Welcome to our Behind the Scenes series that takes you inside the teams of FOD Mobility Group to meet the people who make it all happen. In this series, we’ll be interviewing employees from each team to learn more about what they’re working on, what inspires them, and what they love about working here. Our people are the heart of our company, and we’re excited to share their stories with you.

Our first installment takes a look at our Marketing Team which is led by our Marketing Director, Matt Lenton. We then have Josh Illingworth (Digital Media Producer), Jess Johnson (Content Marketing Executive), and Jacob Barnett (Marketing Executive). In this Q&A, the team round up their highlights of working at FOD along with the exciting projects they are working on currently, from brand development to website redesigns.

1. What do you enjoy the most about your job?

Matt: The creativity and variation, no two days are ever the same. A typical day will involve having to wear many different hats, whether that’s writing a press release, creating an email campaign, organising an exhibition or redesigning a website.

Josh: What I love most about my job in marketing is the theory behind it all. I find it quite interesting how it’s our job to get the idea of a product or service into the target audience’s head which can be affected by a wide range of factors. It can go as deep as analysing basic human needs and creating and tailoring content to connect with your audience which in turn will lead them to invest in your product or service. I also like the creative aspect, drawing inspiration from the world around you and seeing a campaign go from inception to action where it produces results.

“My greatest highlight has been building a great marketing team and working with them on some major projects: new product launches, content marketing strategy, rebranding and writing submissions that have won FOD 26 service and innovation awards.”
Matt Lenton, Marketing Director

Jess: I like how much creative freedom this role gives me and I enjoy being given that time and flexibility to research topics and the different avenues we can go down. To me, that makes all the difference in producing a quality and thoughtful piece of work.

Jake: What I love most about my job is the design and creativity aspect of the role. At FOD, we work closely with most of the employees in the company, working on lots of different projects. It definitely pushes my creative skills and it’s interesting to work on such a variety of projects.

2. What have been your highlights during your time at FOD?

Jake: My greatest highlight is working with the people at FOD. Because we’re a small to medium sized-company, we get to see people from different teams on a regular basis, and we all work on one floor which drives the culture and collaboration between teams.

Jess: Being involved in the Social & Charity Committee is fun. We run social and fundraising events throughout the year, from the Macmillan Coffee Morning to the Oscar’s themed movie night. I love the creativity that people show in running these events. The Dragon Boat Race will be a highlight for this year!

Josh: Actual work wise, comments from external bodies asking what agency FOD use. That’s a massive compliment considering we’re an in-house team that’s grown with the business. Culture wise, I really enjoy the social gatherings and being able to speak to and get to know people who I don’t directly work with on a daily basis!

Matt: Building a great marketing team over the last few years and working with them on some major projects. These include new product launches, improving our content marketing strategy, rebranding and writing submissions that have won FOD 26 industry awards for service excellence and innovation during that time.

3. What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?

Jess: We’ve been working on defining the brand tone of voice and personality across the three products recently. I find this topic interesting because you get to pull apart all the elements that convey meaning in communications and put a creative edge on how we write.

Matt: We are in the process of developing an upgraded version of our Fleetondemand automotive mobility platform and an all-new native Mobilleo app. We’re currently working on website redesigns, customer communications, PR and lead generation campaigns for the launch of these two products.

“The better understanding you have of the world and current culture, the better marketer you will be. I would tell new marketers to find a project outside of work that you can build and measure yourself on.”
Josh Illingworth, Digital Media Producer

Jake: At the minute, we’ve been working on redefining the branding throughout the business. For me personally, I’ve been working on the new Mobilleo website which I’ve been really enjoying. I’ve been dedicating a lot of time, not just to the design side of the website, but also building the website within Webflow from scratch which is a new challenge for me. FOD has supported me through the process by putting me on a web development training course which has helped a lot.

Josh: Probably working on the new product sites and helping with internal systems UI as and where I am needed. I love getting stuck into bigger projects as the hours, days and weeks seem to fly by and it’s great to see the end result of a project.

4. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your field?

