About Us
A little bit of apt history...
It all started with a boss who wanted something different. Our Managing Director, Angie catapulted out of running marketing departments in big blue-chip organisations in London like Hewlett Packard (HP) and into running her own hotel in Cheltenham. It was a bit (!) of a change of scene, but Angie loved it.
Sadly, despite hunting high and low, Angie struggled to find an agency that would support her business, instead finding lots that would ‘do as they were told’. For anyone that knows Angie, you’ll know she found this difficult, and so, after a heady 16 years in hospitality, Angie decided it was time for another change, and that marketing & pr was it.
apt was born as ‘Angie Petkovic Tourism’, working with hospitality, leisure and tourism clients, before reputation spread and word of mouth recommendations saw the business branch out of tourism, and the name shortened to apt. At the same time, our recognisable ‘worm’ was born in our logo, but most people don’t realise he started life as an ‘a’ ‘p’ and ‘t’ linked together! Now, he has become an irreplaceable part of our brand.
Today, we’re a marketing agency with a stellar reputation, that’s uber professional, but importantly that is eminently practical. Our client base includes a wide-range of local, national and international brands and our clients love our enthusiasm and relevance to their business’. Many have been working with us for decades!
Our approach
We’re a proactive, commercially-experienced team located in Cheltenham who focus on supporting your business, not just ‘making things pretty’ and our specialty is joining all the dots! Whether you’d like us to help deliver new and exciting cross-platform campaigns, or if you need us to just join everything up, your business will be at the centre of everything we do. So what we do and how we do it will depend on your wants and needs, supported by our expert recommendations.
apt clients are typically retained, but we also work on a project-by-project basis. Either way, we treat your budget as though it’s our own and always make sure you’re getting maximum ‘bang for your buck’!
Start at the beginning
We start by understanding your business, establishing what marketing budget is available and identifying your immediate opportunities and long-term goals. You may want to generate more sales from existing customers; find new markets and new customers; or simply reduce in-house marketing costs, at the same time getting a better return on your investment.
Already know what you want?
Some clients come to us with an objective but no ideas, while others have a fixed concept and campaign in plan. If you already know what you want, then let us manage it for you from concept to delivery; our prices are competitive and our ideas and enthusiasm are endless.
Talk to us
Every so often, we all just need to bounce a few ideas around. We can help you with that too. From a facilitated brainstorm to a regular ‘board meeting’ that crystallises your own thinking, apt will help you move your business forward.
Your business is different from everyone else’s, so your communications should be too.
Why not chat to our team about your uniqueness and we’ll help show you ours…
Our team
Angie Petkovic
Managing Director
Angie is our Managing Director here at apt. Angie is a memorable character and a leader of men (pardon the expression). She has a knack for inspiring people and will always challenge the status quo!
Her passions include hospitality, leisure and tourism, IT and all things green.
Her many, many achievements include heading Government task forces, rallying protest marches for the Miners and discovering a hidden botanical garden in Jersey. Angie is also a regular columnist for Hotel Owner Magazine and World Spa & Wellness Magazine, using her expertise to advise on varied marketing matters.
Angie is not a ‘fluffy’, ‘blue sky’ strategist; one dose of her consultancy and you’ll be firing on all cylinders before you can say “Yes, Lord Sugar!”
Victoria Petkovic-Short
Account Director
Victoria originally joined APT in the summer of 2008, working as a part-time Marketing Account Executive alongside studying for a degree in Geography. Although the learning curve was steep when she first joined (and involved more than a few grumpy moments) she found she absolutely loved it and hasn’t looked back since! She has progressed to be one of our Account Directors and has succeeded in building exceptional levels of trust with our clients.
Victoria’s knowledge of new media, new technology and digital marketing is invaluable as well as her uncanny ability to conjure up cakes at a moment’s notice when needed. Clients regularly comment on her practical, logical approach and her enthusiasm for doing things properly! Her key achievements include representing clients in Parliament, delivering campaigns with more than 1000% ROI and contributing to over 100 client websites.
Claire Brown
PR manager
For 18 years Claire has been crafting content in order to share clients’ stories with the media and help elevate their businesses – from thought leadership editorial and technical articles to press releases, case studies and LinkedIn blogs, and everything else in between.
Working across multiple sectors including automotive, aerospace, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, accountancy and hospitality & leisure (phew!), she’s successfully built up a strong rapport with regional, business and trade press. She’s become adept at deciphering technical jargon and even the scantest briefs to translate into engaging, informative comms.
When she’s not at her desk, she’s helping grow the kid’s charity she founded, Team Charlie, sampling gin from her kitchen cupboard or suffering another anger management fail as she hacks her umpteenth golf ball out of the rough.
Maria Fallon
Senior account executive
Maria originally joined apt in the summer of 2023 following over a decade of working in digital marketing and audience development.
Her degree may be in ancient history but Maria’s love for all things new helps to drive exciting digital developments, using a variety of channels to deliver results.
Her knowledge of content optimisation and digital channels allows her to produce articles, social media, influencer campaigns, and training, focused on building brand awareness for our clients.
If she’s not in the office, you’ll find her curled up with a good book or walking her yellow Labrador Lizzie.
Jamie-Leigh Hector
Junior account executive
Currently working towards an MBA in Applied Marketing, Jamie has been part of the APT team since the summer of 2023. With researcher, copywriting, and content creation skills from her experience in TV production, particularly in documentaries and current affairs, Jamie brings a unique perspective to the table.
Whether crafting blogs, case studies, or emails, Jamie’s creative flair shines through to effectively communicate brand values, USP’s, and ideas. Beyond the literary, her keen eye for beauty has also guided the creation of many eye-catching designs.
Outside of work, Jamie finds joy in long walks, adventuring with friends, and battling her ever-growing army of houseplants. Trust us, Jamie’s not your average MBA student—she’s a marketing maestro in the making!
apt office animals
Zotti
Professor Snooty
When Zotti isn’t busy snoozing in the sun or stealing wrappers out the bin, he is usually looking disdainfully down his snout at everyone (except for Victoria, of course).
If he gets a chance he will try to climb on your lap and disrupt your typing, as this loveable 32kg lump still thinks he’s the size of a chihuahua!
Zotti pops in and out as he pleases. So, as a client, you don’t have to come face to face with him unless you want to.
Bee Hive
Pollination Hub
Our fuzzy friends live right behind the apt office, running their own operations all year round.
These industrious little pollinators are busy at work, contributing to the local ecosystem and helping us cultivate a greener, more vibrant workspace.
Did you know that all worker bees are all female? Much like our female led office!
And, yes, their honey is divine.