Challenge thinking and unearth new ideas.

Magpie is a creative communications agency with an expertise in good cause campaigns, behaviour change and millennial marketing.

We make it our mission to connect brands and organisations with social influencers and audiences who become the brand advocates of the future.

We use the power of insight and co-creation to challenge current thinking, to unearth new ideas and to develop imaginative creative strategies that inspire, excite and engage.

  • Insight & Co-creation

    We believe that the most effective ideas come from working directly with your audience. We co-create with audiences to produce work that inspires them.

  • Ideas & Imagination

    We’re always a step ahead, looking to the future, on the hunt for the next big idea. We imagine the impossible, push boundaries, smash through glass ceilings, and throw the box to one side.

  • Good Cause Campaigns

    We enjoy the challenge of taking complex issues and working with hard to reach communities to instigate positive change.

  • Behaviour Change

    We work closely with leading behaviour change and decision research academics to bring more depth to our projects, gaining international acclaim along the way.

  • Advocacy Marketing

    We provide the inspiration and tools for audiences to share marketing messages through their existing networks so that our campaigns have a stronger impact and longer term value.

Meet the Team

Each member of our team is working safely from their nest at home and can be contacted as normal on email or by calling 0113 318 3051. We’re also able to meet you and your colleagues face-to-face via video call.

We might not be in our ideas cafe in Leeds, but as true magpies we are continuing to collect things that catch our attention and inspire us. We are sharing more ideas than ever, continuing to be involved in community networks, and working together to overcome challenges and seek new opportunities for all our campaigns to thrive.

Becky
Cofounding Director
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Ged
Cofounding Director
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Kim
Managing Director
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Rose
Creative Director
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Grainne
Director of Behavioural Insights
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Jules
Associate Creative Director
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Helena
Campaign Consultant
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Kate
Campaign Consultant
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Emma
Campaign Manager
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Saleem Shahid
Campaign Coordinator
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Louise Hallworth
Campaign Consultant
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Michelle
Community Engagement Manager
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Will Hodgson
Senior Creative Designer
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Isla Pearce
Creative Designer
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Alice
Creative Designer
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Tom Salmon
Associate Director of Campaigns
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Safeia El-Jack
Digital Journalist
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Stuart Thompson
Campaign Coordinator
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Emily Wharton
Digital Campaigns Manager
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Di
Business Manager
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David
Associate Behavioural Insights Consultant
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Julie
Behavioural Insights Consultant
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Henry Campbell Bird
Campaign Consultant
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Becky

Cofounding Director

Becky, one of our two co-founders, has been delivering creative strategies with Ged for over 15 years, having met in 2006 whilst working as graphic designers.
In 2009 Ged and Becky set the vision for Magpie, establishing the agency.
She leads on sustainable business growth to ensure we are in the strongest position possible to continue to deliver impact.
Outside of Magpie, Becky is an Enterprise Ambassador and Alumni Ambassador for University of Leeds. She is part of a number of strong networks including the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alumni programme and the Common Purpose network.
When not in the studio, Becky enjoys spending time travelling with her young family; regaining balance through yoga and has made a pledge to get back into cycling after baby number 2, ready to do another triathlon soon!

Becky is currently on maternity leave.

Superpower

Becky is a problem solver, willing to embrace the seemingly impossible, believing that even the most complex challenges can be navigated.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Ged

Cofounding Director

Ged has worked with Becky for over 17 years, establishing Magpie in 2009. He brings high-level creative thinking to our clients, helping them to bolster their behaviour change communications strategies from grassroots insights. Internally, he shapes our behaviour change framework and methodologies which have been developed alongside academics in health, social and psychological sciences combined with teachings from the school of design.

Ged is a natural leader, sparking enthusiasm and inspiration in others. This is also true outside of Magpie; sitting on the board of an arts production company, running university modules such as ‘Design future society’, working as an enterprise mentor, and supporting young and start-up businesses to establish their growth potential.

In his spare time, Ged enjoys writing for theatre and fiction. He’s written, directed and performed in theatre productions in Yorkshire and Merseyside. He’s a big believer in giving back and has done an incredible amount for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Radio Aire’s Cash for Kids, Prostate Cancer UK, Ronald McDonald House (RMHC) and Children in Need.

