We’re delighted to introduce Outside Of Ordinary to Strong’s portfolio of clients.

Specialists in building authentic active and outdoor brands that better connect to people and planet, the agency offers extraordinary thinking for brands looking to create a better future.

Working in close partnership, Strong will shine a light on Outside of Ordinary’s impactful work, further raising the profile of the expert team and its breadth of exceptional services in a suite of specialist media outlets.

With deep knowledge and experience of outdoor and active cultures, the specialist creative agency works in a number of transformational areas, collaborating with brands who are aiming to be extraordinary.  These include brand vision, creative strategy, creative narratives and story-telling campaigns, brand design, film and photoshoots, considered content creation, brand activation, and campaign guidance and asset packs.

Outside of Ordinary works with an impressive roster of clients including Adidas Terrex, Montane, Ronhill, TOG24, Alpkit, Mountain Equipment, Ribble Cycles, and the British Mountaineering Council, there are no shortage of powerful stories to tell.

We’re looking forward to sharing them.  For tips on building extraordinary outdoor and active brands, the team’s latest news, recent client successes, the odd bit of adventure, and #shootingthebreeze: Q&As with outdoor industry folk, visit Inside Out at outsideoforidnary.co.uk/inside-out.

Football legend Paul Scholes has joined forces with children Arron and Alicia to open a new state-of-the-art gym, Scholes Gym, in his hometown, Oldham.

The 10,000 sq. ft development, designed by award-winning designer Mark Mason, sees a £500k investment in the new facility, bringing new life to Lees Road and the surrounding area.

Designed over two floors, the impressive facility features a functional fitness area with personalised track; personalised steel dumbbells; pin and plate loaded elite bodybuilding machines; a bespoke Astroturf; and top-of-the-range kit such as the plate loaded fly, which is designed to hit all chest muscle fibres.

Members also have access to a Batak reaction machine, a piece of kit rarely found outside of professional sports studios and applauded by elite sportspeople including Paul for improving reaction, hand eye coordination and stamina.

A range of cardio equipment with treadmills, assault bikes, rowers and ski ergs is also available to members with an enclosed studio playing host to cardio, strength, and conditioning classes including HIIT, Functional Fitness, and Abs Blast.

The Strong Agency was pleased to be appointed to manage the launch providing the media with an exclusive first look at the gym and interviews with Paul Scholes and children Arron and Alicia.  It was a packed schedule with widespread broadcast, print and online coverage enjoyed.  Highlights include ITV News, TalkSport, The Manchester Evening News, The Manc, Global, Manchester World, Insider Media to name but a few.

Scholes Gym is open now.  To register visit www.scholesgym.com.

The opening is the latest in a series of launches delivered by The Strong Agency and follows the press launch of the 2020 Olympics formalwear collection for leading retailer, Simon Jersey, and re-launch of women’s outdoorwear brand, ACAI Outdoorwear.  Read more on the medal worth Olympic press launch here and multi-award-winning campaign for ACAI Outdoorwear here.

Leading UK sign maker Astra Signs has announced its support of Gratitude, a spectacular public art installation designed to pay homage to the ongoing courage and dedication of NHS staff and all key workers during the pandemic.

Organised by global art company Wild in Art and sponsored by Astra Signs,  the free to visit exhibition consists of 51 sculptures, all designed by individual artists from different regions, and curated in partnership with creative ambassador Dame Zandra Rhodes.

The event, which launched in Birmingham and is available to see in Manchester now, will also tour Edinburgh and London before the sculptures are auctioned off at a later date, where substantial proceeds will be donated to NHS Charities Together (Registered Charity Number 1186569), which supports the NHS, including its hospitals, ambulance services, community and mental healthcare providers and vital partnerships.

Standing tall amongst the installation is Astra Signs’ sponsored sculpture, Faces of Lockdown, created by acclaimed Manchester illustrator and mural painter, Hammo.   As official signage partner the Manchester-headquartered company is also also providing expert direction on the logistics, design, branding and install of the impressive event, and producing all brand assets including floor vinyls, toblerones, fence panels and crowd barrier covers.

Speaking on the sponsorship, Founder and Managing Director of Astra Signs, David Derbyshire said:  “Gratitude is a spectacular and visually arresting art installation in aid of an incredible cause.  We’re thrilled to be able to support Wild in Art in the production of the event and to honour NHS staff and Key Workers nationwide for all that they have selflessly done to help others these last 18 months.”

The partnership is the latest in a long list of art and cultural events supported by Astra Signs and one we are delighted to promote.

Leading uniform company Simon Jersey has revealed Team GB’s official formalwear for the Tokyo Olympics.

The bespoke suits were unveiled at an exclusive launch event hosted at the company’s headquarters and attended by British Olympians Elinor Barker, Dan Bibby and Mahama Cho.

The official formalwear supplier to Team GB for the third consecutive Olympic Games, Simon Jersey’s specially designed suits will be worn by athletes, coaches and staff at all formal engagements at the delayed Summer Games, which open on July 23.

We were pleased to support the Cheshire-based company in taking news to the press, working closely with the brilliant team at Simon Jersey and Team GB.  It was an absolute pleasure for Strong Founder Jules, who counts seven years working with British Cycling to promote a wide range of international cycling events and her experience of working with GB Taekwondo to host the 2015 World Taekwondo Grand Prix, amongst her career highlights, and a welcome opportunity to combine the agency’s sport and retail expertise.

Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion cyclist, Elinor Barker, was the first to showcase the chic blue slim-cut trouser suit, complemented with a red low tie blouse and matching clutch bag, which will be worn by Britain’s female Olympians.

She was joined by fellow Team GB athletes, Dan Bibby, whose rugby sevens side won silver at Rio 2016, and taekwondo star, Mahama Cho, who competed at Rio 2016 and secured a silver medal in the World Taekwondo Championships a year later. They unveiled the formalwear for Britain’s male athletes, which includes a stylish slim-fitting blue suit, paired with a white shirt and blue tie.

Speaking on the final preparations for kitting out Team GB for the Tokyo Olympics, Simon Jersey Managing Director, Matthew Stead, said: “Dressing Team GB is a real privilege and it’s down to us to make sure our Olympic athletes look and feel their best during formal engagements. Our team is highly experienced in working alongside Team GB and formalwear for the Tokyo Olympics has been specially designed with athletic body shapes in mind, delivering both comfort and style in equal measures.

“Our preparations for the postponed Olympic Games began in 2019 and with the challenge of a significantly extended time frame between our first sizing sessions and final fittings, we’re going to great lengths to make sure each and every suit is a perfect fit. We’re incredibly excited about seeing Team GB suited and booted in Simon Jersey formalwear to enhance their winning reputation. I’m sure they will do us proud, and we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.”

Widespread national, regional and trade coverage was enjoyed.