Redwood Bank.

The brief.

When Redwood Bank joined Strand in 2018, it was a start-up challenger bank looking to make a splash in a very large pond. Having launched just four months after securing its banking licence, Redwood needed to raise its profile fast and stand out in a crowded market. With its head office in Letchworth, CEO and co-founder Gary Wilkinson was keen to work with a local agency after starting out with a London outfit.

The strategy.

At the start, our focus was on public relations. We built a clear PR plan to raise Redwood’s profile with its intermediary market, securing coverage in the titles that mattered most. As trust in the relationship grew, so did the remit. The strategy evolved into a fully integrated approach: embedding ourselves with the in-house team, aligning priorities through regular planning meetings and building flexibility to react quickly when opportunities or issues arose.

This combination of proactive PR and agile, multi-channel support meant Redwood could rely on Strand not only for consistent visibility but also for high-impact campaigns, thought leadership and senior counsel at pivotal moments.

The point.

Redwood is no longer the new kid on the block. It is recognised as a credible, trusted player in UK business banking – and our work has helped cement that position. Media coverage has been consistent across all key publications, with an average equivalent advertising value of £73,700 per month in the past six months alone. Engagement has increased across digital and social channels, while award entries and thought leadership have reinforced Redwood’s reputation as an expert voice in the sector.

What began as a 12-month commission has become a long-standing partnership that has lasted more than eight years. Redwood continues to trust Strand as its key communications partner because we deliver the expertise, pace and perspective of a full in-house team, without the overheads. Together, we’ve built a sustainable communications engine that grows with the bank’s ambitions and keeps it firmly positioned as a serious player in the market.