The SHARP Agency | B Corp™

OUR IDEAS MAKE THINGS HAPPEN

They create awareness, define identity, change perceptions, increase sales and inspire action. But above all, they help brands and businesses engage with their audience.

Collaboration is key and we like to work closely with our clients and their customers to unearth fresh insights and ensure clarity of objectives.

Then inspiration and experience laced with a touch of instinct, sparks a unique idea that integrates itself into the most appropriate media.

Most importantly, we never lose sight of what we’re here to do; bring ideas into the world that engage, are relevant, effective and make things happen.

And that's SHARP.

Owner

Graeme Robertson Trust (GRT)

GRT acts as a launch pad for creative careers. Together, we work to ensure that any young person who wishes to enter the creative advertising and marketing industry has the right skills, support and opportunities in order to thrive. The GRT is made up of senior creatives and marketers who all share a passion to help young creatives break into the industry.

Associate

DMA UK

For the last 6 years I have been proud to be a DMA Judge. The responsibility of helping select the best UK marketing work each year is one I relish. You can find out more about The DMA Awards at this link https://dma.org.uk/awards

DMA Judge 2020

TBWA\Manchester

When BDHTBWA\ and TEQUILA\ merged to become TBWA\ Manchester, my remit was to front the agency’s Creative Department and integrate all aspects of creativity that this one single company - with one P and L - could now deliver. 

Responsible for over 40 people in the Creative Department, part of my role was to get teams working in new media and in more collaborative ways than previously. 

As part of the Senior Management team, I was pivotal in helping the agency to win 8 new business pitches and 12 awards. Client scores for creativity improved dramatically. 

I also worked with D&amp;AD North and nurtured strong links with local Universities  - especially Preston and MMU - to implement a constant flow of graduate work placements within the Creative Department.

Executive Creative Director

TEQUILA\Manchester

Employed when the company first started, my remit was to help build the business and develop a first class creative department. 

We grew the company from five people to seventy five in just two years. Both the creative department and the production department were my responsibility. 

Developing the people in the business and the culture of the business was a key responsibility and I organised and hosted away days for both the creative department and account management to develop the team working and vision and values of the company.

The company was also well awarded for its creative and effectiveness, plus during this time I was also asked to run the creative department of TEQUILA\London for a period of three months.

Creative Director

Jaywing

Ran my own creative team working across a number of brands. This was where I gained my first experience of leadership. I also had total responsibility for the HSBC and Beefeater accounts, producing the creative work with my team and also managing the client relationships and developing the business on those two accounts. The agency was also media neutral so I also gained valuable experience working both above and below the line.

Deputy Creative Director

POULTERS

Had a great experience to start a career in a great agency. Essentially given creative freedom to develop fresh innovative work. A perfect job for a graduate.

Designer

Hello from me and our agency, SHARP. 

We are here to find and free your good.

A strategic creative agency. 
Problem solvers that bring clarity to complexity. 


We deliver:

- Strategic rigour
Using the power of insight to identify, understand and empathise.
Our strategic approach, ‘The Sharp EDGE’, unlocks critical insight from data, consumers, clients and employees.

- Customer Co-Creation
Connect with your customers through collaboration.
We understand why, when and how they engage with your brand and co-create with them using expert moderation and bespoke tools for exceptional outcomes.

- Creative power
Ideas that bring to life your one thing, to make you matter more.
Brilliant ideas, beautifully executed, are fuelled by strategic rigour and customer insights to develop work that delivers results to make clients smile.

Our Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet and Prosperity governs us, plus we are a Campaign ‘Best Place to Work’—ranking in the top 10 for the last two years.

DM me to find out more.

Richard Sharp

Pleased to announce a super exciting new biz win. Magnet Kitchens has appointed us as their lead agency. Full story at the link below.

Agency Owner | Strategic Creative Director | Ideas centric | Results focussed |

Open article: Magnet Kitchens sticks with Yorkshire roots and appoints new lead agency by prolificnorth.co.uk

Magnet Kitchens sticks with Yorkshire roots and appoints new lead agency

It's not all work, work, work... Sometimes I escape the grind to compete in Mountain Marathons. Here are some recent pics from the OMM.

This year it was in the Lake District.
It's a two-day event.
A lot of elite international teams. So a great atmosphere.
My teammate is the most excellent Alistair Innes Macdonald, who's navigation skills are simply wow.

My role is to keep up.
Keep smiling.
And take photos when Ali isn't looking. :)

Even bumped into a familiar face the night before the start.
Great to see you Charles Ross. 

Plus bumping into someone on the fells that I hadn't seen for 20 years!
Great to see you Peter Lawless

And of course I wouldn't go without my FLOC hat.
https://flocwool.co.uk/

Convention doesn't win. 


The most successful businesses aren’t always the loudest; they’re the smartest about their brand strategy. 👇 

I’ve explored this in depth in a recent article, sharing why every business benefits from insights and direction that you might not get from standard approaches.

If you’re intent on building a brand that delivers long-term results, have a read.

https://lnkd.in/em2AWWe6

No alternative text description for this image

Just read the new McKinsey State of Marketing Europe 2026 report. The number one thing European marketing teams are focused on this year? Not AI, but what...

94% of CMOs are still figuring out AI. 
But the 6% who've actually embedded it are seeing 22% efficiency gains.

Yet the top priority for 2026 isn't AI or the shiny new tools. 

It's brand.

(see screen grabs below)

Makes sense when you think about it. 
In uncertain times, people gravitate toward brands they trust. 

Strong brand = clarity, consistency, something solid to hold onto.

Worth a read if you're thinking about where marketing's actually heading.
Link in comments.

