IPM Members Zappit are proud to announce new platform rezolvecx.com establishing Compensation as a Service as a new customer care category.

For years, complaint resolution has been manual, slow and expensive. Compensation as a Service changes that, enabling brands to resolve consumer product complaints instantly through secure, managed digital payments delivered in seconds.

The platform enables brands to issue digital goodwill payments within defined financial guardrails, turning reactive complaint spend into a controlled and measurable engagement channel.

Already deployed across the UK and Europe with brands including Unilever, Colgate, Fever-Tree and BOL Foods, Rezolve operates at both SME and enterprise level.

“Moving to digital vouchers has completely simplified our current process. It’s quicker, easier, and fits how we work today especially with more of us working remotely. The team have been great – collaborative, responsive, and always open to feedback and quick to find solutions when we’ve needed them. It just feels like a much more modern, simple way of working now.”
Sarah Samtani – Consumer Care Manager, Organix

“Working with the team at Rezolve is great. The level of service and attention we receive is excellent – the team is so responsive, professional, and clear in their communications. The platform itself is so incredibly intuitive, which makes it easy for new agents to get up to speed quickly. It streamlines our consumer care process and helps us respond to queries faster and more effectively than ever. Rezolve has become an integral part of how we strive to deliver great service.”
Nika Bureick – Consumer Experience Capabilities Expert Germany, ABInBev

How does it work?

While brands invest heavily in incentives and loyalty programmes, complaint-related compensation has remained manual and inefficient.

Rezolve enables organisations to:

• Issue compensation via instant at-till redemption, cashback or direct payout
• Distributed digitally in seconds – zero P&P costs
• Reduced cost per resolution and driving significant time savings
• Capture structured consumer insight
• Drive retention and increase lifetime value

In effect, Compensation as a Service formalises complaint spend as a measurable,
performance-driven channel. “Compensation has historically been treated as an administrative task,” said Mark Fraser, Founder of Rezolve. “Yet it represents significant spend. Compensation as a Service brings speed, structure and accountability to that spend, turning complaint handling into a strategic revenue lever.”

Rezolve positions Compensation as a Service as a core component of modern consumer
engagement infrastructure.

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Retailwise, a new platform brought to you by leading SaaS specialists Staffwise, comes at a moment when UK marketing budgets are recovering and brands are doubling down on in-store activations. 

According to the IPA Bellwether Q2 2025 Report, a net balance of 5.5% of marketers increased spend, reversing a four-year low in Q1. While growth in experiential marketing eased slightly to 3.9% (down from 5.4%), it remains one of the few areas showing consistent investment, alongside sales promotions and direct marketing. 

This renewed confidence in experiential formats is being felt across retail. Shoppers are returning to physical spaces not just to buy, but to engage. And brands are responding with activations that are more immersive, more interactive, and more strategically designed to drive shopper engagement, influence purchase decisions, and extend reach beyond the store through social sharing and branded content.

Recent UK data highlights the scale of this shift:

• 88% of the population visited a retail destination in late 2024  
• Under-35s averaged 9.5 visits per month, driven by experiential formats 
• 85% of customers are more likely to spend in-store after attending an event 
• 73% say they spend more time and money in stores offering experiences 
• 77% of marketers now integrate experiential into their brand strategy  

With mainstream signals like Netflix formalising “Netflix House,” and the Financial Times putting immersive entertainment near £100bn in 2024 with strong growth expected by 2030. This reflects what many IPM members are seeing on the ground: a rise in in-store activations, sampling campaigns, and immersive merchandising. All of which depend on well-coordinated field teams.  

“We built Retailwise to solve very real industry challenges we saw our clients facing every day,” says Mark Waddington, Founder of Staffwise. “It’s about empowering agencies and brands with the tools to run smarter, faster, and more effective retail execution.”

Connecting Field Teams to Campaign Results 

Retailwise is designed to close the gap between the people delivering in-store campaigns and the systems used to measure their impact. Field teams are often managed separately from reporting tools, leaving brands with fragmented data and limited visibility.  
 
