Press Release | 03 Dec 2019

Small businesses believe technology levels the playing field in the creative industry

New research findings announced at Vodafone Business Heroes event with special guest, SBTV founder Jamal Edwards

  • Half of small businesses in the creative industry believe technology helps them compete with larger companies – assistance from trusted technology partners can help them maximise opportunities further.
  • Reliable connectivity and faster internet speeds is key to unlocking creativity in the office and on the go.
  • Vodafone today launched Business Heroes – a series of free events to help small businesses explore how the latest technologies can help them ‘be unlimited’.

London, 3rd December 2019: Half of small businesses in the creative industry say technology helps them compete with larger organisations – and levels the playing field in a fiercely competitive industry – according to new findings launched today by Vodafone.

The research, which surveyed 500 creative industry small businesses in the UK, revealed that 40% produce their best ideas and work ‘on-the-go’ and 38% now share most of their creative ideas and work digitally rather than in person, pointing to a sector increasingly relying on connectivity to drive productivity. Reliable connectivity (41%) and faster internet speeds (40%) were highlighted as key to unlocking creativity.

Technology is set to play a crucial role as creative sectors further embrace digital transformation; with fashion businesses in particular forecasting technology will transform the sector in the next five years (60%).

However, whilst 73% believe technology brings positive change, 42% feel the sector lags behind others in adoption and usage of new technologies.

Anne Sheehan, Director, Vodafone Business UK, commented: “It’s hugely encouraging to see that smaller businesses in the creative industries are increasingly competitive, due in part to technology. They rely on tech in many ways – to communicate ideas, to seek inspiration and to enable flexible working. But they tell us they are not IT experts and need help to gain maximum benefit – which is where trusted technology partners can play a role”.

The research was unveiled at Vodafone’s first Business Heroes event held today in London. The breakfast event, designed to inspire small businesses in the creative industries, was hosted by Stemettes Founder and CEO, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon and featured a panel discussions with Vodafone UK Business Director, Anne Sheehan and Apple UK’s Head of Enterprise, Matt Key. Special guest Jamal Edwards, Entrepreneur, Author and SBTV Founder, discussed the correlation between creativity and entrepreneurship.

Anne Sheehan continued: “We’ve created the Vodafone Business Heroes Sessions to celebrate the small businesses who are so vital to the UK and the economy. It’s our ambition to be a digital partner that small businesses and creative industry customers can rely on. We’re making life simpler for them with tailored propositions – including the best connectivity and 5G in more places, unlimited data tariffs, a market-leading roaming proposition, superfast fibre broadband as well as Business Add Ons and cloud services such as insurance, device support, Office 365 and G-Suite. We remove constraints so our customers can ‘be unlimited’ and focus on creating a great business.”

Entrepreneur Jamal Edwards with the No Isolation AV1 robot at the Vodafone Business Heroes Session at White City House, London.

Jamal Edwards, Entrepreneur and SBTV Founder said: “The Vodafone Business Heroes Sessions are a fantastic forum to discuss the role technology plays in developing the small business sector in the UK. Digital connectivity is transforming the world; it feels like anything is possible. There should be no limits on what businesses – and particularly creative businesses – can achieve. I’m delighted to be here to share my story and I hope to inspire others to ‘be unlimited’ and achieve their ambitions.”

The Vodafone Business Heroes events will continue throughout 2020 with each event focussing on small businesses in a different sector. Vodafone will collaborate with relevant partners and influencers to bring to life what it means for small businesses and entrepreneurs to be unlimited in an increasingly digital world.

For further information on Vodafone Business product and solutions for small businesses information visit: https://vodafone.uk/34IRqfo

-ends-

NOTES TO EDITORS

In November 2019, Vodafone commissioned Censuswide to survey 500 UK small business decision makers across the creative industries. The creative industry is one of the most important sectors in the UK, growing at twice the rate of the general economy in both revenue and job creation; and 95% of the creative industry are small businesses.

The creative industries comprise 12 sub sectors: advertising and marketing, architecture, crafts, design (product, graphic, fashion), IT, software and computer services, film, TV, video, radio and photography, publishing, museums, galleries and libraries, music, performing and visual arts, animation and visual and special effects, video games, heritage.

About Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester and now have 5G in locations across Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain as well as the UK. Meanwhile, our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.

Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. Vodafone is the largest provider of full fibre in the UK – our superfast broadband services are now available to nearly 12 million homes across the UK.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do: as of 1 July 2021, 100% of the grid electricity we use in the UK is certified to be from renewable sources.

For more information about Vodafone UK, please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk.

Vodafone UK Media Relations

Telephone: +44 (0) 1635 693 693

Email: ukmediarelations@vodafone.com

Twitter: @VodafoneUKNews

Website: https://vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/

Vodafone Limited

Registered Office: Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN

Registered in England No: 1471587