Leeds-based brand and creative consultancy, Propaganda, is launching a new consulting arm, Propaganda Agency, helping brands realise the opportunity to differently frame how we see mid-life and the years beyond. Propaganda has appointed brand strategist Claire Lowson to lead the new division.
As a Founding Partner of GenM, the menopause partner for brands, Propaganda’s new age-positive offering forms part of its commitment to changing the conversation around the menopause. Propaganda Agency will be the recommended brand support for GenM’s consulting division.
GenM launched last year and has so far signed up over 50 Partner brands including Co-op, Boots, Royal Mail, M&S and WW (formerly Weight Watchers), each pledging to do more to improve the menopausal experience. Building on its initial success, GenM is now launching a consulting division to support its brand Partners – connecting them with expert businesses who can help them adapt and shape their menopause offer. Propaganda Agency will work alongside this division, offering brand and marketing consultancy to GenM’s Partners.
Claire Lowson joins Propaganda to lead the new service. She brings extensive experience in brand strategy for clients including Kimberly Clark, GSK, Aviva and BT. Prior to that she was MD of TW Creative where she ran the RBS and Barclays accounts. She lectures on the Master of Design course at Ravensbourne University and oversaw the brand strategy and rebrand for Leeds Playhouse, formerly West Yorkshire Playhouse, where she is a Trustee.
With a recent IPA report showing that less than 5% of marketers aged 51+ are female, Propaganda is committed to addressing the lack of older women in the industry. Through recruitment strategies, new role creation and an active freelance base for seasoned talent, Propaganda is working to address this gap of female understanding, knowledge and talent in marketing.
Laura Kynaston, Managing Director at Propaganda says: “Through our work supporting GenM’s brand proposition and launch, we’ve developed a deep understanding of the mid-life audience. It is clear those experiences demand new and appropriate brand responses. Propaganda Agency will help brands change the way this market is represented in campaigns, product development and internal communications, better serving this audience and driving societal change.”
Claire says: “Many forget that the menopause transition (which starts in relative youth) kicks-off the most powerful phase of life yet. From corporate clients retaining senior talent, NPD creating a new market, or external campaigning for aspirational ageing, the societal and commercial benefits are obvious. As marketers, it’s time to colour in the decades beyond 40 and switch out the cult of youth for the cult of powerful ageing.”
Heather Jackson, co-founder of GenM says, “Normalising the conversation around the menopause, and ageing as a whole, is one of the most important things we can do to make a change. Together, GenM and Propaganda will support responsible and forward-thinking brands to play their part. The outstanding work we have delivered with Propaganda over the last year speaks for itself – strategically we couldn’t have asked for a better partner. GenM looks forward to what together we can deliver to drive real change to the change over the next important and impactful years ahead.”
Contact Claire to find out how your brand can influence ageing positively. For greater representation, relevance and commercial opportunity.
Contact: claire.lowson@propaganda.co.uk 0113 322 9660