Rise to the top: Elevator celebrates three decades of success and growth in a dynamic and evolving industry

Belfast-based promotions, marketing, and PR agency Elevator is marking its 30th anniversary this year, celebrating decades of success and growth in a dynamic and evolving industry.

Managing director, Sara Callanan, reflects on the journey, noting that despite the passage of time, the excitement and challenges of the industry remain just as fresh and rewarding as when she first launched the business in 1994.

“Although I’ve been doing this for 30 years, every day brings something new, and every brief is different,” she insists.

Far from slowing down, Sara commented that this year has been Elevator’s busiest and most successful one to date: “Our marketing and PR clients are well-known brands like Tayto, Translink, Dale Farm, The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Heineken and BOOST.

“Often people think that we’re a much bigger company because of the calibre of those organisations, but the truth is we are a boutique agency with a small team, laser-focused on achieving results for our clients. Our collective expertise and culture of getting to know people and not just brands means we’re working on a much more personal basis with our clients.”

Sara took the decision over a year ago to expand Elevator’s offering, adding PR to the services available.

Sara continued: “We already offered our clients intelligent marketing solutions, effective promotional support, in-house designer, copy writing, event management, videography, shopper marketing, experiential campaigns, on-pack promotions and social media management. PR felt like a natural fit and a logical extension to our services and it has been a huge success for us. We’ve made Elevator appealing as a one-stop-shop for brands looking for everything under one roof.”

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Despite 30 years of cultural changes and new technologies Sara believes at the core people buy from brands that connect with them emotionally.

She added: “Since I started the business in 1994, I’ve obviously seen many changes like moving from fax to email, from mobiles and cameras to smartphones. From video rental and iPods to subscriptions and streaming, from cheque books to contactless, and of course, the universal adoption of social media platforms.

“Despite all these changes, people still shop for brands and support businesses they know and love, and the basic marketing principles of awareness, persuasion, retention and reward are just as important now as they ever were. The tools and techniques we use day to day have obviously changed over the years, but our commitment to service and creativity is still at the very centre of Elevator’s DNA.”