2022/23 Annual Report & Accounts

What happened. How we handled it.

hello from emperor

This is the story of a unique year.

A year that’s not only given us challenges

but also the opportunity to show we’re as determined as ever to think, create and do great things for our clients.

Cameron Gunn Co–CEO

Victoria Sugg Co–CEO

Capturing opportunity from change

We are in a period of political, economical and technological uncertainty. All of it affecting us, all of it affecting our clients. But the more things change, the more they stay the same, and our offer to clients remains relevant, focused and impactful.

Victoria Sugg and Cameron Gunn, Co–CEOs

We have stayed true to our clients, our creativity and our culture. We’ve been able to do this because of the network we’ve built, the relationships we’ve nurtured and the extraordinary partners we work with.

A simple ambition A simple ambition

To be the most relevant, impactful and creative communications agency for
the good of our clients, our partners and society.

Obsessed by our clients and their challenges.

Obsessed by our clients and their challenges.

Our clients’ challenges may have evolved in scope and complexity, but our determination to solve them remains unchanged.

operational

ArcelorMittal

Guided by Emperor, ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel and mining company, was one of the first organisations in the world to start reporting towards CSRD in their 2022 Integrated Annual Review.

reputation

Reckitt

In helping Reckitt build awareness though a global corporate social presence, we were able to increase their average engagement by 78% in just a few months.

growth

Sibling support

Through our work on the Sibling Support website, 1,800 bereavement resources were sent out since launch. The demand increased so much as a result of our campaign that many of these items were sold out within a week as well as out of stock for ten days.

people

SSE

Focusing in on audience-led journeys and messaging, we created a suite of five sites showcasing the new SSE brand in six months. We saw user engagement improve, with a 7% increase in time spent on content and unique page views on SSE.com growing by 16%.

Empowered together in our 4^th year of employee ownership.

As we celebrate another year of employee ownership, we’re reflecting on how this transition has helped to shape and strengthen us.

Empowered together in our 4^th year of employee ownership.

Pulse surveys

Partner Voice sessions

Presentations to Exco by the Partner Board

Proud to work alongside our community.

We are always innovating on our clients’ behalf to ensure we can access the most relevant ecosystem of expertise.

Proud to work alongside our community.

We welcomed our new charity partner in PAPYRUS – to add to long-standing collaborations.

We worked closely with the EOA on a refreshed brand strategy and visual identity.

There’s never been a more exciting time to be in corporate communications and this year has been packed and punctuated with some amazing Emperor milestones.
Cameron and Victoria, Co–Chief Executive Officers

Sharing in our clients' success Sharing in our clients' success

Our clients sit at the heart of everything we do.

This year we saw 66 new clients added to our roster.

Over the past year we have won or been recognised for 29 awards awards across 12 awards bodies.

We’ve built long–term, valued relationships with so many of our clients.

Service average recommendation score.

None of this works without being set–up for success. We’re streamlining and better connecting, from our teams to our data, to serve our partners and clients even better.
Philip Franklin, Chief Operating Officer

Evolving our partner experience Evolving our partner experience

On a mission to transform into something bigger and bolder.

Working with current partners, we invested in knowledge-sharing programmes. Alongside a range of opportunities, including manager development, professional and apprenticeship qualifications and programmes.

We said hello to new partners across our five hubs.

We had over 20% of partners participate in our internal mentoring programme that continues to benefit both the individual and Emperor.

We welcomed back some familiar faces, as seven people returned to Emperor.

Our incredible partners are our secret sauce. We’re investing in our people and creating an environment of high challenge and high support, with inclusion as standard, where everyone can excel.
Tessa McCaffrey, Head of Partner Experience and Learning

Adam Holloway Chief Creative Officer

Transforming ambition into reality

As our Creative Principles become entrenched in the fabric of Emperor – shaping our thinking, our understanding, and our ways of working – they have pushed us to greater heights of both client and partner experience.

Adam Holloway, Chief Creative Officer

Our Creative Principles make it clear what we believe in, how we do our best work and what we expect from both our clients and each other. A year on from their launch, they are now set in stone, underscoring their significance for us as creative business and a core part of who we are.