing structure as well as allowing Young’s to pay part cash part trade in facilitating over £10m of barterable media. By paying us in a multiple of Trade Credits for our excess stock we have been able to drive greater efficiencies in our media buying, while at the same time provide cost savings to other areas of the business. > This established partnership has allowed us to work with a great team that has consistently provided sustainable commercial solutions, making a significant contribution to our business.” > > YVONNE ADAM > Managing Director > Young’s Seafood > “The team at Active really took the time to understand our business and worked to develop a sales model that would increase profit as well as streamline our internal processes. Their level of dedication and professionalism, and of course the results to our business, mean that I have no hesitation in recommending Active International.” > > TIERNAN LEAN > National Account Manager > Kraft Heinz > “The service provided to us by Active is invaluable to our business. Importing much of our product from Europe, some of which has limited shelf-life brings a major logistical challenge. Being able to monetize excess stock saved prevented write-off costs. And having dollars to reinvest behind out brands and bolster our budgets brought substantial benefit. The professionalism of the Active team, their responsiveness and understanding of our business is exceptional. I would happily recommend Active to my peers.” > > RENA CHATTERJEE > Marketing Director > Jacobs Douwe Egberts **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Corporate trade: Paying for services with goods](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/corporate-trade-paying-for-services-with-goods/) **Published:** March 11, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ***Active International’s Financial Director Anthony Woolley discusses how corporate trade allows firms to pay for services in their own product . The article gives unique insight into how corporate trading can bring companies together for the mutual benefit of all parties.*** ***Read the full article below from [FinancialDirector.co.uk](https://www.financialdirector.co.uk/2020/03/11/corporate-trade-paying-for-services-with-goods/) and more information on Corporate Trade can be found in our [whitepaper](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/the-financial-directors-guide-to-corporate-trade.pdf).*** The multinational pharmaceutical company Perrigo had 120 lines of excess product that they were unable to sell. The product sat in a warehouse and with the product depreciating in value, Perrigo engaged in a corporate trade. They ‘traded’ their product for media time and space. For their product they bought media time on Portuguese television on networks such as SIC and TVI, while in the UK their product allowed them to advertise with media companies such as JC Decaux, Hearst Magazines and Sky. By utilising Corporate Trade (or Media Barter as it is also known), firms that have excess or unwanted stock can use their own goods to pay for services they otherwise would have paid for with cash. Active International is one such Corporate Trader, operating for more than 30 years in the UK they serve as a ‘marketplace’ between companies such as Perrigo and media owners. They buy inventory not for cash but for ‘trade credits’ which can be used to purchase advertising airtime or space, as was the case for Perrigo. So why use Corporate Trade / Media Barter? According to Anthony Woolley, financial director at Active International, it’s about fully utilising the value of their product: “Firms are using their own products and services to pay for business costs. Their own product has margin built into it. Anything a firm pays with using a pound of their own product doesn’t cost them a pound”. Unlike selling to a traditional liquidator which would usually pay below market value, corporate trade allows companies to enhance the value of their depreciating products. Corporate Trade also ‘multiplies’ the value of those goods, Woolley says. “It’s not just one for one, it’s one for more. We give you a multiple in value between one to three, what you get back is possibly up to three times as much than if you traded a straight contra-deal”. Corporate Traders such as Active International also allow companies to place restrictions on where their traded product can be sold “You can tell us who you want your product sold to or which country. Any restrictions you want to give us, that’s fine. We will work within those restrictions, and then you’ll still get a multiple of value”. ## **Flexible marketplace** Corporate Traders, like any intermediary finds its profits by using the inbuilt margins of the products being traded. However, corporate traders like Active International, are not solely middlemen. They provide a solution to the inherent issue of a direct exchange of goods or services. By being a marketplace where goods and services of different values can be exchanged, corporate trade allows businesses the flexibility to capture the value within their product and release that value at a time of their choosing. “A normal exchange requires it to happen at the same time. For us at Active, it doesn’t matter,” Woolley says. “If you suddenly have some products that you want to get rid of, you can do that. Your media spend might be over the next few years, that’s not a problem. We’ll hold that value and release it as you spend on media. The timing no longer becomes an issue”. ## **Everyone benefits** O2 the telecommunications company provides another example on why firms engage with corporate trade. O2 planned its advertising campaign as normal, using its current media buying agency. When it came time to pay for the campaign, O2 utilised corporate trade and Active International. They were able to pay for part of their media campaign using their telephony product. Furthermore, by providing telephony services, O2 was able to secure additional contracts through Active’s media contacts and other corporate partners. Simon Valcarcel, head of creative and media at O2 said “We have worked with Active as a valued partner for over seven years, over this period they have helped O2 to gain over £10m of new business contracts from a number of our key corporate targets by allowing them to part fund the cost of working with us in product”. Media companies are also a willing and long-time partner in corporate trade. “Media owner partners are able to use their media space to pay for business costs that otherwise they would have had to pay for with cash. In addition, corporate trade helps to convert stagnant assets into advertising spending bringing new revenue to the market”, Woolley says. “The media owners get a bigger advertising budget that’s going through them and they still get full benefit because although we don’t necessarily pay them all in cash, they get paid in a business cost that they would have had to pay any way”. ##### [![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/corporate-trade-paying-for-services-with-goods.jpg)](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/corporate-trade-paying-for-services-with-goods.jpg)*The corporate trade business model* ## **Tried and tested** While corporate trade is not that well-known outside of the media industry, there is a wide range of companies that use it to generate value. Active International for example works with over 150 clients in the UK including blue chip clients like British Airways, O2 and John Lewis as well as ScaleUp brands such as Habito and Eve Sleep. Woolley says “Corporate trade helps firms pay for services that they need with what they have”. More information on corporate trade can be found in our [whitepaper](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/the-financial-directors-guide-to-corporate-trade.pdf) Click to see original article taken from [financialdirector.co.uk](https://www.financialdirector.co.uk/2020/03/11/corporate-trade-paying-for-services-with-goods/) **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Trading Spaces - How Corporate Trade can help your Travel & Hospitality Business](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business/) **Published:** September 2, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **The similarities between Travel and Media industries** The Travel & Hospitality industry has a lot in common with the Media industry. Whether its hotel rooms, flights, TV space or poster sites, both rely on a high occupancy rate to stay profitable. The demand dynamics for both industries are the same. When demand is high, both industries wish for more inventory, but during slow times, unsold inventory does not help to offset substantial fixed costs. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business-1.png) ## **How can Corporate Trade help with fluctuating demand and unsold inventory?** The **Travel & Hospitality** industry need high occupancy rates for their rooms / flights / seats and to do this they need to advertise to drive both volume of sales and differentiation in the market. Advertising can be a large expense without a guaranteed return on investment. The **Advertising & Media** industry also need brands to fill their media spaces and have business expenses of their own that they need to pay for. This is where Active International’s expertise in Corporate Trade comes in. Corporate Trade (or Media Barter as it is also known) creates a marketplace where excess inventory, goods and services can be exchanged and add significant extra value to all parties. *Corporate trade allows companies to use what they **have** to pay for what they **need**.* ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business-2.png) ## **How does Corporate Trade work?** Corporate Trade (or Corporate Barter as it is often known) provides powerful solutions to a business by helping to partly fund media advertising costs using their existing products, services or even assets. Active works with three different models of Corporate Trade that can each be tailored for a company’s specific needs: **Guaranteed ROI –** *Used for businesses looking to gain measurable ROI from marketing spend* **Marketing Solutions –** *Increase in media spend using inventory and services* **Value Restoration –** *Used to mitigate costs involving slow moving inventory* ## **How has Active International brought Media and Travel businesses together?** Active has consistently delivered significant **new** business to over 30 Travel Partners, establishing new customer bases and managing bookings through their in-house ABTA, IATA and ATOL accredited Travel Agency. ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business-3.png) ![](../../../wp-content/themes/activeinternational/assets/images/insights/trading-spaces-how-corporate-trade-can-help-your-travel-hospitality-business-4.png) ## **Benefits of Working with Active for Travel & Hospitality Business** - The ability to part-pay for advertising using products or services - Create new sales channels from Active’s partner networks - Preserves brand equity - Increase media spend by releasing capital tied up in products or services - Test additional or new media channels - Full visibility and control on how goods and services are traded - Media Agency plans and buys media as normal and Active works alongside ## **Get Ahead of the Competition and Achieve More** Corporate Trade brings new value to the market through an alternative way of trading, helping the Travel and Hospitality industry to preserve their cash reserves and make best use of their inventory to bring in new business or pay business costs. With more competition than ever for a share of the consumer’s wallet, using Corporate Trade to fund advertising is an ideal way of working smarter rather than harder. To learn more about how Corporate Trade can help your business please contact [Mark Henson](mailto:mark.henson@activeinternational.com) our Head of New Business. **Categories:** Articles --- ### [As Seen on TV](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/as-seen-on-tv/) **Published:** September 7, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **We are proud to announce and present our very own TV advertisement.** At Active, we are always telling our clients that TV advertising is fantastic at delivering transformative effects for advertisers and their brands, so we thought we should lead by example and give it a go! Working in collaboration with our partners at Sky Media (totally virtually) throughout the lockdown period, we have produced an advert that represents Active International and all the great work we do. **SEEN OUR ADVERT AND WANT TO KNOW MORE?** The Corporate Trade model allows businesses to use their products, services, media inventory or assets to help fund advertising spend. We have successfully provided solutions to businesses across a range of industries and sectors in the UK, see our [Testimonials](../../../insights/?cat=19) to see what our clients have to say about us. The efficiency of paying for advertising with product or media inventory has helped our Corporate Clients and Media Owners reduce their cash outlay and increase the profitability of their business. **ACHIEVING MORE** We work closely with clients, aligning business priorities and identifying where the most value can be generated. ***Primary areas where additional value can be delivered are:*** – Guaranteeing a volume of new sales – Increasing or protecting media budgets – Restoring full value for write-down/end of line stock From iconic British brands to scale up disrupters, we have helped create extra value by allowing the funding of advertising to be part-paid with products, inventory and services. **THE PROCESS** Once engaged, we will work alongside the client’s existing media agency (there is no requirement to change agencies) to determine the elements of the media plan that are tradable. After the plan has been assessed, we will confirm the volume of new business, additional media or stock purchase that will be generated. **LONG TERM BENEFITS** Long-established partnerships with the UK’s leading Media Owners and Media Agencies have ensured that our clients have access to all media channels and enable us to deliver consistent commercial value to our clients. **TAILORED TO YOUR BUSINESS** To understand more about how Active could help your business, contact us on 0207 520 6666 or head to our [Contact Us](../../contact-us "Contact Us") page. **Categories:** News --- ### [Complex Transactions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/complex-transactions/) **Published:** October 1, 2018 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Dennis Quinn, Executive Vice President, Chief Media and Digital Enterprise Officer, Active International** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Dennis Quinn has more than two decades of experience running traditional media and digital businesses. Prior to joining Active in 2010, he was President, Sales and Marketing for Channel M and previously Executive Vice President, Business Development at Turner Broadcasting. Prior to joining Turner, Quinn served as a Captain in the United States Air Force.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](../../../)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## Will you discuss the transformation taking place in Active’s media and digital business? We’re very close to our clients, so we often take part in their planning process to understand where they’re going, what their needs are going to be for the next 12 to 18 months, and what they’re launching. We can either develop that expertise in-house or we can go out and identify companies with very smart people to purchase and bring their practices and platforms in-house and ramp up that way. Atypical from our core business where we’re trading with media vendors and are non-disclosed on the media costs to the clients to protect the transactions of our media vendors, we are fully transparent on our pricing on the programmatic and social side. There has been much written about the lack of transparency and many questions are being raised about how traditional agencies are making a lot of money outside of the purview of their clients’ arrangements. We decided to flip that model on its head and are fully transparent. In fact, we run much of our business through our clients directly, using their seats at the trading desks and their tools. We charge a fee that they pay partially with cash and partially with trade credits. This is so they can see every cost and every fee throughout that entire ecosystem. As we looked at the marketplace, it appeared that data, identification and targeting were central in this digital environment, so we made a strategic investment in AlmondNet with offices in New York and Israel. They have two companies within their holding group – Intent IQ, which is a deterministic device graph built on real data. It enables targeting and retargeting of clients. It also drives efficiencies and results for all of our clients. The other company we’ve taken an investment partnership position in is Datonics, which is a data marketplace. All of the branded research companies that are supplying data charge clients premium pricing and they continue to scale. Datonics went to them to start a private-label business completely focused on cost. We don’t promote the fact that it includes branded product in there – we just call it the Datonics marketplace. We’re now installing this in all the DSPs – it’s a dropdown and we’re moving our clients to this platform. It’s another financial solution with the same performance and data, but at a lower price. In the national television marketplace each year, whether it’s broadcast or cable, ratings and delivery has reduced by an average of 11 percent and yet media prices have increased 8 percent compounded. One of our solutions was to create an unwired market platform that we call XACTV. Essentially, we buy local inventory in targeted programming across the nation on a local basis and we aggregate it up to a national delivery. Because local inventory has much more flexibility, there’s more supply there and we have pricing elasticity that wouldn’t have existed in the general marketplace. We can also offer efficiencies to clients no matter whether they are solely XACTV clients or when we bring an Active client to XACTV. We started this program four years ago. The first year, we did it manually and ran $3 million through the pipeline. It was labor intensive, but at that point, we decided that, if we were getting into the marketplace, we had to come up with automation that no one else had. Our chief of staff had a relationship with IBM and they had an affiliate company called EssecTec, which we on-boarded. They spent most of year one and the first two quarters of year two with a bunch of their programmers and data scientists sitting next to our XACTV buyers to see what they did, how they did it, and what kind of reporting they needed. Then they started developing different elements of the platform. In year three, we ran $19 million through this platform on an automated basis, and this past year, we ran $38 million through it and we expect to run $50 million through it this year. We looked at our media partners and realized their choke points were also in the local TV area, so we’re starting to take some of the three pillars that we use on this platform to address buying local as opposed to buying local to aggregate to national. It isn’t significantly different, but the ratings and tracking are significantly different. As we get those platforms up, we’ll go to those media vendors. On the optimization side, we have four different optimizers that we work with. We had one built off-shore and had EssecTec build another here. We have machine learning that runs independently of those two, and then we have a neural network that sits on top of those that reads and learns from those three and gives a recommendation. When we upload the KPIs for a client and identify what shows they don’t want to be in, it takes about 25 minutes to get those four plans down with recommendations and the buyer selects one. Then, once everything works well, it tells them, market by market, the lowest rate for each station and program, how much money we cleared there, what our mean rate was, and what percentage of trade we have left. We instantly can see whether or not we need to add trade to that and then talk to the station. Once that is validated, with the click of a button, it drops into a spreadsheet and goes to the independent reps. As soon as we update a trade, it gets updated in the financial model that we use to look at every single trade we have. When we have the data we have built a deal on with all of the assumptions, that all gets dumped into this and we can track it. We would like to turn over cash on an investment at least three times a year because that tells us that we’re working efficiently and that we can produce the spread our clients require and the profit they’re after. Overall, we have moved way beyond barter to complex transactions where we have real skin in the game. **Categories:** News --- ### [Active International Spain announces acquisition of The Digital Gate Media Agency](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/active-international-spain-announces-acquisition-of-the-digital-gate-media-agency/) **Published:** June 19, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Active International have announced the successful acquisition of The Digital Gate media consultancy today. The acquisition of The Digital Gate by Active International will bring the agency into a global network of more than 500 employees operating in 14 countries. Active International is headquartered in New York, USA and is the world leader within the Corporate Trade industry turning over 2,000M US annually. In 2012 they established operations in Madrid, Spain. Active specialises in financial and commercial solutions for their clients by generating value on assets and slow-moving inventories. The Digital Gate is an independent media consultancy agency founded by Alberto San Agustin in 2015 with his partners Javier Diaz Colmenar, Jose Luis Peino and Javier Navarro. “The acquisition of TDG is a necessary and exciting step forward that will strengthen our capabilities, especially digital ones; allowing us to continue offering our customers the best solutions and ensuring they can continue to innovate in their businesses “said Luis Platón, Managing Director of Active International Spain on the acquisition. Luis Platón also stated that *“Both companies will continue to operate as independent entities but will create a joint service portfolio invigorating business between us. This will reinforce the positioning / services of Active International and offer commercial agility to our shared clients.”* The partners at TDG stated *“We will continue to provide the same level of quality and service that has allowed us to grow quickly; having the support of Active International will allow both companies to share clients, technical expertise and best practices across the global network. It is a very good opportunity for the TDG team to continue growing and accelerate the level of development in innovation and technology that we have projected in our business plan.”