Ged currently holds board positions for Common Purpose Advisory Board, Slanjayvah Danza Scottish dance charity and is involved in projects that aid volunteering opportunities in communities.

Superpower

Always on the look out for new opportunities, Ged is constantly making connections, creating partnerships, and looking for new possibilities. His future-gazing helps us develop exciting creative strategies, and his open mind inspires us with new ideas and ways of working.

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0113 318 3051

Kim

Managing Director

Kim joined us at the end of 2019 after 10 years as one of our clients! She now works across all teams here at Magpie with the aim of creating positive, measurable impact across everything we do. She is responsible for joining the dots of our campaigns and forming strategic partnerships to create healthier and happier communities.

Cutting her teeth as a market researcher, she moved into the education sector as the Marketing Manager at Leeds University Union and then progressed on to become the Director of Marketing & Communications at Leeds Trinity University. Her passion for campaigning led Kim to work for a consortium of charities and manage a national campaign to transform the lives of children and young people through more residential and outdoor learning experiences.

Before joining us, Kim was the CEO of national charity, the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) and now volunteers as a trustee with the Field Studies Council and is a member of Leeds University Union’s Engagement & Development subcommittee.

When she’s not in the studio, Kim loves to spend time in the outdoors with her adventure loving husband and two daughters, inspiring their curiosity exploring hills, beaches and woodland.

Superpower

Kim has a knack for cutting through complex information and changing it into communication that makes a real connection with audiences.

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0113 318 3051

Rose

Creative Director

Rose is our Creative Director. She heads up our talented studio team of designers and developers and works with us to turn our amazing insights into creative ideas and strategies for our campaigns. She is extremely passionate about using her design and creativity skills for social good and loves working on campaigns which genuinely help people lead happier, healthier lives.

Before Magpie she worked at one of the UK's top digital agencies where she led a multi-faceted award-winning creative studio and brings her knowledge and experience of creating creative digital marketing campaigns.

Rose also is the co-founder and runs the local initiative She Does Digital which aims to encourage more women into the digital industry. Set up in 2016, she heads up a large network of volunteers across the city who give their time to the cause from putting on events, running workshops to going into schools, colleges and universities.

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0113 318 3051

Grainne

Director of Behavioural Insights

Dr Grainne Dickerson is our Director of Behavioural Insights and she oversees the behavioural science which underpins our creative communications. Grainne is a Health Psychologist with a Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology under her belt. Before joining Magpie in January 2021, Grainne worked in Public Health for 16 years in various roles. In these roles Grainne worked on a wide range of Public Health issues, including children's public health, health protection, teenage pregnancy and smoking cessation as well as in Public Health Intelligence.

She was previously at Bradford Council as Senior Public Health Specialist, at Kirklees Council working as transformation lead on behavioural insights and before that a behavioural change specialist for Wakefield Public Health. She is passionate about the causes we care about and has been a fan of Magpie since she came across our first social norms campaign What the Flock? at a conference! Grainne is known and respected by a range of our clients in the public sector and public health.

Alongside her role at Magpie, Grainne is also an honorary lecturer at Bradford University on behavioural science and is Chair Elect of the Behavioural Science and Public Health Network.

Superpower

Grainne has an extensive theory-based toolkit in behavioural science to help us understand and then change behaviour in a creative way that creates positive impact every time.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Jules

Associate Creative Director

Jules has worked with Magpie since 2010 working closely with the founders of Magpie Ged and Becky, helping to build the vision and team. Jules is enjoying working on behaviour change campaigns alongside Rose the Creative Director and the creative team at Magpie.

Jules has a background in design and as a creative leader for a number of award winning and leading national agencies. Working as a Designer, Creative Director, Director and a Managing Director at agencies including Tayburn, Brahm, Bloom and Jaywing.

A keen supporter of the arts, Jules has held a number of Non-Executive roles for organisations such as Yorkshire Business in the Arts, Yorkshire Dance and The LEAF Academy Trust; and has worked closely with charities such as The Harewood House Trust and The Field Studies Council.

