Jobs hope as Secret star joins leading agency

Strategic brand consultancy Propaganda has appointed business consultant, Carl Hopkins, to its board of directors, as part of a strategy to increase its market share.

Mr Hopkins, who made headlines when he appeared in Secret Millionaire in 2007, has been hired by Julian Kynaston, the founder of Leeds-based Propaganda, who has developed the brands of clients including Bradford-based Seabrook Crisps and Greggs the bakers.

Mr Hopkins will become Propaganda’s executive chairman, and will be given the job of increasing profits during a time of austerity.

Mr Kynaston said he wanted more time to focus on growing the make-up range, Illamasqua, which he launched three years ago.

He said Mr Hopkins would provide extra board level support at Propaganda.

Propaganda has 40 staff and achieved a fee income last year of £3.2m, which is about the same as the year before.

Mr Hopkins said: “I’m there to plan for growth, they (Propaganda) have got good growth opportunities ahead of them, and with that, comes staff acquisitions.”

Since selling his marketing agency JDA in 2007, Mr Hopkins has turned his hand to serial entrepreneurship, becoming involved with a variety of businesses that range from a recruitment agency to selling sporting supple- ments.

After selling JDA, Mr Hopkins signed commercial agreements which meant he couldn’t work in the marketing sector for four years.

Last year, he launched Joblink Solutions, which works with schools and colleges to give young people the chance to achieve their entrepreneurial ambitions. “I always felt I would go back into the industry,’’ Mr Hopkins added. “It was a question of, ‘with who?’”

Mr Kynaston said: “This relationship with Carl is born out of a mutual appreciation.

“I like and trust him and he admires us.

“Having taken a step back from the industry, it was interesting to hear his thoughts on how he views Propaganda.

“In my view, Carl is a true entrepreneur. He has viewed Propaganda from the other end of the telescope and has witnessed, at first hand, the sector’s admiration of our model and concluded that this is where he needs to be.

“Carl is a business man who knows how to manage a team. We are very similar.”

Mr Kynaston is spending two to three days a week in London, promoting Propaganda’s Illamasqua brand.

Illamasqua is turning over around £8m a year, and directly employs around 80 people.

Celebrity followers include Lady Gaga, Kelly Rowland, Emmerdale actress Sammy Winward and Princess Eugenie. Mr Kynaston declines to pay celebrities to wear his products, believing that Illamasqua speaks for itself.

Mr Hopkins said: “Throughout my many years in this industry, I have always thought there was something different about Propaganda.

“I have known Julian for years, and Propaganda was always an agency to be watched, never crossed.

“The chance to get involved with Propaganda was irresistible. Many have attempted to replicate the Propaganda agency model as it is challenging, intellectually and business driven and is fully committed to developing its clients’ businesses.

“And I like that.”

Mr Hopkins added: “Propaganda has done a fantastic job, producing profits when other agencies have been going under.”

Mr Hopkins said Propaganda had a small number of clients, who had been with the business for a very long time.

He said many agencies worked from campaign to campaign, while Propaganda built up lasting relationships with business owners.

The emergence of Illamasqua showed that Propaganda was prepared to “put its money where its mouth is” by creating its own brand, Mr Hopkins said.

Mr Hopkins was cautious about the UK’s economic prospects, warning that there was little, if any growth in the economy.

He added: “I don’t see that changing drastically.”

However, he said morale could be lifted by the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Mr Hopkins will work with the senior team at Propaganda to find new business opportunities.

For the bolder person...

JULIAN Kynaston certainly turns heads when he walks into his local pub in Upper Denby, West Yorkshire.

He stands 6ft 6ins tall and isn’t afraid to wear black eye liner from his Illamasqua cosmetic range in public.

He said recently: “Illamasqua is for the bolder person in all of us; no matter what their age or sex. It is about self expression and people exploring their alter ego.”

He founded Propaganda in 1993, which has grown to become one of the most successful marketing agencies outside London. In 2006, he sold a proportion of Propaganda to the board in a £14m management buyout (MBO). He retains a major shareholding in the business.