* **Categories:** News --- ### [ANA AFM 2017: Achieve More in the What's Next Economy](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/ana-afm-2017-achieve-more-in-the-whats-next-economy/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** The volatile, shape-shifting business environment—fueled by accelerating change in technology and consumer behavior. As a result of this economy, boundaries are disappearing. Companies are no longer content, or able, to stay in their swim lanes. **Categories:** Videos --- ### [The Media Purchasing Process](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/the-media-purchasing-process/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Aligning with client goals and forecasting future needs. **Categories:** Videos --- ### [Active provides sustainable commercial solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/active-provides-sustainable-commercial-solutions-2/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “We have worked with Active for over a decade. Throughout that time they have been able to work seamlessly within our existing remarketing structure as well as allowing Young’s to pay part cash part trade in facilitating over £10m of barterable media. By paying us in a multiple of Trade Credits for our excess stock we have been able to drive greater efficiencies in our media buying, while at the same time provide cost savings to other areas of the business. This established partnership has allowed us to work with a great team that has consistently provided sustainable commercial solutions, making a significant contribution to our business.” **Categories:** Videos --- ### [Active and O2 Enters a new vertical](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/active-and-o2-enters-a-new-vertical-2/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “We have worked with Active as a valued partner for over 7 years, over this period they have helped O2 to gain over £10m of new business contracts from a number of our key corporate targets by allowing them to part fund the cost of working with us in product, I look forward to working with Active in the future to drive even more value for the business” **Categories:** Videos --- ### [How Companies Benefit](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/how-companies-benefit/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Driving efficiencies, generating cost savings, improving business performance and providing value to underperforming assets. **Categories:** Videos --- ### [Active's partnership with Dreams continues to drive media value.](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/actives-partnership-with-dreams-continues-to-drive-media-value-2/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** “I have been working with Active International for over 6 years most recently in my role as CMO of Dreams and previously at Domino’s Pizza and House of Fraser. Partnering with Active has proven to be an effective way of driving value for my business either by incrementing the marketing budget or generating additional sales from the media spend we place. All this is achieved in conjunction with my media agency and without changing any of our current planning processes. I would not hesitate to recommend Active to any of my contacts” **Categories:** Videos --- ### [Power Your Advertising](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/power-your-advertising/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **POWER YOUR ADVERTISING** Working with Active International enables you to fund your advertising using your company’s own products, assets or even services. We have over 30 years of experience bringing value and connecting businesses all over the globe, helping many brands scale up into household names. Want to achieve more with your marketing spend? Contact Active International today. **Categories:** Videos --- ### [Client Testimonial: Bloom & Wild](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/videos/client-testimonial-bloom-wild/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Categories:** Videos --- ### [Turbulent Times: What happens if Brands stop Advertising](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/articles/turbulent-times-what-happens-if-brands-stop-advertising/) **Published:** April 23, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## **5 reasons brands should continue advertising during a downturn** Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, global markets are in turmoil and warnings of an imminent recession are spreading. The instinct of many business leaders is a focus on cashflow preservation. Marketing budgets are often the first to be cut as leaders seek to yield noticeable returns quickly. And in the short-term, this can help. However, economist Peter Field, backed by numerous studies, has warned that while cutting ad budgets is a temporary fix to a short-term deficit, it could put brands at a significant competitive disadvantage during the recovery period. ### **1. CONSUMER SHARE OF MIND IS HARD TO RECOUP** **Consumers tend to make decisions using “System 1” thinking – at the subconscious level** Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman uncovered that most consumer decisions, are made subconsciously and automatically – known as ‘System 1’ thinking. It is said that only 5% of our cognitive activity is experienced at a conscious level. **Brands within a consumer’s initial consideration set are 3X more likely to be purchased** The brands that reach consumers at multiple touchpoints become part of a consumer’s initial consideration set of brands. McKinsey & Company has discovered that brands within this initial consideration set can be up to three times more likely to be purchased. Even though consumers readily switch brands at the time of purchase, McKinsey & Company discovered that 69% of the brands that consumers switched to were part of their initial consideration set when they started shopping. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/95-percent-of-our-cognitive-activity-is-subcon-1.png) ### **2.INCREASED RECOVERY COSTS OUTWEIGH SHORT-TERM SAVINGS** **A Detriment to Future Sales** Various studies about advertising during times of economic downturn have shown that companies that fail to maintain share of mind during those times are likely to jeopardize current and future sales. Cutting media and marketing spend can save a company money in the short-term, and they may not see any negative effects. However, over time their share of market and share of voice will deteriorate, and the impact to sales will be felt. Binet found that firms that cut their ad spend increased 20-30% decreases in sales and income. Likewise, a study by Tony Hiller of 1,000 firms in the USA and Europe found that firms that decreased their ad spend saw a 0.8% loss during their recovery period. **The Path to Recovery** Economist Peter Field found that it can take up to five years for brands to recover from cutting their budgets during a recession. While investing heavily in advertising following the crisis could help get back to pre-crisis levels more quickly, the cost of doing so would be substantially greater than the savings from cost cutting in the first place. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/case-study-mcdonalds-1.png) ### **3.BRAND-BUILDING NOW LEADS TO LONG-TERM PROFITABILITY** **Reduced Marketplace “Noise”** Recessions offer a rare opportunity for brands to improve their competitive advantage through increased marketing efforts. If competitors are cutting their budgets, the longer-term benefit of maintaining marketing expenditures will be even greater. What’s more, you can do this at lower cost than when times were good. **Short and Long Term Impact on Market Share and Profitability** The studies by Binet and Hiller found that - **SHORT TERM:** brands that cut their budgets were slightly more profitable than those who maintained or increased their spend. However those gains were overshadowed in the recovery period. - **RECOVERY PERIOD:** during the first two years of the recovery period, brands that increased their marketing spend gained 1.7% of market share and experienced a 4.3% profit increase. Brand that cut their spend lost 0.8% in profit and only gained 0.6% market share. **Competitive Impact** As competitors cut their advertising budgets, a brand that increases or maintains ad spend will automatically increase its share of voice and share of market. *In essence, the brand’s spend will be more effective than it otherwise would be.* ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/media-consumption-1.png) ### **4. BENEFIT FROM A BUYER’S MARKET IN ADVERTISING** **Increased Media Consumption + Increased Media Supply** As consumers are spending more time in their homes, they are consuming an increasing amount of media. In particular, TV and digital consumption are surging. According to IRi Worldwide, it is estimated that media consumption is up 70%. Coupled with the increasing media consumption, media supply is increasing as the demand for it decreases (due to ad budget cuts). As a result, it is likely that the industry will see short-term price decreases for inventory, improving the relative efficiency of advertising spending. IRi Worldwide estimates that digital media costs are down about 40% and TV spot market costs are expected to decrease by 50%. **Prepare for More Competition, Less Avails During Recovery** Signs have pointed to a rebound as early as late Q2. When this happens, those companies that previously cut ad spend will likely flood the market. The resulting impact would be fewer avails, combined with increased competition and clutter in the marketplace. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/impact-of-ad-spend-1.png) ### **5.ACQUIRE NEW CUSTOMERS** **Brand response to the pandemic is affecting consumer behaviour** The 2020 Trust Barometer study by Edelman established the importance of brand response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 65% of consumers in the 12 global markets studied indicated that a brand’s response to the crisis will have a huge impact on their likelihood to purchase that brand in the future. This index jumps as high as 88% in China. Similarly 37% of consumers globally say they have already started using new brands as a result of the way they’ve responded to the pandemic, along with 82% of consumers in China. At the same time, consumers are punishing brands that they feel are not acting appropriately : 1/3 of consumers globally, and 76% of consumers in China have stopped using certain brands for this reason. **Consumers want brands to take action** The COVID-19 Barometer study by Kantar reports only 8% of consumers believe that brands should stop advertising during the Covid-19 outbreak whilst 74% of consumers think that companies should not exploit the situation. **Consumers are forming new habits at home** With consumers stuck at home, many are developing new habits and trying out new hobbies. Customers are trialing products they may not otherwise have considered. We expect to see brand and category shifts at an unprecedented level as consumers adjust to their “new normal.” These shifts provide an opportunity for brands to gain new customers, and remind existing customers of what they stand for. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/82-percent-1.png) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/timeline-1.png) > “Brand health becomes vulnerable when companies stop advertising…If they do this for longer than six months it destroys both short- and long-term health.” > > Jane Ostler -Global Head of Media Kantar Insights --- > “The best marketers will be upping, not cutting, their budgets … It’s one of the smartest plays in advertising and the reason why the likes of Kellogg’s, Procter & Gamble, Lucky Strike, Toyota and Colgate all have a special chapter in their corporate museums devoted to a specific recession… and won the decade that followed as a result” > > Mark Ritson, Marketing Week **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Helping Companies Achieve More](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/helping-companies-achieve-more/) **Published:** July 1, 2017 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Bill Georges, Global Chief Operating Officer, Active International** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Bill Georges joined Active in 2007, bringing more than 20 years of marketing, advertising, and sales leadership experience to the company. He was previously Senior Vice President, Advertising and Affiliate Sales for Comcast Networks and Senior Vice President at Liberty Media, spending 10-plus years at both companies. Earlier in his career, Georges played competitive tennis, competing at the U.S. Open and playing on the ATP Tennis Tour. After a sports-related injury, he transitioned to the business world, becoming Vice President of Sales and Sponsorships for the ATP tour.* ## With regard to Active’s evolution, how do you see the company positioned for the future? When the company was founded more than 30 years ago, companies primarily came to us to solve an immediate problem. Our business model provided a financial benefit that improved the bottom line for companies in virtually every industry. Over time, and based on proven results, our clients realized that we could do more for them than simply be a problem solver, that we could help them achieve more. Through the years, our business model has continued to deliver a financial benefit, and we have built upon our ability to help our clients achieve more by helping them innovate, allowing them to take more risk, enabling them to enter new channels of distribution, increase their sales, and grow their businesses more than they could on their own. Today we’re helping those clients gain a better understanding of data and audiences through the use of artificial intelligence, adtech/martech platforms and predictive modeling. As we integrate technology into our practice areas, we are positioned to be an ongoing resource for our clients. ## What level of focus has Active put on technology investments? We have made significant investments in technology, integrating artificial intelligence and predictive analytics into our business, developing proprietary adtech/martech platforms and building asset disposition platforms to expand our reach and further improve our clients’ ROI. We are also capitalizing on the technology that is available, connecting first- and third-party data with Nielsen, audience information, and attribution data. By doing so, we have a clear understanding of the most effective way to reach even the most narrow audience on behalf of our clients. ## How critical has it been for Active to maintain an innovative edge as you’ve grown? Active has been innovating since its inception, starting with the creation of a currency that never existed before. Well before Bitcoin was ever conceived, Active created the Trade Credit, which became an established alternative currency and has been in use for more than 30 years. We continue to innovate, creating new funding solutions, new products, and new services. Using data and technology, we are focused on developing solutions to help our clients achieve their desired business outcomes and to help them do it faster than they could without our help. ## As Global Chief Operating Officer, what are some of the things that keep you awake at night? With media being one of our largest practice areas, one of the things that keeps me awake at night is the question of who will win the content battle. I don’t believe content will always be delivered the way it is today. As technology continues to break new ground, there are more distribution options for content. I don’t know which brands are going to be the leaders in delivering the aggregation of that content, but I believe advertisers are going to mandate that the market be more open. Understanding how and when that will happen is critical in ensuring that we can apply our business model to deliver ongoing value to our clients and media suppliers. In addition, with the disruption caused by technology, I continue to think about how we ensure our people have the skills they need to deliver value to our clients. Our most important asset is our great people. They deliver innovative, high-value solutions. Ensuring they have the tools and training they need and also making sure we continue to hire the right talent for tomorrow’s marketplace are of the utmost importance to me. ## What are the factors that will determine which content providers will win? Consumers are going to decide. They have more information and choice than ever before, and they let us know every day that they are in charge. They are telling us they want a frictionless experience, that they want convenience and quality, and that they expect a consistent and positive experience across all the interaction points. From an Active perspective, we are staying focused on what consumers desire so that we can provide the most effective ways for our clients to reach them. ## Have the type of solutions you offer today changed the client relationship? The core of what we do has not changed, but how we do it has changed dramatically. We have expanded our solutions to help our clients achieve more in more operating areas across their enterprise. While media is our core practice area, we have practice areas in asset disposition, retail marketing, travel and hospitality, freight and logistics (supply chain), and lighting. Built on our core model and with more than three decades of experience, we now provide business solutions that reach into the highest levels of finance, procurement, and marketing. We need to understand what our clients want to achieve as a business, which means we also reach into the C-suite so we can understand their vision and help them get there sooner. By applying more of a consultative approach, we are able to apply our business model throughout their organization to help them achieve their goals. Today, we’ve gone beyond solving an immediate, short-term problem. Although we still do that too. **Categories:** News --- ### [Global Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/global-solutions/) **Published:** July 1, 2017 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Dean Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, International Division, Active International** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Dean Wilson joined Active International in 2002 and in 2016 became Chief Executive Officer of the International Division. He has worked in the media industry since graduating from Leeds University in 1994. Prior to joining Active International, he held various commercial roles at Television Sales and Marketing Services Ltd., Channel Four Television Corporation, and ITV Digital.* ## Will you provide an overview of Active’s international operations and where you see the greatest growth opportunities? Active’s headquarters are in New York and we currently have offices in 15 countries around the world. We’ve invested heavily in our international division and the scope of our international operations gives Active a footprint that none of our independent competition can match. We expect our growth will come from our top markets, which are the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, and Mexico. We also have smaller operations in some of the Latin American countries like Chile, and we’re also in Spain, but growth will primarily come from Europe and North America. ## Are the services and solutions that Active is offering in each of these countries consistent or are they tailored to the individual markets? In terms of the business solutions, we offer very similar services across our markets. Australia and the U.K. have some client solutions that are a bit different, but our core business model is consistent across all of our markets. Whether we are helping our clients to optimize asset value, extend and optimize a marketing budget, or realize incremental sales, we are focused on enabling our clients to achieve their specific business outcomes. Media is our core practice area, with about 90 percent of our revenues coming from media. Our global media teams are fluent across linear and digital media, across adtech/martech, and fully utilize programmatic and other platforms to deliver media efficiently and effectively for our clients. We hire local media professionals in each market, experts who come from media agencies as well as media companies. vFrom an asset disposition perspective, we are able to purchase and redistribute assets globally. This provides local brands, as well as multinationals, with the opportunity to benefit from our business model no matter where they are located. This is a significant benefit of doing business with Active – we are not limited by borders. ## Do the international markets have the same level of understanding of Active’s products and business? The U.K. stands out as being the most sophisticated European market because clients and agencies have already invested a lot of time into understanding and promoting our business model. Markets like Canada, Australia, and France are just behind the U.K. and are growing in their understanding of the benefits of our business model. ## How do you work with multinational brands? When working with multinational companies, we usually partner with corporate headquarters to manage inventory or asset shifts across multiple markets. Our clients are able to utilize our services globally, regardless of where the relationship or transaction was initiated. This includes the purchase and resale of an asset to the placement of media or other services such as retail marketing, travel and hospitality, freight, and lighting. While having a local office in a particular market is beneficial, we don’t necessarily need an office in a particular location to work with a client there. For example, in Germany we service Switzerland and Austria. From France, we work with clients in Belgium, and from Spain we offer services in Portugal. Of course, in addition to our multinational capabilities, we do business locally in each of our markets. Thanks to technology, the world is a much smaller place and we are able to work with our clients wherever they are located. Our infrastructure, our footprint, and our experience make it seamless for our clients, and on a global basis our focus is on helping our clients achieve more. ## What opportunities does China offer for Active, and is that a focus for you as you look for future growth? China and Australia are two important focuses for us in the Asia-Pacific region. China, in particular, has provided a great opportunity, especially around asset disposition, and they also have a growing and developing media ecosystem that offers great opportunity for us. These two markets offer bigger opportunities than any other international market. ## When it comes to hiring talent in these countries, what do you look for, and how important is the investment that Active makes in training its people? Finding the right talent to lead our businesses is based on a few core skills and values, such as a real passion for our clients, and a desire to be part of the team and get everyone motivated around our clients goals. It also requires real resilience. It takes a lot of effort to be a pioneer and to establish and grow a business. It also requires training and development. Over the past couple of years, we have put global training programs in place. This resulted from a recognition that the global marketplace is no longer siloed and that as an organization, we could no longer be siloed if we wanted to deliver the best outcomes for our clients and for our own business. We committed to increasing the relationships between our global offices to increase the collaboration and communication. There has also been a large investment in leadership coaching and training people, as well as on general sales and business processes. We have also raised our game as it relates to investing in talent for our business for the future. ## Do you look to hire nationals within those countries who can grow and run the businesses? Ideally, we would hire the head of a local business unit who has a very strong understanding of media in that market and a very high degree of credibility. We’re always looking at developing leadership, which comes from the media sales side of the business. With our international business, we look for those with the tenacity to reach the goals that we set. Leadership and experience are both equally as important when it comes to hiring. ## How has Active’s focus shifted to help clients achieve better results? We’ve instituted a shift toward a more solutions-based model to assist our clients on a broader level. We have also seen more creativity in the types of solutions we can offer clients and how quickly we can offer them. Our focus has always been, and will be, on helping our clients achieve more. **Categories:** News --- ### [Multifaceted Financial Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/multifaceted-financial-solutions/) **Published:** October 1, 2018 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Bill Georges, Global Chief Operating Officer, Active International** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Bill Georges joined Active in 2007, bringing more than 20 years of marketing, advertising, and sales leadership experience to the company. He was previously Senior Vice President, Advertising and Affiliate Sales for Comcast Networks and Senior Vice President at Liberty Media, spending 10-plus years at both companies. Earlier in his career, Georges played competitive tennis, competing at the U.S. Open and playing on the ATP Tennis Tour. After a sports-related injury, he transitioned to the business world, becoming Vice President of Sales and Sponsorships for the ATP tour.