Five years at TMPR, happy work anniversary Tom!

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Today we’re marking five years since Tom Martin joined TMPR, and what an accomplished half a decade it has been!

Tom first joined the team back in 2019 as a Junior Account Executive, shortly after graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in English Language and Literature. He came to us as an enthusiastic graduate with an ambition to pursue a marketing and PR career. His passion and natural talent combined with the supportive environment and development opportunities provided by TMPR fast tracked Tom’s progression into his role as a fully formed Marketing & PR Consultant.

Reflecting on his tenure, Tom was spoilt for choice in choosing just a few highlights. From fully funded professional development, industry events and networking, team away days and celebrations, to spearheading immense projects and campaigns… And of course, taking home the title of Young Communicator of the Year at the 2023 CIPR PRide Wales awards!

When asked about his time with TMPR, Tom said: “Five years feels like a bit of a milestone, doesn’t it? It’s been a great journey so far and I’m confident there’s a way to go still. Seeing how the agency and the team has grown, especially across the past 12 months with new values, refreshed brand and more colleagues, has been extremely rewarding.

“On a personal level, I’m proud to be bringing the same attitude as day one. I’ve come a long way but I’m by no means finished learning, developing and finding new ways to deliver for our clients – and truly, I’m sure I never will be! It’s something to believe in, and I’m glad to be part of an ambitious team setting new standards.”

Louise Morgan, Director at TMPR, added: “Investing in our people to empower growth is a key pillar of TMPR. We believe in nurturing talent and supporting development at pace, most crucially, in specialisms that interest our colleagues the most. Tom has embraced every opportunity since day one, it’s been a real pleasure to work alongside him as his TMPR journey goes from strength to strength. Congratulations on this major milestone, Tom and thank you for the passion you bring to the agency as we prepare for our next chapter.”

Tom’s time with TMPR has been compelling and multifaceted – he has truly thrived since joining the team all those years ago, and played a pivotal role in helping evolve TMPR into the agency we are today.

A huge congratulations to Tom on his five year TMPR anniversary, we can’t wait to see what you achieve over the next five!

“This is not goodbye, but see you later!”

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This week, with a very heavy heart, TMPR said goodbye to our incredible Office Manager, Charlene Lau.

Charlene joined the team as an Office Administrator, but impressed everyone so much, that she progressed to Office Manager in less than a year! Charlene brought a wealth of experience in advertising and the media industry to the team – a skill set that saw her become a fundamental part of TMPR’s growth.

We’re sad to see Charlene leave, but we’ll be wishing her every success and cheering her on from rainy Wales she returns to her family in ‘sweaty’ Singapore.

On her final day in the office, Charlene took some time to reflect on her time with TMPR. Drawing inspiration from our Friday debrief, where we all share our highlights and challenges from the week, here’s what she had to say:

 

Highlights

“I’m super grateful for the kindness and tremendous support everyone has shown me since I first joined the team over two years ago. I have made friends for life and will miss everyone very much.

“It has been a privilege to watch TMPR grow – winning awards, gaining recognition from clients and publishers, and of course welcoming new faces to the team.

“I have really enjoyed being part of the brand refresh, crafting our new mission and vision statements, and generally laying the foundations for TMPR to grow even more. I’m sad I won’t be here to be part of it, but I know the team will keep doing amazing things.

“I will treasure every moment from our team building away days and parties to training sessions. We have had so much fun together, and shared so many giggles – I will never forget being exposed to new idioms like ‘turkeys don’t vote for Christmas’”. “I will take all these memories and phrases with me to Singapore and think of them when I need to laugh!”

 

Challenges

“Maybe I’m feeling soppy on my last day, but my time at TMPR has been a dream. The only challenge I can think of is adjusting to the work culture here – it’s much more relaxed than Singapore and Hong Kong!

And of course, a big challenge has been trying to park my car without any mishaps. Even on my last day I have had trouble trying to park my car! Maybe I need to revisit driving lessons…”.

 

Saying goodbye

“Leaving the TMPR team is going to be really hard. Everyone has been so thoughtful, encouraging, and all round amazing. I can’t go without thanking as many people as I can.

“Louise, my super talented lady boss! I couldn’t be more grateful to you for trusting me, allowing me to try new things, and encouraging me to grow and be better. You have definitely expanded my technical marketing knowledge, but in a way that I can take these skills and use them anywhere. It has been a great privilege to learn from you.

“Tom, the day we met you welcomed me with the most charming smile – it’s one of the best first impressions of someone I’ve ever had. From that day until this one, you have always guided me, offered support, and looked after me like family. Thank you for being a great friend.

“Olly, my partner in crime, lunch buddy, best English tea maker and Welsh cake baker! Life will be boring without you. I am sorry for forever teasing you, but we had so many laughs and so much fun. Your famous slogan ‘get back to work!’ will be part of me forever.

