The Deep recruits digital marketing experts 43 Clicks North to share a bigger story after reaching 10 million visitor milestone

A local charity and tourist attraction which recently welcomed its 10-millionth visitor is turning to technology to drive a campaign to build numbers even higher and to raise awareness of its wider activities and achievements.

The Deep has commissioned digital marketing experts 43 Clicks North to help with bringing more people through the doors in off-peak periods and with promoting the aquarium’s work in education and conservation.

The partnership has its roots in a relationship which dates back to 2019 when 43 Clicks North opened its first office at Business Centre @ The Deep, where it stayed until moving to its own premises in nearby High Street.

The agency works for national and international brands across a variety of business sectors and has also helped to drive business for iconic local concerns Hull City and Hull Kingston Rovers.

Mike Ellis, Founder of 43 Clicks North, said: “Having built our business in Hull and effectively lived at Business Centre @ The Deep before moving just down the road we’re very familiar with the wider organisation there, including that so many people think of it as purely a tourist attraction.

“We know it’s much more than that and we are now helping them with two challenges – how to make more people aware of what The Deep does in education and conservation, and how to bring in more visitors at a place which has done a fantastic job of attracting them since opening 23 years ago.”

Increasing visitor numbers is a balancing act, with the aim being to attract more people during off-peak periods.

Mike said: “If we can get more people coming here at the right times we can also help Hull and the surrounding area because visitors can be tempted to spend more time here.

“Highlighting education and conservation work can raise The Deep’s profile nationally and internationally, with the potential to help them build more partnerships and attract more donations to support those aspects of their work.”

At the heart of the new campaign is a move to ensure The Deep maximises the value of the free media spend which, as a charity, it receives every year from Google. With 43 Clicks North applying a charity discount to its own fees, the agency also has the resource and expertise to develop The Deep’s digital marketing assets.

Mike said: “The Deep has a ton of content which has been accumulated over the years and we are helping them edit that and create some really compelling videos to promote everything via Goole ads YouTube, which is the perfect medium to attract people who have an interest in conservation and marine life.

“It’s a hugely important project for us. We work for all sorts of big brands across any number of territories but to add The Deep to our portfolio alongside the big sports clubs underlines how committed we are to our home city.”

Zoe Montgomerie, Head of Communications and Marketing at The Deep, said: “We reached out to 43 Clicks North having known them as tenants at Business Centre @The Deep. We liked the idea of having a local agency and reconnecting following their success and growth, which led them to move to bigger offices.

“We all see the milestone of 10 million visitors as an achievement and a challenge because each visit helps to support our mission to create a deeper understanding and enjoyment of the world’s oceans and inspire positive change for their survival. The different aspects of our work are inextricably linked and 43 Clicks North understand that completely.”