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## How has Active’s business evolved from its early days and how do you define the company today? When many people hear the word “barter,” they lump us into the category of being a private method of getting themselves perks. That’s why we transitioned from barter into corporate trade. That jump separated us from that exchange of goods and services to a place where we were viewed as helping entities with balance sheet problems. However, we don’t want clients to feel they should only be talking to us when they have a dire need. Since we were typically introduced to clients when they had a problem that they didn’t have a solution for, we got tied to that problem, rather than being viewed as a firm that was so creative it could proactively help them in ways that few other firms could. No one wanted to talk about the fact that they were using corporate trade because it insinuated that they had some big problem they were trying to get out of. Overall, Active is evolving to the partner our clients turn to in order to help them be more agile in the marketplace and achieve more in their businesses, beyond just solving their inventory problems. We have also made large investments in technology to have the tools to be trading more astutely than anyone else in the space, and guide our clients to the best business solutions for them. ## How important has it been to engage Active’s workforce on this new direction and have you had to bring in new talent to help with this transition? While we have brought in some new talent mainly in the technology area, we find that most of our people here have embraced that we need to help our clients gain a better understanding of our capabilities and help clients navigate ways to achieve more in their businesses. For instance, one of our clients in the fast-food industry wanted to try out some different meals. The CMO told us that if they didn’t have Active providing a safety net and Active helping them promote the meals in a cost-effective manner so they could reduce their risk, they would never had taken a chance on these new meals. Bringing multifaceted financial solutions to brands so they are able mitigate their risk and achieve more is a far different solution than we may have been considered for in the past. ## Have new players entered the space and how do you define the Active advantage? A few new companies have popped up, but most of them are small. Their models are also somewhat different than what we do. The holding companies used to tell their clients to avoid us and now every one of them has what they’re calling a barter or corporate exchange or some form of discounted media. It’s great that they have entered the space because it validates what has been going on here for 35 years. My fear regarding where they’re taking it is that they’re dumbing down the business and making it all about getting discounted media. They’re not creating leverage or value like we do or creating value for the other side of the equation – they are just doing what they have always done – aggregating and aggravating. The direction Active is heading in is a client-focused approach of creating measurable value, as well as helping them talk to the audiences they need to reach through technologies like AI. By doing this, we will not only be able to analyze our clients’ current customer base, but also deliver like-minded incremental audiences to truly increase reach and sales. ## How much of a need is there for Active to educate clients about these solutions and innovations? Our clients are having a fuller understanding of all of the different ways we can apply our model to help them add measurable value to their business. As each client experiences the value and the efficiencies others just can’t provide, they have become great evangelists and our business continues to grow. New partners are beginning to understand just how much our model can improve their business results and how many different products we have. Many are surprised at how far ahead we are with AI and even more are using our unwired platform, XACTV. Whether a long-term client of 10-plus years or a new client, all are clear that with Active they achieve more. **Categories:** News --- ### [Achieving More Through Corporate Trade](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/achieving-more-through-corporate-trade/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Elizabeth Topazio, President, Active Travel, Active International** ## EDITOR’S NOTE *Elizabeth Topazio is President and Chief Legal Officer of Active Travel. She has more than 25 years of experience structuring corporate trading transactions with travel suppliers (hotels, airlines, rental car companies, and cruise lines) and corporate travel purchasers so that each may achieve additional value through corporate trading. Prior to joining Active in 1994, Liz Topazio was an M&A associate at Orloff, Lowenbach in New Jersey from 1992 to 1994, and at Dechert LLP in Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1992. She’s a member of the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania bars and graduated from Villanova University Law School in 1988 with a J.D., cum laude, and Georgetown University, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service with a B.S.F.S., magna cum laude. She participates in a variety of charitable endeavors and is on the Advisory Board for Animal Alliance of New Jersey.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)), the global leader in corporate trade, consults with Fortune 1000 companies on ways to leverage their enterprise assets, typically excess consumer packaged goods, real estate, and capital equipment, to purchase pre-budgeted expenses like media, retail marketing, events and hospitality, freight and logistics, and LED lighting and displays. Founded in 1984, Active International is based in New York, has over $2 billion in gross trading volume and has offices in 14 countries.* ## Will You Discuss Active Travel’s Services and Solutions? Active Travel is the travel and hospitality division of Active International, a global leader in corporate trade. It is comprised of a team of experienced corporate traders who are also travel professionals, committed to delivering additional value to both travel suppliers and purchasers through corporate trading. Active Travel is not a travel agency. Rather it maintains a unique closed travel distribution channel of clients (travel suppliers and purchasers) who have entered into corporate trading transactions with it. With respect to hotels, this means it only makes available for booking by its corporate clients and their agents those hotel properties owned and/or managed by its hotelier clients (owners, REITS, management companies, asset managers, etc.). ## How Do You Define the Value that Active Travel Provides for its Clients? Active Travel customizes corporate trading transactions to deliver the additional value desired by each client. Statistics show most corporate clients booking hotel stays are looking to realize cash savings, while at the same time, hotelier clients are looking to maximize revenues and increase market share. While these benefits may seem in conflict, through corporate trading Active Travel can deliver the additional value desired by each of them. For instance, many corporate clients hold trade credits issued by Active International, while many hotelier clients have received a commitment from Active Travel to make cash bookings in their hotel properties. When Active Travel accepts a client’s trade credits (in lieu of cash) as partial payment for bookings at hotel properties owned or managed by its hotelier clients, and then Active Travel pays the hotel properties 100 percent in cash for such bookings, it delivers the value desired by each. ## How Do Clients Make Bookings? For group stays (meetings and/or events), since hoteliers are looking for new market share, Active Travel only books “new” group business (of course Active can book repeat stays for any corporate client initially cleared as new business). Clients and/or their agents select hotel properties (owned or managed by hotelier clients) from Active’s Travel Portfolio. Once selected, and prior to sending any requests for proposals (“RFPs”) to any selected hotel property, Active Travel pre-clears the proposed group with each selected hotel property to determine if the booking would constitute “new” business to it. Clearance usually takes no more than a business day. Once cleared, the client or its agent can send its RFP directly to the hotel property (including via Cvent or a national account manager), or Active Travel can also forward. Active Travel will also make introductions, if and as needed. Additionally, since Active Travel charges no commissions or fees for its services (and there is never any obligation to book any hotel property), any booking commissions customarily paid by hotel properties will continue to be paid to our client’s agents. In rare instances, corporate trading transactions with the hotelier client may provide for non-commissionable rates. In such cases, Active Travel will advise the client/agent in advance so they can take this into consideration when evaluating whether to book. Of course, clients continue to earn any brand loyalty points when booking at hotel properties in accordance with each loyalty program’s rules. Transient stays are booked by Active Travel’s onsite reservation center. ## Are the Rates Competitive? To maintain the integrity of the process and assure clients they are getting competitive rates, Active Travel never negotiates with hotel properties on behalf of clients. With respect to group bookings, clients and/or their agents negotiate all rates, terms, and concessions (and makes site inspections) directly with each hotel property as they normally would. Additionally, because under the corporate trading transactions hotel properties are being paid 100 percent in cash and gaining new market share, they are very competitive and motivated to win the business. For transient stays, the applicable rate is the lowest prevailing rate available from the hotel property to the general public at the time of the reservation request. ## If the Hotel Gets 100% Cash, How Does the Client Use Trade Credits? For most of its group clients, Active Travel implements trade credit usage after they stay and pay the hotel property by redeeming for cash the agreed upon amount of trade credit usage. This allows the client and its agent to negotiate and enter into a group contract with the hotel property that does not reference trade credit usage. Concurrently upon a client entering into a group contract, Active Travel enters into an event authorization with them that sets forth the costs eligible for trade credit usage, i.e., room rate costs, and the percentage amount of such costs that Active Travel will accept in trade credits (in lieu of cash), i.e., 25 percent of room rate costs payable in trade credits, with balance paid in cash. Upon the client (or hotel property) providing Active Travel evidence of payment for the group stay, the agreed upon trade credit usage is implemented by paying the client a lump sum cash payment (and reducing their trade credit balance) by the agreed upon trade credit usage amount. While this is the method preferred by most clients, Active Travel also can customize the process to be “payment agent” and accept a cash and trade credit payment directly from the client. From there, Active Travel will pay the hotel property 100 percent in cash in accordance with the group contract. With respect to transient bookings, they are booked with Active Travel’s onsite reservation center which allows for the use of trade credits at time of booking, while paying the hotel property 100 percent in cash. The guest will be provided with a confirmation indicating that room rate, taxes and resort fee, if applicable, have been prepaid in advance by Active Travel. Upon check in, the guest will have to provide a valid credit card only to cover any incidental charges. ## What Costs Are Payable in Trade Credits? Each corporate trading transaction with hospitality clients is unique. In all cases, however, room rate costs are partially payable to Active Travel via trade credits. Depending on the corporate trading transaction with the hotelier client, trade credits may also be used to pay Active Travel for group banquet food and beverage, meeting rental costs, daily resort fees and other costs. Clients always know up front (and in the event authorization) when a selected hotel property from Active’s Travel Portfolio includes costs, other than room rate costs, partially payable to Active Travel with trade credits. ## What About Clients that Don’t Own Trade Credits? Active Travel can deliver the same amount of value to clients that may not own trade credits. In fact, Active Travel has many clients that enter into corporate trading transactions that do not include the issuance or use of trade credits. ## What Other Additional Value Do Hotelier Clients Get? In addition to shifting new market share and maximizing revenues into their hotel properties, as discussed above, all transient bookings made by Active Travel’s reservation center are booked on a non-commissionable basis, delivering lower booking acquisition costs and higher revenues. Additionally, Active Travel’s experienced travel team acts as a no cost extension of each hotel property’s sales department to market and promote their property to Active Travel’s clients as a new closed distribution channel. Of course, the hotel property also gets the trading benefit promised in the underlying corporate trading transaction as discussed above. Ultimately, corporate trading is a win-win business for everyone involved. —- ##### *“I plan quite a few events for my company and work with Active on a regular basis. I very much enjoy working with Active as they are extremely prompt in responding to my requests, they have stellar customer service and having the ability to negotiate directly with the hotels, I know that I am receiving the best value on behalf of my organization. They are always helpful in making my events seamless.”* ##### **-Breanna Clemens, Digital Trends** **Categories:** News --- ### [International Capabilities](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/international-capabilities/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Gemma Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer, International Division** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Gemma Atkinson joined Active International in 2011 as Head of Business Development, where she developed and implemented sales strategies for advertisers and media agencies. Since June 2018, Atkinson has been International COO and is responsible for helping to set strategy and develop long-term partnerships.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full-service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## Will you discuss your focus as International COO for Active? As COO, I spend 50 percent of my time working on the U.K. operation and the other 50 percent focused on developing our international network, which reaches across Europe, Australia, Canada and Mexico. Our International ambition is to be the corporate trade company of choice, both for our expertise and the way we work. Across International we are committed to investing in our people and developing a culture that celebrates creativity and collaboration. Our expertise is located across many sectors and we do not fit neatly into one box. This means our breadth and depth of experience enables us to flex, adapt and lead in a changing landscape. ## How do you see Active’s future? The future is full of both possibility and opportunity. After 35 years of global success, we are looking forward to continuing to deliver commercial innovation for our partners. In the immediate term across International, we are excited to be working on the development of a three-year plan which focuses on our key operating framework. To achieve more and amplify positive business outcomes for our partners, we need to ruthlessly prioritize. Our focus is on building and maintaining meaningful relationships with partners of today and of tomorrow. We will listen to understand and then act. We are borne of entrepreneurs and we want to build a company that continues to think and act in that way every day with every opportunity. ## Is there still an education process in international markets when it comes to understanding Active’s services and solutions? The education process will always be important to Active, and we want people to work with us because they fully understand our offering. When we meet with clients around the table, with representatives across functions from marketing, procurement, financial and sales, understanding is the key ingredient to a great relationship. We want people to challenge us and bring us into their business opportunities and challenges. We have spent a significant amount of time over the past two years in the U.K. going out to our agencies, clients and media partners to ascertain how Corporate Trade can help accelerate their businesses. The more we understand their business, the more we can deliver material and meaningful solutions. We have spent time across the countries refining our internal values and understanding how these can galvanize people to think about what is possible. One of the values that resonates with me, and that demonstrates how Active continues to transform, is creativity. The team at Active has the creativity to wrestle with ideas, to stimulate different ways of thinking about challenges and opportunities and to arrive at solutions that add value through insight. Simon Sinek has a quote that I think sums up our approach to our leadership, to our talent, to our culture and to our business practice: “Leadership is not about being in charge, leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” **Categories:** News --- ### [Operational Excellence](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/operational-excellence/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Liz Margolis, Executive Vice President, Corporate Operations and Planning** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Liz Margolis is responsible for leading operational activities for Active’s U.S. Operation. She joined Active in 1992 as a media assistant and has advanced into positions with increased responsibility, including Media Coordinator, Buyer, Account Director, Systems & Operations Manager, and Associate Director of Media Operations. Most recently, she was SVP, Director of Media Operations. She received a B.A. with a specialty in international business from St. Thomas Aquinas College.