“Rachel Cole, my admin goddess! Your contagious laughter and positive vibes fill every room that you are in. I can’t think of anyone better to look after the team when I have returned to Singapore. Thank you for being authentically you.

“Mollie, my main competitor to marry Harry Styles! My only wish is that we could have more time to work together. It has been lovely getting to know you since you joined the team a few months ago, thank you for introducing me to various kinds of cows!

“Rachel Knight, it has been a great pleasure meeting you. In our short time you’ve shown me what gentleness and the term soft-spoken should be! I know you will do great things at TMPR.

“Jo, Katrin, Grace, Joanna, Elaine, and Chris – thank you for your kind support and the professionalism you have shown me throughout my tenure. I will miss working with you all.

“Publishers and clients, my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for making my time at TMPR truly memorable and smooth-sailing. I wish you all the best for the future.

 

“Coming together is the beginning, staying together is a process, working together is success.

“This is not goodbye but see you later my dearest TMPRers. My sincerest thank you to all of you. We became the best of friends, and I will miss you all deeply.”

The newest member of team TMPR – welcome, Rachel!

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TMPR is excited to welcome Rachel Knight to the team, who joins us as a Junior Graphic Designer! Rachel brings a degree in graphic communication and four years of graphic design experience to the team, alongside her friendly attitude and passion for creativity.

“During my university studies and previous roles, I developed a keen interest in visual storytelling and brand communication,” Rachel explains. “I am very happy to be joining TMPR, and I am eager to embrace the collaborative spirit and transparent approach that they are so well known for.”

“As a Junior Graphic Designer, I’ll be helping edit artwork for existing client projects, as well as acting as a brand guardian for TMPR,” Rachel continues. “I’m looking forward to growing in my role and with the brand. We’re currently going through a re-brand, so I’m very excited about what’s ahead!”

Outside of the office, Rachel tries to spend as much time outdoors as possible. She loves running, hiking, and travelling to new places. Last year, Rachel took a career break to travel around Europe. She had a fantastic time experiencing new cultures and exploring lots of new hiking routes. Her favourite hike being the Picos De Europa, a beautiful National Park known for being the home of the Brown Bear and the Iberian Wolf! Rachel is also a keen amateur photographer, and loves capturing the scenery on her outdoor adventures.

Louise Morgan, TMPR Director, says: “Welcoming Rachel to the team bolsters our existing creative capabilities. In the short time she has been with us, she has already made a positive impact – fitting in seamlessly by bringing a positive attitude and passion for design.”

“Thanks to Rachel joining the business, we are now making good progress with the TMPR rebrand behind the scenes,” Louise continues. “Watch this space in the coming months… great things are on the way!”

“I’m so thankful for the warm welcome I’ve received from the team,” Rachel adds. “Their kindness and support has made my transition into this new chapter smooth and enjoyable. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such talented, hardworking and friendly colleagues. I can’t wait to see what our future holds!”

 

Welcome to the TMPR team, Rachel!

TMPR celebrate Tom’s win at the CIPR PRide Awards!

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TMPR are extremely proud to share that Tom was a Gold Winner in the Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year category at this years CIPR PRide Awards!

Everyone at TMPR sees the hard work and dedication Tom puts into all his projects and clients every day, so his win came as no surprise to us, but we are so glad that his talent and commitment has been recognised by the CIPR and celebrated by a room full of industry peers. He truly is an inspiration.

“I’m immensely pleased to be named Gold Winner of the Outstanding Young Communicator award. It feels like the culmination of a great year, and a high point in my career so far. Putting my submission forward was a great opportunity to reflect on what I’ve achieved so far, but also a moment to think about what comes next – I’m sure there’s a lot more steps to take!” Tom explains. “To attend the awards with the team was a real privilege. We all work extremely hard so it’s brilliant to have a chance to celebrate together and unwind a little. I think it’s testament to the strength of our team that we’ve achieved so much, and we’ll undoubtedly be back next year.”

“It was incredible to see Tom win the Outstanding Young Communicator award. We will be celebrating Tom’s fifth year at TMPR in 2024, so this achievement feels like the perfect way to mark his progression so far,” says TMPR Director, Louise Morgan. “At TMPR we are passionate about investing in team development and creating opportunities for growth. Tom has grown so much since his early days at TMPR, so it was an honour to see him be celebrated by the CIPR and the Welsh PR Industry. We are beyond proud of him.”

Here’s what the judges had to say about why Tom is a deserving winner: “Tom is a worthy winner of the Outstanding Young Communicator award this year. His ability and commitment to his role shone through in his nomination. The judges were particularly pleased and impressed to see how he is passing on his knowledge and experience to colleagues. A very deserved honour.”

