In this episode of Promo Insiders, Michele Bell, ASI’s vice president of Editorial, Education & Special Events talks to Matt Franks and Miles Lovegrove, co-owners of UK-based distributor Fluid Branding and the 2021 Counselor International Persons of the Year.

Matt Franks (left) and Miles Lovegrove

You can read her profile on Franks and Lovegrove here but in this video interview Bell delves into how the duo not only guided their company to enviable success in 2020 (its sales were up 190%, making it a $43 million USD distributorship and the second-largest in the UK), but acquired a competitor, help launch Brand Unbound with other best-in-class global distributors and became a Certified B Corp., leaning heavily into their company ethics and ethos. 

The latter being so smart of Franks and Lovegrove, because clients – especially buyers in the Gen Y&Z demographics – are paying attention to where they spend their money with laser-like attention. 

“There is a wide variety of research data available, but it’s widely assumed that Millennials now accounts for over 40% of all customers,” Lovegrove, who has an affinity for utilizing data analytics to drive business decisions, says. “This is having a huge influence on product trends as buying preferences reflect the views of this emerging generation. We’ve followed several studies and adjusted our marketing efforts to gain the trust of this generation, listening to their preferences over product selection and buying decisions. Compared to any generation that has come before, they’re more informed and generally less trusting of brands. They value transparency and authenticity over all else.”

Franks concurs and notes that as social media is the most popular way to connect with this generation, followed by email and then online ads, socially conscious brands have seen some huge success in today’s market, “due to the belief they’re sharing with this generation and including them in their tribe,” he says. “As a B Corporation, Fluid Branding is communicating on a level that this generation understands by living and breathing our story and not just through lip service. Product choices are more informed and more considered than ever before, which leads to changes in the types of product they purchase. Increasingly our customers care more about the community, the environment, and corporate responsibility from the sources they buy.”

Podcast Chapters (Available only on desktop)
1:05 The current state of the UK promo market
2:20 What the promo market looks like, post COVID
3:50 Shifting trends in promo
6:05 Current sales for Fluid Branding
7:49 Fluid Branding’s strategy for success during COVID
12:30 Fluid’s stance on work-from-home vs. return to the office
16:50 On being a certified B Corp and connecting with younger buyers
22:00 On the importance of promo distributors having a global footprint
23:00 Why it’s critical to learn the nuances of difference countries before doing business there
27:50 The value of leaning into data analysis and leveraging technology as a competitive advantage
30:00 Fluid’s future plans
35:50 Big goals and going carbon net zero. 

Watch on YouTube

Key leadership lessons from Matt & Miles of Fluid Branding:

• Never compromise on who you are as a business. “Our culture is about our Fluid family,” Franks says. “People need to feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. Due to this we’ve always been able to have candid and transparent conversations with the team, and never compromise on our values and ethics.” 
• Stay Agile. Keep the business agile and keep communication swift and efficient. “Too many decision makers can stop growth and adaptability,” says Lovegrove. “Be clear with your team and give them responsibility to make these decisions. Clear communication was critical to overcoming the challenges we faced.”
• Never stand still. “Some of our largest competitors in Europe decided to shut down the operation during COVID and wait for a return to normalcy,” Franks says. “But things will never go back to the way they were, you need to evolve and grow – if not, then you’re dead in the water. Listen to your customers and your team, and continually adapt to their requirements.”