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full-service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## Will you discuss your career progression at Active and how your role has evolved? When I first started, the company only had about 70 employees. I started in an entry-level position as a media assistant. Through the years, we grew at a rapid pace and as we evolved into new areas of focus, we had to also institute new ways of reporting and transacting. My role evolved as we grew. Most of the positions I have held have been self-created based on the evolving needs of the organization. I was at the forefront of deciding what processes and improvements we needed, which naturally led to me running the overall operations of the organization. ## How critical has it been for your role to have close collaboration with Active’s business leaders and to be a part of business strategy? It’s vital. I have earned the trust of my colleagues because they understand that my focus is on growth, innovation and the development of others. My role spans from technology to all facets of the organization today. It’s critical that all parties align on the growth strategies we have, and that we have a well-documented plan that has buy-in from all levels. It is very important that we develop the tools to support these growth strategies. ## How do you define Active’s business today? We provide customized solutions for organizations. We position ourselves with the client at the forefront of how we operate. We are here to help our clients achieve more. Corporate trade is within our DNA and it is the backbone of what we do daily. However, we are much more than that; we build deep relationships with our clients and media vendors in an effort to deliver solutions and insights that are valuable and actionable. ## How meaningful it is to be part of a company that values diversity, especially for young people joining Active? I share my experience at Active with everyone so they can see what is possible. All employees have the potential to grow. If they’re good, solid workers who are diligent and go the extra mile, the company will be good to them. When it comes to diversity, the company chooses to focus on who is best qualified for the job. In Active’s case, there are a lot of women who are qualified and are empowered to share ideas for the growth of the company. ## What are your priorities going forward and are you happy with the progress you have made in your role at Active? I don’t know that I will ever be satisfied. With technology changing so fast, something that worked six months ago might not be the best solution any longer. We have to continuously look at the processes, infrastructure and talent and evaluate whether we’re still as effective as we need to be. **Categories:** News --- ### [Legal Expertise](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/legal-expertise/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Dayna Frank, General Counsel** ## EDITOR’S NOTE *Dayna Frank is General Counsel for Active International and provides legal counsel and support to Active’s global offices, including contract negotiation, litigation, subsidiary creation, new product launches, and policies and procedures. She also serves as Secretary to Active. She joined the company in 1996. Frank earned her L.L.M. in International Business Law, with merit, from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She received her law degree from New York Law School and a B.A. from the University of Buffalo. Frank is licensed in NY and NJ and is a member of the American Bar Association and the New York Bar Association.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full-service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## How do you define the role of General Counsel at Active? It’s very broad – the legal department pervades the entire company, from any of its new ventures to its branding and its global outreach. We do an analysis of the legal business risks when we’re looking at moving into a new area. If we’re looking at acquiring a company, we will evaluate how it fits into our overall company and do an analysis of the structure of the company to determine whether it will fit into the business as a subsidiary or an affiliate. We also help structure how we acquire new businesses. Intellectual property is also under the purview of the general counsel, so we protect the Active brand on a global basis through trademarks and registrations as well as patents and copyrights. ## Has the general counsel role become more complex as Active has expanded? I don’t know that it has become more complex, but I tell my colleagues that being an attorney working at Active is fascinating. I work with brilliant, creative people who find solutions to problems and I have to provide the legal drafts around their work to ensure that we are protected. ## How do you define Active’s business as the company has evolved? I’ve always defined Active as a financial solutions company – we had Active Capital and we were doing structured finance from early on. It’s just that when we do our initial pitch and try to explain what Active does, barter comes up. People could see that as a bad word, but it’s the oldest way of doing business and it’s easy for someone to fundamentally understand that. Our structures are all around financial solutions. Corporate trade and barter are financial solutions – it’s how we package it that makes it a more sophisticated package. At day’s end, though, it’s corporate trade and a financial solution. ## Active was built with an entrepreneurial spirit. Will you discuss the entrepreneurial culture at Active and is that harder to maintain at the size and scale of the company today? It’s harder to manage from the general counsel’s office. It has always been the hardest issue for legal to manage. It’s an administrative nightmare trying to manage the facts, the inventory and the solutions. However, the entrepreneurial spirit is what makes it fun and client-centric and what drives us to be the leader in the industry. All the questions that come up make my job harder but more fun. In the end, it’s all about what the client needs and what the company needs to grow. **Categories:** News --- ### [Creating Leverage](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/creating-leverage/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Melissa Keller, Executive Vice President, National Media** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Melissa Keller assumed her current post in May 2016. Prior to this, she was Executive Vice President-Channel Investments for Havas Media from July 2007.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full-service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## You spent much of your career on the agency side of the media business. What excited you about joining Active and has it been what you expected? Active International takes a very different approach from an agency – however, the goal of delivering value to clients and being a good media vendor partner is the same. What excited me about joining Active was their ability to create leverage on both sides: media vendors and media clients. Active’s ability to marry the two sides in a successful model has been around for more than 30 years. When every major agency holding company now has a trading arm, you know the model works. What surprised me was the dizzying array of all we offer and our ability to create leverage for quality media through everything from securing hotel rooms, in store retail pop-ups, helicopters, jets, building leases, entertainment boxes at arenas, buying unsold inventory, to furniture for new office space. Active can help companies with access to anything in exchange for access to quality inventory or the ability to place your media schedule in quality media. ## How is Active adapting to the evolving media landscape? Active is very astute at noticing trends in the marketplace and evolving with them. Our tool kit of offerings is ever expanding to serve our clients and deliver value through leverage. Because of the unique space we occupy with a well-rounded client roster matched against an impressive list of media vendors, we are able to see where emerging areas are taking shape and gaining traction early. This unique position allows us to get in early and create leverage and remain relevant to our clients on both the advertiser and vendor partner sides. ## Will you provide an overview of Active’s media capabilities? From a trading perspective, Active International offers the broadest range of capabilities in the marketplace from traditional linear TV, to audio, local, OOH, print, DR, and unwired to media disciplines under the wide umbrellas of digital and advanced TV. ## How broad is Active’s client base in media and where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth? We have a robust cross section of clients including those from QSR, CPG, travel, lawn and garden, retail, auto care, etc. – we cover a pretty expansive number of categories. From a growth in offerings perspective – I’m still a TV girl at heart and believe in the power of immediate reach and the brand building capabilities live TV delivers. What’s interesting is watching brands that were started in the digital only space realize that in order to take their business to the next level they need to invest in brand awareness tactics. We all know that TV struggles with measurement, but not with content. Measurement is not getting remedied fast enough for the marketplace, but we can’t let the pursuit of perfection hold up smart work for our clients. While we are already working in audience-based buying, addressable, OTT and VOD, a much greater emphasis will be placed there. From an advertising client perspective, I don’t really see any category that is off limits based on our model – if you have a need, we can help you. **Categories:** News --- ### [Agency Partnerships](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/agency-partnerships/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Bethany Harris, Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Bethany Harris joined Active in 2009 and has overseen Active’s business development operations strategies, as well as revenue analytics across the products offered to clients through Active’s trading model. In this role she liaises sales, client services, agency relationships, Active’s various product units and operations. With 18 years of agency and client-side experience prior to joining Active, Harris’ background includes working with brands such as Hasbro, Dairy Queen, W Hotels, Tropicana and SoBe Lifewater. Her agency roles were at Grey Advertising, G-Whiz Youth and Entertainment Marketing and The Arnell Group and on the client side, she was the Consumer Marketing Director at Penguin Publishing.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full-service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## Will you discuss your new role leading Agency Partnerships for Active? I oversee how Active partners with agencies to jointly bring more value to our clients. We also help agencies in other ways by providing services or capabilities that they might not be able to provide themselves. Active also helps agencies understand the marketplace a bit more, as we have a very unique purview given we are inside so many agencies and clients. ## How important is it when building relationships with the agencies that Active is seen as a partner and not a replacement for their employees? It’s critical. I’ve been on the agency side and understand how strange it feels to have someone come in and start executing your buys. I find going into the agencies, explaining how the barter model works and taking them through how it’s particularly going to work for their client is key. Once they see what it can do for their clients, it’s easy for them to get on board and be a part of it. They also understand that they maintain control over the buys. Agencies often see us as a threat, and we don’t want that – we want them to understand we’re working together. The important thing is for them to provide us with the media specifications they would have presented to their clients without us and for us to meet those specifications while allowing their clients to pay in trade or to find another scenario that will create savings for that client. The more the agencies see what value we lend to their clients and what more the clients can do, the easier it becomes to work with them. In best cases, they will introduce us to more of their clients. ## Active is a metric focused company. In these agency partnerships, how critical is it to track impact and show the value that Active is bringing? It’s critical, because we usually start off with a test and we need to prove ourselves. It’s nice because Active can always prove its value with a calculator. As this happens, clients work more and more with Active. It works. That is why we carefully analyze upfront how much value we can create, then as we start working on their business we monitor how closely we can meet or beat that value. We also provide them clear reporting on the value created for each client. ## What are your key priorities as you look to the future? The first focus is managing the clients and making sure they’re seeing meaningful value. We’re finding that as more agencies work with us, they like us. We perform really well and there is a lot of trust built and they want to work more with us. We’re growing those agency services going forward based on what the agencies are telling us they need. **Categories:** News --- ### [Travel Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/insights/news/travel-solutions/) **Published:** January 1, 2019 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** **An Interview with Elizabeth A. Topazio, President and Chief Legal Officer, Active Travel** ## EDITORS’ NOTE *Elizabeth A. Topazio is President and Chief Legal Officer of Active Travel, a division of Active International. She has more than 25 years of business and legal experience negotiating and structuring corporate trading transactions. Prior to joining Active in 1994, she was an M&A associate at Orloff, Lowenbach in New Jersey from 1992 to 1994, and at Dechert LLP in Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1992. Topazio is a member of the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania bars and graduated from Villanova University Law School with a J.D., cum laude, and Georgetown University, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service with a B.S.F.S., magna cum laude. She participates in a variety of charitable endeavors and is on the Advisory Board for Animal Alliance of New Jersey.* ## COMPANY BRIEF *With 35 years of experience, Active International ([activeinternational.com](http://www.activeinternational.com/)) is a global financial solutions company that drives performance and improves business outcomes for leading brands. A data-driven company, with media as a core competency, Active operates a full-service omnichannel media agency. In addition to media, Active brings to bear a broad portfolio of competencies such as Asset Disposition/Merchandise Sales, Real Estate, Retail Marketing, Travel and Hospitality, Freight & Logistics, and Lighting. Through the application of its core business model, Active is able to create financial benefits to serve its clients. Active International is based in New York and has offices in 15 countries.* ## Will you discuss the solutions Active Travel provides and how these offerings have evolved to the current needs of clients? Active Travel uses corporate trading to provide commercially agile solutions for its hospitality clients so that they can achieve more. Generally speaking, our hospitality clients include travel suppliers (predominately hotel owners, REITs, and management companies as well as airlines, rental car companies and cruise lines), major hotel brands, and company clients purchasing travel. Since for the past 8 years the hospitality industry has enjoyed a trend of record growth and increasing ADR and occupancy, while at the same time having to adapt to significant marketplace disruptors, including emerging digital technologies and evolving consumer mindsets and behaviors, we have had to continually adapt our solutions to stay aligned with our clients’ respective evolving needs, challenges and goals. For our travel supplier clients, which historically engaged in traditional corporate trading by using their unoccupied/unsold inventory as “in kind” payment for needed media, goods and services, we have evolved an “all cash” corporate trading solution which shifts market share/new cash business (transient and new corporate groups) into their hotels at normal ADR to increase RevPAR. For hotel brands, which for the most part no longer own their hotels, Active Travel has evolved corporate trading solutions which extend their brand media budgets at no additional costs or which fund programs benefiting their franchisees. For company clients purchasing travel, which mainly continue to seek solutions to extend their budgets and deliver savings, we have evolved to accommodate the various internal and external digital platforms utilized by them when purchasing travel goods and services. ## Are there standard solutions that Active Travel offers or are these offerings tailored for the specific client need? On the whole, solutions are constantly evolving and being customized. At present, broadly speaking, clients purchasing travel want savings, and travel suppliers want increased profits. How we deliver the value to both is where the creativity comes into play, especially since one would think it would be impossible to deliver savings to purchasers while at the same time higher profits to suppliers. Since corporate trading at its core is a flexible derivative financial model, we are able to structure solutions to deliver seamlessly the distinct value desired by both. ## Is there close coordination between Active Travel and the other parts of Active’s business? Active Travel is an integral part of the offerings provided by the company’s media and sales teams to their clients and was established as a core offering at the inception of the company. Over time, the company significantly expanded and evolved additional offerings. By working in close coordination with and drawing upon the collective expertise and creativity of the company at large, we have been able to rapidly and proactively evolve and remain relevant to our respective clients. **Categories:** News --- ## Pages ### [Home](https://activeinternational.co.uk/) **Published:** April 15, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** --- ### [Contact us](https://activeinternational.co.uk/contact-us/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Corporate Social Responsibility](https://activeinternational.co.uk/about-us/corporate-social-responsibility/) **Published:** June 30, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [About](https://activeinternational.co.uk/about/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** About Active # Built for commercial growth Active International helps brands, agencies and media owners unlock value, remove barriers and grow smarter. We have been rooted in [Corporate Trade](/solutions/corporate-trade/) since 1984, but the way we work has evolved. Today, we bring together Corporate Trade, media, digital, content, business services and commercial tools to help our partners fund growth differently. The model changes depending on the challenge. The principle stays the same: we help partners create value that cash alone may not unlock. [Explore what we do](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/ "Corporate Trade") ## Pay differently. Remove barriers. Grow smarter. That is what Active helps partners do. We unlock value, create commercial options and help the UK media ecosystem grow in ways that are structured, measurable and built for today’s market. [See who we help](/who-we-help/) ## Who we work with We work across the media ecosystem, connecting brands, agencies and media owners in ways that create clear commercial value for every party involved. ### For brands We create new ways to fund media, content, digital activity, travel, events and wider growth opportunities. [See how we help brands](/who-we-help/brands/) ### For agencies We help remove commercial barriers, protect stronger plans and give clients another way to pay differently. [See how we help agencies](/who-we-help/agencies/) ### For media owners We help create incremental demand, strengthen commercial relationships and unlock value beyond cash-only trading. [See how we work with media owners](/who-we-help/media-owners/) ## Proven at scale We have been doing this for a long time. That experience matters. It gives us the relationships, trading knowledge and infrastructure to make complex value exchanges feel clear and practical. Active is part of a global Corporate Trade business with more than 500 people across 10 regions. In the UK, we support more than 250 clients. Across the AMS group, we deliver $1.5bn in annual billings. Our work is independently audited by Deloitte and built around transparency, accountability and clear commercial value. [View accreditations](/accreditations/) 1984 Active has been rooted in Corporate Trade since 1984. 500+ People across 10 regions in the global business. 250+ Clients supported by Active International UK. $1.5bn Annual billings delivered across the AMS group. ## What we bring together Corporate Trade is still our foundation, but it is no longer the full story. We bring together a wider set of capabilities to help partners solve commercial challenges and keep moving. ### Corporate Trade Structured value exchanges across brands, agencies and media owners. [Learn more](/solutions/corporate-trade/) ### Media Media solutions that help partners unlock value and support growth. [Explore media](/solutions/media-solutions/) ### Programmatic Digital and programmatic capability built around the trade model. [Explore programmatic](/solutions/programmatic-solutions/) ### Business Services Travel, hospitality, rewards and services that turn value into practical outcomes. [Explore business services](/solutions/travel-hospitality/) ## Built for what is next The market has changed, and so have we. Marketing budgets are under pressure. Growth targets are harder to reach. Agencies, brands and media owners all need more flexible ways to create value. That is why we continue to invest in our technology, expand our programmatic capability and build new services across the network. We are a growth solutions partner built for the wider commercial challenges facing the media industry today. ## Powered by people Good work comes from people who are trusted, supported and valued. Active is a Living Wage Employer and has been recognised as one of the UK’s best places to work. Our business depends on people who can think commercially, build strong relationships and solve problems properly. Our model may be structured, but our work is human. We listen, connect the right partners and build solutions around real business challenges. [Meet the team](https://activeinternational.co.uk/about-us/uk-team/ "Active Team") ## Explore Active Choose the route that is most useful for you. ### What we do Understand how Active helps partners pay differently and unlock growth. [Explore what we do](/what-we-do/) ### Who we help See how the model works for brands, agencies and media owners. [See who we help](/who-we-help/) ### Our standards See the accreditations and standards behind our work. [View accreditations](/accreditations/) ### Our people Meet the people behind Active International UK. [Meet the team](/team/) ## If you have ever assumed Active could not help, it is probably worth asking again. Talk to us about the commercial challenge you are trying to solve. [Talk to us](/contact/) --- ### [Who We Help](https://activeinternational.co.uk/who-we-help/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** # A model built for the whole media landscape Active International works across brands, agencies and media owners to unlock value on all sides. We are a growth solutions partner rooted in Corporate Trade: a structured, audited value exchange that helps organisations pay differently, remove barriers and grow smarter. ## For brands Use value already in your business to fund media, digital activity, content, travel, events and wider growth opportunities. [Explore solutions for brands](/who-we-help/brands) ## For agencies Give your clients another way to fund growth, protect stronger plans and create a commercial edge in pitches. [Explore solutions for agencies](/who-we-help/agencies/) ## For media owners Create incremental demand, open up new advertiser opportunities and use value in the relationship to support practical business costs. [Explore solutions for media owners](https://activeinternational.co.uk/who-we-help/media-owners/ "Media Owners") ## One model. Different outcomes. Corporate Trade started with media barter, but the model has evolved. Today, value can come from products, services, inventory, media value, content, travel, future commitments and other commercial assets. Active connects those opportunities across the market, creating value for brands, agencies and media owners. “` ## Not sure where to start? Talk to us and we will point you in the right direction. [Contact us](/contact/) --- ### [Media Owners](https://activeinternational.co.uk/who-we-help/media-owners/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** For media owners # Create incremental demand, protect media value and grow smarter **Media owners are under pressure from every side. Revenue targets are harder to hit, trading conversations are more complex and operational costs keep rising.