Founder @ Propaganda Agency Ltd / Chair at GenM / brand director Cloud Nine / best selling Author/ founder of Illamasqua / co founder Omaly

I wrote Brand Warfare because someone needed to say out loud what most already know…..

Pitching is broken.

Most strategy decks are a list of tactics.

The majority of ( not all) Marketing Directors are bloody useless and can go a full career jumping from brand to brand achieving absolutely nothing at any of them. 

And the best ideas don’t come from outspending the competition. They come from outthinking them. 

My book is the unapologetic version of that truth. It’s part story, part warning, part blueprint told through my 32 years of working with brands the last twenty of which has been exclusively at C Suite. It goes into detail on brands that grew and transformed sectors because I got them to choose bravery over bureaucracy.

If you’re tired of the same recycled narratives and want to create work that actually moves people, reading Brand Warfare might just do more for you than another conference, seminar or whitepaper.

https://amzn.eu/d/iC7p0A7

Nano Banana Pro from Google Gemini has moved on a bit. Our agency's values in a poster took 30 seconds. This has possibilities in the right hands. The creative debate continues with AI, but as a tool, this has potential we can't ignore.

Stateside Foods Limited

Production Operative

Gresham Office Furniture

General Warehouse Operative

Amazon

Warehouse Operative

Amalgamated Ltd

Marketing strategy development and promotion for a B2B fire alarm & safety company in the construction sector. This included building the reputation of the company through thought leadership pieces in trade magazines, website and through LinkedIn. 
Achievements included:
•	Development of a marketing plan to support the 3 year growth plan including promotion via social media and thought pieces in industry publications
•	Development of a library of files to assist in the professional production of tenders and RFQs
•	Creation of in-house comms and processes for tendering to specific markets eg healthcare and education sectors
•	Guidance on processes for tendering to specific profitable target markets eg healthcare and education sectors
•	Parted by mutual agreement, as the main strategy for the next five years was bidding for tenders and they were the sole source of leads, I advised on how to progress tender submissions for the company and reduce costs by employing a lower level Marketing Executive to ‘tidy up’ the group tenders that are sent to prospective customers, following the processes that were implemented. 

After completion of 3 month project to develop the Marketing plan for the company, I was informed that the investment required for implementation wouldn't be available for a number of years, so both parties agreed to leave on good terms.

Marketing Manager

VOYAGER ALLIANCE CREDIT UNION LIMITED

Marketing strategy and promotions for the company including email and newsletter production and management of website. As the role was part time, I left for a full time permanent position.

Marketing Communications Manager (Part time)

Fulfilment Associate

Swinton Group

Having held numerous roles over my time at Swinton Insurance, I initially joined as Design and Production Manager I quickly progressed through the company as it expanded and changed hands over the years. My roles included such positions as Head of Specialist Units Marketing and Head of Commercial Marketing in which I initiated campaigns specific to the relevant markets to grow the various units within the group (motorhome, caravan, bike, taxi and SME businesses). I have a natural eye for detail and strong knowledge of DM and email marketing, including list management, segmentation and A/B testing. Most recently I headed up the implementation of the GDPR framework within the Marketing Department ensuring FCA compliance on all Marketing materials.
 
Key areas of responsibility currently include:
• Manage and organise monthly departmental risk review ensuring all risks are up to date and in a timely manner
• Ensure all marketing processes are being followed in all teams by conducting dip checks on random job bags each month
• Producing monthly reporting and analysis of all customer reviews for Swinton and its related brand of Safeguard caravan and motorhome insurance
• Ad hoc review papers on competitors or market trends as necessary e.g. analysis of competitor approaches to the quote and buy process
• Continuously monitoring industry trends, competitor activities and consumer attitudes and behaviours

Senior Marketing Manager

Varn Pressroom Chemicals

As a one-man team in the UK, I managed all promotional activities for the UK group, which had headquarters in New Jersey, USA
• Full re-brand of all marketing collateral for UK & European markets, with US following the UK lead
• Designed and organised trade stands for exhibitions including the major worldwide print exhibition IPEX, at the Birmingham NEC in 1997
• Trade press advertising and promotional support for 4 sales teams

Marketing and Design Manager

Reflex Design Group

Manage the creative output for the studio including managing a junior graphic designer
Produced material for clients including full brochure for Granada Studios Coronation Street Experience
•               Designed and produced brochure and collateral for Camelot Theme Park attractions
•               Full corporate identities for various companies

Ken Mather Marketing and Publicity 

Graphic Designer

Senior Marketing Manager immediately available for full time or contract roles

Strategically minded | Commercially focused | Direct & Digital Marketing | Email Marketing | GDPR compliance | Change Management | Campaign Management, Analysis and reporting | Competitor reviews | Trend analysis | KPI management
Level 6 CIM Diploma in Professional Digital Marketing
A highly motivated and proactive Senior Marketing professional who uses a combination of informal leadership and extensive knowledge of marketing management standards to execute complex customer relationship management journeys.
A customer focused marketer with a track record of delivering value for businesses, I have experience developing and delivering marketing strategy within Financial Services across online and offline channels.
I have expertise in managing both acquisition and CRM direct marketing activities with a proven ability to manage large budgets and deliver over and above targets. I have been responsible for strategy, product development, planning, creative, delivery and analysis of performance. I deliver relevant, timely and focused communications to customers and understand the commercial factors and customer behaviours needed to drive successful and profitable activity.
I also have a natural eye for detail and strong knowledge of direct and email marketing including list management, segmentation and A/B testing, with a strong focus on governance, regulatory and conduct risk
I am currently available for senior marketing roles in the FS or Professional Services environments

taplio

The Battle

Richard Sharp

David Savage, ACIM

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreRichard Sharp's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Richard Sharp

David Savage, ACIM

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Richard Sharp's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRichard Sharp's LinkedIn Performance