With the support of ADLIB and Babbasa, we’re delighted to announce that Okori Lewis-McCalla has won the 2020 Ben Martin Apprentice Award. The calibre of entries was higher than ever this year and Okori was unanimously chosen by the judging panel for his passion and ambition to become a ‘creative technologist’.
As part of the competition, Okori will join Bristol Media and a team of agency professionals at the world’s largest interactive festival, SXSW in Austin, Texas for five days in March. On his return, he’ll complete a structured programme of paid internships.
“To even be shortlisted for the Ben Martin Apprentice Award was quite flattering but to win the award is an honour and something I’m very grateful for”, said Okori. “More than anything, it’s empowering and has reaffirmed to me that you can and should just be yourself.”
The BMAA internship programme was hugely successful in 2019 and saw last year’s winner, Marissa Lewis-Peart, undertake 16 internships with some of the biggest and best agencies in the region. As a result, her career is off to a flying start! This year, we’re looking for agencies and businesses to be involved as corporate sponsors, to provide additional funding and further reach for young people. In 2020, we’re also committed to offering internships to the runners-up who will benefit from gaining practical work experience, setting them up for a future career in the industry.
“We all want to make sure our industry is more diverse and inclusive, but when you run a small business, it’s not always easy to know how to make a practical difference. By coming together as the Bristol Media community to support the BMAA, every member business, regardless of size, can do their bit to help young people get that all important ‘foot in the door’.” ~ Chris Thurling, Chair, Bristol Media
“ADLIB are delighted to support this year’s Ben Martin Apprentice Award. We’re a B Corp business committed to driving and championing diversity and inclusion within the technology, data, creative and marketing sectors. We are big supporters of Babassa and it has been a pleasure working with them and Bristol Media, we look forward to seeing the positive outcomes that are generated through the programme.” ~ Nick Dean, MD, ADLIB
“This competition embodies Babbasa’s mission to improve social mobility outcomes in Bristol and the SW and to support young people from diverse communities with their professional ambitions. We are very pleased and excited for what comes next for Okori and I am sure this will inspire many other young people to consider a career in the creative industry.” ~ Urfan Ali, Babbasa Advisory Board Member
If your business would like to get involved with the BMAA in 2020, contact [email protected] for more details.
Membership has remained strong with over 560 individuals and organisations from the South-West creative community. We’ve seen many of our members grow and flourish, plus several forming new partnerships and collaborations which we’re delighted to see. We’re excited to welcome new members in 2020 and to continue to grow membership.
Our events are an opportunity for members of the creative community to come together to meet their peers, network and learn from some of the most influential figures in industry.
We’ve hosted a number of world class speakers as part of our Vision Keynote series: We’ve dreamed the impossibility of indifference with Pentagram’s Harry Pearce, got under the skin of why leadership is so difficult with the legendary leadership guru Margaret Heffernan, and discovered how to be joyful at work with Twitter’s EMEA Vice President Bruce Daisley (in partnership with our friends at BIMA).
In November we brought back our famous Portfolio Review Night, this time connecting 15 freelance animators, copywriters, designers, photographers, filmmakers and even a voice over artist, with 15 creative directors from member agencies. It was an exhilarating (and exhausting!) evening at Origin Workspace, with lots of business cards exchanged and a couple of potential contracts, too.
The members lunch remains a firm favourite in the calendar. This year we’ve hosted 9 member lunches where we’ve had the pleasure of meeting over 250 people from member organisations. New for 2019 was the introduction of 3-minute elevator pitches and it’s been brilliant to hear what our members are up to. The pitches have been as entertaining as they have been informative and watching those lightbulb moments when members realise they can collaborate with each other is incredibly rewarding!
It’s important to us to facilitate growth and opportunities in the community, to inspire talented people to work here and encourage business growth. Our member organisations have posted over 670 job roles via South West Creative Jobs, from planners to developers, camera operators to designers, interns to directors, the jobs board remains the go-to site if you’re looking to advertise or secure a creative industry role.
Our workshops have proved to be another effective method to support and upskill local professionals. In January we kicked off with Blair Enns and his critically acclaimed workshop: ‘Mastering the Value Conversation’. An inspiring and practical session where we saw Blair share his expert pricing knowledge with 26 individuals from local businesses.
Throughout the rest of the year we’ve worked with some lovely businesses to hold training and workshops on a variety of subjects, including Copyright in Productions, CV & LinkedIn for Freelancers, how to Supercharge your Instagram, plus How to get the Big Idea with Patrick Collister. Watch out for more of these next year!
We took our second young person to Austin for SXSW as part of the Ben Martin Apprentice Award (BMAA). On returning, our BMAA winner Marissa Lewis-Peart, had the incredible opportunity of 15 paid work placements in local agencies, gaining a wealth of experience in various disciplines within the industry.
