The small Shoreham-based business making big moves in the automotive industry

Who are 67 Degrees?

67 Degrees is a team of like-minded individuals who specialise in developing impactful websites and offer creative marketing services exclusively to the automotive industry. The SME is winning hearts and minds in the industry, adding to its already impressive portfolio of car dealer clients.

Supporting a cross-section of customers, 67 Degrees works with large car supermarkets, small independent and specialist dealers, and franchised groups, tailoring their services to suit each client’s individual needs. The team provides expertise in website design, SEO, social media management, PPC, PR support, creative content writing and more.

By creating innovatively engaging products and providing a variety of key marketing services, 67 Degrees is creating a sought-after brand which has got the industry talking about how this small Shoreham-based business is taking on the goliath’s of the industry.     

The story so far…

67 Degrees began life in April 2016, founded and driven forward by co-directors Laura Coleby and Justin Woodford who had previously worked together for a number of years. With a background in all things automotive, Laura and Justin set out to create a bespoke service for car dealers looking to redesign their websites.

It wasn’t long before Stuart Harvey joined the pair which enabled them to introduce and offer a number of marketing services too. The trio soon began to reap the rewards of bridging a gap for a more personalised and unique service that was being sought after by car dealerships across the UK. Soon after, three turned to four with the welcome addition of Susie Ancell as account manager. Having quickly established themselves as a serious contender in the market, 67 Degrees relocated to new premises in 2019 which prompted an exciting new chapter for the company, growing to over 10 team members.

Shoreham Airport is now the place that 67 Degrees calls home; the team moved into one of the original airplane hangars which had been renovated to accommodate a number of independent businesses. It’s a unique setting for a unique set of people who have come together for their love of all things automotive as the company continues to expand. 

Putting the wheels in motion

67 Degrees is proud to work with a variety of car dealers from all over the UK. The company isn’t bound by location or type of dealership and has won pitches from some big players in the industry, who have actively sought out a provider that can offer a personal service and provide the highest level of support and guidance.

Among their portfolio of clients are; used car supermarket leaders Big Motoring World, luxury supercar specialists Premier GT, and franchise giant Wilsons group. Their pool of clients demonstrates 67’s diverse and skilled offering, taking businesses to the next level through class-leading automotive websites and services, where customers can enjoy an exceptional user experience.

This success has led their clients to accomplish numerous award wins at industry events within categories such as; Used Car Website of the Year, Best Car Website of the Year, Social Media User of the Year, amongst other notable achievements.

The future of automotive marketing

Car dealers no longer want a one-size-fits-all solution and that’s where 67 Degrees comes in. Dealerships want to stand out from the crowd by offering something that will push boundaries for them as a business.

To meet this demand the team has created a platform that allows them to create bespoke websites with an exceptional user experience, alongside additional features to enhance their clients’ day-to-day lives and daily processes. As the need for ecommerce solutions becomes ever more prevalent, the 67 Degrees team has been working increasingly hard over the past 12 months to develop a fully integrated end-to-end buying journey for their clients.

Members of the 67 Degrees team have previously worked for industry leaders like AutoTrader and other automotive media providers, where they gathered the knowledge that has helped them to provide exceptional digital marketing solutions.

The team is proud to be an automotive design and marketing services company with a difference by putting quality customer service at the heart of what they do. They deliver outstanding results which has seen them establish long-standing partnerships with dealers for years to come.

Driving business beyond the forecourt

67 Degrees ever-expanding portfolio has seen them launch a brand new website for franchise giants, Wilsons group. The site is almost a year in the making and proves a very exciting time for 67 Degrees as the team makes in-roads into the franchise car market. Wilsons is the largest family run multi-franchise dealership and used car supermarket in the South of England; their website will revolutionise the way in which customers can purchase a vehicle.

With car dealerships up and down the country having been forced to close their doors during recent weeks and months, owners have sought alternative solutions to keep businesses running and meet customer demand. As the appetite for online purchasing grows, 67 Degrees have worked to create a seamless end-to-end ecommerce experience.

Wilsons customers can now fully transact online by using the new visually exciting website which seamlessly brings together its vast offering of partner manufacturers. David Wheatcroft, managing director at Wilsons, says, “I am very excited for our new partnership with 67 Degrees. This is the first of many advances for Wilsons as we strive to become one of the market leading dealerships, by offering the most up-to-date technology and software available.”