A keen supporter of the arts, Jules has held a number of Non-Executive roles for organisations such as Yorkshire Business in the Arts and Yorkshire Dance; and has worked with educational charities such as The LEAF Academy Trust and The Harewood House Trust.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Helena

Campaign Consultant

A team member from the early days of Magpie, Helena has a wide range of client and marketing management experience across a broad range of health and wellbeing campaigns. She is known as the queen of organisation for her love of a good spreadsheet and file organisation, and her passion lies with ensuring that all clients and partners feel their campaigns are in complete safe hands from start to finish.
Helena has a particular passion for maternal mental health awareness and when she’s not in the studio (or running around after her toddler!) she likes to dedicate time to sharing her own experiences in order to help others.

Superpower

Helena loves to plan and organise, and no matter how big or small a campaign (or project team!), will work with clients, partners and colleagues to ensure everything is delivered exactly as needed.

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0113 467 6949

Kate

Campaign Consultant

Kate is passionate and determined to create real change with our campaigns, particularly the way we work creatively with our communities. She thrives delivering the insight stages for our campaigns, really listening to the needs of our communities, shaping a campaign that is truly co-created. Her experience working with Magpie’s flagship campaigns means she can contribute valuable learnings, at every stage, whilst managing the day to day delivery.

Kate loves to explore, whether that’s finding a new restaurant in Leeds or venturing off around the world.She’s also a big fan of an outdoor gig and a spot of yoga.

Superpower

Kate is a great listener, understanding and interpreting even the most complex issues and communicating those effectively to our audiences and team.

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0113 318 3051

Emma

Campaign Manager

Emma is our Campaign Manager for JU:MP (Join Us: Move. Play.), a pilot programme lead by Active Bradford, that aims to help get children and their families moving and playing more.

As JU:MP is one of our flagship campaigns, Emma is responsible for bridging the gap between us and the JU:MP team. She plays a pivotal role within the programme, implementing marketing strategies and building strong client and community relationships.

Emma joined us at the start of 2020, after having previously worked in education, public health and for Leeds City Council in communications. She loves working collaboratively on projects that really make a difference to people’s lives and has won national awards for many of her wellbeing campaigns. Her passion for creating healthier and happier communities is really what led her to us!

When she’s not in the office, she loves reading, going to taekwondo and yoga classes and spending time in the outdoors with her partner (a keen botanist).

Superpower

With a specialism in the Bradford community networks, Emma keeps her nose to the ground, always on the lookout for fresh opportunities to form meaningful connections.

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0113 318 3051

Saleem Shahid

Campaign Coordinator

Since graduating from the University of Bradford, Saleem has completed numerous work placements which has equipped him with a vast amount of industry experience, always open for a challenge and never afraid to attempt something new Saleem has developed social media skills and has paved the way for an exciting career in marketing.

Thinking outside the box for community involvement and social media engagement, Saleem is a ‘go getter’ and has bags of stamina to meet client’s briefs.

Outside of work, Saleem enjoys watching sports most notably football (Man Utd fan by heart) and boxing.

Superpower

Connecting with communities and not giving up.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Louise Hallworth

Campaign Consultant

Louise is great at building relationships with stakeholders and loves delivering fully rounded marketing campaigns based on insight. Getting to the heart of a campaign objective and making it come to life is where her passion for marketing lies.

Having worked with Ged and Becky before they founded Magpie she’s watched from the sideline as Magpie has grown and developed into the behaviour change social enterprise it is now and she’s excited to be working on projects which are making a difference and positively impacting the world.

Outside of work Louise loves to spend time with her family; swimming, cycling, trampolining, climbing, playing mini golf... nothing is off limits for a good family day out. Louise is the Vice Chair of Governors at her local school highlighting how she loves to be involved in her local community; the Scarecrow Festival is her particular favourite.

Superpower

Louise loves people and building relationships. Through the conversations she has she's able to drill down and get to really know what makes them tick, and more importantly what she can do to help them and their campaign.

