Upperdog Blog

Upperdog turns 10 years old!

Alex
Alex Digital Copywriter
Upperdog
5 mins

Can you believe it? Upperdog has turned 10 years old this year!

That’s 70 in dog years, and while we have plenty of experience at what we do, we’re not sure we feel quite that old yet – even if we have managed to fit a lifetime of dog puns into that period.

Still, we’re not going to turn down a round of a-paws, are we?

Where it all started…

From our humble beginnings as a digital marketing agency in the heart of Bournemouth, to our new status as Google Premier Partner, a lot has changed over the years. Today, we can stand proudly amongst the best of them.

We’re specialists in digital marketing, offering services in PPC, SEO, social media, and web design. But what did our journey to this moment look like? Let’s take a tour through history.

2 ½ Logos

We haven’t always been the clean, well-groomed specimen you see before you now. Back when it all began, we were very slightly less well-groomed (but only very slightly).

We like to think our modern logo embodies the precise, methodical performance our clients can expect of their trusted digital agency.

diagram showing changes in upperdog logos, offices and websites

4 offices

As we’ve grown older, we’ve also grown wider. In 2020, a move into our fourth office was required to accommodate our ever-expanding team of talented digital marketers. Quite the upgrade from our first matchbox office we rented at AUB! We have plenty of space for work and play, and most importantly, an excellent coffee machine.

3 websites

As is only natural for our web design services, we like to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to embracing the latest media and design. We’re on the third iteration of our website with a fourth in the works as we speak…

Expect even sleeker, shinier web design in future.

188+ clients

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the pool of wonderful clients who’ve trusted us for our digital marketing expertise. Together, we’ve managed to generate over £40 million in sales from websites we’ve built and worked on.

Anything else to mention?

Where to start? How about the 100,000+ hours we’ve tracked, the 25,000+ completed to-dos, or the 300+ Basecamp projects? Or perhaps we should talk about how our team has grown closer together across nine Christmas parties, fifteen group days out, and a countless number of team lunches? We’re so proud of the growth and results we’ve achieved and that is down to our talented team – we couldn’t do this without them! Our recent 10th birthday trip to Amsterdam was the best way to celebrate together, over a few beers and giant Jenga.

We’re excited for the next ten years with lots in the works already, see what our Founder, Zhara had to say:

“10 years has flown by! Upperdog wouldn’t be where it is today without our team who I want to say a massive thank you to. I am so lucky to be able to enjoy what I do everyday with a group of people who are so passionate about what they do and continue to bring new ideas to the company. I also love it when they bring in their freshly baked goods.

“With such a big milestone a few people have asked me why I started Upperdog. My grandfather was an entrepreneur who moved to the UK from Italy and it was him who inspired me to want to run my own business. In my early twenties I gained some experience in-house and agency side before taking the plunge. It was over cheese and wine one night with my best friend of 14 years Annabel Clark that I decided – ‘Upperdog’ was what I was going to create. Annabel has been here since day dot and has had a big impact on the company – always being there when I’m saying ‘yes’ to everything to be a little more cautious! I rented an office, created a website and started building a client list. We took on tricky leads and that led to some of our biggest contracts. Since then we’ve had 4 offices, 3 websites and over 300 clients!

“I’ve always loved animals (our first logo was based on my sidekick Milo) but knew my skills weren’t in running a rescue centre. Over the years we have helped various charities from sponsored dog walks, Christmas charity donations, to our partnership with Save A Greek Stray where each of our team and retainer clients get to pick a dog or cat which Upperdog sponsors on their behalf. Maybe I will set up that dog rescue centre one day… but for now I’m proud that Upperdog can help deprived animals in some way.

“We’ve had some incredible clients over the years, some of which are still with us now 10 years on. We work with a variety of industries and locations and I think that’s what keeps it exciting.

“So here’s to 10 years, our wonderfully talented team and our brilliant clients. Thank you!”

photo compilation of upperdog digital marketing agency over the years
Some previous Upperdog Birthdays

Happy birthday, Upperdog. You’ve earned yourself a treat.

If you’re interested in what our digital marketing agency can offer your business, then get in touch today. Send an email to our friendly team at hello@upperdog.co.uk or give us a call on 01202 798820.

Alex Grandfield Written by Alex Grandfield Digital Copywriter Read more from Alex

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