The company appointed Adam Lucas to the freshly created role to bring a “different perspective” to the industry, according to Phil Newton, the company’s chairman.

Lucas, who joined PSE in March 2022 from his role as head of acquisition and growth at Sainsbury’s Bank, has an 11-year record in sales and marketing.

Many companies are now unfamiliar with offline marketing, according to Newton: a number have managed to grow using only online pay-per-click advertising or through influencers, and simply don’t have the experience within their organisation to use offline media effectively.

“In our eyes, the easier we can make it for people to use offline marketing or printed matter the better,” Newton said.

He added: “Ultimately, marketers’ return on investment is what’s going to dictate where the industry goes.

“So if they get a return, then they will continue to use that media - so what we’re trying to do is make our media more effective for them, so they continue to use it in the long-term. And that seems to be working well.”

Lucas will work with clients to ensure the marketing suits their needs and is implemented properly - and while this can take a little longer in the short-term, Newton said, it makes it much easier for both client and PSE in the long-term.

Lucas’ recruitment has followed a succession of client wins and new brand projects, including The FA, Photobox, and CAMRA, and will play part of its expansion strategy, as the firm grew from £3.4m in 2020 to £5.4m in 2021 - in 2022, Newton said he expects turnover to break £8m.

Newton said he plans to expand the team - currently 19 strong - to at least 35 by the end of 2024 to complement the firm’s growth.

As well as taking this new approach to client management and acquisition, Lucas will help PSE strengthen its existing model, lead it into new areas of expansion, and help build a focus on staff retention.

Lucas said: “I wanted to be able to make an impact across a whole company [...] and from the get-go I could see this potential at PSE.

“It’s refreshing to see a business plan with such a focus on sustainable, profitable growth and it was clear as well that if a commercial case could be made for something, the directors would move quickly to implement it – something that’s hugely empowering and motivational for any team.”