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0113 318 3051

Michelle

Community Engagement Manager

As our Community Engagement Manager, Michelle works with community groups across Leeds to deliver our good cause campaigns. Michelle has a natural gift for connecting with people, whether face-to-face, on radio or online. She's also happy to pop on a campaign mascot costume at short notice. Michelle loves going all out on the dance floor (she secretly thinks she is Beyoncé!) and fuels herself with lashings of peanut butter on toast and the odd micronutrient-packed Green Smoothie to feed the soul.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Will Hodgson

Senior Creative Designer

Will is a great problem solver and is determined to use his design experience and creativity to solve some complex social challenges. He loves to use design to engage with communities and collaborate to produce some awesome creative.

Before Magpie, Will worked in destination marketing for more than 11 years building brands, leading on creative campaigns, delivering events and promoting Yorkshire as one of the best destinations in the world.

Outside of work, Will loves to spend time with his young family as well as cycling and playing tennis as much as possible.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Isla Pearce

Creative Designer

Isla loves designing meaningful campaigns that really speak to people. Having developed her skills in the arts and education industries, she’s enthusiastic about collaborating with communities, and finding new ways to work with others.

Isla has a passion for all things typography and lettering. She’s also recently taken up photography and is always looking for creative solutions to get that perfect shot.

When she’s not designing, Isla can be found hiking around Yorkshire or running around her local park. At home she also tries to bring the outside in with an ever-growing array of houseplants.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Alice

Creative Designer

Alice is a multi-platform designer who loves a creative challenge. Her favourite part of being a designer at Magpie is creative co-creation and coming up with ideas to solve whatever problem is put in front of her. That idea is then taken right through from concepts to final artwork.

Outside of work Alice loves all things illustration and print, colourful things (rainbow jumpers!), dancing, cooking (and eating) a variety of vegetarian food and reading fantasy fiction.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Tom Salmon

Associate Director of Campaigns

Tom is Magpie's associate director of campaigns, specialising in stakeholder engagement and strategy. He was previously managing director of the award-winning digital agency Epiphany from 2015–2020. Tom has wide ranging experience of partnering with organisations such as Google and Microsoft, and has worked with household names across a diverse range of topics including health, music, higher education, technology, voluntary and third sectors, professional services and retail.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Safeia El-Jack

Digital Journalist

Safeia is our digital journalist. She will be capturing compelling content from our campaigns and bringing to life the personal stories of those impacted by our campaigns. She will do this by combining her personal people skills with her professional journalism skills to create a range of articles, videos, photographs etc.

Safeia believes statistical based journalism is not enough to drive people towards change and therefore strives to implement more anecdotal based journalism that puts a human being to the story which is more likely to establish a connection with the reader and hopefully change.

She will be using her experience in editing, writing, producing, filming, interviewing, sourcing and researching to work alongside the Creative team and Campaign team to ensure that campaign impact is documented and shared.

In her spare time, Safeia enjoys watching human interest documentaries and visiting museums and art galleries.

Superpower

Safeia uses her inquisitive nature and observant listening skills to ensure a safe and comfortable space for her guests each time. Her full engagement with passionate people creates insightful conversations and memorable experiences.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Stuart Thompson

Campaign Coordinator

Stuart joined Magpie in August 2021 as one of our Campaign Ambassador’s. Graduating with a degree in Drama from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, Stuart is familiar with working with people’s stories and their voices. With a love for collaboration and engagement, he is committed to supporting our campaigns so that they bring positive change to the community, and their impact is felt by the wider audience.

Having lived abroad in Borneo for 15 years, Stuart has a deep history in working with lots of different people from many different backgrounds. He has previously worked on the Chelsea Flower Show, London Marathon, in the West End, on national theatrical tours, and once upon a time, as a chef. With a history of working behind the scenes in theatre and events, he is able to think outside the box when supporting Magpie’s campaigns.

Passionate about creativity, you’ll find him either in a theatre, listening to lots of music, or cooking up a new recipe outside of Magpie.

Superpower

Drawing on his skills and experience from previous roles, Stuart understands the greater importance of the cause. He is committed and dedicated to help those who need it, and strives to get the job done!

