It’s been a time of both spooky and spectacular celebrations at Umpf HQ, as the team have been marking Halloween, Christmas, and everything in between for our clients this October – as well as finding time to bring home another award too. Read on to see what we’ve been up to…
Spooktacular Storybook Spectacle at Westgate Oxford
Last month, the Umpf team helped Westgate Oxford celebrate Halloween with a spooktacular pumpkin-carving spectacle.
Umpf organised a two-day event, inviting guests to watch a master carver from Yorkshire-based creative agency Sand In Your Eye transform pumpkins into wickedly-detailed fable-themed masterpieces right before their eyes.
The live activation, which was accompanied by family-friendly crafting workshops and story-time sessions, created a buzz across the centre, offering families an interactive and unforgettable way to kick off their Halloween celebrations.
Umpf issued a press release to promote the activity, securing 19 clippings and a reach of 8.5 million including The Times in print and online, plus key regional publications such as Muddy Stilettos, Oxford Mail, and The Oxford Magazine.
Counting down to Christmas with Divine Chocolate
The Christmas countdown has well and truly begun for our deliciously-ethical client Divine Chocolate, and the team have been busy spreading the joy of festive confectionery.
We’ve secured placement in some brilliant advent and festive gifting roundups so far, reaching an audience of 36 million across features including Good Housekeeping’s ‘Best Chocolate Advent Calendars for 2026’, Stylist’s ‘Winter Wellbeing’ list, and Dadsnet’s ‘Best Christmas Gifts for Mums’ roundup. Many more features are due to go live in the run up to Christmas, so watch this space.
Halloween Party returns to Liverpool ONE
The beloved Halloween Party returned to Liverpool ONE as part of its October of Fun. We supported the festivities with press release distribution to local media announcing the event, alongside the centre’s River of Light display and the many other half-term activities on offer.
The release generated 23 pieces of coverage with a combined reach of 27 million across key regional media, including Liverpool Echo, The Guide Liverpool and Explore Liverpool.
The Twinned in Tartan success continues…
When we announced an historic bespoke tartan for our client Buchanan Galleries earlier this year, we knew we had something special. Created to celebrate the official twinning of Boston and Glasgow following the unforgettable impact the Tartan Army made at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tartan brought two cities together through a shared piece of Scottish heritage.
The initial response certainly didn’t disappoint, and following a hugely successful launch of Twinned in Tartan, we weren’t about to stop there.
The next chapter was about bringing the tartan to life and getting it into people’s hands. On Thursday 29 and Friday 30 October, we launched a two-day pop-up shop at Buchanan Galleries in partnership with Glasgow tartan designers Slanj. For the first time, visitors could shop Twinned in Tartan products in real life and take home a lasting memento of the collaboration.
The pop-up also saw YMCA Scotland announced as the official charity partner, with 20% of proceeds supporting its new Tartan Exchange programme for young people in Glasgow and Boston – the perfect initiative which cemented what the tartan was intended for: celebrating the connection and unity between the two cities.
For us, news of the pop-up and the tartan officially going on sale landed 36 pieces of media coverage and a reach of 12.7M, ensuring that Buchanan Galleries remains at the heart of the legacy.
And the story doesn’t end here. With the official twinning ceremony still to be confirmed in 2027, there’s plenty more to come. Stay tuned…
Global win for The Wonder Wall
Earlier in October, some of the Umpf team travelled to Budapest to attend The Solal Awards 2026, the global scheme recognising excellence in marketing within the retail, leisure, and destination sectors.
We’re delighted that we had some tricky packing to do on the way home*, as our Wonder Wall activation for St David’s Cardiff was awarded a Silver in the Best Placemaking category.
The trophy rounds off an impressive awards run for The Wonder Wall, including Best Marketing Campaign at the 2025 Revo Awards, three PRmoment Awards including PR Stunt of the Year, and a CIPR Excellence Award.
*A solid glass trophy with sharp points will be investigated by airport security, in case anyone was curious.
