We spoke to our Head of PPC and proud Mancunian, Alex Copping, about ClickThrough’s latest expansion into the northwest. 5 months on from the new office opening, we wanted to find out how it was going and what it meant for our northern staff members to have this new marketing hub closer to home.
Alex, how excited are you to finally have a ClickThrough office in the north?
We are loving it! I found working from home you can lose out on some of the collaboration aspects that you can get working in a digital marketing agency, so I’ve been traveling to Lichfield fairly regularly to try to keep up that connection. Having a hub so much closer to home now is incredible. As it has progressed month by month it’s become a second home, we are all in much more than I expected when we first opened it.
Why did ClickThrough choose Manchester for the new office?
I think the main factor was the number of staff we have based in Manchester and the north as a whole. The marketing talent pool in the northwest is one of the biggest and fastest growing and Manchester as a city is a digital hub, so starting to branch out in Manchester was a no-brainer really. That’s not to say we won’t do the same in other cities in the future, as we see talent growing in other areas.
What does this new office expansion mean to our current Manchester-based ClickThrough staff?
For us it’s a space to collaborate in, to offer our clients strategy meetings and ideation sessions and gives us that chance to really grow with the company. In our hiring process, we are now offering Manchester as a base as well as Lichfield which is fantastic. Whilst I don’t think remote working is going anywhere, having a local space to create from is an enticing product for staff too.
And what do you think this means for our clients, to have a space to come to visit us face-to-face in both the Midlands and now the North?
This is a great opportunity for our clients, having this extra hub to visit us, and we are surrounded by some great Manchester spots. There are so many big brands that operate from Manchester too and being closer is beneficial to both parties. It is also close to the train station, just a 15-minute walk from Piccadilly, through all my personal favourite parts of Manchester. It’s a lovely walk – weather permitting of course!
What is it about Manchester you love?
I was born and raised in Manchester, so it holds a very special place in my heart. It’s rich in history, culture and we have the friendliest people in the world! Whether it’s a nod from a stranger on the street or the friendliness of staff in the local café’s, everyone feels welcomed. There is also a bit of everything here, we have great music venues, bars, restaurants etc.
What does being from Manchester mean to you?
It’s ingrained into who I am – the football, the music, all the cultural aspects of being from the city shine through in my character. I think it shines through in a lot of Mancunians.
We all have our preferred Lichfield lunch spots, but have the Manchester team got a favourite lunch spot near the office yet?
There are a few places we love! We are lucky enough to be situated right in the heart of Spinningfields, just off Deansgate. For lunch I’d say Katsouris Deli, it’s like going into a different world in that café, it feels very New York deli style. For after work, we love Dishoom for an amazing curry – they even offer curried breakfast.
Thanks for your time Alex, is there anything else you wanted to mention?
I think whilst this new office in Manchester is amazing, it really is just the first step. The growth our company is seeing is incredible and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Watch this space!
Photo by Joe Cleary on Unsplash
