Why I started gather
Years ago, while working long hours in consulting, I was frustrated by how hard it was to get my friends together: we were all busy, but I knew we needed those connections. I had an idea for an app that would organise regular gatherings, taking everyone's preferences into account.
When I was made redundant in 2022, I decided to build that app. After a year of development and growing an Instagram audience, I realised the real opportunity wasn't just helping friends connect: organisations and brands needed that help too.
I pivoted first to helping companies build connected teams, then started working with WeRoad to build their community of travel lovers. That's when everything clicked. After hosting and overseeing over 100 gatherings for them, I saw the same thing again and again: people desperately valued having a reason to connect with like-minded people in person, and it drove incredible business results.
Now I help brands get ahead of the digital marketing challenges by building their own thriving offline communities.
Marketing leaders are worried about the future of digital brand building. Here's why:
💸 Digital ad costs keep rising
CPMs have risen ~30% year‑over‑year, while ad fatigue and competition reduce performance. Last year’s budget won’t deliver last year’s ROI
🔒 Privacy walls are closing
Third-party cookies are being removed, making it harder to target and track digital ads
🏃♀️ Your audience is moving offline
Consumers are spending less time on social media, losing trust because of AI-generated content, and looking for more authentic real-world experiences and connections
Smart brands are leaning into offline community
💸 Digital ad costs keep rising
→ Better ROI per customer interaction
Consumers actively search for local events and experiences - giving you low-cost discovery. Face-to-face engagement drives higher conversion rates, plus one gathering generates months of content and authentic customer stories
🔒 Privacy walls are closing
→ First-party data, zero restrictions
Face-to-face interactions create valuable customer insights with explicit consent - no cookies needed, no platform dependency, no compliance headaches
🏃♀️ Your audience is moving offline
→ Meet them where they're going
As AI-generated content floods feeds, your audience increasingly values authentic, real-world experiences. Offline community gives you an unfakeable competitive advantage
How gather makes
offline community easy
We map your audience’s needs into a programme of repeatable gathering formats - nailing purpose, vibe and funnel goals
1. Design
2. Run
Toolkits, host briefings and on‑site support mean every gathering feels effortless for you and your guests
Dashboards and playbooks let you clone winners city‑by‑city, proving ROI and expanding reach without extra head‑count
3. Scale
How WeRoad used community to drive trip bookings
“Gather has helped us turn in-person gatherings into a real growth channel. Within a few months, they became a core part of our UK strategy, helping us give people a flavour of our trips and drive bookings.
But the best part is how Gather has streamlined the whole process. They manage all logistics from start to finish, regularly report on performance in detail, and proactively fine-tune our strategy so that it's always making an impact.”
Clarissa Cappelletti, UK Country Manager
WeRoad
Gatherings → growth
+80%
+45%
familiarity with WeRoad brand
interest in booking a trip
"What has caused your perception to change?”
"Love the people I met on the walk including the hosts. Went to the website to look at the upcoming trips after the walk”
"Speaking to others in real life that have used WeRoad or planning trips make the idea more appealing."
Want some practical ideas and next steps for your brand?
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