Portas

Here it comes, the onslaught of Christmas campaigns, festive tinsel, Black Friday…the season of intense selling. It can feel like it's getting earlier every year - but for many businesses the next 10 weeks can literally be make or break.   For Molton Brown this Christmas, we wanted to do things a little differently by getting to the heart of what the festive season is really all about - our meaningful connections with one another. “Gifting is the Art of Knowing” celebrates the idea that a gift shouldn't ever be tick-box or transactional - it should be a beautiful expression of a unique relationship. At the heart of this campaign is our handpicked cast of real people and their diverse relationships. Each shares what truly knowing someone means to them - from old friends, to lovers, through to sisterhood. It’s in revealing the depth of their bonds and what gifting means to them that the idea truly comes to life.   The humanity of the films and posters carries right through into Molton Brown’s store windows and e-commerce experience. Demonstrating what we at Portas always believe: that if you genuinely care about every single customer interaction, it comes naturally to brand beautifully and sell beautifully #beautifulbusiness Discover these unique connections and watch the campaign film : https://lnkd.in/e6Gpewq2

Isn’t it wonderful when something you’ve always loved so much returns and becomes the thing of moment. So of course we are revelling in the resurgence of physical retail. But this isn’t about lazily filling high street space with ‘stuff’. This is a celebration of a new golden age, a fundamental shift from old school flagship stores - muscular, impressive, consumer temples - to beautiful brand homes - inviting, immersive and social. We call them ‘Spiritual Homes’. Sign up to this week’s newsletter at weareportas.com to discover what it all means and the brands doing it better than any. #beautifulbusiness

We’ve partnered with the brands behind iconic Aussie retailer The Sussan Group for over 20 years. Sportsgirl, Sussan, Sussan Grae – all cornerstone brands that have been part of the fabric of Aussie women’s lives for generations. From shaping their business and brand plans, to most recently defining their sustainability strategy, it’s been a journey we’ve walked together, side-by-side, through all the trails and tribulations of fashion retail. So we were high on with pride when they called last week to tell us they’ve achieved BCorp Status. Because we know only too well the grit and determination it takes to get here. If you need help on your sustainability journey, drop us a line - we’d love to chat. beautifulbusiness@portasagency.com #beautifulbusiness #BCorp

Undeniably, we are in a time of so much world trauma and turmoil. But amidst all that we’ve seen wonderfully inspiring movements, new cultural narratives, innovative entrepreneurs all fuelling the appetite for the better we see today. So why, we can’t help but ask, is change still so slow…and so damn hard? We’ve been deep in thought and research this summer living and answering just that question. Read more in today’s newsletter. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/e-UQg3PW

Join Josephine Chanter and our very own Mary Portas next week for a discussion about the present relationship between design and retail, how it’s needed more than ever in these crazy times, the high streets as hubs for community life, the future of fashion, Beautiful Business, the tension between retail and the climate emergency, and everything in between. Get yourself a ticket. We’d love to see you there. Link in biog #beautifulbusiness #thedesignmuseum

Incredibly proud of our first ‘Artists of Note’ campaign with Molton Brown This has been one of those true ‘meeting of mind’ relationships born of a shared love of this beautiful and iconic British brand. ‘Artists of Note’ celebrates the unique artistry of Molton Brown’s perfumers by partnering with some of the nation’s most exciting and diverse British artists, including poet Dr John Cooper Clarke , fashion designer Nicholas Daley , and jeweller Gala Colivet Dennison, asking them each to explore the meaning and memories evoked by Molton Brown’s icon fragrances through their craft. The first of more to come, watch this space… #beautifulbusiness #moltonbrown

Today our very own Mary Portas took the stage at the B Corp Louder Than Words Festival, speaking to 1,300 business leaders about how to take better business to the next level. The message? Taking the moral high ground doesn’t work. Ethical businesses need to become desirable and sexy as well as deeply trusted. It’s the modern business blueprint, what we call Beautiful Business. It’s what will get people choosing better. And it’s what will make this a movement for all, not just the conscientious few. Lots more to come from us Portas on Beautiful Business and The Beautiful Business Index – watch this space. Sign up to our newsletter. Link below. #beautifulbusiness #BCorpfestivalUK https://lnkd.in/eNtmjiq

As Macron highlighted in his speech last night - Paris 2024 was the first-ever gender-equal Olympics. About bloody time. But also - what an achievement. And as well as seeing more extraordinary women physically there competing, it was the almost daily moments of brilliant female solidarity that we’ll remember. Women who are so often pitted against one another by the cultural narrative, showing how to shine in individual excellence and thrive in collective ‘usness’. We’ve pulled together our favourite examples. Enjoy… 1. Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowing to Rebeca Andrade after winning gold. 2. Silina Pha Aphay from Lao People's Democratic Republic checking on her injured opponent Lucia Moris South Sudan. 3. China's He Bing Jiao paying tribute to the injured Spanish shuttler Carolina Marin with the Spain pin in her hand. 4. Tamires Araujo Frossard of Brazil carrying the injured Albertina Kassoma of Angola off the court during the women's handball preliminary match. 5. Indian badminton player PV Sindhu posting a heartwarming message for Carolina Marin, the Spanish badminton legend who lost out on a medal due to an injury.

Now if you had asked us Portas that we would be writing about olympic fash panache, we would have laughed out loud. That’s stretching a theme. But we are bloody loving watching. Not just for the awe-inspiring performances, but for the sheer panache of some of the athletes. Their style, their swagger. Talk about ‘dressing for success’ - from swimmer Qin Haiyang’s poolside strut, to skater Rayssa Leal’s statement street style, to the main character energy of sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji - these guys are hitting their personal best with personal attitude. And that’s all in week 1. We can’t wait to see more…

Principles 13-15 of the 15 ways to Work Like a Woman, everyday this week… 13◎Caring. We give something back to those around us. 14◎Emotion, harnessed well, can be one of our greatest tools. . 15◎Resilience. The reeds bend in turbulent winds, the oak stands stiff and breaks. #beautifulbusiness #worklikeawoman