Storycatchers

What Storycatchers does

Storycatchers is a UK-based, purpose-driven advertising and communications agency founded in 2013, headquartered at the Welbeck Abbey Estate in Nottinghamshire and operating on a remote-first basis. The firm employs 11-50 staff and delivers integrated strategy, campaign creative, digital content, and behaviour change campaigns grounded in behavioural science methodology — every team member is trained by behavioural scientist Richard Shotton using frameworks such as ADKAR and COM-B. Its core service portfolio spans Strategy and Planning, Campaign Creative across owned/bought/earned media, Digital Strategy and Content Creation, Tone of Voice Development, internal communications programmes and recruitment campaign toolkits. Notable proprietary campaign platforms include the Network Rail 'You vs Train' behaviour change platform and a world-first interactive pre-roll skip-functionality media technique (built with Reach Media and Mediaocean).

The agency serves a client base weighted toward UK public and third sector organisations — most prominently Network Rail (multiple award-winning behaviour change campaigns and Lot 1 strategic framework), the Local Government Association, British Transport Police, Samaritans, Headway, National Literacy Trust, Woodland Trust, British Library, IOSH and FA Learning — alongside corporate accounts including Mercedes-Benz Vans, First Direct and BBC Dragons' Den. Commercial terms are bespoke project-based pricing under multi-year contracts, with go-to-market driven by competitive tenders, strategic framework appointments, referrals and award-led inbound enquiries. The firm uses a networked operating model, drawing on trusted production, media, research and technology partners rather than scaling fixed headcount, which supports agile project team assembly.

Ownership is independent and founder-led (Andy Hayward identified as Co-founder and Director; no external investment disclosed). The agency holds Cyber Essentials accreditation and is GDPR-compliant. Documented campaign outcomes — including a 62% reduction in child rail trespass, 120% ROI on Horrifying Effects, 304 million reach on the National Literacy Trust campaign, and Grand Prix wins at The Drum Awards EMEA in 2023 and 2026 — position the firm as a specialist UK agency in measurable behaviour change communications for the public good.

Name

Storycatchers

Legal name

Storycatchers Limited

Website

https://thestorycatchers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Storycatchers is a UK purpose-driven advertising and communications agency founded in 2013 that uses behavioural science-informed storytelling to deliver measurable behaviour change campaigns for public sector, charity and purpose-led corporate clients, with Network Rail as anchor account.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising and Communications Services

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Media Reputation & Community Management (MPAAAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reputation Recovery & Rebranding Post-Crisis (MPAAAOAP), Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG)

Keywords

• Behaviour change campaigns
• Advertising agency services
• Social sustainability communications
• Public sector marketing
• Behavioural science storytelling

Headquarters

HQ city

Worksop

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Communications Services: Full-service agency offering strategy, campaign creative, digital content, and multi-channel campaign delivery. Revenue generated through project fees, retainer arrangements, and strategic framework partnerships with public sector clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Storycatchers is a purpose-driven advertising and communications agency that delivers strategy, campaign creative, and digital content services grounded in behavioural science. They build behaviour change campaigns for public and third sector organisations (Network Rail, Local Government Association, Samaritans, Headway) as well as selected corporate brands, producing measurable outcomes such as a 62% reduction in child trespass incidents and 120% ROI on safety campaigns.

