A local marketing network that organises free business events for Hull and East Yorkshire’s marketing community has secured its first corporate sponsorship deal.
The partnership with Getextra, a digital marketing agency based in East Yorkshire, will provide the support and investment to enable HEY Marketing Network to enhance its annual programme of events for local marketers, students and business professionals.
Founded in 2021 by a group of volunteers, HEY Marketing is an alternative, ‘down-to-earth’ professional forum specifically for marketers, businesses and marketing students with connections to Hull and East Yorkshire.
The group works closely with the University of Hull and organises free events to share marketing insights, ideas and experiences with anyone interested in marketing, whether they are students, marketing professionals or anyone working in business.
Emma Shaw, one of the group’s founders, said: “Over the past three years, we’ve engaged with over 150 businesses, run 15 events and have over 900 followers on LinkedIn.
“We’re really pleased with the success of our events, and the marketing community we’ve built, but we were at the stage where we needed some additional support to boost our annual events programme, Getextra jumped at the opportunity to get involved.”
Getextra specialises in web development, search engine optimisation (SEO) and Google Ads. Established in 2007, it was one of the first agencies in the UK to receive the Google Partners badge and is the only agency in Hull or East Yorkshire to participate in the Google Elevator scheme.
Paul Smith, from Getextra, said: “I have enjoyed working with HEY Marketing since 2021, attending and even presenting at previous events. The core ethos of giving back and supporting the local business community aligns perfectly with the Getextra brand. As they look to take an incredible concept to the next level, we jumped at the opportunity to provide additional support and sponsor the group”
Hull University Business School hosts the majority of the HEY Marketing events. Peter Andrews, senior marketing lecturer, said: “The HEY Marketing events give our students exposure to the real marketing challenges and opportunities that businesses face on a daily basis, at the same time as providing them with a forum to network with business professionals.
“We are also delighted to support the HEY Marketing Network because it shares cutting-edge insights and best practices with local businesses, ensuring marketing thrives in the region.”
The HEY Marketing team is organising its 16th event, which explores Dark Social. This will take place on October 8 at Hull University Business School. Pete English from Brew York will join Peter Andrews to shed light on the unseen sharing that happens through email, text messages and private messaging apps.
