Dirt & Glory Brings an Editorial Approach to the Noisy Communications Market

The one thing that can be said with confidence about the current media landscape is that the channel mix is complex and that reaching consumers and journalists is more difficult than ever. Where does that leave brands that want to be seen and heard? Dirt & Glory Media knows the answer - an editorial approach they call modern communications. Founded in 2014 by Nigel Brown, the award-winning agency is now based in London’s Somerset House, which brings together agencies, creatives, artists, start-ups, and freelancers - a melting pot for creative thinking. 

A journalist and copywriter prior to 2014, Nigel witnessed at close-quarters the identity crisis experienced by many of the UK’s biggest print publications as they grappled with the rise of social media while trying to carve out a profitable digital identity of their own. 

Intrigued by the possibilities of content marketing, he jumped at the opportunity to explore a nascent industry, working for the likes of Sharp, O2 and Vodafone. 

“As social media came to the fore, I could see the agency landscape was becoming unruly. I truly believed there was a gap in the market for a communications agency that identified the very essence of a brand and then told its story consistently across multiple touchpoints. I also wanted to create something that could work with established brands and the brands of tomorrow.”

The key to Dirt & Glory's approach is understanding the people that make up a brand and putting them at the heart of the story before amplifying it. It’s a framework that has been put to impressive effect across a broad range of clients. 

Working with luxury expedition apparel brand Shackleton, it's the derring-do of Sir Ernest Shackleton - the pioneering polar explorer whose name the company shares - that has taken centre stage. 

For ellaOne, the morning after pill, and Hana, the contraceptive pill, the focus is firmly on real-life, once-taboo stories straight from the consumer's mouth. Other clients within the health and wellbeing industries, including GSK, FlexiSEQ, ViiV Healthcare, HRA Pharma, Danone and Proximie - a technology platform that helps surgeons ‘virtually scrub-in’ to operating rooms anywhere in the world - have provided further opportunities to tackle sensitive subjects head-on, albeit within a tight regulatory landscape. 

Tackling taboos

“It’s work that we love,” says Nigel, adding: “we’re very comfortable with subjects that have a stigma attached to them. Stigma comes with a lot of sensitivity - whether that’s HIV or the morning after pill - you have to approach it in the right way, you can’t be everywhere, you need to find your audience and talk to them in a strategic, authentic and measured manner. 

“Coming out the other side of the pandemic, it’s clear our society has never been more engaged with health matters. There’s also a huge wellbeing market that’s opened up. Everywhere you look, people have stories to tell, for us, it’s about being attuned to that and reacting accordingly. 

“Real people and real stories,” says Nigel when identifying how best to communicate about health issues, “particularly on the patient side where we find those stories and tell them in creative ways.”

Why editorial? “Applying an editorial lens helps us on the strategic side. Whatever the size of the client, we start by assessing the channel mix and asking where they can get the biggest bang for their buck. Sometimes that means a ‘less is more mentality’ and only allocating budget where we think there’s value. It takes confidence to lead a client on that journey.” 

“From the storytelling side, we strip out the ego of the author and put the focus squarely on the subject. That’s when it really starts to get interesting,” says Nigel, who counts a number of experienced former journalists within the ranks of his team. 

Those journalistic roots certainly explain the “considered hustle” mentality of the Dirt & Glory team. Across the agency, the team is made up of ex-journalists, social media creatives, designers and PR professionals.

“In many respects, we reflect the energy of our start-up clients, recognising the need to move quickly, to get things done and to be honest in terms of when they’re winning and when they’re losing. That honesty is sometimes needed when things aren’t going well."

A Culture Of Balance

“We’re all about hard work and hustle first,” reiterates Nigel. And while that statement conjures images of late nights and missed lunch breaks, Dirt & Glory’s culture is, deliberately, all about balance. 

“We give our team freedom and treat them like the adults they are. If they want to use the office space, they can, if they prefer to work from home, they can do it whenever they want.” 

They’ve noticed the uptick in positivity among the team since adopting the fully flexible style, with Nigel saying that it has “freed people to really believe that they can make the most out of their day.” 

They’re also aware that for people just joining the industry, being in an office environment and surrounded by more experienced people is important. That’s why the Somerset House location, a working arts centre and cultural hub, was a deliberate choice. “It’s on the cutting edge of culture and talent, a great creative network that’s educational and fun for everyone who’s there - it’s a really engaged and vibrant community.”

Looking to the future, Dirt & Glory are partnering with brands directly on ventures, such as new launch allók collagen+, as well as a new publishing project, with the launch of The Cut Stuff with partners Press Association and Getty Images, in a move that sees the partners return to their origins. (“Once a journalist, always a journalist,” laughs Nigel.) 

Dirt & Glory like to remind themselves to “stay hungry and humble” - “we’ve always prided ourselves on the love for the work, we get our heads down and do it without procrastination.” It’s in the work where Dirt & Glory are happiest.