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One whole year. Twelve months. 365 days of creating content with bite, championing businesses, and talking about sharks to anyone who’ll listen.

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Before we get into everything (the origin story, the team, the services, clothing, sharks and more sharks, we said sharks, right?) we want to say a massive thank you.

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Because none of this would exist without the people who showed up, cheered us on, shared our stuff, and told their mates about the shark marketing people.

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More on that in a bit. First, let’s rewind.

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So, what even is Sparky Shark? (The origin story no one asked for but everyone’s getting)

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We’re creatives here, so naturally…we’re gonna make up an origin story of the sparky shark. When a lemon shark gets frisky with a tiger shark during a thunderstorm, a sparky shark is born. Electric, a little unpredictable, and absolutely full of bite. That’s us.

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OK, in reality, the brand started with a LinkedIn video. Sarah Bostock (our founder) dressed up as a shark and made content about how sharks should and shouldn’t be writing LinkedIn posts. She fully expected it to sink without a trace. Instead, it swam. And it kept swimming.

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Without even realising it, Sarah had already started her shark journey. And with a genuine love of sharks and a mission to show the world how vital they are, going full shark with the branding made complete sense.

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Plus, come on. Shark branding is jaw-some. We think so, anyway.

The real reason we went with sharks

We do think sharks look cool. But the reason Sparky Shark exists goes a lot deeper than that.

Sharks are persecuted, endangered, and massively misunderstood. They’ve been painted as the villains for decades (thanks a lot, Jaws) when in reality, they’re one of the most important creatures on the planet. Without sharks, the ocean’s ecosystem collapses. The entire marine food chain falls apart. And that affects every single one of us, whether you live by the sea or not.

We’re not scientists. We’re not conservationists. We’re not out here tagging sharks in the deep blue (as cool as that would be). What we are is a team who know how to write, create content, and get people’s attention. So we decided to use those skills for something that matters.

We’re not going to pretend we’re experts in shark conservation, because we’re not. What we are experts in is writing and awareness. So we’re going to keep using our voice to talk about sharks and why the ocean needs them, whilst also helping businesses grow online.

Two missions. One very cool shark logo. That’s Sparky Shark.

A huge thank you from the whole Sparky Shark team

We could write a whole blog about this alone. The support we’ve received in year one has been fin-credible. The shares, the comments, the DMs saying “this is exactly what I needed,” the people who took a chance and trusted us with their marketing. It means the world.

Building a brand from scratch is a weird mix of exciting and terrifying. There are days when you wonder if anyone’s paying attention. And then someone slides into your inbox to say your content helped them, or a client comes back to say their engagement has gone through the roof, and you remember exactly why you started.

So from Sarah, Sarah A, Martin, and Bobo (our very important shark pup mascot): thank you. Truly. You’ve helped make this first year something worth celebrating.

We’ve swum in some interesting waters this year

One of the things we love most about Sparky Shark is that we don’t stick to one lane. Our clients have come from all kinds of industries, and every single one has kept us on our fins. In year one alone, we’ve worked with businesses in:

• Whisky

• Cigars

• Lingerie

• Travel

• HR

• Recruitment

• Dating

• Funeral stationery

• Hospitality

From whisky to funeral stationery, from lingerie to HR. We’ve written it all, and we’ve loved every minute. No two briefs are the same, and that’s exactly how we like it.

Now, if there are any coffee or gin brands reading this, Sarah would like a word. Those are two industries she is very passionate about (for research purposes, obviously), and we would absolutely love to get our teeth into them. Consider this an open invitation. The shark is circling and she’s very caffeinated.

Speaking of celebrating… we might have done something a bit extra

When most businesses hit their first birthday, they do a post, maybe crack open a celebratory biscuit. We decided to launch a clothing line. Because of course we did.

This is what happens when you hit your first year of business and get slightly overexcited. You start a clothing brand.

We’re being completely transparent here, because we don’t do bull shark. We’re not going to make any real profit from this. We’re not doing it to cash in. We got excited about some designs, we wanted to create something fun, and we thought: if we can help shark conservation in the process, then that’s a win worth swimming for.

So for every item purchased, we’ll be donating to a cause that’s helping shark conservation. We’re still working out the fin-er details, so consider this a sneak preview. The full thing isn’t live yet, but we wanted to give you a taste of what’s coming.

The designs? We’ve got some sharp ones in the works. Think shark print clothing (because that’s what you do on your first birthday), and a shark and coffee t-shirt with puns so bad they’re good. You’ll also be seeing Sarah wearing the Sparky Shark gear in upcoming content, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

This is a work in progress, and we’d love to know what you think. Drop us a message and let us know.

So, who’s behind Sparky Shark? (Meet the school)

We’re a small but mighty school of sharks. Here’s the team:

Sarah Bostock (founder and resident Morgenmuffel): Sarah is the face and founder of Sparky Shark Marketing. She’s been in marketing for over six years, across all sorts of industries from sustainable brands to luxury goods, tech startups to recruitment firms. She’s also a self-proclaimed Morgenmuffel, which is German for “don’t even think about talking to me before I’ve had my coffee.” She’s lovely, promise. Two coffees in? She’s ready to take a bite out of anything.

Sarah A (engagement specialist): Sarah A has been working in social media engagement for nearly five years. She’s the one keeping conversations flowing and making sure our clients’ pages stay active. She’s also got the biggest heart going. Coffee is also a non-negotiable for this Sarah.

Martin (brand and web design expert): Martin handles all things web design and branding. He’s a huge dinosaur fan (which works perfectly in a team that loves a megalodon) and the proud owner of Bobo, a gorgeous grey Staffordshire pup. Martin also drinks coffee. Sensing a theme here.

Bobo (our youngest and most photogenic team member): Bobo is our shark pup mascot and the unofficial face of the brand. We are big animal lovers here, and yes, your pets are absolutely welcome on video calls.

What we do

Everything we do is about creating real connections and content that sounds like you. Here’s what’s on the menu:

• Social media management

• Content creation

• Engagement services

• Profile optimisation

• Brand voice development

• Strategy and consultation

• Web design and branding

• Website copy

• Social media training

We work with a wide range of industries, and we’ll always be straight with you. If we’re not the right fit, we’ll say so. No bull shark. That’s not how we operate.

Here’s to year two 🦈⚡

One year in, and the ocean feels bigger and more exciting than ever. We’ve got ideas, we’ve got plans, and we’ve got a clothing line in progress. Year two is going to be something else.

If you’ve been with us since the beginning, thank you. If you’re brand new here, welcome to the school. And if you’re a business owner who feels like their marketing is treading water, you know where to find us.

Drop us a message at sarah@sparkysharkmarketing.co.uk or head over to sparkyshark.co.uk

And remember: sharks aren’t the bad guys. 🦈

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Sparky Shark Marketing has survived the first year!