Who are Gertrude & Ivy?
We are often asked where the name Gertrude & Ivy originates – contrary to popular belief, it is not a combination of the two owners’ names! The story behind our name goes a little something like this…
Who is Gertrude?
Vivienne Gertrude Francis-Smith is Emma Jane’s maternal grandmother. Hailing from Oxshot, Surrey. Emma Jane’s mother – Lesley – is the eldest of three daughters and became a successful events manager, organising all kind of events from catwalk shows to charity balls.
Who is Ivy?
Ivy Florence Clark is Emma Jane’s paternal grandmother. This side of the family had a very different upbringing. The whole family – three children and both parents – lived together in a two room basement flat in the east end of London. Emma Jane’s father Tom, is every inch the self-made man. He ran his own successful advertising and print company called Jupiter Press which is still in operation today and is run by Emma Jane’s two brothers.
Why Gertrude & Ivy?
When choosing the company name, it seemed right to reference the entrepreneurship in Emma Jane’s family. Gertrude & Ivy is a new media agency working in the ever-changing digital world, which mixes traditional values of good business in everything we do. These ethics are hard-wired into our mission statement:
Add value to our clients’ brands at all times and always value our staff.