Goodbye to Canton Marketing

Its time for me to say goodbye to a passion project of mine. Back in 2018 Nick King and I embarked on a remarkable adventure with the inception of Canton Marketing Solutions. Our vision was clear: to address the burgeoning challenges faced by companies navigating an increasingly complex, rapidly evolving, and technically demanding marketing landscape. We recognized the need for a company that combined the technology and marketing chops with a culture steeped in sharing knowledge and education. We didn't hoard knowledge we gave it freely to our clients and partners knowing there would always be new world to conquer.

As we fast forward six extraordinary years, marked by monumental growth, unforeseen hurdles, and transformative milestones, I find myself at a pivotal juncture, bidding farewell to this chapter and embracing a new beginning. The journey has been nothing short of awe-inspiring, a testament to focussing on what you believe in and delivering value - not just a little hard work - huge adversity - and a little luck along the way.

The start of Canton was a for Nick and I a beacon of hope following a period of personal disappointments and setbacks with our recent career at the time. Nick and I were reinvigorated by the prospect of returning to our roots, using our expertise to support companies in navigating an evolving landscape. We put a lot of focus on in - housing and in particular the role strong ad tech and martech played in setting the foundations for great marketing and growth.

The response from the market surpassed our wildest expectations. People wanted to hear from us and how we could help. We went from wondering if we would be staring at the ceiling waiting for the phone to ring to delivering amazing projects for great initial clients clients like Vodafone, Royal Caribbean, Quiz Clothing, Heals, numerous tourist boards and more. At this point I have to mention Jordan Kernahan , a unicorn who is equally at home delivering (or training) amazing work in social, search and programmatic and whose talents exemplified what Canton was trying to do. Also of course Eric Gregory and Rachel Stern and others whose hard work and dedication meant we delivered the quality and expertise we had promised.

The Pandemic

The initial 2 years was a whirlwind of rapid expansion and hard work. All the more satisfying though because it was work we created for ourselves. We dared to believe that maybe we had cracked the code of entrepreneurship, without the need for funding. There were challenges, finding the right talent and cash flow chief amongst them but it always felt manageable. Off the back of some big multinational wins we had ambitious plans for expansion globally. We were always likely to hit a road block at some stage and that we certainly did with the onset of the pandemic.

The start of the pandemic was a really tough time for many and certainly that included being a small business London based business. I returned from a business trip to Paris with Covid and by the time I recovered we were in the grip of a lockdown. Every time the phone rang it felt like it was a client asking to cut back or more likely cancel a contract. Having a lot of travel business had looked great but suddenly wasn't so crash hot. The worries that everyone in the world was going through were made all the harder as we wondered how we would support our team and whether our burgeoning company we cared about would survive.

Yet we go through it. Survival became our primary objective. And for many months we worked at bargain basement rates just doing anything we could do add value to our clients - who of course were also trying to adapt. We also spent a lot of time communicating to the market on how technical marketing challenges, exacerbated by the pandemic could be overcome. By the time Government support arrived we dared to believe we could get through this.

The Re Launch

Then in late summer of 2020 we started to get an influx of calls from some amazing marketers. We found ourselves in a world where digital prowess was more indispensable than ever. Companies realised they needed to update their technology and data setups to compete in this digital focussed world.

Seizing the opportunity, we embarked on a journey of digital transformation, partnering with leading companies to revolutionise their marketing technology strategies and operations. From household names like Paddy Power and BBC to global giants like Reckitt Benckiser and Colgate we were back growing faster than ever.

Pitching for these big name brands was exhilarating. A favourite moment was when one blue chip asked if we were big enough to service their needs? I asked them what their ad tech and martech systems of choice were. On hearing the reply I pointed out that we had more experts in those systems than any of the bigger names we were competing against. More proof points on solving the problems they had. Such is the benefit of focus on being strong in your chosen field.

The team was essential to this mission. Joseph Pamboris , Ross Herron , Yael Heffets , Christie Mappoura particularly were and are all among the very best in their chosen fields and are why we were able to deliver.?The lingering pandemic still made things hard, but through occasional get togethers and a focus on team work and fun we were able to build a great culture.

The Acquisition

Four years to the day since our inception, Canton found a new home within the esteemed Goodway Group , marking a pivotal moment in our evolution. Under the visionary leadership of Jay Friedman and Paul Frampton-Calero ?? , Canton's essence was expanded within the CvE division, positioning us to compete on a global scale. For me, this transition heralded a new chapter, one focused on amplifying our impact in the US market and pioneering retail media solutions with iconic brands like Dell, 7-Eleven, and Ulta Beauty. I leave behind a company in CvE - Marketing Consultancy that has grown so much and is ideally placed to help advertisers take marketing to the top of the board room agenda. To be a true driver of growth

As I embark on my next entrepreneurial endeavour, the echoes of what happened at Canton ring in my ears and fill me with pride. To Nick King , thankyou, you are an amazing co founder I couldn't have done it without you and wouldn't have had so much fun. Your one of the very best at what you do and a great friend. To everyone I worked with, thankyou so much for your help and dedication.

Goodbye Canton. And stay tuned for what comes next. If you have read this far I think you are all going to love it.