The platform brings together scheduling, onboarding, and real-time reporting into one streamlined system. Whether it’s a nationwide sampling tour or a series of tactical merchandising visits, agencies can now track who was on-site, what was delivered, and how it performed, all in one place. With budgets tight, spending becomes strategic and having access to a wealth of data and analytic helps underpin effective retail spending. 
 
In addition to it’s shelf-scanning tools, Retailwise also focuses on the people behind the campaigns  (brand ambassadors, merchandisers, and promotional teams) giving agencies visibility into attendance, activity, and outcomes. 

Smarter Retail Starts Here 

In a landscape where shopper expectations are rising and brand experiences matter more than ever, platforms like Retailwise are helping agencies and brands lead with confidence, clarity, and impact. Ready to see it in action? Visit retailwise.io or book a demo to explore how smarter retail execution starts here. 

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Independent brand‑experience agency RPM has become an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), handing majority ownership to the employees who “power the agency every day,” founder Hugh Robertson announced this week.

“Over 30 years ago, I started this agency with a simple idea: to stay independent, put people first, and create work we could all be proud of. I’m proud to say that RPM is now officially an Employee Ownership Trust.”— Hugh Robertson

Robertson founded RPM in 1993 and has led it ever since, guiding the business to B Corp certification and a reputation for experiential creativity. The new EOT structure protects that independence and formalises the agency’s long‑held belief in a people‑first culture.

RPM was among the UK’s first creative shops to earn B Corp certification in 2021 and continues to nurture future talent through partnerships with Creative Equals, Creative Lives in Progress and local schools.

The leadership team remains in place, while Robertson moves to a non‑executive chair role. He emphasised that it is “business as usual” for clients and partners, adding: “I have full confidence in what comes next.”

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Global experiential agency Momentum Worldwide announces the appointment of Jason Alan Snyder as its first-ever Global Chief AI Officer, marking a transformative move in the agency’s commitment to delivering intelligent brand systems through responsible innovation.
 
Snyder, who currently serves as Chief Technology Officer and head of global production, will continue in that capacity. His appointment as Chief AI Officer reflects the agency’s recognition that artificial intelligence is not simply a technological shift but a business imperative in advertising.

“Jason’s appointment reflects where our industry is headed—and how Momentum plans to continue to lead it,” said Donnalyn Smith, Global CEO of Momentum Worldwide. “He has a rare ability to turn complex systems into a brand advantage, and his vision ensures our clients stay ahead, responsibly and creatively.”

An accomplished technologist and inventor, Snyder has led the development of intellectual property for Momentum spanning AI systems, data orchestration and real-time production technologies. This work has become a key part of Momentum’s innovation moat, enabling the agency to deliver proprietary solutions far beyond commercialized AI tools.

“This is not about hype—it’s about helping our clients navigate and lead through complexity,” said Snyder. “As Chief AI Officer, my focus is embedding intelligence into every layer of what we do—from operations to concept to execution—making AI a trusted partner in delivering the smartest brand experiences.”

Momentum has a rich legacy of technology “firsts,” from real-time fan engagement platforms and spatial computing activations to immersive digital twins and generative content engines. This appointment represents the natural next phase of that journey: formalizing AI as a strategic core of the business, rooted in innovation, ethics and outcomes.
 
With Snyder at the helm of AI and production, Momentum is doubling down on scalable, intelligent and immersive brand experiences. The agency’s vision is clear: to help clients navigate complexity through powerful systems that marry technology, creativity and cultural relevance.

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Iconic British folding bicycle manufacturer, Brompton, has appointed experiential marketing experts, TRO, to deliver the Brompton World Championship in London this summer, in a milestone year that celebrates the brand’s 50^th anniversary.

The participatory event, taking place from 20^th to 22^nd June at Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross, will bring together more than 500 Brompton riders to compete in a series of races around the city streets, with 50,000 spectators expected to create a fun-filled, celebratory atmosphere. The event will sit alongside the Via Criterium as part of the London Cycling Festival.

At the heart of the event, TRO will harness their festival expertise to create The Brompton Village – a vibrant hub for Brompton’s community to come together and connect through a range of experiences that embody its brand ethos of fun, inclusivity and adventure.

The flagship event will also explore the brand’s legacy, offer limited edition anniversary merch and preview new products, with additional community ride-outs and experiences set to extend the activation beyond the festival.