** Active International helps media owners unlock incremental advertiser demand and use value in the relationship to support wider business needs. We are a growth solutions partner rooted in Corporate Trade: a structured, audited value exchange that helps brands, agencies and media owners create value across the market. [Talk to us about partnership opportunities](/contact/) ## Pay differently. Remove barriers. Grow smarter. Corporate Trade is often explained from the brand side, but the model only works when media owners benefit too. Through Active, media owners can access incremental demand while using value in the relationship to support practical business costs. ## Why media owners work with Active Media owners need growth that strengthens the business, not complexity that gets in the way of trading. Active creates structured opportunities that sit alongside your core commercial model. **Corporate Trade can help media owners create more commercial value from the relationships, audiences and opportunities they already have.** ›Access incremental advertiser demand ›Open conversations with brands facing budget barriers ›Support agency and brand relationships with more flexible commercial options ›Use value in the relationship to support practical business costs ›Build commercial resilience beyond standard cash-only trading ›Create opportunities across media, content, travel, events and wider services ›Work within a structured, transparent and audited model ## A partner in the value model, not the endpoint Corporate Trade should not be seen as a simple chain where brands provide value, agencies build plans and media owners sit at the end. Value can start in different places. A brand may have products or services that can help fund growth. An agency may have a client plan that needs a stronger commercial route. A media owner may have audiences, inventory, commercial relationships or business costs that can be supported through the model. Active connects those opportunities and structures the exchange so each party gets a clear commercial benefit. ## What Corporate Trade means now Corporate Trade started with media barter: using business assets, often surplus stock, to help fund media. That heritage still matters. It gives the model its trading infrastructure, commercial discipline and market relationships. But Corporate Trade has moved on. Today, value can come from products, services, inventory, media value, travel, content, future commitments and other commercial assets. For media owners, this creates a broader opportunity to unlock incremental revenue and practical business value through a structured commercial model. [Learn more about Corporate Trade](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/ "Corporate Trade") ## How the model works for media owners Active connects the different partners needed to make the model work. Value moves across the market, not just between two parties, so each side gets a clear commercial benefit. ### For brands A way to use value already in the business to fund media, content, digital activity, travel, events and wider growth. ### For agencies A way to help clients protect plans, unlock value and create more options when cash budgets are under pressure. ### For media owners A way to create incremental demand, strengthen commercial relationships and use value in the model to support wider business needs. ## What can media owners unlock? **More than most people expect.** ›Incremental advertiser demand ›New brand and agency conversations ›Commercial value beyond standard cash-only trading ›Support for travel, events and hospitality ›Staff rewards and incentives ›Fleet, energy, technology and operational cost support ›Cross-market commercial opportunities ›Stronger long-term commercial resilience ## What value can be used? **The model can work with different forms of commercial value.** ›Media value and commercial opportunities ›Content and production value ›Brand products and services ›Travel and hospitality value ›Retail gift cards and customer incentives ›Energy, fleet and operational services ›Technology and business services ›Cross-market commercial arrangements ## What Active brings together We are rooted in Corporate Trade, but we bring together a wider set of capabilities to help media owners unlock incremental demand, manage business needs and build commercial resilience. 01 ### Corporate Trade Structured value exchanges across brands, agencies and media owners. 02 ### Media and Digital Media and programmatic capability designed to support the trade model. 03 ### Content Ways to fund and produce content through structured value. 04 ### Business Services Travel, events, accommodation and rewards that turn value into practical outcomes. 05 ### Commercial Tools Credit insurance, capital investment, guaranteed ROI models and global support where relevant. ## How we protect commercial value Corporate Trade works best when the value is clear, the structure is transparent and every party understands the commercial benefit. Active International is independently audited by Deloitte every year and operates in full compliance with industry standards. We work with media owners as commercial partners. The aim is to create incremental value, not to disrupt existing trading relationships or undermine media value. We make margin through the commercial structure we create. The model only works when value is created for every party involved, so our interests are aligned with yours. ## Common questions about Corporate Trade for media owners ### Is this about reducing media value? No. Corporate Trade is designed to create incremental commercial value through a structured exchange. The aim is to support additional demand and practical business outcomes, not undermine your core trading model. ### Is this only about media inventory? No. Media value can be part of the model, but Corporate Trade can also work across wider commercial value, including content, services, travel, events, operational needs and cross-market opportunities. ### Will it disrupt existing agency relationships? No. The best outcomes happen when brands, agencies and media owners understand the value being created. Active works across the ecosystem, not around it. ### What kinds of costs can the model support? Depending on the opportunity, value can support areas such as travel, events, hospitality, rewards, fleet, energy, technology and other business services. ### How does Active make money? We make margin through the commercial structure we create. The model only works when each party receives a clear commercial benefit. ### When does it work best? When there is a clear commercial opportunity, genuine value to work with and a shared goal across the partners involved. ## Want to explore what this could unlock for your business? We will walk you through how the model could support incremental demand, business costs or wider commercial growth. No jargon. No commitment. Just a straight commercial conversation. [Talk to Active](/contact/) --- ### [Agencies](https://activeinternational.co.uk/who-we-help/agencies/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** For agencies # Help clients pay differently, remove barriers and grow smarter **Corporate Trade for agencies helps clients fund growth when budgets are under pressure and every pitch has to work harder.** Active International helps agencies unlock value already sitting inside their clients’ businesses. That value can help fund media, content, digital activity, travel, events and wider growth opportunities. We are a growth solutions partner rooted in Corporate Trade. It is a structured, audited value exchange that helps brands, agencies and media owners create value across the market. [Talk to us about your next pitch](/contact/) ## A structured way to unlock value, protect plans and create more room for growth. Corporate Trade gives agencies another way to help clients use value already in the business to fund stronger plans, support activity and open up conversations beyond the media budget. ## Why agencies work with Active Agencies are often asked to deliver more impact without more cash budget. That can make strong plans harder to protect, harder to sell and harder to scale. **Corporate Trade gives agencies another commercial lever. It helps clients fund the plan differently, using value already in the business.** ›Build a stronger commercial case before the client says yes ›Unlock extra value when cash budgets are tight ›Protect or extend the plan you have already built ›Give clients a credible way to pay differently ›Add a point of difference in competitive pitches ›Support clients with media, digital, content, travel, events and wider business needs ›Open growth conversations beyond the media budget ## Bring us in early Timing matters. If Corporate Trade is introduced after a plan is already agreed, it can still help fund activity and reduce pressure on cash spend. But when we are involved at pitch or planning stage, we can help build a stronger commercial case, give the agency a clearer point of difference and help the client see a credible route to a bigger plan. Brought in at activation, Corporate Trade can help fund a plan. Brought in at pitch stage, it can help you win one. ## What Corporate Trade means now Corporate Trade started with media barter: using surplus stock or business assets to help fund media. That heritage still matters. It gives us the relationships, infrastructure and trading experience to do what we do today. But the model has moved on. Today, value can come from products, services, inventory, media value, travel, content, future commitments and other commercial assets. We structure that value so agencies can help clients do more, without relying only on cash budget. [Learn more about Corporate Trade](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/ "Corporate Trade") ## How Corporate Trade for agencies works Corporate Trade works because value moves across the market, not just between two parties. Active connects the different partners and structures the exchange so each side gets a clear commercial benefit. ### For agencies A commercial lever that cash-only conversations do not give you. We help you create more options for clients and build stronger commercial stories. ### For brand clients A way to turn underused value into media, digital, content, travel, events, rewards or other growth needs. ### For media owners A way to access incremental revenue and use value in the relationship to support practical business costs. ## What can be traded? **More than most people expect.** ›Consumer products and surplus stock ›Services and commercial assets ›Travel inventory, including flights, hotels and packages ›Retail gift cards ›Energy and utilities ›Technology and services ›Media inventory ›Content and production value ›Cross-market commercial arrangements ## What can it unlock? **Far more than a media buy.** ›Media campaigns and programmatic activity ›Content and production ›Business travel and accommodation ›Meetings, events and hospitality ›Staff incentives and rewards ›Operational cost savings ›New market support ›Pitch support and commercial leverage ›Wider commercial growth opportunities ## What Active brings together We are rooted in Corporate Trade, but we bring together a wider set of capabilities to help agencies and their clients solve commercial challenges. 01 ### Corporate Trade Structured value exchanges across brands, agencies and media owners. 02 ### Media and Digital Digital and programmatic capability built around the trade model. 03 ### Content Ways to fund and produce content through structured value. 04 ### Business Services Travel, events, accommodation and rewards that turn asset value into practical outcomes. 05 ### Commercial Tools Credit insurance, capital investment, guaranteed ROI models and global support where relevant. ## Why agencies can trust the model We know Corporate Trade can sound too good to be true if it is not explained properly. That is why transparency matters. Active International is independently audited by Deloitte every year and operates in full compliance with industry standards. Corporate Trade is designed to support the plan you are building and help make it easier to deliver. Corporate Trade changes how value is structured around the plan, not the plan itself. We make margin through the commercial structure we create. The model only works when value is created for every party involved, so our interests are aligned with yours. ## Common questions about Corporate Trade for agencies ### Is Corporate Trade just media barter? Media barter is where the model began. Corporate Trade today is broader, more structured and more useful. It can support media, content, digital activity, travel, events, operational costs and wider growth needs. ### Will Corporate Trade compromise the media plan? No. The media plan should still be led by audience, channel and performance objectives. Corporate Trade supports how value is structured around the plan. ### Is Corporate Trade only for distressed assets? No. Surplus stock can be part of the model, but value can also come from products, services, inventory, future commitments, media value, travel, content and other commercial assets. ### When should an agency bring Active in? The earlier the better. Corporate Trade can help at activation stage, but it is most powerful when it is part of the pitch or planning conversation. ### How does Active make money? We make margin through the commercial structure we create. There are no hidden costs and no inflated media prices built into the model. ## Want to see what this could unlock for your next pitch? We will walk you through a real example built around your client, your challenge and your plan. No jargon. No commitment. Just a straight commercial conversation. [Talk to Active](/contact/) --- ### [Brands](https://activeinternational.co.uk/who-we-help/brands/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** For brands # Keep investing in growth when cash alone is not enough **Consumers are harder to win. Household budgets are stretched, confidence is fragile and every pound has to work harder.** For brands, that creates a difficult tension. You still need to stay visible, build demand and protect market share, but cash budgets are under pressure and every investment is being questioned. Active International helps brands unlock value already sitting inside their business and use it to fund media, digital activity, content, travel, events and wider growth opportunities. [Talk to us about your business challenge](/contact/) ## Pay differently. Remove barriers. Grow smarter. We are a growth solutions partner rooted in Corporate Trade: a structured, audited value exchange that helps brands turn underused commercial value into practical business growth. ## The challenge for brands Pulling back from marketing may feel like the safe option. It rarely is. Brands still need to stay visible, create demand and defend share, even when budgets are under pressure. Corporate Trade gives brands another way to fund the activity they need, using value they may already have. It can help reduce reliance on cash budget, protect planned investment and create more flexibility around how growth is funded. ## You may already have value you can use Many businesses are sitting on value that is not being fully used. That value might be product, services, stock, travel, gift cards, media value, content value, future commercial commitments or other assets already inside the business. Active helps turn that value into something useful: media, digital activity, content, production, travel, events, rewards, operational support and wider growth opportunities. ## What Corporate Trade means now Corporate Trade started with media barter: using business assets, often surplus stock, to help fund media. That heritage still matters, but the model has moved on. Today, Corporate Trade is broader, more flexible and more commercially useful. It can work across products, services, inventory, travel, content, media value and other business assets. The outcome is a structured value exchange built around a clear commercial goal. [Learn more about Corporate Trade](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/ "Corporate Trade") ## How the model works Active connects the different partners needed to make the model work. Value moves across the market, not just between two parties, so each side gets a clear commercial benefit. ### For brands A way to use underused value to fund media, digital, content, travel, events, rewards or other growth needs. ### For agencies A way to protect plans, support activity and help clients unlock more value from the business. ### For media owners A way to access incremental demand and use value in the relationship to support practical business costs. ## What value can be used? **More than most people expect.** ›Consumer products and surplus stock ›Services and commercial assets ›Travel inventory, including flights, hotels and packages ›Retail gift cards ›Energy and utilities ›Technology and services ›Media inventory ›Content and production value ›Cross-market commercial arrangements ## What can it unlock? **Far more than a media buy.** ›Media campaigns ›Digital and programmatic activity ›Content and production ›Business travel and accommodation ›Meetings, events and hospitality ›Staff incentives and rewards ›Operational cost savings ›New market support ›Wider commercial growth opportunities ## What Active brings together We are rooted in Corporate Trade, but we bring together a wider set of capabilities to help brands solve commercial challenges and keep moving. 01 ### Corporate Trade Structured value exchanges across brands, agencies and media owners. 02 ### Media and Digital Media and programmatic capability designed to support the trade model. 03 ### Content Ways to fund and produce content through structured value. 04 ### Business Services Travel, events, accommodation and rewards that turn asset value into practical outcomes. 05 ### Commercial Tools Credit insurance, capital investment, guaranteed ROI models and global support where relevant. ## Why brands can trust the model Corporate Trade works best when the value is clear, the structure is transparent and every party understands the commercial benefit. We are independently audited by Deloitte every year and operates in full compliance with industry standards. The media plan still comes first. Corporate Trade supports how the plan is funded and structured. We make margin through the commercial structure we create. The model only works when value is created for every party involved, so our interests are aligned with yours. ## Common questions about Corporate Trade for brands ### Is Corporate Trade just media barter? Media barter is where the model began. Corporate Trade today is broader, more structured and more useful. It can support media, content, digital activity, travel, events, operational costs and wider growth needs. ### Do we need surplus stock? No. Surplus stock can be part of the model, but it is not the only form of value we can work with. Value can also come from products, services, inventory, travel, future commitments, media value, content and other commercial assets. ### Does Corporate Trade affect the media plan? No. Your plan should still be led by audience, channel and performance objectives. Corporate Trade supports how the plan is funded and structured. ### Is Corporate Trade only about media? No. Media is central, but the model can also support content, travel, events, rewards, operational costs and wider growth opportunities. ### Is it complicated? The structure can be sophisticated behind the scenes, but it should not feel complicated for you. We manage the value exchange and guide the process. ## Want to see what this could unlock for your business? We will walk you through a real example built around your challenge, your assets and your growth goals. No jargon. No commitment. Just a straight commercial conversation. [Talk to Active](/contact/) --- ### [Corporate Trade](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/) **Published:** May 20, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Modern Corporate Trade, explained # **What is Corporate Trade?** **The model behind how we unlock value.** At its simplest, Corporate Trade is a commercial model that helps brands, agencies and media owners use the value of products, services, media inventory or other assets to fund media activity, business costs or wider growth opportunities, rather than relying on cash alone. We sit at the centre of three relationships: brands, agencies and media owners. Our role is to help value move between them in a way that creates commercial benefit for everyone involved. For example, a brand might use surplus product to help fund a media campaign. A media owner might use value from its relationship with us to support business travel, events or rewards. In both cases, we structure the exchange so the value becomes useful. But Corporate Trade has moved far beyond a simple exchange. In the UK, it sits behind a broader growth solutions business, helping partners pay differently, remove barriers and grow smarter. ## **The three sides of the model** Corporate Trade works because brands, agencies and media owners each bring different types of value to the table, and each has different commercial challenges to solve. ### **Brands** Brands need to reach audiences, protect media investment and deliver against business objectives. They may also have products, inventory, services or assets that hold real commercial value but are not being fully optimised. ### **Agencies** Agencies need ways to help clients do more, protect plans, unlock briefs and deliver outcomes in a competitive market. ### **Media owners** Media owners have audiences, media space and commercial inventory. They want incremental revenue, but they also have their own business costs and commercial needs that value can help support. **We connect the three sides, structuring value so it moves between partners in a way that creates commercial benefit for everyone involved.** Sometimes the value starts with a brand. Sometimes it starts with a media owner. Our role is to make sure the structure works for all parties, because we only do well when our partners do well. ## **What is Corporate Trade?** ### **A structured way to use commercial value to help fund media, services or business outcomes.