The competition to find our SXSW 2020 winner is underway with the successful candidate due to be announced very soon. In the summer of 2020, we plan to repeat the paid placements not only for the winner but also four of the runners up. If your firm would like to get involved, please contact [email protected]
We also bid farewell to our very own Content Apprentice, Izzy Bryant. Izzy has been a fantastic addition to the team, spearheading the Featured Member series where we’ve met some incredible businesses and individuals to find out more about what they do. One of our favourite moments from this series was a quote in response to the question ‘Describe Bristol in 3 words’, to which came the reply “Doing Things Differently”. We felt this perfectly summarised the local ecosystem and the uniquely collaborative nature we’re so proud of in Bristol.
Our City – our annual film competition in collaboration with the Mayor and local partners – has seen a record number of entries this year. As well as the cash prize of £1000, the young finalists have their film screened on Millennium Square, are offered industry work experience and a marketing workshop with Destination Bristol. The judges have been so impressed with the quality and creativity of the entries once again and are now finalising this year’s winner.
We have continued to fly the flag for Bristol within both the Creative Industries Council cluster group and the Creative Industries Federation (CIF) UK Advisory Council. CIF and Creative England (CE) have announced a merger in Spring 2020, and have published a joint Creative Industries Manifesto, which our board director, Paul Appleby, was involved in drafting. This will combine the London-based lobbying power of CIF with the national coverage of England of CE.
Next year, we’re seeing in our 15th year and we’ve got lots in store for the creative community in Bristol, Bath and the region.
It’s been quite a year but there is so much to look forward to in 2020, including a very exciting announcement! Thank you so much to all our loyal members and partners who continue to support us to deliver the great work.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, from all of us at Bristol Media.
You can stay up to date with news and announcements by signing up to our newsletter here.
Sometimes I feel like I’m still a newbie and only left my part-time job in retail a few months ago, but the reality is I’ve actually been a Junior Content Producer Apprentice with Bristol Media and AMBITIOUS PR for over a year now!
Since the last time I checked in, things have really taken off. Social Media Week Bristol 2019 has come and gone (read about my life on the digital squad in my blog), I’ve met and featured 5 (soon to be 6) Bristol Media members, and have worked alongside both teams on some really exciting projects. Not to mention that I’ve also been busy at College experimenting with VR and learning about video production.
With my apprenticeship coming to an end and the new year about to begin, it’s the perfect time to reflect on my experience and think about the future. Here are three things I’ve learnt during my time as an apprentice…
Something I struggled with at the beginning of my apprenticeship (and still a bit now) is confidence in myself and my work. Some great advice a colleague gave me is to not doubt myself because of my age or absence in experience. Because when I walk into a meeting or event, no one knows those things, and I can use that to my advantage. What’s the worst that can happen if I approach someone to network at an event? Or offer my input during a collaborative meeting? I’ve realised that people are actually interested in hearing what I have to say and it’s really great to know that.
When I say communication, I mean ALL communications. Whether it be as simple as answering the office phone or communicating brand values, I’m sure my colleagues can vouch for me when I say that since I first started back in November 2018, my internal and external comms have significantly matured. I guess spending 2 days a week at a comms agency will do that to you…
Of course, my apprenticeship has proven challenging at times. I have been thrown into the deep end on a few occasions. Naturally, I like to stick to familiar tasks, things I know that I can do well, but when in a sink or swim position I can either wait for someone else to save me or jump right in. Ultimately I know that I’ll impress my team a lot more if I try and give it my best go. On one occasion I made a video for a client that I really wasn’t confident about doing, but once I’d got past the stress and panic it turned out great.
One year on, I know that I made the right decision choosing to go down the apprenticeship route with Cirencester College. I am super pleased to have finished my exams with a Distinction overall and a job offer from AMBITIOUS PR as Junior Content Executive!
The Mr B & Friends diversity team has just marked a year of promoting equal opportunities within the creative industry and has produced a highlights video to celebrate.
Formed from recognition by the board that minorities are underrepresented in our industry, the diversity team has a remit to address imbalances through positively improving prospects. Over the last 12 months the agency has formed partnerships with a number of education providers to visit schools, host work experience placements and welcome students to the office for insight sessions. The efforts have been driven by a desire to raise awareness of, and opportunities for, those who might consider a career in the design industry, an area that is traditionally dominated by white, middle class males.
As well as working with school age children we’ve participated in events hosted by outreach programmes, attended a careers fair and dedicated time to two portfolio review sessions. We’ve also joined forces with a number of creative agencies in the region to support ‘Kerning the Gap’, a collective who are aiming to achieve more diversity in design leadership roles, with four of our team becoming mentors to women rising through the ranks in their field.
