TLA News

Meet Tom, our UX/UI Designer

TLA — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:09:50 GMT

This week's staff spotlight is Tom, our UX/UI Designer. From researching and testing through to design, Tom leads UX across all of TLA's lead generating and data capture sites.

What does your role consist of?
I lead UX design across TLA’s network of lead generating and data capture sites, everything from research and testing through to design. I also lead the design and development of TLA’s own website ‘tla.co’

What let you to TLA
I’ve worked in UX, web design and development for a few years, and I wanted a role where I could be involved in all three. TLA stood out to me because I’d hear positive things about their culture and their commitment to charity fundraising activities.

What are you most looking forward to at TLA this year?
There are some big redesigns lined up for TLA's product sites this year, which is always the fun part. Making them look good matters, but what I'm really excited about is making them work harder for us: better completion rates, better incrementality, more cars sold at the end of the day.

Which TLA value do you align with most?
'We care' is what drew me to TLA in the first place, and 'we win' is baked into my role since so much of what I do is about pushing our numbers up. But if I had to pick one, it'd be 'we innovate'. I love learning new stuff, whether that's a completely useless fact, some new software or a new tool.

What three things would you take to a desert island?
A mirror (I learnt from QI that it's one of the best things to have on you if you want to get rescued), an axe or lighter to help me survive until that happens, and my old iPod Classic. It had 10,000 songs on it and the battery would last longer than I could ever hope to survive.

The UK car market is growing, but that's not the same as buyer confidence

TLA — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:12:07 GMT

The market is growing. But it's growing because barriers are low, not because buyers are more confident. That distinction matters enormously for how brands respond.

Don't compete on price

Tom Wharfe's message was clear. The brands that win long term won't be the ones trying to match Chinese entrants on price. They'll be the ones that use this moment of high volume to build genuine equity, through consistent marketing, product experience and customer service.

Two risks worth watching

Anton Hanley flagged two things worth keeping an eye on:

The planned switch to pay-per-mile vehicle excise duty for EVs and PHEVs, coming in April 2028
The UK's zero tariff policy on Chinese vehicle imports, compared to 35.3% in the EU and over 100% in the US

Right now, the UK is the most open major market in the world for Chinese brands. That won't last forever, and it changes the competitive landscape for everyone already here.

The window is now

The pipeline looks solid. But the brands that treat this as a moment to build lasting equity, rather than just chase short term volume, will be the ones still standing when the market matures.

The window to act is now.

Car buyers are cross-shopping across tiers, and that changes everything

TLA — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:08:28 GMT

Sophus3 data from our latest webinar shows the top cross-shop competitors alongside the Jaecoo 7, the UK's best-selling model in March 2026, include Audi, Tesla and BYD.

That's a striking mix. Buyers are evaluating across tiers in a way the market hasn't seen before.

The numbers behind it

65% of buyers are now cross-shopping a brand they don't currently own, up from 63% two years ago. This pattern held across 18 of the 20 consumer segments analysed.

Buyers aren't just moving within a tier. They're moving across tiers entirely, comparing badges that would once have sat in completely different conversations.

Not every brand will survive this

Tom Wharfe was direct on this point. Not every badge currently competing in the UK market will still be here in ten years.

The brands best placed to navigate that shift are the ones investing now in what makes them genuinely distinctive, rather than competing purely on price or spec sheets.

What this means

Cross-tier shopping isn't a blip. It's a sign that traditional tier boundaries are breaking down, and brand loyalty can no longer be assumed just because a buyer has bought the same badge before.

The brands paying attention to this now will be the ones still standing in ten years.

AI Summit London 2026

Charlotte Domokos — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:04:09 GMT

I spent the last couple of days at The AI Summit London listening to some fantastic speakers and learning about the future of AI. It was refreshing to be in conversations that went beyond the usual buzzwords we're all getting tired of, and focused more on what AI can do and how we should be using it.

We're moving into execution rather than simple answering - shifting the question to what AI can actually do for us. The implementation of AI, agents and automations is changing systems and workflows for the better, resulting in much greater productivity and quality.

'Human in the loop' was mentioned so much that it started to feel like a buzzword itself, but interestingly, the placement of humans was the more meaningful conversation. It's increasingly obvious that we need more governance and guardrails in our AI use, which will enable us to move people from reviewing output to designing the systems. Clear prompts and briefs with audit trails will mean more trust in the output. The line that stuck with me the most was "human-led, AI-powered".

