Wander

From idea to international success: how Wander built a scroll beating digital content business

Founded by Chloë Clover and Lou Tonner, the business blends commercial content with broadcast storytelling, working across branded campaigns, digital content and television. Wander has built a strong client base including global and household names such as KPMG, Greggs, Channel 4 and the BBC, alongside ambitious regional and national brands.

What sets Wander apart is its focus on audience-first content. Every project is built around what people actually want to watch, not just what brands want to say – with a focus built around content that beats the scroll and engages audiences.

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Challenge

Wander started with ambition and real-world experience. While travelling across Australia and Asia, the founders worked with businesses and saw first-hand how content often missed the mark. Brands were creating what they wanted to say, not what audiences wanted to engage with. During their travels they gained contacts, developed their skills and managed to work on several content-led projects.

They returned to Teesside with a clear vision and the drive to build something different. Like many early-stage founders, they needed the right support to turn that vision into a scalable business, build networks and facilitate the means to grow.

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Solution

Through Teesside University’s Launchpad, Wander accessed the Fuel programme at a critical stage, providing a practical starting point. They gained access to mentoring, a workspace and a network of contacts. Support was tailored to the business, rather than a standard approach. This gave Wander the space to test ideas, build confidence and take practical steps towards growth.

It created a foundation not just to start a business, but to build one with long-term ambition.

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Impact

Wander has become one of the North East’s standout creative businesses. It has grown into a full-service agency delivering work for global brands, developing a strong reputation for bold, personality-led content.

Its production arm has successfully broken into national broadcast. Wander produced a BBC One documentary as part of the Our Lives series, which received critical acclaim, national media coverage and was shortlisted for a Royal Television Society award.

The business continues to build momentum in television, securing further development opportunities with BBC Three and Channel 4, being selected for the BBC Small Indie Fund, and more recently co-producing a major series for Channel 5.

Wander have also gained industry recognition through programmes such as Pact Future30 and accolades including Forbes 30 Under 30, and regional Entrepreneur of the Year awards. They recently launched their new YouTube channel with a self-funded survival series Unthinkable, with the channel recently gaining support from the BBC.

From a two-person team to first hires and growing into a multi-talented team of over 15, and securing their very own studio space, Wander now support international clients and produce content for national TV, continuing to scale while staying rooted in the Tees Valley and contributing to the region’s outstanding creative economy.