Last but definitely not least we’ve seen success from Ladies, Wine & Design, an initiative run by designer Sara Foley. Created in New York to champion women in the creative industry, Sara runs the Bristol chapter of the organisation, which has so far involved holding three sold-out events, all of which have been focused on inspiring and empowering women.
Building on the starting point of introducing flexible working practises to help parents a few years ago, the formation of the diversity committee has widened our scope of improving access to roles in the creative industry. The mission is far from over though and this year the team will be looking at tackling gender imbalance within the agency – and the diversity team itself – while continuing to build on changing the face of the industry for future generations.
As creative director, Kate Gorringe, says, “We still need to study our recruitment practices and job descriptions to address the dreadful statistics around women removing themselves from the application process when they’re more than qualified. This year has provided a solid foundation for us to build upon, but from here we need to evolve to engage more people and really encourage those across the industry to embed an active approach into their culture.”
Watch the film here.
Liz Gadd, Co-Founder and Recruiter at Moxie and Mettle, is an experienced recruiter in PR, Communications, Digital, Social, Creative and Marketing.
In this workshop Liz will share with you some of her 30 years of experience placing freelance PR, marketing, creative and communications professionals. This includes…
Liz looks at CVs, Linked In, direct approaches, and general hints and tips about how to get the right work for you. It’s real world career advice with plenty of knowledge to share about what it’s really like and what really works in finding freelance work with clients and new job opportunities. Liz will also share how to create a perfect 10 second introduction for you and your services, when talking to prospective clients and new contacts.
This workshop will take place on Tuesday 20th November from 0930-1200 at The Ivy Clifton Brasserie, 42-44 Caledonia Place, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4DN. Tickets are £20+VAT for Bristol Media members and £30+VAT for non-members. A light breakfast is included in the ticket price. Booking is via Eventbrite.
The creative industries deliver economic, social and reputational value. They add over £100bn to the UK’s economy, export £46bn in goods and services worldwide and are growing at twice the rate of the general economy. The sector employs more than 2 million people, and expects to create one million more jobs by 2030. Beyond these economic benefits, the creative industries continue to tackle regional inequalities, build communities across the UK, and enable individuals to lead lives that are happier, healthier, more sociable, and enriched through access to culture and creativity.
There is enormous potential to go further. Despite their great successes, our creative industries are often under-capitalised, suffer from skills shortages that impede growth, and are hampered by a lack of diversity and unequal access to the opportunities that organisations and individuals need to reach their full potential. While talent and creativity can be found everywhere, access to the money, markets and networks needed to succeed cannot. The result is lost opportunities for individuals and communities as well as a cost to the national economy.
This 10-point manifesto outlines the statement of intent, and aims to drive inclusive growth and innovation across towns, cities and rural areas, in every nation and region throughout the UK. It builds on the landmark Creative Industries Sector Deal, agreed by government with the Creative Industries Council working with the Creative Industries Federation and others.
Bristol Media, along with hundreds of creative organisations and individuals from every region of the UK, have contributed to the development of the manifesto.
Read the manifesto here.
The award was set up in memory of the late Ben Martin, a local, entrepreneurial agency MD who was committed to an inclusive culture and actively encouraged diversity.
Marissa Lewis-Peart won last year’s award, travelling to Austin with Chris Thurling, Bristol Media Chair, to attend the world’s largest digital festival, SxSW. This was followed by a 5-month paid internship programme with a range of the top agencies in the South West – McCann Bristol, Bray Leino CX, Armadillo, True, Mentor Digital, Ragdoll, Tallt, Wonderland Communications, Mr B & Friends, saintnicks, Taxi Studio, Great State, Six and Halo. Read about Marissa’s experience here.
This year Bristol Media and ADLIB, together with a growing list of agency sponsors, are extending the award to 4 candidates. A candidate briefing session in mid-October, hosted by ADLIB, Bristol Media and Babbasa, will allow candidates to fully explore the opportunities available to them, according to their preferred area of interest in either the creative, technology, data or tech sector.
Applicants should submit a video (no more than a min) or short written piece (around 500 words), explaining why they stand out and should be selected. Successful applicants will be interviewed by a panel of experts and the winner and 3 runners up will be awarded paid internships. The winner will, once again, attend SxSW with Bristol Media and a group of industry professionals.
To enter the award, please send your submission to [email protected] by Friday 22nd November 2019. Winners will be announced in early December.
Terms and Conditions
Applicants must be over 18.
Applicants must be willing to create and supply content of their journey for media usage.
