The positive power of community and connections

The positive power of community and connections - Prospect 13 Marketing Agency

As a marketing agency, our team is a creative and lively bunch with vivacious personalities and a huge mix of talents, yet all with one common goal – to improve the future outlooks of those around us.

Whether we are developing fresh branding for client projects, launching marketing and communication campaigns or designing new websites, we work together as one to ensure our clients advance, grow and succeed. 

Creativity is fundamental to everything we do, yet at the heart of our business sits an unwavering commitment to our community and supporting those who work hard to make a difference in our local area.

We believe it’s essential to dedicate time and energy to our young people and to lending our support to worthy causes across the North-east. Our Managing Director, Cerri McDonald, has carved out strong links with youth career organisations and universities to support the next generation of marketing talent and we are also proud advocates of Aberdeen-based children’s charity Lifestars. The charity works to ensure children and young people with additional support needs have access to a range of activities to develop key life and social skills. As a newly appointed Lifestars Board member, Cerri will be steering the charity’s marketing and communications strategy to elevate the profile of the fantastic work they do and help ensure it continues improving the lives of children and young people across our region.

Prospect 13 is also proud sponsors of Westdyke Community Club U16’s as well as providing complimentary marketing and PR support to local football coaching club Endgame FC.

As well as charity backing and sports sponsorship, Cerri and her team have lent their support to philanthropic initiatives including collections for local food banks and event sponsorship for the hugely successful ‘Big Belter Brunch’ held at Meldrum House recently, raising over £17,000 for British Heart Foundation and VSA.

“I am passionate about fostering links with the local community and I am proud of the genuine connections I have made by supporting youth initiatives and North-east charities,” says Cerri.

“I’m grateful for my team’s community spirited mindset which matches my own enthusiasm to work alongside these organisations,” continues Cerri. “It’s an honour for us to be able to give our backing to some of the amazing local causes we have across our local community.”

As part of our own rebrand earlier this year, we encourage our clients to evolve with us to be brave, be bold and be better.  These sentiments also ring true when it comes to the level of our community outreach and charitable endeavours which evolve and deepen each year. Our involvement ranges from visiting local schools and universities to talk to students on future career paths as well as supporting young adults with marketing internships. 

Cerri also works closely with DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) and we are part of the Young Persons Guarantee taking part in career fairs and mock interviews.  And now, our Operations Director Louise Smyth has followed Cerri’s footsteps and taken on the mantle of mentorship this year by becoming a Career Ready mentor for a local school student from Cults Academy, Bijou Nishina, to guide and inspire them through a dedicated, personal mentoring programme. (see Photo).

By taking part in mentoring initiatives, we are aligning our values of trust, honesty and integrity and embedding them into a real-life setting.

“I think learning and development opportunities should be embraced by all businesses; recognising and inspiring talent should be viewed as a key asset,” continues Cerri.

Earlier this year, Prospect 13 were invited to take part in a series of talks organised by Gray’s School of Art aimed at nurturing up and coming creative talent in the region. By offering motivational insights, marketing expertise and creative industry guidance, our team offered the students a chance to see how they can successfully take all they have learned at university and effectively apply it to the real world of work.

We have also watched two of our placement students grow into highly motivated and successful digital marketers through mentoring and work experience at Prospect 13. A huge accomplishment was winning the award for Best Student Placement at the Northern Star Business Awards in 2023.

“I have a huge passion for education, and I grab every opportunity to encourage personal growth and inspire the next generation,” says Cerri.

“Being a mentor brings me immense satisfaction and a real sense that I’m making a difference in someone’s life and career trajectory.

“Something as simple as sitting down for a cuppa and making a new connection with someone, you open yourself up to learning about different opinions, backgrounds, and life experiences, and you are inspired by those who lift your spirits and leave you buzzing with new ideas.”

To find out more about the ways we help make a difference in our community, visit our Corporate Social Responsibility page or get in touch if you fancy that cuppa and connection!