Chris Booker, New Business & Marketing Director, TRO, said: “We’re delighted to be working with such an iconic brand in what is a real milestone year. Their ethos of community, inclusivity and fun perfectly aligns with our own outlook as an agency, and we can’t wait to bring Brompton fans together for what promises to be a special event.”

Chris Willingham, Global Marketing Director, Brompton, said “The Brompton World Championships brings together our community from around the world for the ultimate Brompton celebration. In our 50^th year, this will be extra special; TRO understood exactly what and how we could make this the best BWC yet and have the proven expertise to deliver it.”

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The IPM is delighted to open entries for The Awards 2025! After another remarkable year of creativity, innovation, and impact in promotional marketing, we are excited to come together once again to honour the best in our industry.

As the flagship awards for promotional marketing, the IPM Awards set the benchmark for excellence. Every entry is judged on creative execution, strategic thinking, and measurable results, ensuring that winners reflect the highest standards in the industry.

From shopper activations to experiential campaigns, loyalty strategies to brand partnerships, this is where the most impactful work in promotional marketing takes centre stage.

Be Part of the Industry’s Gold Standard

Since 1971, the IPM Awards have set the benchmark for the most effective, creative, and results-driven campaigns, reinforcing the importance of promotional marketing as a strategic discipline. Beyond the ceremony, the event is a key moment in the industry calendar, bringing together the brightest minds in promotional marketing. It’s a chance to reflect, learn, and celebrate the work that’s shaping the future of the industry.

If your campaign has made an impact, influenced behaviour, sparked engagement, or redefined brand experience, this is where it belongs—among the very best in promotional marketing.

“Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed an incredible level of creativity and innovation within the promotional marketing industry. The IPM Awards provide a platform to not only celebrate these achievements but also inspire future campaigns. Entering the awards is a fantastic opportunity to gain well-deserved recognition, showcase your team’s talent, and connect with industry peers. We can’t wait to see the exceptional work that 2025 will bring.” – Emma Kirk, IPM General Manager

Key Dates to Remember

The IPM Awards have sold out for two years running, and anticipation for 2025 is building. If you’re planning to enter, don’t miss the chance to do so at a reduced fee — the Early Bird deadline closes tomorrow, 26th March 2025 at 16:00. Secure your entry now to make sure your campaign gets the recognition it deserves and a shot at taking home gold.

• Early bird entry deadline: 26th March 2025 at 16:00
• Standard Entry Deadline: 30th April 2025 at 16:00
• Late Entry Deadline: 14th May 2025 at 16:00

How to Enter

Submitting your entry is quick and easy. Visit our awards page to review the entry guidelines, select the category that best suits your campaign, and submit your work through our online portal. Your submission should clearly outline the creative strategy, execution, and results that set your campaign apart. Entries are judged by an expert panel, ensuring a fair and rigorous assessment based on effectiveness, innovation, and impact.

Proudly Sponsored By

The IPM Awards would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Their contributions help us celebrate excellence, innovation, and impact across the promotional marketing industry.

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Multi-award-winning creative brand experience agency N2O is entering its second year as experiential partner working with Pride in London (The UK’s largest Pride event), as Westminster City Council grants the rights to experiential spaces for this year’s celebrations for the first time ever.

There will be 13 experiential spaces for brands to stand proud in front of an audience of 1.7 million (Nielsen, 2024) at landmarks, including Trafalgar Square, Soho Square, Leicester Square, Golden Square, and Victoria Embankment.

This massive opportunity for brands is set against the backdrop of London’s current bid to host World Pride in 2030. All eyes will be on the capital for 2025 before the decision for the host city is made.

Jack Horlock, Cultural Partnerships Director at N2O, comments: “Pride in London is the year’s most aspirational event, surpassing Glastonbury, BST, and the London Marathon in brand perception. Brands’ presence demonstrates meaningful allyship while reaching a highly engaged audience. It’s a really massive opportunity. We’re also delighted to share that every package we sell for Pride in London this year will see a 10% donation to the Pride in London Unity Fund.”

Interested in securing a spot at Pride in London or Brighton Pride 2025? Get in touch with N2O at jack.horlock@n2o.co.uk to find out how your brand can take part in this historic moment.

