‘We’ve never stood still and we’ve never really wanted to’
(L-R) Paul Sowden, founder of Sowden & Sowden, Leahann Barnes, head of partnerships and place at Future Humber and Polly Sowden, co-owner and creative lead at Sowden & Sowden(Image: Sowden & Sowden)
East Yorkshire digital agency Sowden & Sowden has received a Lifetime Thank You Award from Future Humber to mark its huge contribution to the Humber business community. The award comes as the family-run firm, based in Hessle, toasts its 44th year of trading as well as another birthday for founder Paul Sowden.
The Lifetime Thank You Award is presented by Future Humber to a select group of long-standing Bondholder members who have helped champion, support and strengthen the region’s business community. For Sowdens, the recognition reflects 15 years with Future Humber as well as more than four decades of helping businesses grow, employing local talent and contributing to the Humber business community.
Leahann Barnes, head of partnerships and place at Future Humber, said: “There are few businesses that embody creativity, longevity and independent spirit quite like Sowden & Sowden. Over the last 15 years as members, they’ve consistently championed the region while delivering incredible work for clients across the UK and beyond.
“Their ability to evolve, embrace change and never lose their personality is something many businesses could learn from. We’re delighted to recognise this milestone and look forward to seeing what the next chapter holds for Paul, Polly and the team.”
Launched in 1982, Sowden & Sowden has weathered the storm of multiple recessions, the birth of Apple, the arrival of the internet, social media and now AI. Today, the strategic creative agency works with organisations including Quickline, NEC Software Solutions, Ørsted, Hull York Medical School and City Health Care Partnership CIC.
Polly Sowden, co-owner, creative lead and director at Sowden & Sowden, said: “Forty-four years feels like an incredible achievement, particularly when you think about how much our industry and the world have changed. We’ve never stood still and we’ve never really wanted to.
“Curiosity, creativity and bravery have always been two of our greatest strengths.
“Today we’re supporting organisations with everything from strategic positioning and integrated campaigns to digital growth and AI-enabled marketing, but at the heart of it all are still the same principles Dad started with all those years ago: understanding people and solving problems creatively. We’recellmates and accomplices in making sure that never changes.
“The Future Humber recognition means a huge amount because it isn’t just about us. It’s recognition for the people who have worked here, the clients who have trusted us, and the role the agency has played in the region over the last 44 years.”
Founder Paul Sowden remains characteristically philosophical about the achievement, adding: “We’ve had good years, bad years and years where I wondered whether being in solitary confinement would be less stressful.
“The world keeps changing and so we keep adapting. Business is just people, really. Always has been. Anybody who tells you differently has probably written too many management books. The Future Humber Bondholder recognition is special because we’ve spent 44 years building a business right here, employing local people and working with organisations across the region. 15 years being part of an organisation built to support businesses like ours is worth celebrating.”
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