Falmouth’s JKC Creative Marketing Founder Steps Down

John Knowles, the award-winning founder of JKC Creative Marketing in Falmouth, has announced his retirement after a distinguished 50-year career in the public relations industry. His decision marks the end of an era for one of the South West’s most recognised PR agencies.

A Storied Career in Publicity

John, whose career began in 1972, has been a key figure in the UK’s public relations landscape. Starting as a copywriter, he worked on a diverse range of accounts, including Westland Helicopters, Boeing, and Magnet Joinery. Over the decades, John led multiple agencies across the UK, collaborating with both international brands and emerging local businesses.

However, it was in the materials handling sector that John truly made his mark. His work earned him a prestigious award for Services to the Industry, and he was lauded by a leading magazine editor as “a legend and a font of knowledge who not only understands what makes journalists tick but is also thoroughly knowledgeable about his clients’ business.”

Legacy and Transition at JKC Creative Marketing

Based at Tregoniggie Industrial Estate, JKC Creative Marketing has been John’s home for the last 40 years. Under his leadership, the agency served national and international clients, including Mitsubishi and Caterpillar, from its base in the heart of Cornwall.

Sarah Cave, the Finance Director at JKC Creative Marketing, highlighted John’s unique leadership style, saying, “John is one of a kind, but his philosophy of encouraging leaders rather than followers is guiding us well. Indeed, we have recently moved to new premises to support future expansion.”

As John steps down, the reins will be handed over to a trusted management team, including Account Director Cat Allen, who noted, “John will be greatly missed. His insights enabled clients to enhance and, on occasion, totally transform their businesses.”

Reflecting on Five Decades of Change

Looking back on his career, John recalled the significant changes in communication technology, from the telex and fax era to the digital age. One of his early achievements was launching the UK’s first desktop facsimile machine—a technology breakthrough that surprised many at the time.

Despite the challenges of building a thriving agency far from traditional centres of commerce, John’s embrace of rapidly changing technology allowed him to succeed. “From the outset, we were working for national and international companies… but it was worth it to come home to such an idyllic environment,” he said.

John and his wife Marie also had entrepreneurial ventures outside of marketing, notably acquiring and running a wholefood shop in Falmouth’s High Street for several years before it was moved to larger premises.

A Bittersweet Farewell

As John Knowles steps down, he leaves behind a thriving agency and a legacy that his colleagues are eager to build upon. Reflecting on his departure, John described his decision as “bittersweet” but expressed confidence in the team he leaves behind. “I may have laid the foundations, but my colleagues are taking the agency to far greater heights,” he said.

For more on JKC Creative Marketing, visit JKC Creative Marketing’s website.