Stockport-based PR agency Unhooked Communications has been awarded competitive funding from Innovate UK as part of the Create Growth Programme Competition 4: Small Projects, delivered in partnership with the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.
The funding will support the development of an AI-powered digital platform designed to help PRs and organisations better plan, evaluate and demonstrate the impact of PR activity.
The tool will enable businesses to measure PR performance across key reputation, behaviour and commercial outcomes, offering actionable insights beyond traditional metrics, such as media reach.
Leading the technical development of the platform is Tom Parson (pictured right), founder and director of innovation business, Big Echo.
Based in Manchester, Big Echo specialises in enabling SMEs to better understand how to innovate for tangible business impact. Tom brings over 20 years’ experience designing and developing innovative digital products for purpose-led organisations, and will work with Unhooked Communications to lead the UX, prototyping, and build of the PR impact platform.
The Create Growth Programme was established to fuel innovation and growth across the UK’s creative industries.
With the sector contributing more than £115.9 billion to the economy annually and growing at twice the rate of the wider economy, the programme provides targeted support for ambitious businesses in 12 regions across England, including Greater Manchester.
This latest funding round, which saw up to £8 million awarded to creative SMEs, was highly competitive with only 6.5% of applicants successful. The grants will enable small businesses, like Unhooked Communications, to explore innovation projects that will drive commercial success and regional economic impact.
Projects, which were funded between £20,000 and £50,000, were judged on their innovation, growth potential, commercialisation plans and benefit to their regional creative cluster.
“We’re incredibly proud to be selected for this national programme, particularly as it was so competitive,” said Claire Gamble, Managing Director of Unhooked Communications. “As a business rooted in the creative economy of Greater Manchester, it’s an important step for us to start developing our own digital tools. My goal with this new PR impact platform is to transform how campaigns are designed and evaluated, making it easier for PR professionals, marketing teams and business leaders to prove the value of PR and refine strategies for the most effective results.”
Claire (pictured left) added: “Manchester has such a strong business and innovation ecosystem. Over the last year, I’ve had great support from the Turing Innovation Catalyst, Innovate UK, GM Business Growth Hub and Oxford Innovation’s Merseyway Innovation Centre, which has been invaluable in giving me the skills, knowledge and confidence to take this idea forward and achieve this milestone.”
For more information on Unhooked Communications, visit: weareunhooked.com
