History

1979
Whilst studying at the University of West of England, Roger Proctor founds the business, in partnership with Marc Stevenson. Too poor to afford office premises (or even chairs), they run things from a basement flat in Clifton, with Roger sleeping in the studio. Proctors acquires its first major client in the form of Inmos.

1980
Roger and Marc decide to part ways. Marc goes on to become the UK’s leading producer of deluxe rocking horses. Roger moves the business into a house formerly owned by Cary Grant’s mother. Inmos – developer of Britain’s first semiconductor and pioneer in the world of supercomputing – grows from a team of three people into a multi-million pound and 2,500 person corporation based in Bristol, Colorado and South Wales. Proctors, from Inmos’ founding, builds the worldwide brand, then launches the Transputer that enable the first super computers to be developed.

1981
Proctors begins its relationship with Bristol and West. From humble origins designing leaflets, after several years we became its lead agency in corporate and in-store communications for over 20 years. This included the launch of mould-breaking in-branch design, featuring cutting-edge interactive screen technology, across 150 branches.

1984
Proctors doubles in size as Roger hires his first employee.

1987
Proctors moves into it's current home in Bristol.

1989
A fresh-faced Mike Cain walks through the doors of Proctors. He goes on to become Creative Director. Proctors moves into its current home in Cave Street, Bristol. The inaugural Proctor & Stevenson Design Awards takes place. Running for the next 15 years and including an investment of approximately £400,000, they recognise and reward the finest young graduate design talent in the South West. Finally, Client Services Director, Mark Jamieson and Ailsa Billington – then Designer, now Account Director – both join Proctors.

1990
With a desire to prove the real value of creativity, Proctors turns its attention to direct marketing. Headed by the expertise of Mike Cain, the business establishes itself as a serious mass-mailing agency. Still working closely with Inmos, Proctors handles the launch of the T9000 – breakthrough technology and the chipset still used in almost every set-top TV box in households today.

1993
A long and fruitful relationship with Hewlett-Packard begins. The collaboration eventually leads to major developments in the use and application of digital print.

1994
Our adventures in the Middle East commence with a project for the National Commercial Bank of Saudi Arabia. Over the coming years, Proctors sets up a Middle East office and works with 8 of the 10 biggest companies in the Kingdom. That work includes the creation and delivery of a tender for Saudi Cable Company’s successful bid to win the contract to recable all of Saudi's telecommunications network, against fierce international first-world competition.

1996
We launch Moore and Blatch. It becomes the 2nd only law firm in the UK to offer fund management. The project features award-winning creative and the business exceeds all targets.

1999
Proctors brands and creates all of the materials to launch Project Integra – the first Local Authority initiative to involve outside contractors in the delivery of recycling and waste management services. Now recognised as the benchmark for such schemes, Integra appoints Proctors to produce communications for its submission for the 3 major contracts. Uniquely all 3 contracts are won. We launch FirstPlus’ secured lending business with the aid of TV advertising starring Carol Vorderman. Our strategy and campaign becomes the benchmark for the whole sector.

2000
Proctors goes digital at the age of 21, and begins working on CD-ROM-based communications for clients such as HP, MGM, Pirelli, Canon and Olympus. Digital work today accounts for around 50% of our turnover.

2001
Intimis, our patent-pending, multi-channel, 1-to-1 marketing system begins to be developed.

2002
The South West Regional Development Agency appoints us to its roster, founding a relationship that continues to this day.

2003
Proctors wins BMW and MINI Financial Services as a client, creating a new brand for both.

2004
Appointed to help Ordnance Survey find its way with the launch of its new ‘Options’ brand.

2006
We continue our successes in the world of IT, working on major launch projects for both Dell and Samsung.

2007
AXA launches Elevate, its new ‘wrap platform’ for IFAs. Proctors is appointed to work on the strategy, brand and roll-out. Roger Proctor becomes Chairman of the South West Design Forum, the regional body to support, promote and develop the design sector in the South West.

2008
The fully developed Intimis is rolled out. It begins to account for many notable successes and is described by the Direct Marketing Association as having ‘revolutionised CRM’. It wins the B2B Marketing award for Best New Product. Roger’s work for the design industry in the South West is recognised by the University of West of England – it awards him an honorary degree.

2009
We’re approached by both Panasonic and Kcom to deliver two of our most ambitious projects to date. One, an integrated pan-European campaign promoting the world’s most ‘rugged’ laptops, the other a full-blown internal and external brand launch for one of the UK’s premier telecoms providers.

2010
New year, new brand, new website... and a lot to look forward to. Proctors celebrates its 30th year with a stunning new brand, delivered via an all-new website, which we’re committed to updating on a constant basis with news, case studies, events, movies and much more.