Product overview

Storycatchers is a purpose-driven advertising and communications agency offering a portfolio of services centred on behavioural science-informed storytelling for social sustainability. The core offering consists of strategy and planning, campaign creative across owned/bought/earned media, and digital strategy and content creation. Their approach is grounded in behavioural science methodology developed with behavioural scientist Richard Shotton, enabling them to create campaigns that measurably change how people think, feel and behave. Key campaign frameworks include the Network Rail 'You vs Train' behaviour change platform, featuring award-winning campaigns such as Horrifying Effects and Harrison's Story. The agency also delivers tone of voice development, internal communications programmes (such as the Safe Service programme), and recruitment campaign toolkits for organisations like the Local Government Association. Their networked model allows them to assemble bespoke project teams drawing on trusted partners including production companies, research firms, and specialist consultants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategy and Planning Insight-driven, transformational brand and campaign strategy development to help clients tell the right story from the start. Offered to public, third sector, and corporate clients.
• Campaign Creative Integrated campaigns across owned, bought and earned media channels delivered by in-house copywriters, art directors, designers and video editors.
• Digital Strategy and Content Creation Social media and content strategies that broaden communication touchpoints and deepen relationships with target audiences across digital ecosystems.
• Behaviour Change Campaigns Award-winning communication campaigns focused on social sustainability, using behavioural science to drive measurable behaviour change for public and third sector clients.
• You vs Train Campaign Platform Network Rail's youth trespass brand platform including campaigns like Horrifying Effects and Harrison's Story that use emotional storytelling to reduce rail trespass.
• Tone of Voice Development Brand tone of voice articulation, definition and guidelines development, applied across multi-channel customer and acquisition campaigns.
• Safe Service Internal Communications Programme Internal comms programme for Network Rail's Route Services function using behavioural science principles to embed safety culture among front-line workers.
• Local Government Association Recruitment Campaign Toolkit Campaign toolkit with adaptable assets enabling local councils to run consistently branded recruitment campaigns across owned channels.
• Mercedes-Benz Vans Brand Partnership Lead agency partnership managing the 'Keeping businesses moving' brand mission across all channels including TV advertising, dealer marketing, eCRM, events and pop-up retail.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62% decrease in child trespass incidents (Harrison's Story campaign)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2024Storycatchers became an affiliate member of RSSB, joining the rail industry's safety body. This partnership aligns with their work on rail safety behaviour change campaigns and demonstrates their commitment to the rail industry.
• Space DigitalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProduction partner for multiple campaigns including You vs Train influencer campaigns, Shortcuts interactive pre-roll, and Samaritans Small Talk Saves Lives. Provided video production and VFX capabilities.
• Reach MediacoreTechnology or IntegrationMedia partner for world-first interactive pre-roll skip functionality campaign. Collaborated to deliver user-controlled interactive video experience with fake 'Skip ad' button functionality.
• MediaoceancoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner for building interactive pre-roll functionality using VPAID, enabling seamless video blending regardless of when users hit 'Skip'.
• Habit5coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerResearch partners for Local Government Association campaigns. Conducted 2-phase research programme combining qualitative focus groups and quantitative online surveys.
• The7StarsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPaid media agency developing media plan for LGA recruitment campaigns including digital display, OOH, radio, social and search.
• Martin Gibbons CastingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCasting partner who found the perfect actor to portray Harrison Ballantyne in the campaign film.
• Impact Hub Kings CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with socially minded business incubator for brand training workshops with food industry start-ups.
• Richard ShottoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehavioural scientist who provides training to all Storycatchers team members on leveraging human biases and proven principles of behavioural science.
• We CommunicationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork Rail's educational advisors for the Horrifying Effects schools programme, collaborating on classroom-ready teaching resources.
• 222 local councilsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal councils accessed the campaign toolkit to run consistently branded recruitment campaigns through their owned channels.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Good Agency: London-based purpose-driven creative and communications agency working with charities, NGOs, and public-sector clients. Closest direct peer — similar size, similar purpose-led positioning, and overlapping client types (charities, social enterprises, government).
• Forster Communications: UK purpose-driven communications agency with strong charity and public-sector practice. Direct peer on campaign strategy, behavior-change communications, and third-sector client base.
• Don't Cry Wolf: Independent UK PR and communications agency focused on brands with a purpose. Comparable scale and mission-aligned positioning, serving similar nonprofit, social-enterprise, and progressive-brand clients.
• Behavioural Insights Team: UK-based social-purpose consultancy applying behavioral science to public policy and communications. Direct competitor for behavior-change methodology contracts with public-sector clients, though heavier on research/consulting than creative execution.

Broad incumbents

• Mother London: Major independent London creative agency with award-winning campaign work across commercial and purpose-driven briefs. Larger and broader portfolio but competes for the same enterprise and public-sector attention and creative talent.
• Adam & Eve/DDB: One of the UK's largest creative agencies, regularly winning Grand Prix-level awards and handling major public-sector and corporate campaigns. Competes for the same Drum Award-tier recognition and large public-sector framework appointments.
• Ogilvy UK: Global advertising network with a substantial UK public-sector, behavior-change, and social-impact practice. Larger competitor that increasingly embeds behavioral science into creative work, competing head-to-head for government and nonprofit briefs.
• Havas UK: Global communications group with meaningful UK presence across creative, media, and health communications. Comparable in serving public-sector and purpose-driven clients at greater scale and with broader media capabilities.
• WCRS: Established London creative agency with strong public-sector and broadcast work. Larger than Storycatchers but competes for similar government, charity, and purpose-driven campaign briefs in the UK market.
• TBWA London: London office of the global TBWA creative network with a purpose-led practice (e.g., the UK's designated blood-donor and hate-crime work). Broader incumbent competing for high-profile behavior-change and public-awareness campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thestorycatchers
• Instagraminstagram.com/storycatchers
• Xx.com/TweetCatchers

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Storycatchers