First Direct Arena won a Silver Transform Award

In 2013 we were working out of our kitchens and in our small, serviced offices on Grays Inn Road, London. The phone rang out of the blue, ‘Hello, it’s Matthew Higgins from first direct, I have your Jack and the Giant Recession mailer here. We love it. We’d like to chat about an amazing opportunity. We want our sponsorship of the Leeds Arena to reflect our irreverent brand and exceptional customer service, and help us appeal to a new generation of bank customers.’

The thing is, we’d sent that promotional mailer out two years earlier. It had really struck a chord with the client and he’d kept it for future reference.

Several weeks later, with crazy deadlines and many long hours into the night the brand for Leeds’ amazing new music arena and VIP experiences were ready. Every touchpoint was an irreverent and memorable experience – from Wurlitzer cash machines to music inspired VIP lounges.

The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) and lucky fans, including us, had an unforgettable night at the launch. Bruce also played Secret Garden, a rare treat for his die-hard fans.