Applicants must be able to travel to Texas in March 2020.
Applicants must be living in the South West of England.
*DEADLINE EXTENDED – We’ve had some fantastic applications, and are now looking for freelancers who specialise in Copywriting, Animation or Video production*
We’ve had several requests from our membership community to bring back our famous Portfolio Review Nights. Well, there’s good news! We’ve secured the date and the venue, and the next Portfolio Review night will be held on Wednesday 13th November at Origin Workspace, Berkeley Square.
If you’re a Bristol Media Freelance Member working in the creative sector, this is a fantastic opportunity to have your portfolio work reviewed by top creative directors from several of the most successful agencies in the region. We’ve got 15 creative directors signed up from agencies including Mr B & Friends, Oakwood, Epoch, Armadillo, Proctor + Stevenson, Zone, saintnicks, Great State, Bray Leino CX, The Way, Halo, Home , Six and Prophecy who are all eager to meet local talent.
Freelancers will have up to 8 minutes with each director who will offer their advice and constructive feedback in a speed networking environment. In the past, Freelancers have often secured a project or been invited for a further interview with the agency team, and we hear that the creative directors have a great time, too!
We’re now looking for freelancers working in the fields of digital, graphic design, branding, web development, video production, animation/motion graphics, VFX, photography, illustration and copywriting.
This is a very popular event which is for Bristol Media members only. We only have 15 places available.
Please email [email protected] saying why this is the perfect opportunity for you right now, along with a link to your portfolio or website. Applications close at 5pm on Friday 25th October.
CELEBRATING THE PAST AND A LOOK TO THE FUTURE OF NATURAL CREATIVITY™
Quantock were central to last weeks fantastic collaborative industry event at The Observatory in Bristol, a truly iconic location. Thanks to everyone who made it to our 30 year anniversary and celebration of outstanding design.
A close friend once told me that to run an effective event you need to; hold an event at an unusual location, host a community event, get a celebrity influencer or endorsement and shape around a newsworthy anniversary. Obviously the advice sank in and this event wholeheartedly ticked every box and more.
I was incredibly honoured that Quantock were able to headline, compère and host the evening’s proceedings. For those that were unable to make it you missed out! We had the very best of D&AD’s 2019 Newblood talent on show – seven final year graduates all stood up and presented their awarding winning and extraordinary projects. It was wonderful to be able to see their brilliant creative work and stories. Their work was unbelievably inspirational, and a great example of the next generation revealing their light!
Hilary Chittenden, Senior Foundation Manager of DA&D gave a brief introduction into their global organisation that inspires, celebrates and enables creative talent worldwide.
And finally Paul Appleby, former chair of Bristol Media and recently appointed MBE closed the event with his view on the ‘The future of creativity’and ‘How do you stay creative’
Paul spoke eloquently about numerous points for us all to consider :
Imagination :Creative/Unconscious Thinking
Ambition :Talent : Teamwork : Empathy : Integrity Communication & Feedback
Confidence :Common Sense : Passion : Energy Reflection : Curiosity
The event was a celebration of our principles and 30 years as one of the UK’s leading creative communication agencies. It was also our first roll-out of the new Quantock ID and brand proposition (which looked breathtaking), nothing better than doing a real-life dress rehearsal. A bit of external pressure never hurts anyone.
The event was outstanding in so many ways. So proud of everyone involved. Let’s go bigger and better next year…..
The creative sector is thriving– THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT!
Visit our website for a full breakdown of proceedings, a copy of the event presentation and details of each NewBlood Graduate.
https://www.quantock.com/Craft/News-Views/Shining-a-light-on-the-future-of-creativity
or, alternativity contact Mark Dalton our Managing Director
W. www.quantock.com
T. +44 (0) 1823 327532
M. +44 (0) 7468 491942
Today’s announcement of the merging of the Creative Industries Federation and Creative England (whose HQ is in Bristol) is a step towards a stronger profile for the industry in government circles. Bristol Media is a strong supporter of the CIF, with director Paul Appleby on their UK Advisory Council, and they have done great work on policy and lobbying.
Now that programmes under the Industrial Strategy Sector Deal are rolling out, including £1.35m allocated to WECA to develop a Creative Scale-up programme for the region, and the national Creative Careers Campaign delivered by CIF with ScreenSkills and Culture & Creative Skills, closer working with the regional presence of Creative England makes the whole support structure stronger.
The new organisation will be formed in Spring 2020 and maintain a UK-wide remit, with CE’s Caroline Norbury taking the CEO role.
We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the new organisation, and if you have any thoughts do contact [email protected], and he can take them to the November CIF Council meeting.
To read the press release, visit: https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/news/creative-industries-federation-and-creative-england-unite