When two things or two people get together stuff invariably happens.

Great stuff more often than not.

Where would Lennon be without McCartney? Or fish without chips?

Unions are at the heart of what we do. Unions between media and idea. Words and action. Effectiveness and creativity.

We are The Union.

Whatever your marketing challenge, we have the skills and talent to deliver the right solution through one of our four specialist Union businesses. Or perhaps a combination of them. 

Who are we? We’re The Union. An award-winning regional UK integrated marketing agency.

We’ve been going for 20 years, employ over 90 staff and work for over 50 clients across the UK and internationally. We’ve won over 100 marketing effectiveness awards and well over 300 creative awards.

Based in Edinburgh and Leeds, our success is down to a passion for sticking to our core principles – delivering insight and creativity to clients – wrapped up with a passionate service ethos and an understanding that at the end of the day it’s the results that matter.

We think our work should do the talking for us; this site has a comprehensive database of case studies. Please have a look round or get in touch for a chat.

Every challenge we face begins exactly the same way: understand the target consumer and identify relevant consumer insights, and interrogate the brand or business to reveal the core benefit.

From this we are able to make a crucial link: the one between the consumer and what the product offers.

This in turn forms the raw material of the creative challenge. Armed with insights and driven by research, we turn the challenge into a powerful and memorable communication idea. An idea that transforms brands and energises businesses.

We then deliver this idea into the most appropriate communication channel. Only by providing the complete package can we offer the complete solution.

To accommodate the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of any given communication strategy, and the highly specialist knowledge and skills required, we are comprised of five specialist units with offices in Edinburgh and Leeds.

The Union is an integrated marketing agency that just so happens to be based in Edinburgh. Our success is down to a passion for sticking to our core principles – delivering insight and creativity to clients – wrapped up with a passionate service ethos and a firm understanding that at the end of the day it’s the results that matter.

The Union arrived kicking and screaming in the early summer of 1996 when Facebook was but a twinkle in Mark Zuckerberg’s eye and a media schedule covered little more than outdoor and broadcast. As the communications world evolved so did the needs of businesses and the skills required to meet them. We learned quickly. Success demanded an approach that was fluid, flexible and collaborative. So out of the belly of The Union popped Union Direct, Union Digital, Union Connect and Union Data. 

Mercifully, our unified management structure allows integrated, through-the-line campaigns to be executed without hitches or glitches. Which makes your life a whole lot easier. If your needs are a little more specific, then we can tailor our team to only include the specialists you need. And with a single point of contact, every project, large and small, runs smoothly and effortlessly. Our clients sleep very soundly.

Our experience and expertise straddle multiple sectors and services. But that’s merely an appetiser to the smorgasbord of delights on the menu. At The Union we also host our own conference every year and invite speakers from all over the world to share their stories. We create and produce our own video content for broadcast, websites and social. And even as you read this, we’re exploring new technologies and innovations and making plans to offer those too. 

Great PR is the heart of every successful marketing and communications campaign. Regardless of your audience, the art of compelling storytelling distinguishes you in the crowded media landscape, spanning traditional press, digital and social channels. Earned media remains the most potent way to grab attention, engage audiences, build trust and shape behaviours. Our strategic approach is focused on building lasting connections that are aligned with your business goals.

We have a long history of success in both developing and evolving brands. Our approach is multi-disciplinary, unlike many other brand consultants. Because we work across advertising, point-of-sale, digital and experiential, we have a method which ensures that all the consumer touch-points are factored in to any solution. We also have the advantage of being able to pre-test solutions though our network, Worldwide Partners. The areas where we have particular experience include tourism, food and drink, charity, financial services and the public sector.

A marketing strategy, as if you didn’t know, is how we plan to make the art of buying and selling products, experiences or services as easy as possible for you and your audience. At its heart is conversion. How do we turn a lukewarm consumer into a loyal customer (and brand advocate)? How do we create a lasting and lucrative bond that is informed by the brand’s value proposition and core values? 

The power of influencer engagement is constantly evolving, but remains stronger than ever. Our tiered approach across numerous territories ensures we are working with the right influencers on the right platform to best engage their followers. It’s not simply about an #ad on the grid and product placement, it’s about building longer-term brand relationships and working with influencers to create content that will genuinely excite and interest their audience. Our process involves not just seeking out those with the best fit but also triple-checking backgrounds and social media histories for any unwanted digital skeletons.