Thames Estuary and Innovate UK award briefs to MSQ

MSQ Partners has picked up a new business double, with the group strengthening its relationship with Innovate UK as well as a picking new brief to support to the regeneration of the Thames Estuary region.

Innovate UK, the non-departmental Government-backed agency with a £400m budget, first appointed MSQ in February to help lay the foundations for generating data-driven insights that ultimately increase R&D investment and GDP in the UK.

Now it has appointed Stack as its CRM strategic and creative agency, following a tender process. The agency will initially be responsible for developing a prospect CRM “nurture” campaign that will launch in the summer.

The programme will involve developing digital CRM comms and tailored content for prospects. Stack intends to increase the number of funding applications from those already in Innovate UK’s database, as well as giving prospects the relevant support and material that could help them along in their funding applications.

Innovate UK digital comms executive Kat Lowenborg-Bickell said: “The Government has set an ambitious target of increasing investment in R&D, and to help reach this target, we would like to encourage and support the contacts on our database to apply for Innovate UK funding for their projects. Stack understood where we want to get to, and we are looking forward to getting started.”

Stack chief executive Ben Stephens added: “We are really looking forward to working with Kat and the team – they have a tight objective and we are excited to play a key role in converting prospects to applicants.”

Meanwhile, MSQ Partners has also been appointed to deliver wide-ranging communications for the Thames Estuary, supporting an ambitious vision to unlock the potential of the region (pictured), which includes parts of London, Essex and Kent.

The long-term goal is to generate thousands of new jobs; hundreds of new houses; new transport and digital infrastructure and contribute billions of pounds to the economy by 2050.

The Government has set up a dedicated Thames Estuary Growth Board to drive this work forward and appointed former European Commission independent regeneration expert Kate Willard to lead the board as Thames Estuary Envoy.

Ahead of publication of the board’s first plan later this year, MSQ will deliver wide-ranging communications support to generate domestic and international interest in the region to encourage investment and support.

The appointment, following a competitive tendering exercise, includes the provision of campaign development, media relations and content, website development, film making and brand design. The work will be provided through a joined-up team, bringing together two of MSQ’s specialist agency capabilities, Lloyd Northover and Smarts.

Willard said: “Communicating our vision for the Estuary and generating momentum around our place-making story will be vital from the outset. MSQ pitched a high-quality proposal to us, demonstrating a razor-sharp understanding of our brief backed up by a strong technical offer and a real desire to deliver a brilliant project. They will be an excellent partner to the Thames Estuary.”