In the first instalment of the "Fuse Stories" Series, we delve into the core values that set Fuse apart, their unique culture of collaboration and support, and the innovative initiatives driving their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Who is Fuse?
Fuse is the specialist sports and entertainment marketing agency within Omnicom Media Group (OMG). It all started when our Founder, the late great David Pinnington, joined OMG as Head of Sports and Entertainment. As more brands invested in sponsorship, OMG needed someone to lead the way. David quickly made an impact, securing Vodafone as the first client. His success led to the creation of Fuse, and now, after 16 years of steady growth, we’ve become a global practice with offices around the world. Our international expansion has progressed at an incredible pace, with 19 offices already established across various continents. This year has been particularly significant, as we have successfully launched new offices in both Spain and Brazil. Looking ahead to 2025, we plan to expand into other markets that are strategically important to our industry. We are excited about the positive impact our presence will have worldwide.
What makes Fuse different from other sports and entertainment agencies?
What sets Fuse apart is our commitment to being ‘the most recommended’ by peers, clients, and partners in the industry. Our Fuse values shape every business decision, and we care deeply about our brilliant people – our Fuse family. We are committed to contributing to a more progressive and inclusive sponsorship landscape through our work and team makeup. We are the only sponsorship agency with a female Chief Executive, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, 60% of the Board and 66% of our Senior Leadership Team are female.
We also strive to create a positive impact. Our recent initiatives focus on reflecting the diversity of modern talent in sports and entertainment and helping individuals turn their passions into fulfilling careers. We partnered with Bridged to enhance representation and collaborated with Football Beyond Borders to provide work experience opportunities. We have also established an Innovation Board—an advisory council made up of Fusers from all levels of the business to bring a diversity of thought to Executive Board decision-making.
How would you describe the culture and working environment at Fuse?
Fuse’s culture is one of a kind, and David’s legacy of ‘Onwards’ forms part of our everyday. It is driven by our Fusers, who are welcoming, passionate and incredibly talented. We have created a collaborative environment where everyone wants to see each other succeed and celebrate these moments, no matter how big or small. Whilst the agency is high-energy and fast-paced, it thrives on teamwork, ensuring that every voice is heard and every idea has the potential to make a significant impact. We truly are restless when it comes to delivering exceptional work. Still, the company also puts the Fusers’ well-being and mental health first, for which we have recently been awarded the IPA People First Award. We have regular work socials, team-building events, and community service projects, which provide lots of opportunities for our Fusers to get together. These activities aim to create a buzz around the office and build a close-knit community among our Fusers.
A big part of our culture is giving back to the community – we have a programme that encompasses all our charitable and CSR efforts called ‘Fuse Gives’. This includes supporting The Royal Marsden, a cancer charity dear to us, where we have raised over £120,000 in recent years. In addition, we also support numerous other charities and worthy causes throughout the year. Previous initiatives have included donating Easter eggs to a children’s hospital ward, a bake sale for Mind, and taking over a Company meeting to fill shoeboxes for the elderly and poverty-stricken families in time for Christmas.
We are also committed to contributing to our Fusers’ professional growth. Our comprehensive programmes provide a wide range of training opportunities tailored to an individual’s role and experience level. Moreover, our highly regarded mentoring program is designed to support career progression and help Fuser’s achieve their full potential.
How does Fuse prioritise Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the organisation?
Prioritising DEI is central to our vision of creating a culture where differences are valued and everyone can thrive. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment that reflects the diverse makeup of our communities, enabling all employees to bring their authentic selves to work in a respectful and supportive atmosphere. Our involvement in eight OMG D&I Advisory Committees demonstrates our commitment to launching initiatives that enhance well-being and inclusion, such as mental health training, insightful guest speakers, and policy updates. These committees are open to all employees, encouraging participation and passion for DEI causes.
We also have the Fuse Open programme, which focuses on making our agency accessible to all who share our core values. It emphasises multicultural diversity and addresses key areas such as recruitment, retention, workforce engagement, community involvement, and client engagement. Additionally, as part of our onboarding program, Fusers are invited to attend DEI Playbook training to help new joiners understand our responsibilities and commitments to inclusive behaviours and active allyship. Furthermore, most recently, some of our Fusers participated in the BRiM Sponsorship Programme. BRiM stands for Black Representation in Marketing and is a cross-industry initiative designed to improve the representation and experience of black people in marketing, media, and advertising, and accelerate the career progression of those involved.
What are the main benefits for employees working at Fuse?
We have an industry-leading benefits package, and we genuinely believe in providing a holistic range of benefits to ensure our Fusers’ well-being, professional growth, and overall satisfaction. Some of our benefits include:
Health and Wellbeing: We offer two “recharge days” each year for Fusers to step away from work and focus on themselves. Our ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ also provide an hour to enjoy a personal activity outside your lunch break each month. We also partnered with Self Space, which gives Fusers company paid access to on-demand therapists. Within the agency, our flexible working arrangements, built on trust and open communication, include hybrid options and the opportunity to work from anywhere in the UK or abroad for up to two weeks. We also offer private medical insurance with Bupa.
Social: We continue to honour our founder through annual events called “Pinners”. These events celebrate David’s legacy and bring us together as a community. Additionally, we organise yearly ski trips, summer parties and Christmas parties, providing fun and exciting ways for our team to bond and unwind.
For more information regarding our past work and clients, please visit fuseint.com.