** Corporate Trade, sometimes called media barter, is the practice of using commercial value to help fund media, services or business outcomes. In one example, a brand might have surplus product, inventory or services. We take that value on, structure the deal, and help the brand use it to support media activity. The brand protects cash, the agency can deliver more, and the media owner receives incremental revenue. In another example, a media owner may have value within its relationship with us and want to use that to fund practical business needs, such as travel, events, accommodation or rewards. Our role is to structure that value so it becomes useful. **It is not a discount model. It is a value exchange model. The structure only works when each party receives something commercially valuable.** ## **Beyond old school barter** ### **It is not just barter. It is the engine behind a broader growth solutions business.** Corporate Trade has been around for decades. It started with surplus stock and straightforward asset exchanges, and that heritage still matters. It is what gives us the commercial relationships, financial infrastructure and market credibility to do everything else we do. Today, the value being structured is not just physical product. It can include services, future commercial commitments, travel inventory, media value, retail gift cards, content value and cross-market arrangements. The mechanics are structured, transparent and independently audited. The media plan comes first. The trade sits around the plan, not the other way around. In the UK, we have built a broader growth solutions business around Corporate Trade. That includes digital resource, content funding, guaranteed ROI models, support with credit insurance obstacles, capital investment for agencies, and Business Services that help partners turn value into practical outcomes. **Corporate Trade is the engine.** What we have built around it is a growth solutions partner for brands, agencies and media owners. **Pay differently. Remove barriers. Grow smarter.** ## **What can be traded?** More than most people expect. If it holds genuine commercial value, there is usually a way to structure it. ✓ Consumer products and surplus stock ✓ Travel inventory, including flights, hotel rooms and holiday packages ✓ Retail gift cards ✓ Energy and utilities ✓ Technology and services ✓ Media inventory ✓ Content and production value ✓ Cross-market commercial arrangements ## **What can it help fund?** Modern Corporate Trade can support much more than a standard media buy. It can help partners unlock value across the wider business. ✓ Media campaigns ✓ Digital and programmatic activity ✓ Content and production ✓ Business travel and accommodation ✓ Meetings, events and hospitality ✓ Staff incentives and rewards ✓ Operational costs ✓ Commercial growth opportunities ## **FAQs** ### **Is this the same as media barter?** Yes. Barter and Corporate Trade are often used interchangeably. We use Corporate Trade because it better describes what actually happens: a structured commercial arrangement, not a simple swap. ### **Does it affect the media plan?** No. If Corporate Trade is being used to support media activity, the media plan still comes first. The campaign is planned against the same objectives and delivered to the same standards as any conventional buy. Corporate Trade is the value mechanism around the plan, not a reason to compromise it. ### **Is this only about media?** No. Media is central to our model, but modern Corporate Trade can also help partners fund or support wider business needs. That might include content, digital activity, travel, accommodation, events, rewards, operational costs or commercial growth opportunities. ### **Are we audited?** Yes. We are independently audited annually by Deloitte and operate to industry compliance standards. ### **Is this debt or financing?** No. Corporate Trade is structured as a commercial trade arrangement, not as a loan. There is no interest or repayment schedule. ### **When does it work best?** Corporate Trade is a growth accelerator, not a replacement for long-term strategy. It works best when there is genuine product, service or asset value to work with, and when media investment or business growth is a priority. ### **How do we make money?** We make money through the commercial structure of the deal. We create value by structuring the exchange between assets, capital and media inventory. Our interests are aligned with our partners, because the model only works when value is created for everyone involved. ## **Want to understand what this could look like for you?** We will walk you through a real example and show how Corporate Trade could work around your specific challenge. No jargon. No commitment. [**Talk to us**](/contact/) --- ### [Our Capabilities](https://activeinternational.co.uk/capabilities/) **Published:** May 18, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Careers](https://activeinternational.co.uk/careers/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Sexual Harassment Prevention](https://activeinternational.co.uk/sexual-harassment-prevention/) **Published:** March 25, 2025 **Author:** Consultant **Content:** At Active International, we are deeply committed to fostering a workplace where every individual feels safe, respected, and valued. Our aim is to create an environment free from sexual harassment, ensuring dignity and empowerment for all. We provide thorough training for our employees on sexual harassment prevention, reflecting our dedication to upholding the highest standards of respect and integrity. Our policy defines sexual harassment as unwanted attention that violates a person’s dignity or creates an offensive or degrading environment, regardless of intent. This encompasses a wide range of actions, including offensive comments, unwanted physical contact, and display of sexual imagery or gestures. Such conduct is not only a serious breach of our values but may also constitute a disciplinary or criminal offense. As leaders, managers, and team members, we share the responsibility to nurture a culture built on respect and accountability. We encourage employees to report any incidents of sexual harassment and are unwavering in our commitment to support victims. All reports are handled with care, and we ensure thorough investigations while safeguarding against retaliation. Our commitment extends beyond our company. In our collaborations with partners, we expect them to align with our values by taking their role in sexual harassment prevention seriously and treating our team members with the utmost respect. Any concerns regarding sexual harassment involving partners or third parties will be addressed with the same rigor and integrity. Together, we can build a culture where everyone thrives—where ideas, questions, and concerns are openly shared, and respect is the cornerstone of every interaction. --- ### [Cookie Declaration](https://activeinternational.co.uk/cookie-declaration/) **Published:** November 30, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** --- ### [Modern Slavery Declaration](https://activeinternational.co.uk/modern-slavery-declaration/) **Published:** December 8, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** ## Please click [here](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Active-International-Modern-Slavery-Declaration-2020.pdf) to see our Modern Slavery Declaration: --- ### [Terms & Conditions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/terms-conditions/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Last Updated April 29, 2010 Welcome to Active. Please read these Terms and Conditions of use carefully before using or obtaining any content, products, or services through our website. *Access to and use of this website is subject to acceptance of the terms and conditions below (“Terms”), which includes our Privacy Policy. By accessing, using or obtaining any content, products, or services through this website, you agree to be bound by these terms. If you do not accept all of the Terms, then please do not use this website.* #### DEFINITIONS In this document, terms that commence with a capital letter are defined in this Section. “**Book**” means to reserve. “**Content**” means the text, documents, information, data, articles, images, photographs, graphics, software, applications, video recordings, audio recordings, sounds, designs, features, and other materials that are stored or otherwise available on the Site. “Content” also includes Marks and Products and Services. “**Mark**” means trademark, trade name, service mark, trade dress, logo, custom graphics, or icon. “**Member**” means an entity or individual who has registered with the Site. 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Except as provided above, you may not: - Copy, reproduce, upload, post, display, republish, distribute, transmit, any part of the Content in any form whatsoever; - Use a frame or border environment around the Site, or other framing technique to enclose any portion or aspect of the Site, or mirror or replicate any portion of the Site; - Modify, translate into any language or computer language, or create derivative works from, any Content or any part of this Site; - Reverse engineer any part of this Site; or - Sell, offer for sale, transfer, or license any portion of the Site in any form to any third parties. ##### Other Limitations Unless otherwise provided within these Terms, or unless specific applicable law requires Active to allow you to do so, you may not do any of the following without the prior written consent of Active: - Use any robot, spider, other automatic device, or manual process to monitor Content; - Use the Site other than to make legitimate reservation requests; - Use the Site to make any false, fraudulent or speculative reservation, or any reservation in anticipation of demand; - Use or access the Site in any way that, in our reasonable judgment, adversely affects the performance or function of the Site, or any other computer systems or networks used by Active, other Site users or Members; - Upload or transmit to the Site or use any device, software or routine that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, or other computer programming routines that may damage, interfere or attempt to interfere with, intercept, the normal operation of our Site, or appropriate the Site or any system, or take any action that imposes an unreasonable load on our computer equipment, or that infringes upon the rights of a third party; - Use any device, software, or routine that interferes, or attempts to interfere, with the normal operation of our site, or take any action that impose an unreasonable load on our equipment; or - Disguise the origin of the information transmitted through the Site. ##### Password Access to certain areas of the Site is only available to registered Members. If you believe your password has been stolen or is otherwise being used without your authorization, please immediately notify Active and change your password by logging in to the Site and clicking “change password” under the “My Account” link located on the main menu. ##### Termination Active, in its sole discretion, may, at any time and without advance notice or liability, terminate or restrict your access to all or any component of our Site, even if access continues to be allowed to others. Upon such termination or suspension, you must immediately discontinue use of the Site, and destroy any copy you have made of any portion of the Site. Accessing the Site after such termination, suspension, or discontinuation shall constitute an act of trespass. ##### Changes Active reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to update or modify these Terms, impose new conditions, or make any other additions, deletions, modifications or changes to any part of the Site at any time without prior notice. Such changes, modifications, additions or deletions will be effective immediately upon posting on the Site. Your use of the Site following any such changes constitutes your agreement to follow and be bound by the revised Terms. For this reason, we encourage you to review these Terms whenever you use this Site. #### PRIVACY AND SECURITY Your use of the Site is subject to our Privacy Policy, which can be viewed at http://www.activeinternational.com/privacy-policy. You agree that you have read our Privacy Policy, and it is reasonable and acceptable to you. #### SERVICES AND CONTENT ##### Availability We will use our reasonable commercial efforts to keep our Site available on a 24-hour/7-day-a- week basis, subject to necessary scheduled downtime for maintenance, unscheduled maintenance, and system outages. We cannot promise that access to the Site will be uninterrupted or available at all times. We assume no liability or responsibility for any delay, interruption, or downtime. ##### Content The Content is intended for information purposes only. Although we exercise reasonable efforts to ensure their quality and accuracy, there might be errors, or the information provided may not be complete, current, or applicable to your particular situation. Further, information provided regarding the service, amenities, products, etc. have been provided to us by the vendor. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions. You are responsible for evaluating the accuracy, completeness, and usefulness of any opinion, advice, or other content available through the Site. You should not take any action based on information on this Site until you have received a confirmation of your Booking request. We send confirmations within 24 hours of your Booking; provided however, if you send a Booking request on a Saturday or Sunday, we send confirmations on the following Monday. If you have not received a confirmation of your Booking via e-mail, first look into your “spam” or “junk” folder to verify that it has not been misdirected, and if still not found, please contact our travel department. The contact information for the travel department is provided below. ##### Viruses We make reasonable attempts to exclude viruses from the Site, but cannot ensure that the Site will be at all times free from viruses or other destructive software. You are urged to take appropriate safeguards before downloading information from the Site. We assume no responsibility for any damages to computer equipment or other property that may result from use of the Site or downloading anything from the Site. ##### International Travel Although most travel, including travel to international destinations is completed without incident, travel to certain destinations may involve greater risks than others. We urge you to review and evaluate travel prohibitions, warning, announcements, and advisories issued by the government and the aviation administration before booking travel to international destinations. By offering for sale travel to particular international destinations, Active does not represent or warrant that travel to such point is advisable or without risk. Active does not accept liability for damages, losses, or delays that may result from improper documents for entry, exit, length of stay, or from travel to such destinations. #### HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS AND TAXES – TWO MODELS Hotel accommodations marketed on our Site are offered pursuant to two different models. Under the first model, you will pay Active the prevailing room rate available to Active, including room taxes. Under the second model, you will pay Active the prevailing room rate, excluding room taxes. When room taxes are excluded, you will be required to pay all such applicable room taxes directly to the hotel at checkout. All other charges incurred by you during your stay that are not payable to Active under the above described models, such as any other governmental charges or taxes, any resort fees/service charges, charges for food and beverage, extra-person or extra-bed charges, gratuities, hotel energy surcharges, parking fees, telephone fees, room service, movies, mini-bar, and incidentals, are required to be paid by you directly to the hotel at time of check out. For this reason, you will be required to provide a valid credit card at time of check-in to cover all such charges. All Members and guests are required to comply with each hotel’s standard terms and conditions. All tax amounts listed on our Site are the tax amounts we expect the relevant hotel to charge for any applicable taxes, and are subject in all events to the actual tax rates chargeable by the applicable taxing authority at the time of your hotel stay. Should the applicable tax rate vary from the rate set forth on the confirmation provided to you by Active, if Active collected the room taxes, Active will reconcile any differences and adjust the amount charged for room taxes by Active accordingly, and in the cases in which room taxes are not collected by Active, the hotel will charge the then required tax amount at the time of your check-out. #### INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ##### Ownership Rights This Site (including the programming for the Site) and its Content is the sole and exclusive property of Active or its licensors. Active and its licensors retain all right, title and interest (including all copyright, trademark, patent, trade secrets, and all other intellectual property rights) in the Site and its Content. The Site is protected by copyright, trademark, patent, trade secrets, unfair competition, and other laws of worldwide, through the application of local laws or international treaties. Any unauthorized use, reproduction or modification of this Site may violate such laws. ##### Your Comments and Submissions Any communications or materials you transmit to Active, through the Site, by electronic mail or otherwise, including any data, question, comments, rating of a property or attraction, suggestion, idea, or the like (“Communications or Materials”) will be treated as non-confidential and non-proprietary. By voluntarily submitting to us, or by posting on the Site any Communications or Materials, you grant Active, and all users of the Site, a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from distribute, and display such Communications or Materials in any form, media or technology. We assume no responsibility for any Communications or Materials posted or submitted, or for the return or such Communications or Materials. We want your feedback and appreciate your ideas and suggestions, but we are unable to answer every comment individually. #### DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY Active and its Providers make no warranty of any kind regarding the Site, Content, Products or Services, all of which are provided on an “as is” basis. Active and its Providers expressly disclaim any representation or warranty that the Site will be free from errors, viruses or other harmful components, that communications to or from the Site will be secure and not intercepted, that the Services and other capabilities offered from the Site will be uninterrupted, or that its Content will be accurate, complete or timely. The fact that Active is including or offering any Product or Service on the Site is not an endorsement or a recommendation of the Product or Service. OTHER THAN THOSE WARRANTIES WHICH, UNDER THE LAWS APPLICABLE TO THESE TERMS, ARE IMPLIED BY LAWS, AND ARE INCAPABLE OF EXCLUSION, RESTRICTION OR MODIFICATION, ACTIVE AND ITS PROVIDERS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND THOSE ARISING BY STATUTE OR OTHERWISE IN LAW OR FROM A COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. #### LIMITATION OF LIABILITY Subject to applicable law, use of this Site and its Content is at your sole risk. Services and Products made available on this Site are subject to conditions imposed by the Providers, including but not limited to tariffs, conditions of carriage, international conventions and arrangements, and federal government regulations. Providers who furnish Products or Services through this Site are independent contractors, and not agents or employees of Active. IN NO EVENT WILL ACTIVE OR ITS PROVIDERS BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES FOR ANY USE OF THIS SITE, THE ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF PROVIDERS WHO FURNISH PRODUCTS OR SERVICES THROUGH THIS SITE, OR THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED BY PROVIDERS THROUGH THIS SITE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, THAT ARISES OUT OF OR IS IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH(I) ANY USE OF, BROWSING OR DOWNLOADING OF ANY PART OF OUR SITE OR CONTENT, (II) ANY FAILURE OR DELAY (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE ANY COMPONENT OF THIS SITE FOR RESERVATIONS), (III) THE PERFORMANCE OR NON PERFORMANCE BY US OR ANY PROVIDER, (IV) ANY DAMAGES OR INJURY CAUSED BY ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DELETION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS, COMMUNICATION LINE FAILURE, THEFT OR DESTRUCTION OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO, ALTERATION OF, OR USE OF RECORD, EVEN IF ACTIVE AND THE PROVIDER(S) HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGES TO SUCH PARTIES OR ANY OTHER PARTY OR (V) THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SITE. If, despite the limitation above, Active or a Provider is found liable for any loss or damage which arises out of or is in any way connected with any of the occurrences described in the limitation above, then Active and the Providers’ liability will in no event exceed, in total, the sum of US$250.00. Some states do not allow this limitation of liability, so the limitations above may not apply to you. #### INDEMNIFICATION You agree to defend and indemnify Active and any Provider, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any claim, cause of action or demand, including without limitation reasonable legal and accounting fees, in excess of the liability described above, in any action filed or commenced by any third party against Active or any Provider as a result of (1) your breach of these Terms, (2) your violation of any law or the rights of a third party or (3) your use of our Site. #### DISPUTES The laws of the State of New York (USA), without regard to its conflict of law rules, will govern these Terms. