*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.
We recently launched a new specialist MSc in Digital Marketing and are currently teaching our first cohort of students from around the world. The course trains postgraduate students in various digital marketing techniques as well as looking at the latest research in this field. Next year, the final project for these students will see them proposing and pitching a whole campaign of digital marketing activity in teams of 4 or 5.
We are currently looking for real businesses for the students to pitch their work to. Ideally, you would explain the nature of your business and marketing requirements to the students in early 2020. The students would then respond with a pitch in May 2020. Their pitches would include an outline website, search strategy, social media strategy, and e-commerce strategy.
If you have a project or business that would suit this pitch, please contact me for a further discussion at [email protected].
Leading one-day digital conference, Collaborate Bristol returned to the Watershed Bristol to celebrate the best in UX and design in the South West this Summer.
Designed and curated by strategic international UX agency, Nomensa, Collaborate Bristol was held on June 21st at Bristol’s iconic Watershed. Returning for its sixth year, Collaborate Bristol welcomed a mix of speakers including: Onkardeep Singh MBE, senior UX designer at Three; Juliana Martinhago, product designer at Monzo; Georgia Rakusen, design research lead at ConsenSys; Gavin Strange, director and designer at Aardman Animations; Hilary Brownlie, head of service design & innovation at Registers of Scotland; Catalina Butnaru, ethics track lead at City AI; Eriol Fox, senior product designer at Ushahidi; and Nomensa’s own head of UX, Jon Fisher.
Onkardeep Singh MBE, who opened the event with his talk around passion for your work said: “There’s a laidback and informal feel about Collaborate which not only aids in building the community but also helps to bring honesty to the table, demonstrating the key challenges that we all face as designers and UX practitioners on a daily basis. This works to bring about topics that we wouldn’t usually talk about in a design context and I believe that’s fantastic.”
As a firm highlight on the tech events calendar, over 200 of the top UK creatives descended upon Bristol’s harbourside for this sold-out event. Focusing on collaborative thinking centred around UX and design, Collaborate Bristol is renowned for its unique approach to digital conferences in the South West, elevating delegate knowledge whilst building on those critical networks.
Speaking of the event, Henry Carroll, events manager for Nomensa, said: “We are always incredibly proud to bring Collaborate to our home city of Bristol. Of course, we operate in multiple cities across the UK and Europe, but Bristol will always have a special place in our hearts, and we feel privileged to bring such an event to the city, partnering with local businesses to contribute to Bristol’s thriving tech scene.
“Despite running for six years, no two Collaborate events have been the same yet and we’re proud to bring a multitude of speakers to the stage with a diverse range of experiences and passions. This year, we were thrilled to be joined by representatives from Monzo, Three, our own Nomensa experts and more, all showcasing the latest thought-leadership in UX and design, encouraging a collaborative approach and out-of-the-box thinking.”
For more information, visit: https://collaborateconf.com/
John Thornton, Social Media Copywriter for Innocent Drinks, has been announced as the final speaker for the Digital Gaggle conference which takes place on Thursday 19th September at Watershed.
His session ‘One Tweet Away From The Sack’ will provide attendees with a behind-the-scenes look at how Innocent Drinks executes its social media strategy and engages with its followers.
Speaking about his talk, John said “People go on social media to chat, watch cat videos, and post pictures of brunch. They don’t go on to read adverts, which is a real shame for people who write tweets for a living…”
To get around this, Innocent Drinks have developed a cunning strategy: Not Advertising Smoothies™. Turns out Not Advertising Smoothies™ actually sells more smoothies than Advertising Smoothies and they’ve got a graph to prove it.
John’s talk will discuss the power of nonsense, how to give your social media a purpose beyond advertising, and why personality trumps tone of voice. He’ll then completely undermine himself because Innocent’s most successful tweet is actually a shameless advert featuring four separate product messages. He’ll also cover some of the many tweets that have nearly got him sacked, and why tweeting in the shadow of a P45 is worth the risk.
John is the eighth and final speaker to join the Digital Gaggle lineup. Alongside Innocent Drinks, you’ll also hear from Molly Evans who is Digital Analytics Manager at Plusnet.