Want to learn more about how brands can authentically engage with Pride? Read our full article, Beyond the Rainbow: Growing Your Brand with Pride, featuring exclusive insights from Pride in London’s Dee Llewelyn and N2O’s Clare James.

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The Ingenuity Group acquired Reg&Co in March 2024 to bolster its brand partnership offering, with the two agencies aligning themselves closely and working together successfully. Today it is revealed they are merging under one name – Reg&Partners – led by Managing Director and founder of Reg&Co Karen Morris.

Chris Kemp, Founder and CEO of The Ingenuity Group, comments: “The Ingenuity Group acquired Reg&Co to supercharge our brand partnerships and sponsorships offering. After months of successful collaboration between them and our existing partnerships division now felt like the right time to fully integrate the two and relaunch our offer under the new Reg&Partners brand. Karen will be taking the now fully integrated team forwards as it continues to grow in 2025.” 

Karen Morris, MD of Reg&Partners, adds: “This merger and rebrand is incredibly exciting for the team and our existing and future clients. Merging the Ingenuity brand partnerships team with Reg&Co under one umbrella, Reg&Partners, combines the expertise and networks of both agencies, empowering us to grow and deliver more for our current and future clients.  I am excited about the challenge for 2025 and beyond as we deliver sponsorship strategy and sales, brand partnerships, licensing opportunities and loyalty programmes.” 

Reg&Partners client roster includes The Royal Institution, Sony Pictures, Samsung, Hasbro, Hello Fresh, Grosvenor estates, The Kennel Club, Canary Wharf Group, Chance to Shine.

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The UK government has recently opened a consultation on the future of zero-hour contracts, a decision with potentially far-reaching consequences for many sectors, especially the promotional marketing industry. Many IPM members rely on zero-hour contracts to staff fluctuating campaign demands, providing essential flexibility. For workers—including students, part-timers, and freelancers—these contracts offer the freedom to work across multiple agencies. During this period, it’s crucial to consider how these contracts can meet the needs of both businesses and workers. This article explores the potential implications, offers critical insights, and encourages active participation to collectively shape how these changes are implemented, ensuring they work for everyone—businesses, agencies, and the workers who make our campaigns possible.

What is a Zero-Hour Contract?

Zero-hour contracts are agreements where employers are not obligated to offer a minimum number of working hours, and workers, in turn, are not required to accept the work offered. These contracts provide critical flexibility, particularly for students, parents, freelancers, and those balancing other commitments to work around their schedules, accommodating studies, family responsibilities, or other part-time work. For employers, it provides the ability to quickly adapt to fluctuating business needs without the burden of fixed staffing costs. This type of contract first entered the public debate in 2013, when industries needed a workforce that could adapt quickly to changing demands—particularly in sectors like hospitality, retail, and promotional marketing.

Flexibility vs. Fairness: The Debate

A pro-worker, pro-business economy demands genuine, two-sided flexibility for both employers and employees. The problem to date has been that this flexibility has too often gone one way. Through the Employment Rights Bill, the government aims to fulfil its pledge to end exploitative zero-hour contracts. It is proposed that this type of contract does not offer the worker any form of certainty as to their earnings, making it difficult to apply for credit or a mortgage, to rent a flat, to plan for major events like weddings or holidays. Flexible hours of work can benefit both workers and employers, but without proper safeguards, this flexibility can be one-sided.

A pro-worker, pro-business economy demands genuine, two-sided flexibility for both employers and employees. The problem to date has been that this flexibility has too often gone one way.

Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade

Too many people are drawn into a race to the bottom, denied the security they need to raise a family while businesses are unable to retain the workers they need to grow. We’re raising the floor on rights at work to deliver a stronger, fairer and brighter future of work for Britain.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner

The Impact on Promotional Marketing

Promotional marketing—especially experiential campaigns and live activations—relies heavily on the ability to quickly scale staffing up or down based on client demands, campaign types, and specific locations. Zero-hour contracts have been instrumental in providing the workforce flexibility needed for these unpredictable scenarios, enabling agencies to meet diverse client needs efficiently. The flexibility of zero-hour contracts benefits not only businesses but also workers—many of whom are students, freelancers, or part-time professionals looking for dynamic and short-term opportunities.