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods will not apply to these Terms and Conditions or any Products and Services. If you take any legal action relating to your use of our Site, these Terms or the Products and Services, you agree to file such action only in the state and federal courts located in Rockland County, New York (USA). In any such action or any action we may initiate, the prevailing party will be entitled to recover all legal expenses incurred in connection with the action, including but not limited to costs, both taxable and non-taxable, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses. #### GENERAL Your acceptance of these Terms and your use of the Site do not create a joint venture, partnership, employment, or agency relationship with us. You may not assign, delegate, or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms. If we fail to act with respect to your breach or anyone else’s breach on any occasion, we are not waiving our right to act with respect to future or similar breaches. If a court finds any of these Terms to be unenforceable or invalid, such Term will be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the other Terms will remain valid and enforceable. The headings in these Terms are for your convenience and reference; they do not limit or affect these Terms. These Terms, together with those items made a part of these terms by reference, make up the entire agreement between us relating to your use of our site, and replaces any prior understandings or agreements (whether oral or written) regarding your use of our site. #### PROVISIONS OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ##### Prior Terms and Conditions These Terms supersede any prior Active Terms and Conditions relating to the use of the Site that were displayed on this Site before the date stated above. ##### Written documents You may preserve these Terms in written form by printing them for your records, and you waive any other requirement that these Terms be evidenced by a written document. ##### Electronic Notification To the extent that we may need to contact you, you agree that we may do so via any electronic means, included but not limited to communication posted on the Site, electronic mail, or instant messaging. ##### Incorporation by Reference Any additional terms and conditions set forth on any travel confirmation issued by the Site for travel goods and services, e.g. cancellation policies, etcetera, are incorporated into and made a part of these Terms. #### COPYRIGHT POLICY You may not use the Site or any Products and Services to post, modify, distribute, or reproduce in any way any copyrighted material, trademarks, or other proprietary materials belonging to others without obtaining the prior written consent of the owner of such proprietary materials. It is Active’s policy to terminate privileges of any Member or other user of the Site who infringes the copyright of others upon receipt of prompt notification to Active by the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s legal agent. Without limiting the foregoing, if you believe that your work has been copied and posted on the Site in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please review and utilize our procedures for protecting your rights as set forth below. In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 512, Active has adopted the following policy concerning copyright infringement. Active respects the legitimate rights of copyright owners and their agents and representatives. Members and others who use any part of the Site are required by these Terms to respect the legal protections provided by applicable copyright law. Procedure for Reporting Copyright Infringements. If you believe that your work has been copied on this Site in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, or your intellectual property rights have been otherwise violated, please provide us with the following information: - An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright or other intellectual property interest; - A description of the copyrighted work or other intellectual property that you claim has been infringed; - A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the Site (including the specific URL of each item in dispute, which should help us to quickly locate the Content); - Your address, telephone number, and email address; - A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and - A statement by you made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright or intellectual property owner or are authorized to act on the copyright or intellectual property owner’s behalf. FAILURE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY SPECIFIC URLS WHERE CONTENT MAY BE FOUND, WILL RESULT IN A DELAY OF THE PROCESSING OF THE DMCA NOTIFICATION AND MAY RESULT IN YOUR HAVING TO REPEAT SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE PROCESS. ##### Notice and Takedown If Active receives proper notification of claimed copyright infringement, it will respond expeditiously by removing, or disabling access to, the material that is claimed to be infringing, as described below, or to be the subject of infringing activity. Active will also comply with the appropriate provisions of the DMCA in the event a counter-notification is received, as described below. Active may, at its discretion, deny access to this Site by, or disable and/or terminate the accounts of, Members or other users who may be infringers. ##### Designated Agent Notice of claims of copyright or other intellectual property infringement can be delivered as follows, by email, fax or standard mail: Active Media Services, Inc. One Blue Hill Plaza Pearl River, NY 10965 Attn: Dayna Frank, General Counsel Fax: (845) 735-2342 Email: dfrank@activeinternational.com Upon receipt of proper notification of claimed infringement, Active will follow the procedures outlined herein and in the DMCA. ##### Copyright Counter-Notices If Content you posted on the Site was removed for copyright or intellectual property infringement and you would like to dispute that removal, the process for counter-notifications is governed by Section 512(g) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act: To file a counter-notification with us, you must provide a written communication that sets forth the items specified below. Please note that under Section 512(f) of the Copyright Act, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material or activity was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification may be subject to liability. Please also be advised that we enforce a policy that provides for the termination in appropriate circumstances of Members who are infringers. Accordingly, if you are not sure whether certain material infringes the copyrights of others, we suggest that you first contact an attorney. Elements of Counter-Notification To expedite our ability to process your counter-notification, please use the following format (including section numbers): Identify the specific URLs of material that Active has removed or to which Active has disabled access. Provide your full name, address, telephone number, email address and the Member name of your Active account. Provide a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or New York County, New York; if your address is outside of the U.S.A.), and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided notification to Active in accordance with the process outlined above or an agent of such person. Include the following statement: “I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled.” Sign the notice. If you are providing notice by email, a scanned physical signature or a valid electronic signature will be accepted. Send the communication to the following address: Active Media Services, Inc. One Blue Hill Plaza Pearl River, NY 10965 Attn: Dayna Frank, General Counsel Fax: (845) 735-2342 Email: dfrank@activeinternational.com After we receive your counter-notification, we will forward it to the party who submitted the original claim of copyright infringement. Please note that when we forward the counter-notification, it includes any of your Identifying Information set forth in the counter-notification. By submitting a counter-notification, you consent to having such Identifying Information revealed in this way. We will not forward the counter-notification to any party other than the original claimant. After we send out the counter-notification, the claimant must then notify us within ten (10) days that he or she has filed an action seeking a court order to restrain you from engaging in infringing activity relating to the material on the Site. If we receive such notification, we will be unable to restore the items. If we do not receive such notification, we may, but are not obligated to, reinstate the disputed item(s). Foreign Counter-Notification: If you reside outside of the United States, please understand that filing a counter-notice may lead to legal proceedings between you and the complaining party to determine ownership. Be aware that there may be adverse legal consequences in your country if you make a false or bad faith allegation by using this process. Please also be advised that we enforce a policy that provides for the termination in appropriate circumstances of Members who are infringers. So, if you are not sure whether Content you posted on the Site is being infringed, or are otherwise unsure of whether to file a counter-notification using these procedures, we strongly recommend you first contact a lawyer knowledgeable in the laws of the United States. If you do wish to file a counter-notice, you should follow the process set forth above under the heading “Elements of Counter-Notification.” DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT YOUR ATTORNEYS, AND THE INFORMATION WE PRESENT HERE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. WE PRESENT THIS INFORMATION FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. #### CONTACT INFORMATION If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms or if you need further assistance with respect to access to or use of the Site or the services offered by Active, you may contact our travel department as indicated below. We will attempt to respond to your questions or concerns promptly after we receive them. E-mail: reservations@activeinternational.com Mailing address: c/o Active Media Services, Inc. One Blue Hill Plaza Pearl River, New York 10965-8705 Telephone: 1-800-852-8864 --- ### [Success Stories](https://activeinternational.co.uk/success-stories/) **Published:** May 24, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Site Map](https://activeinternational.co.uk/site-map/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### SOLUTIONS - [Media](/solutions/media) - [Asset Solutions](/solutions/asset-solutions) - [Real Estate](/solutions/real-estate) - [Shopper Marketing](/solutions/shopper-marketing-services) - [Supply Chain](/solutions/supply-chain-management-services) - [Travel](/solutions/travel) - [Working With Agencies](/solutions/working-with-agencies) #### [INDUSTRIES](/industries) - [Automotive](/industries/automotive) - [Consumer Electronics](/industries/electronics-industry) - [Consumer Packaged Goods](/industries/consumer-packaged-goods) - [Financial Services](/industries/innovation-in-financial-services) - [Healthcare & Life Sciences](/industries/healthcare-life-sciences-innovation) - [Real Estate](/industries/commercial-real-estate-innovation) - [Retail](/industries/retail) - [Telecommunications](/industries/telecommunications) - [Travel & Hospitality](/industries/travel-hospitality) - [Restaurants](/industries/restaurants) #### [INSIGHTS](/whats-new) - [News](/whats-new/?cat=4) - [Articles](/whats-new/?cat=8) - [Press Releases](/whats-new/?cat=5) - [Whitepapers](/whats-new/?cat=7) - [Success Stories](/whats-new/?cat=3) - [Videos](/whats-new/?cat=6) #### [ABOUT US](/about-active) - [Board of directors](/board-members) - [Team](/our-team) - [Partners](/our-partners) - [Active Cares](/active-cares) #### [CAREERS](/careers) - [Active Wellness](/active-wellness) - [Employee Benefits](/employee-benefits) - [Recognition and Training](/recognition-and-training) - [Diversity & Training](/diversity-training) #### [CONTACT US](/contact-us) - [Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy) - [Terms & Conditions](/terms-conditions) --- ### [Our Partners](https://activeinternational.co.uk/about-us/global-partners-alliances/) **Published:** May 27, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [News and insights](https://activeinternational.co.uk/news-and-insights/) **Published:** July 6, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Industries](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/) **Published:** May 31, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Active wellness](https://activeinternational.co.uk/active-wellness/) **Published:** June 21, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** # Active Wellness Active supports a healthy work-life balance and take great strides to support and promote employee wellness, with programs including exercise incentives and healthy dining options. Active Wellness launched in 2008 to promote and support healthy practices and to bring wellness education to our workplace. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/bg-17.jpg) ### Sample Benefits Active’s homegrown, grass-roots, incentive-based program has evolved into a robust part of Active International. Through Active’s work with the Rockland County Department of Health during their “Creating Healthy Work Places” endeavor and “Steps to a Healthier Rockland” Program, we have been recognized with several awards over the years. We are also deemed a Fit Friendly Company by The American Heart Association. Active Wellness offers walking challenges, on-site screenings, yoga and meditation classes, and lunch-and-learn programs covering many subjects including environmental education and self-empowerment. In 2015, we were the first company in Rockland County to collaborate with the Rockland Farm Alliance for our Farm to Cubicle Program. We have worked jointly with a local healthy food caterer, Rockland Roots, to bring lunch to those employees interested in opting for food beyond the cafeteria. We also brought Weight Watchers to Active, running several 12-week, on-site programs with great participation. ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/single-service-4.jpg) ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/single-service-5.jpg) ### Cancer Screenings Active provides time off to employees for cancer screenings. Employees may use up to four hours for a breast cancer screening and up to eight hours for a colonoscopy. ### Employee Assistance Through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), we offer our employees work-life balance support for everyday challenges such as childcare, health, relationships, financial planning, stress management, and career development. ### Wellness Incentive Active’s Wellness Program offers a wellness incentive, awarded for the six-month periods ending in June and December. Any employee may qualify for $100 toward their health insurance contribution or to take a half vacation day. ### Exercise Facility Reimbursement Employees and their partners who participate in Active’s health insurance plan and are members of an exercise facility may be eligible for monetary benefits. --- ### [Active Team](https://activeinternational.co.uk/about-us/uk-team/) **Published:** May 26, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Accreditations](https://activeinternational.co.uk/about-us/accreditations/) **Published:** June 30, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://activeinternational.co.uk/privacy-policy/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### Welcome to Active International. As part of the services we provide to you, Active Media Services, Inc. (and it’s affiliates, collectively “Active,“ “We“ or “Our“) collects and processes a variety of information. This privacy policy, is intended to help you better understand how we collect, use and store your personal information. We are aware of the importance to users of how personal data are handled and we assure you that we observe all relevant legal requirements. We consider the protection of your privacy to be of paramount importance. By using Active’s services or website, you agree that you are authorized to provide information, are at least sixteen (16) years of age, and are accepting this Privacy Policy, as may be amended. If we amend this Privacy Policy, we will revise the date at the top of the policy. #### Information Collected or Received by Active #### Personal Data Personal data refers to any information about personal or factual circumstances of an identified or identifiable person. This includes information and details such as your name, home address or other postal address, telephone number and e-mail address. Active may automatically receive and record information from your browser or mobile device when you visit the website, such as your IP address or unique device identifier and data about which pages you visit in order to allow us to operate and provide goods and services to you. This information is used to prevent fraud, to keep our services secure and to analyze and understand how the services work for members and visitors. Active may also collect, but does not store, credit card information when you place an order. #### Ways in Which Active May Use Your Information *Pursuant to a Contract*: We may use your data to acquire or perform a contractual obligation or to provide goods or services as requested by you. *Legitimate Interests*: Use of your data may be necessary for the purposes of our or a third party’s legitimate interests. *Consent*: You may have consented to the processing of your information, which consent can be revoked at any time by you. #### International Users This website is hosted in the United States. If you are accessing this website from outside the United States, you are transferring your information to the United States and you consent to such transfer. If you do not want your information transferred to the United Sates, you should not share your information with us or make use of this website. To request information about whether Active holds or processes any of your personal information please contact [privacy@activeinternational.com.](mailto:privacy@activeinternational.com) #### Legitimate Interests When processing your data on the basis of legitimate interests, Active may do so for any of the following reasons. *Providing and Improving our Services*: We may use your information to improve and customize our services, including sharing of your information with trusted third parties for such purposes. This is necessary to enable us to pursue our legitimate interests in understanding how our services are being used, create efficiencies and to explore ways to develop and grow our business. *Protecting Against Misuse*: Active may use or share your information for security purposes. We do this to enhance protection of our on-line community against spam, harassment, potential infringement, crime and other security risks. *Buying and Selling*: Active may facilitate the sharing of information between two parties involved in a transaction. Active may make a customer’s shipping address and payment information directly available to a vendor of products or services the customer wishes to obtain. By making a purchase (example: a hotel reservation), you are directing us to share your information in this way. *Legal and Safety*: We may retain, preserve or release your personal information to a third party in the following limited circumstances: in response to lawful requests by public authorities, to protect, establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims or to prevent, investigate or take action regarding suspected fraud or violations of our policies. In these cases, our use of your information may be necessary for the purposes of our or a third parties legitimate interest in keeping our services secure, preventing harm or crime, enforcing or defending legal rights or preventing damage. *Web Analytics and Statistics*: Active may utilize your information to analyze how visitors use our website or services. #### Data Sources In the course of our business, we collect or receive personal information in different ways. We may obtain the data from you or your devices. Active may also obtain information from a third-party with whom Active has a business relationship and publicly available sources. #### Retention Periods We may retain your data for the following reasons: *Fulfilling a Contract*: When we need the data to fulfill a contract, until such time as the contractual relationship with you ceases or the legal retention periods expire, *Legitimate Interests*: If we use the data on the basis of a legitimate interest, until such time as your overriding interest obliges us to delete or anonymise such data, or *Consent*: Where you have consented to our use of the data, until such time as you withdraw your consent. #### Purposes of Use Personal data will only be collected by us to the extent and for the purpose for which you provide the data to us or for which we have collected such data. Active uses third-party companies and individuals such as payment processors, research and analytics companies, security providers and customer management software to help us operate, provide and market our services. These third parties may have limited access to your information, may use your information only to perform the tasks we specify and are obligated not to disclose or use your information for other purposes. Otherwise, your personal information will not be forwarded to third parties unless you have given your express consent or if Active is obliged to disclose it, at the direction of a court or administrative authority. #### Data Protection We follow generally accepted technical and organizational measures to secure your data against potential risks, such as unauthorized login or access, unauthorized perusal, amendment or distribution, as well as against loss, deletion or misuse. In order to protect your personal data against unauthorized access by third parties when being transmitted, we secure data transmissions, if necessary, using SSL encryption. This is a standard encryption procedure for online services, particularly for the Internet. #### Technical Information and Third-Party Services When you visit our website, Active collects your IP address and other log file information (such as browser type and language, number of clicks, domain names of web sites visited, pages viewed, the amount of time spent on particular pages and the date and time of visits and page views) for statistical and maintenance purposes. Active also uses Google Analytics on its website to obtain visitor statistics. Please refer to the Google Analytics privacy policy to learn more about this service and how to opt out from it: #### Social Media Our website includes links to other sites, including Social Media sites, such as the Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The Social Media links will take you to a website hosted by a third party. