Coalface was born out of a simple belief: that great marketing shouldn't be the preserve of big brands with big budgets. Whether you're a one-person business or a global organisation — you deserve the same standard of thinking, creativity and execution.
Tell us what you're working on and we'll come back with honest advice and a clear next step — no sales pitch, no obligation.
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The Founder
Philip Docherty has spent more than 15 years working at the coalface of marketing — not advising from a distance, but getting in, understanding each business properly and doing the work that makes a real difference.
He's worked across branding, digital, creative, content, advertising and campaigns — often simultaneously — for some of the world's most recognised organisations. Virgin Atlantic, Puma, Cisco, Network Rail, Hertz, Newcastle Airport and more. Each one with different challenges, different audiences and different ways of measuring success. And each one approached with the same standards: honest thinking, strong creative and a relentless focus on results that actually matter.
Coalface grew out of something Philip noticed over and again: the gap between what big-budget marketing looks like and what most businesses — the start-ups, the trades, the growing SMEs — could actually access. Experienced people were either too expensive, too agency-minded or too far removed from the real work.
So Coalface was built to close that gap. Senior-led, hands-on, plain-English marketing and creative that works — whatever size your business is.
Previously Worked With
Where We Come From
The name Coalface is no accident. It comes from the heritage of the North East of England — a region built on hard work, honesty and getting on with things. The people who went down the mines didn't philosophise about it. They turned up, did the work and delivered.
That's the spirit Coalface is built on. We don't hide behind jargon, we don't overcomplicate things and we don't take on work we can't deliver brilliantly. We show up, we do the work properly and we get results.
The North East has given the world engineers, inventors, entrepreneurs and graft-first thinkers who've punched well above their weight. We carry that into every project we take on — wherever in the world it is.
How We Work
You don't need a big budget to deserve big thinking. Whether you're a sole trader, a start-up or a one-man band with serious ambitions — we give you the same quality and care as anyone else.
Got a big idea and need someone to help make it look and sound as credible as it is? We work with founders and entrepreneurs at the beginning of their journeys — when first impressions matter most.
Outgrown your current marketing? Struggling to keep up with the demand for content, campaigns and creative? We become the experienced marketing resource you need — without the overhead of an in-house hire.
You're brilliant at what you do. You just need someone to make sure the world knows it. We specialise in making trades and local businesses look and sound as professional as they actually are.
We've sat in boardrooms, presented to directors and delivered at the very top of major organisations. We understand the pressures, the commercial realities and what it actually takes to move the needle.
We've done it. We know what world-class marketing looks like and how to deliver it. If you need senior expertise on a project, campaign or brand challenge — we're here for it.
Ready To Get Started?
Tell us where your business is now, what you need help with, and what's not working. We'll tell you what we'd do next — no obligation.