The AI disruption is moving rapidly, bringing incredible innovations, new opportunities and major changes to how we operate. It's an exciting space and I'm keen to keep learning with every development, adding value to further improve our outputs at TLA

'New vs Used'. The boundary is shifting, and the data proves it

TLA — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:02:34 GMT

Something is shifting at the boundary between new and used cars. TLA's analysis of 303,481 consumer enquiries across 28 brands tells a striking story.

What the numbers show

Deposits are down 27%
Part-exchange values are down 11%
Monthly payments are flat
The average part-exchange vehicle is now eight years old, up from 7.3 years just 24 months ago

Why it's happening

Buyers who would historically have bought used are now finding new car deals more compelling. Not because they have more money to spend, but because aggressive pricing and 0% finance have closed the gap between the two.

As Tom Wharfe, Head of Brand for UK & Europe at MG Motor, put it, he has never seen so many zero percent finance offers running at the same time.

Why this matters

For brands and retailers, this changes the lead generation and conversion conversation entirely. The old assumptions about who buys new and who buys used no longer hold in the same way.

Understanding where that boundary now sits, and why, is becoming essential to getting the next stage of the funnel right.

TLA wins Sunday Times 'Best Place to Work' three years running

TLA — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:52:39 GMT

We're delighted to share that The Lead Agency has been named in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work awards for the third-year running.

It's a nice thing to have on the shelf. But what makes it worth talking about is where it comes from.

Built on what our team says

This isn't an award judged by a panel or won through a pitch. It's based entirely on survey feedback from our own team. It tells us what people genuinely think about working here, not what we'd like them to think.

That matters because looking out for each other, and for our customers, is one of TLA's core values. Winning this for the third year in a row tells us that value is real, not just something we say.

Good timing

It also lands at a good moment, as we start planning our 25th anniversary next year. Three years of this recognition feels like a solid foundation to build the next chapter on.

What it's really about

This award isn't really about the trophy. It's about the people who turn up for our clients and for each other, day after day.

Onto the next 25 years.

TLA colleagues jump out of a plane for Alder Hey

TLA — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:42:41 GMT

Yesterday, Tommy, Charlotte, Lewis and Amy completed a skydive for Alder Hey Children's Hospital, raising an incredible £1,710 between them.

Well done to all four for going through with it, and a huge thank you to everyone who donated and cheered them on.

Why Alder Hey

Alder Hey is one of the top specialist paediatric hospitals in the world, caring for over 450,000 children every year. Being based in the North West, it's a charity most of us have some connection to, whether that's through friends or family who've been treated there.

The money raised will help Alder Hey continue that work and support families going through some genuinely difficult times.

Jumping for a good reason

Signing up for a skydive is one thing. Getting on the plane is another. All four should be proud of pushing through the nerves for a cause that means a lot.

Well done again to Tommy, Charlotte, Lewis and Amy. TLA is proud of you.

TLA climbs to number 42 in the Northern Tech Awards

TLA — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:34:36 GMT

Last week we attended the Northern Tech Awards, and we're pleased to share that TLA came in at number 42 in the top 100 rankings.

That's a big climb up from last year, and it reflects the growth this team has delivered over the past twelve months.

Why this one matters

Being named among the north's fastest growing tech companies isn't down to any one project or person. It's the result of hard work across the whole team, month after month.

Rankings like this are a useful check-in. They tell us the direction we're heading in is the right one, and that the effort going in across the business is actually showing up in the numbers.

On the night

Thanks to James for representing TLA at the awards and flying the flag for the team.

And thanks to everyone across the business who's played a part in getting us here. Growth like this doesn't come from one department. It comes from everyone doing their bit, consistently, over time.

What’s next

Number 42 is a good marker, but it's not the ceiling. We're already looking ahead to where we want to be next year.

Onto the next one.

Insights from visiting Everything Electric 2026

Amy Smith — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:10:48 GMT

Everything Electric returned to Harrogate last week, bringing together retailers, manufacturers, and industry experts for one of the UK's leading EV shows. With so much noise around EV adoption right now, it was a brilliant opportunity to hear directly from the people at the sharp end.

Here are five things that stood out

1. The retailer experience gap could still be holding the industry back

One comment that resonated was some salespeople on the front line still haven't driven an EV, let alone lived with one for any meaningful period of time.

And if you haven't experienced the product yourself, it's incredibly difficult to sell it with conviction. The message from the show was refreshingly blunt - get bums on seats.