The rise in popularity of electric vehicles means that car dealerships are spreading their wings into the world of EV. So too have 67 Degrees who welcomed their first EV specialist customer to the family at the end of last year, when they created a brand new website for R Symons. The dealer is one of the original independent retail specialists in this ever-expanding market and have had nothing but praise for the 67 team… 

Director Richard Symons, says, “We chose 67 Degrees for our website redesign and they’ve been nothing short of amazing throughout the whole process. From the initial consultation and discussion on design ideas, right through to now managing our website and helping us keep the content up-to-date. The private WhatsApp group where we can share ideas and request amendments is a really great touch with such a personal service. We can’t wait to keep working and building together.”

Making a statement

Sheer hard work and determination has seen Laura and Justin lead their team to success, having picked up over 20 awards and commendations for their agency services and client relations at major industry events. They have been regular winners at the annual prestigious Car Dealer Power awards, where for three years in a row the team have been recognised.

In 2018, 2019 and 2020, 67 Degrees has been crowned winner of the Website Provider for Independent Dealers award, having dug deep to provide unrivalled support to its customers. Upon winning their most recent Car Dealer Power award which was voted for by the car dealers themselves, the event’s organiser praised the team’s efforts, by announcing… 

“With physical showrooms closed, dealers up and down the country turned to their websites to keep their businesses running. It was the website designers that burned the midnight oil to get them up-and-running when they needed it most. Our winner is a small firm with big ambitions and a fantastic reputation; their clients couldn’t praise them highly enough. Our winner is 67 Degrees.”

Laura explains why the award means so much to the team, she says, “We’ve been fortunate enough to win this award for three consecutive years now, however, this year’s win feels particularly special given the global situation we find ourselves in. When Justin and I started the business, we pledged to provide fantastic customer service teamed with hands-on support and guidance.

“Winning the award reaffirms our approach and its testament to the hard work of our team – alongside the support of our customers – to be announced as winners once again. We are extremely passionate about what we do here at 67 Degrees. Many of us have worked in the automotive industry for many years now and we have a real desire to see our customers and the wider sector performing well.”    

67 Degrees were also recently recognised locally at the inaugural Virtual Business Awards Sussex, where they were shortlisted in Sussex Success Story. The category was created to recognise a business in Sussex that has served as an inspiration and achieved or celebrated a significant milestone, despite it being a very difficult year.   

Reaping the rewards

So what’s in store for 67 Degrees? As the company continues to grow, so does the opportunity for new team members and this month, they’ll welcome further new additions to the fold. Laura and Justin are continuing to actively recruit like-minded individuals to join them and be part of 67’s future.

Laura explains, “Thanks to continued growth and some exciting new projects in the pipeline, we’re on the hunt for talented and passionate people to help shape our business. If you’re looking for a new challenge and want to be part of our award-winning team, then we’d love to hear from you.”

The company is part of the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign and offers many perks, including; flexible working hours, a work-from-home policy, a birthday day off, as well as tickets to motoring events and team-building days out.

67 Degrees also takes its corporate social responsibility (CSR) very seriously. The company proudly supports Ben – the automotive industry’s dedicated charity – by taking part in its annual Bangers4Ben fundraiser. A social highlight in the automotive industry calendar, the challenge sees teams travel across the UK to a European destination in their themed ‘bangers’ which then go under the hammer to raise vital  funds for the charity.

Supporting local causes is also a priority for 67 Degrees, who are sponsoring Search Seven’s upcoming Virtual Interactive Pub Quiz which takes place on Thursday 18th March. The event is raising funds for 10 different charities, including local children’s charity Rockinghorse.

The 67 Degrees team are a regular sight at annual automotive fixtures, such as; the Goodwood Revival and Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Geneva International Motor Show, as well as embarking on their own adventures, which has included a road trip to the world-famous Nürburgring in Germany – home to major motorsport events like Formula One. 

Taking on 2021

Laura and Justin are looking positively towards the future and have heavily invested in the company’s offering by developing an ecommerce product, which is now being rolled out to customers. The team is also excited to be moving into bigger

premises within their current building which cements another milestone moment in 67’s journey.   

Justin says, “The UK automotive industry is extremely resilient so we’re feeling very optimistic about it bouncing back post-pandemic. We’ve already seen a huge uptake in requests from our clients who are keen to offer and integrate ecommerce solutions to their sites and thanks to this demand, other dealers are keen to jump on the bandwagon too.

“It’s an exciting time for us as a business and when we reflect on the last few years and how far we’ve come, we feel so proud of what we’ve achieved and we can’t wait to see what 2021 has in-store for us as we branch out further as a brand.”

Discover more about the company online by visiting 67degrees.co.uk.