Matalan Partners with ITG to Deliver Content at Scale Through Tech-Enabled Creative and Production House

Matalan has partnered with Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) to form a new, tech-enabled creative and production house, built to deliver a greater volume of high-quality, channel-specific content at pace that enhances customer growth and loyalty.

This in-house model, comprised of colleagues from the fashion and homeware retailer as well as ITG, represents an innovative new approach to Matalan’s marketing. It will utilise ITG’s Storyteq marketing technology (recognised by Gartner® in their 2024 Magic Quadrant™ for Content Marketing Platforms) and Capture Studios facility (AI and AR-enabled film and photography) to produce scalable content and campaigns, faster and more efficiently.

The scope of work expands on the current services delivered by ITG, and will now cover content creation, production and execution to support Matalan’s broader business growth.

Matalan is also looking to drive efficiencies across its marketing operations, with ITG to play a central role in managing, reviewing and streamlining existing processes – introducing new ways of working and integrating tech-led solutions where appropriate to automate previously time-consuming, manual tasks.

“Our priority is to build lasting, meaningful relationships with our customers and collaborating with ITG allows us to do just that,” said Ali Jones, chief customer officer and Omni-Channel officer for Matalan. “Through ITG’s blended model of automated and studio production, we’re able to create a greater volume of high-quality assets, ultimately resulting in more relevant and impactful campaigns that reach our customers in a shorter space of time.”

ITG joins existing strategic and creative agency McCann Manchester and media partner Havas Media Manchester as marketing partners to Matalan, working in close collaboration with both in order to produce personalised, localised campaigns at the speed and scale necessary in today’s fast-moving retail landscape.

Andrew Swinand, CEO at ITG, commented, “All credit to Matalan for embracing an innovative approach to content production. We’re incredibly proud to be driving this new in-house model, collaborating with Matalan’s existing marketing partners to deliver a halo of tech-enabled, agile content that will unlock greater efficiencies, enhanced customer engagement and tangible business growth. It means Matalan is free to focus on retail, knowing that its content production is in safe hands.”