Welcome to Yasper. We’re a new communications agency, looking to do things differently. But the same. Let me explain.
Communications is an art form that is continually evolving. But while the tools we use and the tactics available to us come and go, the fundamentals of good communications never change.
I’m Jules and I founded Yasper to bring together all that I’ve learnt in my two decades of giving strategic advice, brand building and delivering results. Over that time, I’ve worked with start-ups (and launched a couple of my own!), FTSE 100 businesses, and most things in between. I’ve won awards, I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, and I’ve delivered lasting change for many, many clients.
Looking back to when I started my first job, one of the original tasks I was given was using a ruler – remember them? – to literally measure client coverage. A TikTok was what your clock did, and if you tweeted, you’d probably get carted off.
As new methods of communications came and went, the key to providing good counsel was to be agile; to be attuned to your client’s goals; and to know your audience. And thus it ever was. Watch Mad Men if you don’t believe me. The pioneers of our industry got it, and those who still get it are those who succeed.
So, what about the ‘new’ bit. What am I going to bring, that I think my clients will need, and that is difficult to find? Well, underpinning any and every piece of work delivered by Yasper will be a commitment to deliver value. We get our kicks out of work with impact and working with people who respect us as much as we respect them.
And why now? I genuinely believe we’re at a crossroads in how brands communicate with their audiences. Trust will become the defining factor of all brand journeys and in a world of AI, authenticity will be the new currency.
Now that we're at the end of Yasper's first full month of trading, I can take a step back and appraise how things have gone. First thing to say, is the challenges I foresaw haven't been the challenges I've faced. Yasper now has five clients, three of whom are on retainers and we're well on our way to being in a position to make our first hire.
I'm waking up with a smile on my face and I'm delivering some fascinating high-impact work (some of which I can talk about and some of which I can't!). I get to work with some brilliant and inspiring people and I'm loving the projects I'm involved with.
I've been blown away by some of the conversations I've had and the kindness shown by virtually everyone I've met. You always question yourself when you start something new, but speaking to peers and industry, I'm even more convinced that the values at the heart of the brand are ones that resonate and speak to the future of good comms. Being honest about what we do and working with experts in their own fields is the way forward and an agile approach to communications is the right approach. And we'll continue, just as we've started.
Yasper will respect the past, while looking to the future. We’ll embrace change in our lives and treat it as a friend, not an enemy. And we’ll deliver some kickass results along the way.