Jimmy Taylor, Head of New Business at Zone, explores the city's creative hub, its mouth-watering restaurants & the cosmopolitan nature of its inhabitants.
I started dating a girl living in Bristol in 2016 and it was only a matter of time before I relocated down the M4 - she’s quite persuasive! But corny as it sounds, I fell in love with Bristol from the moment I moved here. Having lived in London for five years, I was used to the hustle and bustle of the capital. But I was pleasantly surprised that Bristol offers just as much excitement and adventure.
It’s the vibe that makes Bristol so special. Everyone is super-friendly and there’s a relaxed, chilled atmosphere that makes you feel immediately at home. But it’s far from quaint; it’s an incredibly vibrant place with so much going on. A creative hub, full of history, great nightlife and a plethora of breweries that make the best ales and craft beers!
I cycle everywhere in the city; it’s nice and easy to get around. It isn’t too big that you can get lost, nor is it so small that you get bored. The mix of students, cultures and nationalities makes it really cosmopolitan and there is something for everyone here. There are great connections to the rest of the country too so you’re never too far away from the beach, the city or the countryside.
Zone helped Boxt, a new entrant to the heating industry, completely disrupt the market. We created a unique digital platform that offers householders an entirely new way to upgrade their existing heating solution in a matter of minutes, rather than a process that was taking some big industry players up to two weeks.
Bristol is a city of different vibes, depending what areas you choose to visit. King Street is the place to be on a Friday night. It’s in the old part of town with gorgeous cobbled streets and filled with the best bars and restaurants. It’s a must for post-work drinks to let your hair down and start the weekend off in style. Clifton Village is the posh part of town. It has some lovely pubs (are you spotting a theme here?) but I guess it’s most well-known for iconic spots like Bristol Zoo, the Observatory and Brunel’s famous Suspension Bridge. Another of Brunel’s designs, the SS Great Britain museum ship, is a nice tourist attraction for history buffs. The Avon Gorge Hotel next to the Suspension Bridge is one of my favourite spots, overlooking the cliffs and giving you some breath-taking views.
Zone’s creative content team worked with adidas to create and deliver a global content strategy, built on in-depth consumer research. We evaluated the entire adidas digital ecosystem in terms of storytelling, customer journeys and content, and created an evolving playbook of advice for content planners and creators throughout the business. The Future Content Lab was born, an agile data and insights team who continually monitor, optimise and fine-tune the strategy to keep up with the audience’s rapidly changing needs.
My favourite Bristol restaurant is Paco Tapas in the city centre. It’s run by Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias and the food is exquisite. The tortilla is incredible, and they have a top wine list. It’s impossible not to have a great night here. If you hear the word “burger” in Bristol, your mind will immediately drift off to Oowee Diner. There’s three to choose from in different parts of the city (including an all-vegan diner!) and they’re described as “deliciously dirty” for a reason! If you’re after a classic American diner experience, this is the place to go. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Another agency I really admire is Different Kettle. They are based up in Clifton and do some amazing work with charities. They recently created a rebranding for CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland) which is really inspiring, and the results are incredible. They helped increase year-on-year fundraising by over £1m. It just goes to show the power of a strong campaign!
Jimmy joined Zone in 2013 fresh out of university and has since gone on to manage successful pitches for a number of brands including Maersk, South West Trains and Marks & Spencer. At a time of impressive growth for the agency, he became Head of New Business at the start of 2019.
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