Josh: Consume as much media as you possibly can to stay up to date on relevant trends. Online, TV, music, books, podcasts, games etc. The better understanding you have of the world and current culture, the better marketer you will be, being able to understand people and how they think is key. The marketing field is quite a competitive landscape, so you need to be constantly learning and improving. Also, do something outside of work project wise that you can build and measure yourself on. You’ll be surprised what skills transfer over and benefit your work and personal skills.

Jake: Be yourself and don’t forget to use your own personal touch. Marketing and design is ever-evolving. Keep striving to learn new things, don’t get comfortable in your ways and keep pushing outside of your comfort zone.

Matt: It’s important to embrace change because the marketing landscape is constantly evolving. Customers’ needs and behaviours change over time and new technologies are constantly being developed, which can help marketers overcome challenges and create new opportunities as they arise.

Jess: I would say to keep learning and embrace change. For young people I’d encourage them to continue fostering critical thinking skills, especially as we see AI becoming mainstream and black and white thinking in society. If you can look at a piece of work and evaluate its credibility, look at the sources, examine potential biases from a place of curiosity, that will help you make informed choices.

5. What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?

Matt: If the sun’s shining it would be a day by the coast, a game of golf, or heading to a music festival with my better half. On a cold day, it would be a walk to a country pub with an open fireplace for some lunch, followed by a trip to the theatre or cinema.

Josh: In my time off I am usually building on my personal project ‘Wave’ a music event and promotion platform I set up a few years ago. When I’m not doing that, I’m spending time with my girlfriend, friends and family. I do a lot of gaming, music production and DJing too. And in the summer, you can find me at a festival usually.

“I love learning new things on a daily basis which allows me to put new knowledge into the things I’m working on. The course I’m doing on design principles and brand mastery has opened my eyes to the theory and processes behind design.”
Jake Barnett, Marketing Executive

Jess: I’ve been using time off recently to go on holiday with friends. I went to Gdansk a few weeks ago and I’m going to Porto next week on cheap flights. I really like to get a change of scenery even in the UK. I’m close to my family in Manchester so I go to visit them once every two weeks, and I have friends down south and in Belfast and go there a few times a year.

Jake: Depending on the time of year, my favourite way to spend a day off is taking the dog for a nice long walk and finding a nice pub for some food and a pint. Or two.

6. Are there any stereotypes about your career of choice? How do they differ from reality?

Jake: I think it’s easy to look at a final piece of work and think that it didn’t take very long to do but there’s a lot of work that goes into the organising, planning, and execution of a creative piece of work. The final product is the tip of the iceberg with the hidden depth of multiple revisions, drafts, meetings, hard work, and persistence.

Jess: I think one stereotype about content marketing is that copywriting and content mean the same thing. It’s understandable though given that a lot of it is to do with writing! Content marketing is the planning and strategy behind what we are posting, why and when we are posting it, and who we are trying to reach with that message. I do spend a lot of my time writing which is putting all the research and planning into action.

Josh: I think some people could assume that marketing could be deceptive in some way, tricking people into buying into a product or service that they might not need but I think that’s wrong and its more about us educating people in creative ways and connecting with them on a level that allows them to see the benefit of what you are pushing.

Matt: A common misconception is that branding is just a company logo. A logo represents the visual identity of a company, whereas building a strong brand over time involves considering every single point of contact your stakeholders have with your business and creating a positive and memorable experience for them. This includes the purchasing experience, the quality of your products/services, customer service, communications, facilities, and so much more.

7. How do you motivate yourself in your career?

Jess: I just try to focus on job roles that mean something to me so it’s naturally interesting to me. I love writing about how technology is being used to help people and the environment. For example, smart cities, mobility as a service (as in Mobilleo), and the circular economy. To me, these are interesting topics in themselves, so it motivates me to have a small part in communicating these advances to people.

Matt: Building positive and supportive relationships with others has been really important for maintaining productivity and motivating me throughout my career. Another key motivation has been to keep improving my knowledge, learning new skills and taking on new challenges to encourage self-improvement and achieve my goals.

