Content matters

We take content tangles and we transform them into smooth, strategic, sustainable systems fit for an AI world.

Content is vital. Words and pictures (and numbers and charts...) are how you communicate, persuade and inform. They're the connective tissue between you and your users. They define who you are.

Making and maintaining useful, beautiful, interesting content is important but complicated. We untangle, we distill and we build brilliant content operating models for an AI world.

We're Contentious. We're a content-led strategy practice for purposeful organisations. Sometimes we make good things too.

How we can help

We help pin down exactly who you are. We work out what to do. And where and when and how to do it. We make content ecosystems work better, for you, for AI and for your users. We create Content Operating Models: content structures, processes and tools. We help you create the most effective content in the most efficient way. We improve your relationships with the people that matter.

Essence

Distilling organisational identity using purpose, expression and relationships

Strategy

Building solid strategic foundations for efficient, effective content

System

Building the content operating model your organisation runs on, with AI given a defined job in each part of it

Product

Crafting great (useful, beautiful and interesting) content experiences on solid strategic and technical foundations

Know-how

Distilling, preserving and improving knowledge and skills via mentoring, documentation and training

Find out more

“Groundbreaking, strategic, and forward-thinking… a reference for anyone with a vision who recognises the power of content to change a business from the inside out.”

James Wood, former Head of Content, Internet Society

Latest resources

Fresh thinking and useful things we've published recently.

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2 September 2026

The content operating model in the AI age

Many organisations treat content as something that describes value rather than delivers it. In the AI age, a clear content operating model is needed in order to transform and thrive.

19 June 2026

Commas, colons and capitalisation

Consistency and clarity of language are as important in a world of AI as they were in the time of Gutenberg. Nothing beats having your own style guide, but if you're still saving up for one of those, there are some good ones online that you can use.

16 June 2026

Clean floors and great cooks

Scrubbing the AI tells out of your writing is only hygiene – the first and smallest of three jobs. Craft and identity are the harder, more valuable work, and AI can help with all three.

Latest projects

Things we've been working on recently.

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A plan for Plan

Plan International UK wanted to improve the user experience of their content. They needed clarity on what content they had, what was working well, where improvements were needed and what needed to change.

Audit, strategy, structure and governance for Global Witness

A focused, modular content model, a user-centred information architecture and practical governance tools – the strategic content foundations for Global Witness’s new website and beyond.

Content transformation for the Internet Society

Over several years we audited, re-strategised, restructured and re-governed the Internet Society’s content – from a 20,000-page audit to a clear strategy, a living style guide, new ways of working and a measurable lift across every quality measure.

Content Health Check

Our Content Health Check tool gives you AI-powered rolling content audits and analysis to get extraordinary detail and an invaluable overview of your content health and fitness. It’s designed for consultants, agencies and organisations who believe in quality.

Measuring your content (individual pages or entire websites) against our framework will give you a set of scores and analysis that will pinpoint exactly what you can do to improve.

Get a health check

Content Maturity

Many organisations struggle with content overwhelm. The tools and systems don’t add up. There’s always too much to do, and it’s not always the right stuff. New content is created at pace while vital older content is neglected. Teams work in silos, processes are not always clear, and leadership questions the value of content investments.

The fundamental issue isn’t just about creating better individual pieces of content – it’s about building the organisational capabilities needed to consistently create, manage, and improve effective content at scale. Our Content Maturity tool helps you do exactly that.

Measure your maturity

Clients

We work with brilliant people who are striving to make the world a better place. Here are some of them.