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the applicable third party. #### Rights of the Data Subject Depending on your location (i.e., if you are in the EU), you may have additional rights with respect to your information, including: - *Right to Access*: You have the right to request information about whether and which personal data is processed by our company. - *Right to Rectification*: You also have the right to demand that your personal data is rectified or amended. - *Right to Erasure*: Under certain circumstances, you have the right to request that your personal data should be deleted. - *Right to Restriction of Processing*: Under certain circumstances, you have the right to demand that the processing of your personal data should be restricted. - *Right to Withdraw Consent*: You can withdraw your consent to the processing and use of your data completely or partially at any time with future application. - *Right to Object*: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data where Active is processing based on our legitimate interests. - *Right to Data Portability*: You have the right to obtain your personal data in a common, structured and mechanically readable format. - *Right to Lodge a Complaint*: You also have the right to complain to the responsible supervisory authority if you believe that the processing of your personal data is in violation of the legislation. #### Requirement or Obligation to Provide Data Insofar as this is not expressly stated, when data is collected, the provision of data is neither required nor obligatory. #### Cookies Information Cookies are small pieces of text used to store information and to assist us in providing and improving our services. This website uses cookies. For additional information on the specific cookies we use please refer to our cookie policy. If you need technical assistance please contact us at [websitesupport@activeinternational.com.](mailto:websitesupport@activeinternational.com) #### Contact Information If you have any questions, comments, complaints or requests in connection with this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal data, you can also contact us at Active Media Services, Inc. One Blue Hill Plaza Pearl River, NY 10965 Attention: General Counsel E-Mail: --- ## Solutions ### [Corporate Trade](https://activeinternational.co.uk/corporate-trade/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Travel & Hospitality Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/solutions/travel-hospitality-solutions/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Programmatic Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/solutions/programmatic-solutions/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Media Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/solutions/media-solutions/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Asset Solutions](https://activeinternational.co.uk/solutions/asset-solutions/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ## Board of Directors ### [Alan Cummings](https://activeinternational.co.uk/board_of_directors/alan-cummings/) **Published:** June 14, 2020 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Ken Cole](https://activeinternational.co.uk/board_of_directors/ken-cole/) **Published:** September 6, 2022 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Christian Kirschbaum](https://activeinternational.co.uk/board_of_directors/debbie-richman/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Michele Vinci](https://activeinternational.co.uk/board_of_directors/victor-herrero/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Darren Riley](https://activeinternational.co.uk/board_of_directors/edward-erhardt/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ## Industries ### [Retail](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/retail/) **Published:** May 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Telecommunications](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/telecommunications/) **Published:** May 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Restaurants](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/restaurants/) **Published:** May 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [FMCG](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/fmcg/) **Published:** May 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Automotive](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/automotive/) **Published:** May 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Financial Services](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/innovation-in-financial-services/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Travel & Hospitality](https://activeinternational.co.uk/industries/travel-hospitality/) **Published:** May 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ## Partners ### [Alliance of Independent Agencies](https://activeinternational.co.uk/partners/broadbeam-media/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [AlmondNet Group](https://activeinternational.co.uk/partners/involved-media/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [IntentIQ](https://activeinternational.co.uk/partners/dawn/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Datonics](https://activeinternational.co.uk/partners/the-ad-learning-exchange/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Hilco Trading](https://activeinternational.co.uk/partners/association-of-national-advertisers-ana/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ## Our Team ### [Nan Whittingham](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/nan-whittingham/) **Published:** July 24, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Leah Greenaway](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/leah-greenaway/) **Published:** July 23, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Hayley Bowyer](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/hayley-bowyer/) **Published:** July 23, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Stephen Coe](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/stephen-coe/) **Published:** July 23, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Dave Zandvliet](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/5820/) **Published:** July 23, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Cameron Swan](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/cameron-swan/) **Published:** June 4, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Cameron Swan joined Active in 2009 as Business Services Manager, responsible for client fulfilment and trading relationships in the Australian office. Based in Sydney, Cameron gained valuable experience across the business before being appointed Managing Director in 2015. In 2021, Cam moved to the UK to become UK Managing Director, leading the business through its next stage of growth. In 2025, Cam was appointed Chief Growth Officer, International at AMS, the group behind Active, where he now leads growth across international markets. --- ### [Pauline Bernfeld](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/pauline-bernfeld/) **Published:** June 4, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Laura Cashin](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/laura-cashin/) **Published:** June 5, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Sarangan Balasundram](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/sarangan-balasundram/) **Published:** February 27, 2026 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [Dom Blacklock](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/dom-blacklock/) **Published:** January 1, 2001 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Lisa Langford](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/lisa-langford/) **Published:** March 26, 2001 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Lisa Lyte](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/lisa-lyte/) **Published:** January 18, 2007 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** After living in Sydney for 10 years (6 of which were working for Active Australia) Lisa returned to her native UK in 2020. She’s over the moon to be back in the Active family. Her career path has been varied and includes an early career in media and managing a café in Sydney. When she’s not in the office you can find her walking her ‘spirited’ Jack Russell puppy, hunting down the nearest flat white, or redecorating her new house. --- ### [Laura Dawson](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/laura-dawson/) **Published:** January 1, 2001 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Chris Stone](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/chris-stone/) **Published:** February 14, 2001 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Alex Beeden](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/alex-beeden/) **Published:** December 17, 2000 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Alex initially joined the Active Media Team way back in January 2012! Since then, Alex has moved into the commercial teams and heads up our Client Relations and Operations teams. She hasn’t stopped spreading the word about the wonderous possibilities of Corporate Trade. Alex has been working in media for 19 years, starting at ITV and initially joining the Active Media Team in 2012 from Dentsu. She hasn’t stopped spreading the word about the wondrous possibilities of Corporate Trade from all corners of the business, and today, Alex heads up our Client Relations and Business Services teams. Alex ensures our clients receive the best account management possible and keeps our partners up to date on everything new in the world of Active. Alex is a proud mentor for Bloom, the professional network for women in communications, and Co-Chairs the Future Leaders Action group for the Alliance of Independent Agencies. Outside work, you’ll most likely find her reading Harry Potter with her two sons, singing show tunes, or tap dancing. --- ### [James Locke](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/james-locke/) **Published:** June 30, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** --- ### [Mark Zagger](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/mark-zagger/) **Published:** February 5, 2004 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Justin James-Cafferty](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/justin-james-cafferty/) **Published:** January 1, 2001 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Justin joined the Media Team at Active with over 6 years barter experience at agencies. He believes that meeting with external stakeholders and building strong relationships is key to the success of the business and will always go the extra mile to ensure all parties benefit from working with Active. When not engrossed in the barter world he can often be found hacking around the golf course, or in the local pub giving his ‘expert’ opinion on all sports… --- ### [Sabina Hill](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/sabina-hill/) **Published:** February 17, 2005 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [Amy Bartlett](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/amybartlett/) **Published:** February 22, 2003 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Dave Newton](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/dave-newton/) **Published:** April 29, 2001 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [Chris Bingham](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/chris-bingham/) **Published:** February 9, 2007 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Adelino Marques](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/adelino-marques/) **Published:** September 19, 2025 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [Greta Rasinskaite](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/greta-rasinskaite/) **Published:** September 19, 2025 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [Dave Carpenter](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/dave-carpenter/) **Published:** September 12, 2000 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [Ruth Cartwright](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/ruth-cartwright/) **Published:** February 26, 2000 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [Kieron Murphy](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/kieron-murphy/) **Published:** February 27, 2000 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Wayne Chim](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/wayne-chim/) **Published:** April 12, 2000 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Jane Putley](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/jane-putley/) **Published:** April 15, 2000 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Wasim Choudhury](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/wasim-choudhury/) **Published:** February 28, 2005 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Wasim works in the Management Accounts team here at Active International. From a young age, Wasim has had a love for numbers (and Liverpool FC). He attended Kingston University, achieving a 2:1 Honours in Accounting and Finance and is currently studying for a CIMA qualification. Outside of work, Wasim loves spending time with his family and friends and, of course, talking about football. #### Connect ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-50-e1622049459734.png) 020 7520 6666 [![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-53-e1622049559197.png) Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wasim-choudhury) --- ### [Annie Jarvis](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/annie-jarvis/) **Published:** February 1, 2005 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Maryam Mahmood](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/maryammahmood/) **Published:** February 2, 2005 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Holly Kennedy](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/holly-kennedy/) **Published:** December 17, 2000 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Nick Draper](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/nick-draper/) **Published:** January 2, 2001 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Kelly Davies](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/kelly-davies/) **Published:** January 1, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Neesha Coelho](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/neesha-coelho/) **Published:** January 2, 2001 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Ellie Farrar](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/ellie-farrar/) **Published:** March 28, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Josh Gormley](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/josh-gormley/) **Published:** October 18, 2003 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Josh works in the Media team in the Media Manager role looking after Broadcast and Digital. He helps clients and media owners achieve more using Corporate Trade (media barter). Josh joins us from ITV and has a solid knowledge of the TV media landscape. In his spare time, Josh can be found playing the drums in his band across venues in London. #### Connect ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-50-e1622049459734.png) 020 7520 6666 [![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-53-e1622049559197.png) Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-gormley-69a9b7129/) --- ### [Taylor Wood](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/taylor-wood/) **Published:** April 14, 2004 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Romy Moore](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/romy-moore/) **Published:** May 15, 2004 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Romy spent a year with an OOH motorway specialist before joining Active International as a media Executive for Press and OOH. When she’s not at her desk solving queries and working hard, you can find her at music events or short weekend trips away, exploring new restaurants and the beautiful sites the world has to offer. Fun fact – Romy speaks fluent German. --- ### [Georgia Myers](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/georgia-myers/) **Published:** February 28, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Georgia started in our Media Team in 2015, initially tasked with helping to ensure smooth day-to-day running but has since progressed to work across the Broadcast & Digital mediums and, most recently, into Press & OOH in a Media Manager role. We have also deemed her the office Fire Warden, so she keeps us safe from the unruly toaster. #### Connect ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-50-e1622049459734.png) 020 7520 6666 [![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-53-e1622049559197.png) Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-myers-9b1b95124/) --- ### [Perry Brown](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/perry-brown/) **Published:** June 1, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** Perry joined Active in 2019 as a Media Executive. Perry has since been promoted to Media Manager, with responsibility across Broadcast and Digital. He loves getting out and about, building relationships and talking all things barter. On the weekends, he can usually be found with his head in his hands, watching his beloved West Ham United, or singing his heart out at a local Karaoke bar. #### Connect ![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-50-e1622049459734.png) 020 7520 6666 [![](https://activeinternational.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/icon-53-e1622049559197.png) Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/perry-brown-1a37a8128/) --- ### [Caren Nicholls](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/caren-nicholls/) **Published:** January 3, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Sophie Prankard](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/sophie-prankard/) **Published:** January 31, 2003 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Stacey Hollis](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/stacey-hollis/) **Published:** January 1, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [David Mason](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/david-mason/) **Published:** December 24, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Sam Levis](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/sam-levis/) **Published:** March 18, 2004 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Dhruti Halai](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/dhruti-halai/) **Published:** March 1, 2005 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Adrian Maguire](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/adrian-maguire/) **Published:** September 5, 2002 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Emily Meers](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/emily-meers/) **Published:** January 27, 2005 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Leena Ramdehal](https://activeinternational.co.uk/our_team/leena-ramdehal/) **Published:** March 17, 2007 **Author:** Consultant --- ## Sliders ### [Slider 1](https://activeinternational.co.uk/slider/slider-1/) **Published:** May 27, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ## Accreditations ### [Campaign Best Places to Work 2025](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/campaign-best-places-to-work-2025/) **Published:** July 25, 2025 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Best Workplaces for Wellbeing 2025](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/best-workplaces-for-wellebeing-2025/) **Published:** July 25, 2025 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [IAB](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/iab/) **Published:** February 5, 2026 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [WOOH International](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/wooh-international/) **Published:** July 27, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Best Workplaces for Women 2025](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/best-workplaces-for-women-2025/) **Published:** July 25, 2025 **Author:** Consultant --- ### [ABTA](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/abta/) **Published:** July 28, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [ATOL](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/atol/) **Published:** July 28, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [News Media Association](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/news-media-association/) **Published:** July 27, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ### [Alcohol License](https://activeinternational.co.uk/accreditation/alcohol-license/) **Published:** July 27, 2023 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld --- ## Global Offices ### [France](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/france/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### France - 6 rue Duret, 75016 Paris, France - 331-4504-3290 - - [www.activeinternational.fr](http://www.activeinternational.fr "Active International France") --- ### [Italy](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/italy/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### Italy - Via Monte Rosa 91, 20149 Milano. - +39 348 0053512 - - [www.activeinternational.it](http://www.activeinternational.it "Active International Italy") --- ### [Germany](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/germany/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### Germany - Hammer Straße 19, 40219 Düsseldorf - 49-211-367-080 - - [www.activeinternational.de](http://www.activeinternational.de "Active International Germany") --- ### [United Kingdom](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/united-kingdom/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### United Kingdom - 1st Floor, 70 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1EU - 44-020 7520 6666 - - [www.activeinternational.co.uk](https://activeinternational.co.uk) --- ### [United States](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/united-states/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### United States - One Blue Hill Plaza, Pearl River, NY 10965 - 845-735-1700 - - [www.activeinternational.com](https://activeinternational.com) --- ### [Spain](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/spain/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### Spain - Plaza de Jesús 3, 1 Izquierda 28014 Madrid Espana - + 34 91 034 61 87 - - [www.activeinternational.es](http://www.activeinternational.es "Active International Spain") --- ### [Australia](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/australia/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### Australia - Bligh House, Lvl 17, 4-6 Bligh Street, Sydney NSW 2000 - +61 2 9466 9112 - - [www.activeinternational.com.au](http://www.activeinternational.com.au "Active International Australia") --- ### [Canada](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/canada/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### Canada - 55 Commerce Valley Drive W, Suite 601, Markham, ON L3T 7V9 - 416-226-8650 - - [www.activeinternational.ca](http://www.activeinternational.ca "Active International Canada") --- ### [South Korea](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/south-korea/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### South Korea - City Air Tower, Suite 2304 159-9 Samsung -dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 135-190 - +82-2-2016-6091 - - [www.activeinternational.kr](http://www.activeinternational.kr "Active International Korea") --- ### [Mexico](https://activeinternational.co.uk/global_offices/mexico/) **Published:** July 19, 2021 **Author:** Pauline Bernfeld **Content:** #### Mexico - Av. Ejército Nacional 843-B Piso 5 Oficina 5100, Col. Granada, Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México, C.P. 11520 - 52-55-8503-6300 - - [www.activeinternational.mx](http://www.activeinternational.mx "Active International Mexico") ---