Held at the Coal Exchange Hotel in Cardiff Bay, the PRide Awards were a celebration of the work delivered by the vibrant Public Relations community in Wales over the last year. The dress code was dress to impress – and the team definitely did! The TMPR team has grown again this year, so the awards were a great opportunity for team members old and new to catch up with the extended team in person instead of through a screen!

TMPR were shortlisted for two other awards at this year’s PRide Awards: Best Long-term Client Care and Small PR Consultancy of the Year. Although we didn’t win these awards, as a small business, to be finalists at such a prestigious event amongst so many excellent peers was a win in itself for us.

Congratulations to Tom, all the award winners, and all our fellow finalists. The last few years have been especially difficult to navigate, so it is incredibly heart warming to see the Welsh Public Relations industry thriving. Everyone should be so proud.

We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

 

Celebrating two years at TMPR, happy work anniversary Charlene!

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This week we’re marking two years since Charlene Lau joined TMPR, and what an accomplished two years it has been! Charlene joined the team as an Office Administrator but quickly progressed to Office Manager within her first year. She has truly gotten stuck into her role and now celebrates two full years with us.

Originally from Singapore, Charlene brought with her a wealth of experience in hospitality, advertising, and the media industry – a skill set that along with her adaptability and organisation has seen her become a fundamental part of TMPR’s growth.

Charlene can speak an impressive four languages including English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Hokkien. She is currently brushing up on her French skills and has her sights set on adding a fifth fluent language to the list! Her dedication to learning and growth both in and outside of the office is what makes her the perfect Office Manager, and greatly admired by the whole team.

When asked about her two year TMPR tenure, Charlene said “I can’t believe it’s been two years already! I have learnt so much since I started my role. I have been able to develop my marketing and advertising knowledge, learn how to manage a busy office, and build positive relationships with clients. Everyone has always been so caring and supportive, and treated me with so much respect. There are a lot of exciting plans for TMPR in 2024, so I’m really excited to see what my third year holds”.

Louise Morgan, Director at TMPR, added: “Charlene been instrumental in evolution of TMPR over the past two years. Her positivity, her commitment to her role, and her dedication to the business is an enormously valuable asset to TMPR. Thank you, Charlene, for always being our ray of sunshine”.

Since joining us two years ago, Charlene’s unique skill set and bubbly warmth has become an integral addition to the team, and we could not imagine the office without her. A huge congratulations to Charlene on her two year TMPR anniversary, we can’t wait to see what you achieve in year three!

The TMPR team continues to grow. Welcome Mollie!

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Say hello to TMPR’s new Marketing & PR Assistant!

TMPR are thrilled to welcome recent Marketing Management Graduate, Mollie Britton, to the growing team. Whilst studying at university, Mollie discovered an enthusiasm for public relations and a keen interest in B2B marketing.  As well as expertise from her degree, Mollie brings marketing experience from third sector organisations and e-commerce businesses to TMPR, along with a passion for writing and a hunger to learn.

“University has provided me with so much knowledge in various areas of marketing, from consumer psychology all the way over to project management. During my final year, I studied PR in more depth, and found a real passion for the craft. My new role at TMPR combines everything I loved about my studies and previous marketing jobs, so this is a really exciting new venture for me.”

Outside of work, Mollie is an avid lover of all things music, attending gigs up and down the country on an (almost) weekly basis, collecting vinyl records, and discovering new music at festivals every summer. Mollie’s other interests include film photography, tattoo art, and her pets/best friends Reggie the Italian Greyhound, Rudi the Greyhound, and Flynn the Ibizan Hound.

“TMPR believes in nurturing home-grown talent,” says Louise Morgan, TMPR director. “Mollie shows great promise and brings a positive attitude and enthusiasm to the team. We are really looking forward to helping her develop and giving her graduate career a boost.”

“Starting a new job is always daunting, but I couldn’t have asked for a better first couple of months – I’ve been so busy getting stuck in to the role I’ve only just found the time to post this blog!” Mollie laughs. “Everyone has been so supportive and encouraging, and I have learnt so much already. It feels like a really exciting time to be joining TMPR. There are big things happening behind the scenes and I can’t wait for it all to come to fruition in the new year!”

Welcome to the TMPR team, Mollie!

Introducing Rachel, the newest member of the TMPR team!

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TMPR are pleased to welcome Rachel Cole to the team, whose newly created role will see her assist our recently promoted office manager, Charlene Lau. Rachel brings over a decade of experience in administration to TMPR, along with her positive attitude and a love for creativity.

“I spent years as an admin assistant in a local university organising seminars for research institutes and making sure they ran smoothly. I joined TMPR after sadly being made redundant, but it has turned out to be a bit of a blessing in disguise as I am really happy in my new role.”

