Disruptive marketing firm Hussel launches mobile campaign vehicle with NPIF II investment

Background

Disruptive marketing agency, Hussel, has secured funding from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II to help launch a first-of-its-kind Mobile Disruption Unit - a vehicle built for experiential campaigns, live events and brand activations.

The funding comes from NPIF II - GC Business Finance & River Capital Smaller Loans, which is managed by the consortium as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

Founder, Lewis Ellis, launched Hussel in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic after losing his job and seeing his plans for a travel company collapse. With no access to furlough and limited support available, he decided to lean into the digital skills he’d developed over years of freelancing, offering web design, SEO and marketing services.

What began as a lifeline quickly evolved into something bigger. By 2022, Lewis had decided he wanted to create the UK’s most disruptive creative agency. He aimed to build a business that would push boundaries, turn heads, and bring fresh thinking to a crowded industry. From the start, Hussel promised never to pitch the same thing twice, building campaigns from scratch and thinking beyond the norm.

Challenge

As Hussel grew, Lewis wanted to take the agency’s disruptive ethos even further. Traditional marketing activations were becoming crowded and predictable, and brands were increasingly looking for fresh, high-impact ways to connect with audiences.

To stand out, Hussel needed a unique, mobile asset that could deliver experiential campaigns anywhere — festivals, city centres, live events or on-the-road brand activations. The challenge was securing the investment required to acquire and convert a specialist vehicle capable of hosting demos, digital displays and live entertainment.

Solution

Now, with NPIF II support, Hussel is investing in its latest asset - a customised Hummer H2, converted into a branded, multi-purpose marketing vehicle, dubbed the ‘Mobile Disruption Unit’. Featuring a DJ booth, digital displays and room for live product demos, the Hummer is designed to act as a mobile marketing hub, and can be used at home, at music festivals, for city centre activations or on-the-road campaigns.

The funding has covered the cost of acquiring and converting the vehicle. Hussel is already taking bookings, with more brand partnerships in the pipeline. The agency is also creating flexible project-based jobs as it grows, bringing in creatives, technicians and event support as required.

Lewis Ellis, Founder of Hussel, said: “This whole journey started because I had to survive. I lost all work when Covid hit, and no one was hiring. I wasn’t eligible for furlough or support, so I started doing what I knew best, building websites and running campaigns. But I always wanted to be known for doing something different.

“Hussel is built around that idea - it’s not just another agency. We don’t copy and paste, we don’t recycle ideas. We bring energy, personality, and a bit of madness to everything we do. The Mobile Disruption Unit is the epitome of exactly that, and I’m grateful to GC Business Finance for the NPIF II funding to make it a reality.”

Result

The Mobile Disruption Unit is already attracting attention from national brands, with several already registering interest. Clients on Hussel’s books include high-street names like TGI Fridays, Cats Protection and Revolution Bars, which have all been drawn to Hussel’s creative approach.

Alison Darkes, Investment Manager at GC Business Finance, said: “Lewis’ story is a brilliant example of resilience. He took a really tough situation and turned it into something powerful and fun. The Mobile Disruption Unit is such a creative idea, and I’m excited to see how brands use it to connect with their audiences. We’re proud to support founders like Lewis who bring a fresh energy and new ideas.”

Sue Barnard, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “It’s great to see a Northern business using NPIF II funding to support it through the next stage of its growth. Marketing is an industry that is constantly evolving, especially as businesses look for new and fresh ways to interact with audiences and support the growth of their business. This round of funding will help Hussel create jobs and increase its revenue, which is a key goal of NPIF II.”

About the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II 

The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.

The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.

• Operated by the British Business Bank, NPIF II provides a mix of debt and equity funding.  NPIF II will offer a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. It works alongside the Combined Authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), and Growth Hubs, as well as local intermediaries such as accountants, fund managers and banks, to support the North’s smaller businesses at all stages of their development.  

• The funds in which the NPIF II invests are open to businesses with material operations, or planning to open material operations, in: Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire & Warrington, Cumbria, Liverpool City Region, Leeds City Region, South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority, York & North Yorkshire, Humber and East Yorkshire, Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne & Wear 

Supported by Nations and Regions Investments Limited, a subsidiary of British Business Bank plc, the Bank is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. Neither Nations and Regions Investments Limited nor British Business Bank plc are authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Find out how NPIF II can support your business — explore funding options here.