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Unveiling Epigram: So, who are we?
At Epigram, we love working on multi-channel campaigns and projects just as much as we love working on single items designed to meet specific objectives. Our skill sets cover print and digital, but always with a focus on practical design – we don’t just want our work to look good, we want it to do its job for our client in the best way possible.
We don’t take a brief at face value. We make sure we understand the goal and if needed will work with our clients to identify the best possible way to achieve it – even if that’s something different from what was originally planned. That’s where our 30 years of experience can really add value.
We’re a small, diverse and committed team with core values focused on openness, trust and mutual respect. We’re proud members of the Mindful Business Charter and believe that great design and a great working environment don’t need to be mutually exclusive.
With designers based in the UK and Malaysia we offer an (almost) round the clock support service to our clients – a USP which really holds its own when time is tight, pitches need to be submitted and deadlines are looming.
While we’re really proud of our team, our clients and our work – we’re a bit northern about it. We don’t like to blow our own trumpet and upto this point just haven’t entered awards. The Northern Digital Awards is a leap of faith for us!
A Glimpse into our Award-Nominated Work
Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Travel/Leisure
We were appointed via competitive tender to promote the West Midlands as part of the Cultural Festival alongside the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Whilst that felt like a major achievement in itself, the real challenge was in the brief: to create a legacy of awareness and drive long-term economic benefits by boosting the West Midlands’ and UK’s global reputation as a world-class destination for tourism, trade and investment.
Everyone at the epi-table had a say, regardless of seniority, experience or role. We drew on the diversity of our people to create a high impact, high result campaign which not only achieved the campaign objectives but assisted in delivering long term awareness of the region and all it has to offer, with 83% of respondents in a post campaign report saying it made them more likely to consider visiting the West Midlands.
Over the course of the campaign, our team meticulously crafted more than 35 creative assets. Which collectively gained 146 million impressions, 30 million video views and 1.1 million link clicks.
Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Public Sector
Working with the West Midlands Growth Company, we were part of a diverse public sector working group comprising all local authorities in the region, members of the Commonwealth Games organising committee and the Business and Tourism Programme for Great Britain. We knew we had to impress.
Our strategy focused on understanding each territory and its demographics. We conducted extensive desk research, crafted personas, identifying distinctions in travel propensity, spending behaviour, media preferences and cultural influences. We then meticulously curated over 100 West Midlands based cultural offerings, including events, festivals, venues, and more to ensure maximum audience-relevant creative.
Complemented by longer animations for campaign launches, we created sub-campaigns to strengthen our approach and maximise impact. Constantly tweaking our creative based on real time feedback allowed us to get the best possible result for the client, driving traffic to the website and boosting awareness of the region’s cultural offerings which was validated by external market research.
Rising Star Award (Tara Turnpenny)
Tara started her Epigram journey as one of two interns from Salford University, who spent time with us in 2019 to gain experience before starting their design career. We created a vacancy specifically for her once she graduated with honours, having had a taster of her skills and enthusiasm.
In two short years Tara has gone from a Junior Designer to a Designer and Social Media Lead to her most recent promotion: Middleweight Designer, working for the vast majority of Epigram’s client base, both in the UK and overseas.
Tara possesses a quiet confidence in her design projects. What immediately stands out is her drive and willingness to learn more. If there is any “design obstacle” to overcome then Tara will focus on finding the answer. She’s also a valuable team player and is more than happy to pitch in and help others with their design work, regularly conducting training for others and encouraging them to learn further skills.
The pace of her development is incredible. We feel that from coming to us as an intern in 2019 through to delivering a globally recognised campaign as part of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 is nothing short of amazing. Her skill, drive and enthusiasm helps to push Epigram forward and she has a knack of bringing the other people around her on the journey in the most positive way. She is an asset to the company and her design development is a joy to see. We can’t wait to see where she (and we) will be by 2025!
Testimonials: Voices from the Epigram Team
Susan Pettit, CEO
Entering these three award categories was a big step for us as we much prefer to leave our clients to enjoy the spotlight! However, the work our team produced for the West Midlands campaign was simply outstanding – I couldn’t be more proud of what they have achieved.
For me, this isn’t just about fantastic creative, it’s about the journey we went on as a team. Every person brought something unique. Every person had an equal seat at the table. The results speak for themselves – and we are still working with the client to deliver ongoing social value to their local community. From Manchester.
Proud work-mum moment!
Katie Cavalier, Creative Director
We (at Epigram) are not overly vocal about sharing our achievements, so entering these awards was a big step out of our comfort zone and I am so glad we did!
This project in particular was something different from our day-to-day and really gave those involved the opportunity to learn and grow.
What made it so successful was the collaborative approach between the team and the end client – all bringing different skill sets and experience levels and all being open and excited to learn from each other.
This collaborative attitude is at the heart of Epigram, which is why we felt this project was one to share with the wider digital design community by entering these awards.
Tara Turnpenny, Middleweight Designer and Social Media Lead
“Being nominated for the Rising Star Award is both inspiring and motivating. It’s a validation of the incredible journey we’ve undertaken at Epigram. I am grateful for the opportunities to contribute to such groundbreaking projects and look forward to pushing the boundaries of digital innovation. It’s been an honour to work on such great projects with the amazing clients who go with them. As I personally reflect on my journey since graduating in 2020, these (almost) three years as a full-time designer have been a period of growth and learning. Witnessing the evolution of design trends and the continuous improvement in my craft has been both gratifying and enlightening. This nomination provides an ideal moment to express gratitude for the support received, acknowledge the achievements attained, and eagerly anticipate the exciting design horizons yet to unfold in the years ahead.”
Reflecting on the Northern Digital Awards
Entering and being shortlisted for the Northern Digital Awards is a real moment of pride and reflection for us. It symbolises the effort, collaborative spirit and the pursuit of excellence that makes us who we are. We are massively excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and we’re grateful for the opportunity to showcase our passion for digital innovation on this prestigious platform.
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