Outside of the office Rachel loves being creative and spends a lot of her time completing crafting projects. Rachel loves water colours, sequin art, and building Lego with her son. They have recently begun a new Lego endeavour – building a massive Baby Groot from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films – and are currently around a third of the way through! Rachel also enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, and visiting some of the fantastic local restaurants The Vale of Glamorgan has to offer.

Louise Morgan, TMPR director says: “The administration team is relatively new to the business but has already become the backbone of our operations. The work behind the scenes sets the foundation for the wider team to deliver exceptional client experiences. I am really pleased to have Rachel on board who brings such extensive experience.”

“I’m really enjoying working at TMPR so far, I have an interesting range of tasks to get on with which keeps me on my toes,” Rachel adds. “I’m lucky to have joined a team of such lovely and supportive people. A highlight so far has to be the glass making away day we did at Glass By Design. I absolutely love crafting and creating new things, so it’s as if the day was made for me. It was great to get to know the team better and learn a new craft, I can’t wait for the next one!”

Welcome to the TMPR team, Rachel!

TMPR celebrates commitment to a real living wage

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Written by: Daisy Babbage

We are happy to announce that Technical Marketing and PR (TMPR) has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. This Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Technical Marketing and PR receive a minimum hourly wage of £10.90, higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour.

TMPR is based in Wales, a region where more than a tenth of all workers (11.8%) earn less than they need to get by, with around 144,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage.

 

Although TMPR has recently been accredited a Living Wage Employer, this is far from the start of the company paying its employees higher than the minimum wage. Even those on internships at TMPR earn a fair wage, as the business believes in nurturing and rewarding future talent. “We value all our employees at TMPR, and therefore believe this should be reflected not only in competitive salaries, but also wider benefits,” explains Louise Morgan, Director of TMPR.

“We’ve consulted closely with the team over the years to identify, above salary, what benefits are most valued. As a result of that, we now have private healthcare, flexi time, hybrid working, birthdays and Christmas shopping days off plus regular team building – the rugby always being a favourite!

“We want our team to be the best versions of themselves, so if we can help with that, then we will.”

 

The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 450,000 people and put over £2 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.

Katherine Chapman, the Director of Living Wage Foundation, said: “We’re delighted that Technical Marketing and PR has joined the movement of over 12,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.

“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like TMPR, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”

Say hello to the new Marketing Intern, Daisy!

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Written by: Daisy Babbage

Hot off the tail of our most recent hire is our new Marketing Intern, Daisy Babbage. Currently studying psychology at Cardiff University, she describes her interests as being in human behaviour and decision-making. “I’ve always wanted to go into marketing from a different perspective, thinking about why a marketing strategy is more persuasive than another, or what catches the attention of potential consumers, as well as wanting to understand how to implement it.

“Because of my degree, I am well versed in research and analysis. But what I am eager to expand on is my creative writing skills. As someone who loved English literature and creative writing during my A Levels, I’m excited to develop my written communication once again.” 

Alongside her internship and degree, Daisy enjoys keeping herself busy – whether that be through her retail job, running a weekly university radio show, or as a proactive member and publicity manager of an acting society. In what is left of her downtime, Daisy loves to paint, go on walks with family and friends, and listen to all genres of music.

“Everyone at TMPR has been so welcoming, friendly and helpful, making it feel like a really encouraging atmosphere to learn and develop my knowledge of the marketing and PR world. I can already tell how much of an impact this internship will have – not just for my understanding of marketing and PR, but also because of the people here.

“I love learning about the world, and ultimately, I would love to work in marketing for a technology company. I can’t wait to get stuck in and get hands-on insight into marketing, and I am so happy to be doing this with TMPR.”

Welcome to the team, Daisy!

Hwyl Fawr Carys!

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Written by: Mimi Deen

We recently said goodbye to another one of our interns, Carys Williams, who joined TMPR for an initial three-month internship which was then extended. Here’s what she had to say about her journey of balancing studying and working with us:

“My TMPRship has been so insightful and I’m very grateful to Louise and the team for this invaluable opportunity. It was very important for me to gain experience in the industry, ahead of graduation. Completing my internship allowed me to develop my knowledge, experience and confidence, which are all essential to me, for when I enter the labour market after my studies. 

“Everyone within the in-house and wider team has been so patient and guiding, which I am really grateful for. My favourite tasks have been news round ups and blog writing, and I now even have tangible pieces of copy to add to my portfolio.

“I’ve also been lucky enough to become accustomed with tools used in this field of work; Cision, Smartsheet and WordPress, to name a few.”

If you’re a student or recent graduate looking to gain experience in marketing and PR, give us a shout at hello@technicalmarketing-pr.com or visit our LinkedIn to connect.