Since opening 16 years ago, Brandfuel has become one of the UK's top ten creative agencies and has kept winning clients and new projects throughout the pandemic to add to its portfolio of leading brands. It values its team, both staff and freelance, as the heart of its operation and has an enviable reputation as a friendly, fun, caring environment in which to work.

Fuelstudios is a platform initially created to train in-house teams and to communicate to staff at a distance but has evolved to offer the same to the agency's extensive freelance community through a Plus One programme. With an eye on spotting talent, freelances are invited to shadow staff on internal or client projects so they can add this experience to their CVs and leave them in a better place to gain paid work.

With workplace wellbeing increasingly important, online platform Fuel TV has been created to share both the latest projects as well as the frustrations of lockdown life. It's also the platform for formal company meetings and a vital conduit for collaboration and camaraderie. Fuel Cells, were formed among small groups of staff, to explore ideas and new ways of working.

To boost confidence, networking skills and expertise, staff are chosen to represent Brandfuel at major external events. It realises that happy employees are its best recruiting tool and has introduced a referral bonus which rewards them for introducing talent.