Why did Ardent engage us?

Ardent, a certified B Corp, is a land and consents management company that provides technical infrastructure excellence alongside a deep understanding of the regeneration and development, renewables, transport and utilities markets.

After an impressive growth period, Ardent commissioned an in-depth strategic communications review to assess how they share information and how their key objectives are understood both internally and externally.

How did we create our strategy?

Following an inception session to shape the objectives of our work, we engaged with more than 40 stakeholders at Ardent, conducting face-to-face and online interviews, focus groups, and workshops.

This in-depth engagement allowed us to understand how Ardent were aligning key messages across multiple levels of the organisation. We determined how colleagues preferred information to be relayed, both internally and externally, as well as the communications they believed most important to strengthening Ardent’s profile.

After engaging with multiple levels of the business, we established a robust and considered communications plan to clearly and cohesively articulate the national significance of their work, achievements and scale.

What did our strategy recommend for Ardent?

To inform our recommendations, we gathered key insights, recurring themes, positives, challenges and suggestions to develop a comprehensive strategy that shapes both internal and external communications.

Our strategy opens lines of communication at Ardent, allowing best practice and learning to be shared and ensure colleagues remain informed of business developments. We also designed frameworks for colleagues to share their personal and company-wide achievements for organic brand building.

Externally, we built a robust plan for celebrating success through press releases, thought leadership articles, event attendance and speaking opportunities and creating bitesize and engaging social content. All our recommendations remained aligned with the unique golden thread that had emerged during our engagement, adding clarity to the marketing processes and giving colleagues clearer visibility of progress.

How did we implement our strategy?

After presenting our in-depth communications plan, we are proud to continue our productive partnership with Ardent. Our Communications & Campaigns team were engaged to become an in-house extension of their team, using their experience and knowledge to implement the strategic touchpoints identified.

Our wide-ranging and always-on support includes:

·         Press releases and public relations

·         Integrated comms campaigns

·         Thought leadership

·         Planning & briefings

·         Reactive website and physical media copywriting

·         Case study videography

·         Public affairs & events management

Helen Boyle, Managing Director - Growth Division at Ardent, said:

“Agent developed a deep understanding of our people, projects, progress and ambitions through their expert engagement. Their strategy has provided a tangible impact on our communications, both internally and externally, allowing colleagues to feel closer than ever to our vision while strengthening the Ardent brand.”

Lorna Young, Head of Strategy at Agent, said:

“We are incredibly proud of our work with Ardent. Our communications strategy added clarity, consistency and confidence while reflecting the scale of their incredible growth. By engaging directly with internal stakeholders at all levels, we developed a robust and long-term plan that allows communications to scale at the same pace as their progress.”