Where Are They Now: Dale Parmenter, founder of DRPG

DRPG, the global creative communications group, has undergone a remarkable transformation in the two years since founder Dale Parmenter featured in The LDC Top 50. The filmmaker turned entrepreneur has pioneered some exciting new applications for artificial intelligence, achieved B Corp certification and acquired two agencies.

“We bought Birmingham-based OWB Creative Communications and acquired a small agency in Raleigh, North Carolina,” he says. “Carolina has become a major tech hub and we are using this acquisition to expand our footprint in the US.”

Parmenter credits his focus on the three Ps – People, Planet, and Profit – for the agency’s success despite years of macroeconomic uncertainty. “There’s a lot of competition in this industry, so we have invested in the areas that set us apart from rivals across the globe.”

How are you using AI? 

We’re at the forefront of AI in our industry. For example, we are now able to create life-like avatars of senior leaders. This means we can send out personalised event invitations via video from a CEO to thousands of potential delegates. It is all created by our AI – the CEO doesn’t have to do a thing.

Tell me about your sustainability journey 

These days, if you aren’t committed to sustainability, many organisations won’t even invite you to tender. We were ahead of the curve, starting our sustainability journey over 16 years ago. DRPG runs off renewable energy, we are ‘zero to landfill’ and we help our clients to be more sustainable too. Last year, we became a B Corp but we’re not stopping there. We will never stop looking for more ways to cut carbon and reduce our impact.

How have you coped with the challenging economic climate? 

The pandemic hit us hard because we are in the events industry. 2020 was a total washout. Events began coming back in 2021 and 2022 was a recovery year. We have been bombarded with challenges: international conflicts; the fuel crisis; the cost-of-living crisis; interest rates; and now the ongoing political uncertainty. You must be agile and keep adjusting your course. Despite it all, 2023 was a record year for us and we’re expecting great things in 2024.