A busy four weeks...

We thought June's news cycle was a crowded one?- and then July came around. There's a brand new UK government, the king made an important speech, Euro '24 swept the nation as England nearly brought?it home... and now the Olympic Games have taken off in Paris! All of this influenced the social enterprise sector as much as the world of marketing, so keep reading for our stand-out July stories.?

Our top stories...

Social Enterprise & Non-Profit

Supersized secondhand shops

Some good?news for any charity shopping aficionados -?Oxfam has announced plans to open up 10 new superstores over the next five years. Given the success of its first superstore in Oxford (which raised more than ￡180,000 in 2023), the?major charity is currently scouting locations and hopes to create 150 jobs and 1,000 volunteering opportunities with the openings. There's been a huge increase in the popularity of secondhand fashion over the past few years, making charity shops?real?competitors for high-street stores. An?Oxfam spokesperson explained that the shop will offer "a destination shopping experience", with?two floors of clothing, accessories, books, homeware,?music and even a cafe!

Changes from Charles?

Despite the fact that we're months from Christmas, the election meant that?Charles came to our screens on?July 17th with an important speech. The king outlined 39 bills?from the new government - many of which hold significant value for social enterprise. He referenced corporate governance reform, green investment, workers' rights,?mental health support, community ownership and skills development. Whilst nobody can guarantee to what level these changes will be implemented and some aspects remain unclear, things are looking promising for the future of impact-driven organisations.?

One hundred organisations to watch

Arguably the social sector event of the year, the?SE100 awards took place?this month?at?NatWest's headquarters in London. Set up by Pioneer's Post, the?awards?are split into seven categories designed to showcase?the missions of UK social enterprises.?As the title suggests, winners?were selected?from 100 nominees - and this year's group?includes?some incredibly innovative organisations! They range?from ethical money-saving?mobile phone service?Pocket Power to inclusive education programme provider?You Be You, truly highlighting the innovation within our sector.

Credit Unions

Working together to make Liverpool better

The importance of working together to achieve financial inclusion has received a large amount of recognition in recent months.?Collaboration is the key to strengthening communities - and Liverpool's leading the way.?Ten?Merseyside credit unions have joined up?as part?of an?initiative to enhance the support they offer members, sharing knowledge and?addressing the challenges their region faces. In the words of Riverside CU CEO Peter MacDonagh -?“It's about mutual support" and?"a common goal to serve our members better and to make many more people aware of the benefits of joining a credit union”.

Budgeting for back-to-school

Come July, many credit unions start to think about promoting?back-to-school loans - and for a good reason. Surveys have shown that 73% of parents feel their household budget is stretched by the uniform shop, with most spending more than ￡100 a year. So in the Midlands, Wolverhampton City Credit Union has?gone a step further than the standard back-to-school lending offers. A partnership with the local council has allowed them to match savings?in?any Child?Savers Account?(up to a maximum of ￡75) to help with the costs of the new school year. As pointed out by council leaders?and the WCCU CEO, this scheme will not only?support families, but?will also serve as an extra incentive for young people to save from an early age.

Digital Marketing

Baking meets banking!

Cash might be on the decline, but would the reward of a?sausage roll?persuade you to head to your nearest ATM? Nationally treasured bakery?Greggs and forward-thinking banking app Monzo took?brand collaboration?to a new level; for?one day only, users could withdraw a pastry from the?"ATMmm"?in Newcastle. The stunt marks the launch of a longer-term partnership which will allow Monzo Perks subscribers to claim a weekly sausage roll, hot drink, doughnut or muffin from the "home of the sausage roll" itself. The crossover we never knew we needed...

Capitalising on consumer confidence

The more statistically driven amongst?us will be encouraged by the fact thatconsumer confidence in the economy has risen for the fourth consecutive month?according to GfK’s July Consumer Confidence Index. This puts the figure at its highest since 2021 - possibly a sign that?people are feeling more confident after the General Election. Essentially, the higher our consumer confidence is the more likely customers are to spend money, so?savvy marketers will be laying the foundations now to ensure?their brands are in a good place to capitalise on the rise.

Polls, politics, and parties... worth the risk?

With political conversation everywhere from news?screens to Instagram feeds and the knowledge that reactive content works,?it's tempting, as marketers,?to include?political references in our campaigns. But should we? Voicing?a political opinion is an extremely risky decision for any brand - so is it worth it??This, unfortunately, is not a "yes or no" question. Any campaign?requires meticulous planning and a deep understanding of its audience, and one that includes politics requires these things to an even greater extent. We've seen political campaigns pay off, but we've also seen them cause profits to plummet?- read July's blog post for some infamous examples and more of our thoughts on political strategies!

... A month packed with stories, but we hope our summary made July's news a little more digestible! Here's to lots more medals coming home from Paris than trophies did from Germany ??

- The team @ Zync