Havas Media Network UK Expands Havas Boost

Havas Media Network UK relaunches Havas Boost to drive meaningful change in the third sector and media industry talent alongside its existing entrepreneurship stream. The expanded programme, which is relocating to Manchester to bring the programme closer to the communities it aspires to impact, is part of HMN UK’s ongoing commitment to being a force for good inside and outside the advertising industry.  

HMN UK launched Havas Boost in 2021 to support entrepreneurs from less advantaged communities around the country who are making or will make a meaningful difference to the world we live in. Following the success of Havas Boost to date, HMN UK has expanded Havas Boost to cover three distinct streams where HMN UK use its size and scale to be a force for good, including: 

• Boost Business – supporting 2-3 years old businesses with a demonstrable purpose beyond profit and founded by people from disadvantage socio-economic backgrounds. 
• Boost Talent – supporting underrepresented talent in entering the media and advertising industry through 15 six-month long mentorship placements. 
• Boost Charity – supporting charities with masterclasses to help local charities build on their media skills, reach and knowledge​, due to launch in 2025. 

The expanded Havas Boost programme will be supported by the largest accredited Chamber of Commerce in the UK with over 4000 members, The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and the award-winning advertising and media charity, Media Trust. 

HMN UK has also enhanced the experience of entrepreneurs taking part in the Boost Business programme. Ten entrepreneur applicants will be invited to pitch their ideas in a Dragon’s Den-style judging chamber during Global Entrepreneurship Week (18-25 November). Budding entrepreneurial talent from the North West region solicited by Havas Play UK will select the top four.  

Havas Boost’s board, chaired by chief growth officer Nick Wright who led the evolution of Havas Boost, will select the eventual winner who stands to benefit from £150k of support in the form of cash, media value and resource support. 

In another development, Havas Boost has also been relocated to Havas Media Network’s offices in Manchester in order to bring the programme closer to those it can make most difference for. The decision was based on insight from a survey conducted by YouGov of 2,500 Brits on behalf of HMN UK that: 

• two-fifths (40%) of less advantaged under-35s in the North West feel there are not good opportunities for people from lower socio economic backgrounds to set up a business in Great Britain versus just 19% of people in London.  
• this is despite three-fifths expressing interest in starting their own business one day, more than double the British population (26%). 

An OOH and digital advertising campaign has been created by HMN’s in-house design and marketing team to drum up awareness and mark the relocation. The campaign will be live for two weeks across Manchester including Piccadilly Gateway, Manchester One, Piccadilly Gardens and Printworks with £150k of media donated by JC Decaux, Ocean Outdoor, MiQ, Teads, Loop Me, Reach, Clear Channel and Limited Space. The campaign harnesses HMN UK’s proprietary AI-powered marketing engagement platform, Converged, launched this year, to identify, locate and target the most relevant audiences.  

If you’d like to apply to Havas Boost, please see here

James Reddington, joint-general manager, Havas Media Manchester, said, “Around a fifth of the UK’s advertising workforce works out of London and sometimes it can feel the economy is similarly lopsided. The advertising industry has a privileged position as a key growth driver of the whole UK economy, which means we have a responsibility to be the sea that lifts all boats. Our evolution and expansion of Havas Boost are part of our commitment to drive meaningful change within and outside our industry.”