Our initial conversations with members have shown that these changes could significantly impact how some businesses operate. Without the option for zero-hour contracts, the promotional marketing industry may struggle to meet client demands and maintain the high level of agility required to succeed in an environment where staffing needs shift rapidly. The banning of such contracts could place significant strain on the workforce and the industry as a whole, potentially leading to decreased employment opportunities and a reduction in the industry’s economic contribution.

IPM General Manager Emma Kirk

Challenges in Implementing Reforms

Agency work is inherently unpredictable, with workers frequently choosing this type of employment precisely for the flexibility it offers, allowing them to fit work around other commitments. However, the proposed reforms—such as guaranteed hours—would not only limit workers’ freedom to choose when to work but also hinder agencies’ ability to respond swiftly to campaign demands. Striking a balance between flexibility and stability is crucial for ensuring the industry can continue to flourish while offering fair conditions for all involved.

A key complexity in the promotional marketing sector is the tripartite relationship between agencies, workers, and end clients. With the proposed reforms, questions arise about who should be responsible for offering guaranteed hours or providing reasonable notice of shifts—should it be the agency, the end hirer, or both?

Why Industry Voices Matter

The Employment Rights Bill presents a pivotal moment for sectors like ours that depend on agile staffing solutions. Now is the time for us to collectively shape how these changes are implemented, ensuring they work for everyone—businesses, agencies, and the workers who make our campaigns possible.

The IPM is actively gathering vital input from across the industry to present a well-rounded response to the government consultation. We need real-life examples, data on economic impact, and ideas for how to protect workers without losing the adaptability that our work demands. Your insights could be the key to ensuring the new measures support our industry.

Join the conversation and help shape the future of work in our industry by completing the feedback form via the link below. The deadline for submissions is Friday, 15th November 2024, at 4 pm.

Click Here To Find Out More and Submit Your Feedback!

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Experience12, the UK’s leading pop culture brand experience agency, has appointed industry veteran Nick Swift as Client Services Director in a newly created role.

Swift brings his 20 years of events, experiential and content marketing experience to Experience12. He has worked at some of the industry’s leading agencies, most recently from Circle Agency, where he was Group Account Director, following his role as Director of Brand Experience at Retail Marketing Group (RMG). Nick has led numerous prestige campaigns over the years that have won industry awards, including IPM and FMBE golds.

Swift has worked with leading gaming, toy and entertainment brands including PlayStation, Electronic Arts, Activision, Hasbro, Capcom and Team17 that perfectly align with Experience12’s specialised focus on pop culture marketing, making him well-positioned to understand and serve the agency’s client base.

Working as a part of the senior management team with Business Director George Bateman, Head of Production Nick Parker and Founder Chris Whittle, Swift will focus on consolidating the agency’s best in class client servicing in addition to supporting the agency’s growth plans. His appointment comes, as Experience12 expands its work within the gaming and entertainment sectors in the UK and Internationally.

Swift will take up his position with immediate effect.

“I’m extremely excited to be joining the team at Experience12, an agency I have long admired.  I’m passionate about brand showmanship and building fan love – and I’m looking forward to working with Experience12 clients old and new to create campaigns that both dazzle and deliver.” 

Nick Swift, Client Services Director at Experience12

“Given the extraordinary year for the agency it’s a great time for Nick to be joining the team. We were looking for someone with a strong track record in our core pop culture sectors with a demonstrated experience in securing campaigns and successfully delivering them for clients. It was clear even from our initial conversations that Nick understood the board’s vision for Experience12’s future. We’re looking forward to working with him on developing that future and the many exciting adventures ahead.”

Chris Whittle, Founder and Managing Director at Experience12

About Experience12

Experience12 is an independent, award-winning agency specialising in experiential marketing and events across the Film, TV and video game sectors. With unrivalled insight into the fan audience through years of research, we utilise data, trends and the demands of this powerful pop culture audience to deliver events with stand-out results for the biggest entertainment brands in the world. Based in London but operating globally, our services include creative, experiential events, exhibition stand design and build, PR stunts, press and influencer engagement and national and worldwide tours.

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