Connect

0113 318 3051

Emily Wharton

Digital Campaigns Manager

Emily joined Magpie in January 2022 as our Digital Campaigns Manager. She completed a degree in Communications and Media at the University of Leeds and joins us from an experiential marketing agency that specialised in sport, leisure and retail. Therefore she has a broad range of experience in creating memorable marketing campaigns for a variety of audiences. Her skills range from paid media campaigns, website development and organic social strategy to app development and augmented reality. She has previously worked on clients such as LeedsBID, Active Bradford and Sport Leeds.

She is always eager to support the rest of the team to ensure that we are all working towards the common goal of healthier and happier communities. Emily is committed to a digital first approach and identifying how digital can be integrated into any campaign.

In her spare time, you’ll find her listening to music or cooking vegetarian food.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Di

Business Manager

Di is Magpie's Business Manager. Di Joined Magpie in June 2021. Di is the glue that contributes to Magpies success. Di is passionate about our team and the way we work. Her role is very diverse and she wears many hats strongly supporting the Senior leaders, looking after our accounts and Magpies Head office in Leeds. Di has over 25 years of commercial management experience.

Outside of Magpie, Di is busy flying off to Sweden to spend time with her family. Walking in the forests and enjoying Swedish fika balancing life between Sweden and the UK.

Superpower

Di can always find a solution. Where there’s a will there's a way! Nothing phases Di she will do whatever it takes to get the work done to ensure we are all Happy @ Magpie.

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David

Associate Behavioural Insights Consultant

David has worked with Magpie since February 2022, providing behaviour change expertise and research for Magpie’s clients.

David has a background in research, and oversight of national and local walking, cycling and health campaigns with a behavioural change focus. Much of his career has involved working with different audiences, including schools, communities and families, for charities such as the Ramblers and the Alzheimer’s Society, as well as with local authorities across the UK.

David has a broad understanding of different behavioural techniques and how these can be applied to different health-focused projects and campaigns. He loves working in the behaviour change sector as this approach makes a positive difference in many lives .

David is a keen musician, speaks Spanish, and enjoys hiking and long-distance walks, completing three hikes across Northern Spain and Portugal over the last few years. Moving to the north of England has allowed him to discover new walking trails and places where he can enjoy a beer.

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0113 318 3051

Julie

Behavioural Insights Consultant

Dr Julie Van de Vyver has joined the Magpie team as a Behavioural Insights Consultant. Julie is a Social Psychologist. Her PhD, completed in 2016 and awarded a BPS early career prize, examined psychological strategies for promoting prosocial behaviour. Before joining Magpie in May 2022, Julie worked at Durham University as an Assistant Professor in Quantitative Social Psychology. Julie is now an Honorary Fellow at Durham University and sits on the advisory board for one of their Behavioural Science programmes. Julie also previously worked with Magpie as a freelance consultant on fantastic projects including one for the Met Office which examined how to best frame weather advice in order to drive the greatest level of action amongst the general public.
Julie’s drive comes from developing sustainable, impactful, evidence-based projects that positively influence society. She has a 10+ year track record as a social psychologist and behavioural science researcher, consultant, and educator.

Superpower

Julie has excellent quantitative research skills - she makes tricky statistics look easy! Julie also distils complex science into accessible and actionable insights.

Connect

0113 318 3051

Henry Campbell Bird

Campaign Consultant

Henry cut his marketing teeth managing global advertising campaigns for brands such as Esso, SEAT, and NIVEA at world-renowned creative agencies.

Realising the skills he’d honed could be turned to complex social issues, Henry worked with the Home Office at M&C Saatchi to deliver its ‘Building a Stronger Britain Together’ programme, giving strategic communications support to CSOs aiming to increase the resilience of individuals and communities to extremism.

Henry’s most proud of his collaboration with the Ideas Foundation (they’re a charity that works with students, schools, and agencies to inject fresh talent into the creative industries) and for having his body cast and installed as one of the figures on the roof of ITV's Southbank buildings for CALM's 'Project 84' in 2018 – each a poignant and personal reminder of a life tragically lost to suicide.

Away from work, you’re likely to find Henry with his nose in a book, buying records, or chucking a stick for Winston the Dachshund.

Connect

0113 318 3051

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