The world has changed since 11 London began - and we’ve evolved with it
7 years ago this month, no-one had heard of Covid 19 – let alone PCR tests. The UK was in the EU, Donald Trump was only really known for being an orange TV personality, and TikTok was just the noise a clock made. And then 11 London launched in February 2015.
Are any of these things connected? Almost certainly not. But 7 years on, the world is a very different place – and in many ways a more divided place. In casual chit-chat, Covid has supplanted the weather as the go-to British conversation starter. Even the weather has become a hot topic in a different way, being prefaced with ‘thanks to global warming...’. People’s relationships have become strained and defined by their views on Trump, Brexit, vaccines and global warming – with flames being fanned by social media.
At 11 London, the areas we work in are those of health and humanity – which include the health of the environment and animals. So although these conversation starters are used as throwaway social lubricants, we see them as emblematic of a massive shift in how we think and act when it comes to our collective health – and indeed the technology that powers it.
And so, as we hit our lucky 7, we’re evolving our brand to reflect what we believe our clients need in their advertising and comms: namely a focus on, and celebration of, what connects us – rather than what divides us. The idea is that ‘connections are everything’.
“By joining the dots to make technology understandable, we can reduce suspicion and replace it with excitement.”
By connecting like-minded commercial and non-profit organisations, we can give ideas more heft and resonance. By finding messages that unite ostensibly disparate audiences, we can create genuine change. By joining the dots to make technology understandable, we can reduce suspicion and replace it with excitement.
And we can help to bring people closer to the solutions they need – and the values they prize – in order to live healthier and more fulfilling lives. We’ve been doing this over the last 7 years, so now it’s more art and science than coincidence.
We’ve also made some changes to how we’re structured: we’ve brought in health psychologists and a connections consultant to help translate complex science into something that motivates us all to change our behaviours. We’re connecting more of our team at the agency with the running of the company – and giving a percentage of the company to them. And we’ve applied for BCORP status, which – for anyone familiar with the term – shows that we’re serious about connecting what we do with creating positive change in society, not just making money.
So if you’d like to talk about what connects us – more than what divides us – we’d love to talk to you.
www.11-london.com Matthew Hunt, Managing Director. matthew.hunt@11-london.com | 18/02/2022 |