Test drives, and time in the car are the best ways to really understand the products. Retailers need to understand what it feels like to own and use an EV day to day, there will always be a disconnect between the product and the pitch.

2. Product quality has genuinely moved on

There's a narrative that EVs still can't match traditional petrol and diesel vehicles. That's becoming increasingly hard to justify. The new Cayenne Electric and BMW iX3 are both now delivering over 400 miles of real-world range and with the new Range Rover Electric coming later this year, it's an exciting time.

EVs are also becoming more competitive on price than many buyers realise. For the first time, the average new EV (post-discount) costs £42,620, which is cheaper than the average new ICE at £43,405. That's a dramatic shift from the 51% price gap that existed in 2018. And with sub-£20k options like the Leapmotor T03 at £15,995* and the Dacia Spring at £15,990* now on sale, the affordability argument is becoming hard to ignore. [*Pre-grant list price.]

Perceptions of Chinese-manufactured vehicles are shifting too, with quality and specification levels that are genuinely turning heads. The market data reflects this: Chinese-owned brands, including MG, Volvo and Polestar, have grown from 11.1% of the UK new car market in 2025 to 18.6% so far in 2026, with BYD now selling more than twice Tesla's UK volume. That's not a niche story anymore.

3. The van market is about to get interesting

Range remains a genuine challenge for larger commercial vehicles, but the picture is changing. BYD - already operating multiple electric CVs at scale in China - are set to enter the UK market next year, which will bring serious competition and choice to a segment that has been slower to move to electrification. For businesses looking to make the switch, there is support available. The plug-in van grant and depot charging scheme are both in place to help offset costs and ease the transition.

4. Charging is getting better - but cost is still a real barrier

The charging infrastructure picture is improving. More fast chargers, better coverage, and a more reliable experience overall. But cost remains a significant barrier, particularly for those without home charging. The irony isn't lost on anyone in the industry: with petrol now at 157.8p per litre, and diesel at 187.7p, the economic case for switching has never been stronger, yet public charging costs continue to undermine it for those who can't charge at home.

If you're relying solely on public charging, the economics still don't stack up in the way they should. The current government focus appears to be on driving EV ownership numbers rather than tackling the cost of charging itself. Until that changes, a meaningful portion of potential buyers will remain on the fence.

5. The momentum is real, even if the journey isn't over

The overriding feeling coming away from Everything Electric was one of cautious optimism. The products are better. The infrastructure is improving. The economics are shifting. The UK new car market is up 9% year-to-date, the SMMT has upgraded its full-year forecast to 2.09 million units, and the two-millionth UK EV was registered in April 2026. Battery electric vehicles now account for 26.2% of new car sales, with electrified vehicles as a whole making up 53.2% of all registrations. These aren't incremental numbers; they point to a structural shift already underway.

But there are still real barriers in retail confidence, charging costs, and public perception that the industry needs to tackle head on. For anyone working in or around the automotive space, Everything Electric is exactly the kind of event that serves as a reminder of how much is happening, and how much there is still to do.

Meet Tommy, our Senior Client Success Executive

TLA — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:03:31 GMT

What does your role consist of?

I act as the day-to-day contact between TLA and the brands and agencies that we work with, making sure everything runs smoothly across our campaigns. A big part of my role is understanding each partner’s objectives and translating that into actionable strategy, whether that’s optimising campaign performance or identifying new opportunities to drive real value. Alongside this, I work closely with internal teams across TLA, from data to development to marketing teams, to ensure we’re delivering an approach that maximises results.

What led you to TLA?

I joined TLA straight from university, initially drawn to the strength of the graduate scheme and the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and learn quickly from day one. TLA really stood out as a place that actively encourages ambition and continuous learning and development. What also really stood out was the close-knit and collaborative culture.

What is your favourite part of your job?

My favourite part of the job is the variety. One day might be focused on campaign performance reviewing and optimisation, while another may be more strategic, looking at how we can evolve an account in the long term. No two days are the same, with something different to focus on each day.

What are you most looking forward to at TLA this year?

There’s always a great calendar of events at TLA, especially on the charity side, which is something the company is really passionate about.
On a personal level, I’m especially looking forward to running the Frankfurt Marathon in October.

Which TLA value do you align with most?

We Win. For me, this value is about delivering strong results consistently and working collaboratively to get there, whether with colleagues or client partners. At TLA, that often means taking a proactive approach and isn’t just about hitting targets, but about contributing to a wider team effort and continuously looking for ways to improve.

What is your dream car?

Has to be the BMW M3 Competition.