“FOD have enrolled me onto an IDM course in content marketing strategy, so I’m seeing my role expand into this side of marketing which is interesting to learn.”
Jess Johnson, Content Marketing Executive

Jake: I love the thought of learning new things on a daily basis. This allows me to put new knowledge into the projects that I’m working on. For example, the course I’m doing on design principles and brand mastery has opened my eyes to the theory and processes behind design.

Josh: I always want to be constantly learning and improving myself and my skillset, so I guess my motivation comes from developing myself which in turn benefits the business that has invested in me over the years. I also want to leave my mark on the world in a way, pushing things that help people whether it be new technologies or experiences that promote a healthy mindset and enjoyment.

8. What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

Josh: I started gaming when I was about four when my dad bought me a PlayStation 1. I was hooked on that ever since, and still am today despite newer consoles! When I was 14, I took up DJing after developing an interest in electronic music from a young age. I’ve never really looked back with that, pushing myself further and even running my own music events today.

Jake: I’ve got an interest in sports. I love to play basketball when the weather’s right, and football all year round. I like going on skiing holidays when I can, the thought of bombing down a mountain excites me. I started DJing during lockdown and I’ve even played at a few events. I love cooking and like to learn new recipes and techniques.

Matt: My main hobbies are golf, skiing and playing guitar. I started playing golf with my older brother as a teenager because we lived right next to a local course. I went on a school skiing trip to Lez Carroz in France when I was 16 and became instantly hooked on the whole experience. I grew up during the grunge era in the 90s and took up the guitar so I could learn to play along to my favourite bands at the time and start a cover band with my mates.

Jess: I’ve started to go back to the things that made me happy when I was younger like experimenting with art and writing. For writing, my dad played a big part in getting me into literature as he loved poetry. I then went on to study literature at University. With art, I’m really into pen and ink drawing at the moment and I’ve been doing a bullet journal for 2023.

9. What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Matt: Seeing tangible results for the work that we do, whether that’s outstanding engagement on a piece of content we’ve sent out, receiving an email congratulating us for winning an award or contributing towards the process of winning a new major client.

Josh: Pizza!

Jess: I have to say I am one of those people who structure their day around food. If someone brings in some baking, or orders pizza, or there’s a bit of catering left over from a client meeting, this makes my day instantly better!

Jake: A nice cup of coffee. Maybe I’m too dependent on my morning coffee but it certainly gives me the boost I need!

10. How has your role evolved since you started working at FOD?

Jake: I joined FOD in 2020 during the pandemic, I think I had 2 weeks in the office before working from home most of the time. It was challenging starting at a new job and just working from home but the team made me feel very welcome. Once the world started opening back up and people were allowed to work under one roof, we set out to build back up our office culture and with the move to the new office I think we and the rest of the company did this very well. After a couple years in the company, I’m now managing projects myself, such as the Mobilleo website and branding.

Jess: When I started eight or so months ago, it was all about getting to know the people, the business and the products. Once I gained a good understanding of who we are and what we do, I did a social media calendar which is now being refreshed for 2023 and wrote articles on the mobility space. FOD have enrolled me onto an IDM course in content strategy, so I’m seeing my role expand into the strategy side which is interesting to learn. I feel lucky to work in a team and company where we’re always exploring new ideas and ways of working so I look forward to more positive changes to come.

Josh: I started out as an apprentice back in 2015 where I worked as a Digital Marketing Assistant, I then progressed onto an executive role and followed onto Digital Marketing Manager. At the end of 2022, I had a conversation with my manager about where I wanted to take my role and as I was concentrating on more creative based projects such as design, websites and video it was decided that I would switch to a Digital Media Producer role which would more accurately fit my skillset and place in the team.

Matt: Since I started at FOD I’ve expanded the team, bringing on our content expert Jess to help develop and improve our content strategy. We’ve introduced external marketing support for white label Mobilleo clients to help promote the launch of their MaaS projects. We’re also working more closely with other functions within the business, providing design and communications support to help improve our product offering, and build on the great culture we have here at FOD.