Plumbing and drains franchise Dyno Rod, recently took its branding to the Antarctic wilderness and beyond via a relationship with sometime explorer and now Dyno Rod ambassador, Jordan Wylie MBE.
The project has gained plenty of column inches and airtime for the brand and is a great example of how thinking out of the box with PR and marketing can achieve surprising results for a business.
Wylie explains how the relationship began with a shared philosophy rather than a commercial objective.
“From my side, I was initially signposted to Dyno-Rod as a company that genuinely cares about giving back to the communities it serves and that immediately resonated with me, its something I am very passionate about and this was exactly the type of partner I wanted to work with. Dyno-Rod is embedded in towns and cities across the UK in much the same way the Army Cadets are.”
Making a community impact
The alignment between local franchise presence and community engagement created momentum early in the relationship.
“That shared footprint of supporting people at a grassroots level, created a natural alignment. It didn’t feel like a traditional sponsorship; it felt like a partnership grounded in shared values from the outset and that just seemed to get stronger and stronger as time evolved,” explains Wylie.
Lee Parry, National Network Performance and Strategy Manager at Dyno-Rod, describes how it worked from the franchisor’s point of view.
“From my perspective, the partnership came about very naturally. I was introduced firstly to Jordan then with the Army Cadets as an organisation, it was very clear that both had a real commitment to supporting the communities it serves, and that immediately struck a chord with me.
“Community impact is something I genuinely care about, and it was clear from the outset that this wasn’t just a sponsorship opportunity, it was a chance to work together as our values strongly aligned.”
Parry says the franchise network’s local footprint made the partnership feel authentic rather than promotional.
“Dyno-Rod is rooted in towns and cities across the UK in much the same way the Army Cadets are, present at a local level, trusted by communities, and built on responsibility, service and doing the right thing. That shared footprint created an instant connection. It felt like a partnership built on substance, not logos. One grounded in purpose and strengthened over time through real collaboration.”
The objective from the beginning, both say, was measurable social impact.
“What we hoped to achieve was genuine meaningful impact. That meant using adventure as a platform to inspire young people, strengthen communities, engage Dyno-Rod’s franchise network and show how a national brand can make a tangible difference at a local level. The aim was always to build something authentic, where purpose, people and performance come together in a positive way,” Wylie says.
Parry adds: “Ultimately, the goal was always to bring purpose, people and performance together, creating something that not only delivers value but genuinely changes lives for the better.”
Franchise network engagement
Connecting with Dyno-Rod’s network has been central to his evolving role as an ambassador, says Wylie.
“My role really is to bring Dyno-Rod’s values to life through action, storytelling and real impact. That includes representing the brand and flying the flag on the national stage including on TV, whilst also engaging staff and franchisees, supporting youth and community initiatives in the places Dyno-Rod serve and helping shape projects that align with Dyno-Rod’s ESG and sustainability goals too.
“I also see my role as a connector, linking the brand to purpose, people and real-world impact. Whether that’s inspiring young people, speaking to Dyno-Rod teams, or helping internal campaigns that deliver tangible outcomes, my focus is on making sure this partnership stands for something meaningful at all times. I also have the huge responsibility of looking after the famous Dyno-Duck too who has been around the world with me!”
Time spent with franchisees and engineers has also shaped Wylie’s understanding of the business which, in turn, has helped his appreciation of the people involved and their everyday challenges.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this partnership has been connecting with Dyno-Rod’s franchise network, the people on the ground who keep the business running every day. I often get a ‘toot and ‘wave’ when I am on the road from passing engineers.”
Support from across the network became particularly visible during one high-profile initiative.
“What’s really stood out is how personal the connection has become. Staff and engineers often drop me messages to check in, see how I’m doing and wish me luck on expeditions. During the Antarctic Odyssey, the level of support from across the Dyno-Rod network was incredible, it genuinely felt like having a support team behind me back home.”
It reinforced what makes franchise systems work and made the partnership feel more human, rather than corporate.
Antarctic Odyssey and brand purpose
The Antarctic Odyssey expedition became a defining moment for the partnership, combining storytelling, employee engagement, and brand visibility, when Wylie set out to climb an unclimbed peak in the Antarctic’s Heritage mountain range.
“Antarctic Odyssey was far more than just an expedition, it was a statement of intent, an adventure with serious purpose. For me personally, it reinforced the power of partnership, preparation, resilience, teamwork and leadership under extreme conditions,” Wylie says.
The expedition also had a much broader value to the franchise brand in terms of the amount of coverage it generated.
“For Dyno-Rod, it became a powerful platform for social media storytelling, staff engagement, brand visibility and purpose-driven impact. I believe it strengthened internal pride, reinforced Dyno-Rod’s identity as a bold and values-driven business and created content and moments that truly resonated with customers, employees and partners.”
The expedition’s community impact extended beyond brand awareness, helping to engage with young people and demonstrate qualities such as determination, teamwork and resilience.
“For the communities we serve together, especially young people, it became a source of inspiration. Through fundraising, school engagement, youth outreach and media storytelling, the expedition helped show what’s possible when ambition is matched with discipline, courage and belief.”
Parry says the initiative also delivered measurable results across the franchise network.
“What began as an exciting brand collaboration has evolved into something far more meaningful for our colleagues, our franchisees, and the communities we serve,” he says.
“Over the past year, Jordan’s Antarctic Odyssey and his wider work with the Army Cadets Charitable Trust UK have given us a powerful platform to reinforce the values that define our network’s resilience, integrity, teamwork and community impact. Whether it’s inspiring our teams through his lived experiences, supporting national youth development programmes, or raising over £70,000 for ACCT UK, the partnership has delivered on every objective we set and more.”
“In short, the partnership has exceeded expectations. It has strengthened our brand, energised our people, and delivered real social value. It’s a perfect example of how purpose-led collaboration can redefine what a franchisor stands for, and why initiatives like this matter.”
Moving forward, Wylie and Parry see the partnership continuing to evolve across the franchise network and communities it serves.
“From my perspective, I’d love this partnership to continue long into the future and grow into something with real scale, legacy and lasting impact, particularly for young people,” Wylie says.
“My hope is that we move beyond supporting a single expedition and build long-term programmes that align with Dyno-Rod’s ESG priorities, from sustainability and environmental action to youth development, community engagement and employee wellbeing. We’ve already built a very strong foundation and I see huge potential to develop new, exciting projects that deepen our impact and reach even more communities across the UK whilst having some epic adventures along the way.”