Molly’s talk will discuss the concept of maturity models and how to use them to assess the effectiveness of your digital marketing strategy so that you can identify what works and understand where to make improvements.
Other sessions at Digital Gaggle will cover topics like UX, inclusive marketing, crisis comms and how to come up with more creative ideas.
You can read more about the agenda and the speakers here.
Early Bird tickets are currently on sale until 12.30pm on Wednesday 28th August. Book your place here before they sell out.
User Experience Design Fundamentals – 2-day workshop
*LAST FEW PLACES available*
Covering the fundamentals of User Experience Design offered by industry experts Stuart Church & Matt French
Day 1: Research & discovery
Intro
Business & brand
User research methods
Communicating the User Experience
Day 2: Design & testing
Intro
Concept & prototyping
Graphic design & interaction design
Testing designs
For full details & to sign up – please visit https://developme.training/workshops/design-for-digital/
Price £600 (inc VAT)
Bristol Media’s new Visualiser apprenticeship programme has its first recruit! Congratulations to Kheamah Powell, who has recently joined animation company A Productions as a Production Management Apprentice.
Launched in May this year, Visualiser is a partnership between Bristol Media, Babbasa, Ujima Radio and the City Council, and this new apprenticeship is a perfect fit for the team at A Productions.
Melissa Lipscombe, A Productions, says “The team wanted to take the opportunity to reach out to a more diverse range of candidates to be part of our production crew, alongside promoting the profile of the studio within the wider local Bristol community.
Working closely with Jo Sunderland from Diverse Insights, we ran two events, one with Babbasa, based at Wilder Street and one with Ujima Radio based at St Pauls Learning Centre. We advertised through our own website but also through Creative Access.
There was a fantastic response and Kheamah was one of 33 applicants who applied. The competition was tough, but Kheamah really stood out and we are delighted that she has accepted a job as part of our Production team.
Cirencester College have been great to work with, they advised on, and coordinated the recruitment process and will continue to support Kheamah and A Productions throughout her contract on the production. We couldn’t recommend the whole process enough!”
Kheamah says: “The apprenticeship has given me real hands on experience – I’m really enjoying working and learning every day!”
If you’d like to widen the diversity of your team or would like to speak to someone about the Visualiser apprentice programme, get in touch with Paul Appleby ([email protected]). For more info on Visualiser visit: https://www.bristolmedia.co.uk/news/4685/visualiser-new-talent-in-your-business
Previously executive creative director and Vice Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, as well as creative lead for Google’s The Zoo, Patrick has a career spanning over 30 years, and we’re delighted to welcome him back to Bristol.
20 years ago, Seth Godin wrote “Permission Marketing”. He had such high hopes for advertising, suggesting that the digital revolution would make advertising personal and relevant and thus anticipated and welcome.
But it didn’t quite work out that way…
Not only do people dislike advertising (there are a billion ad-blockers installed on devices around the world) they dislike the advertising profession too. In the UK, advertising people often rank below politicians, which takes some doing! Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, Google and Brand Safety, the new tech giants have had a disastrous effect on how advertising is both made and seen.
BUT, despite all this, advertising can still help sell products and grow brands. It’s just that there are new rules.
About the keynote:
In this talk, Patrick Collister will apologise for the cliché (new rules) but will explain how it gives a framework for understanding the five conditions brands need to meet if they want to get through to people.
He’ll talk a bit about data, a lot about insight and he’ll mention the fact that 30% of the audience will have bought something on their mobile phones while sitting on the toilet. He’ll squeak excitedly about some of the new toys in the tech-box but pull a frown when he gets to the slide with the poo emoji. That’s when he’ll be discussing Programmatic and how it is an opportunity that creative agencies miss at their peril.
He’ll talk about ideas a lot, use the word creativity quite often, and may even try to sell you his book, “How To Use Innovation & Creativity In Business.”
Tickets & Entry
Join us and Patrick on Tuesday 17th September (12.30-14.15) at the riverside offices of Foot Anstey, 2 Glass Wharf, Bristol BS2 0FR.
Tickets are £40+VAT for Bristol Media members, £55+VAT for non-members and include lunch. A limited number of £10+VAT tickets will be available from 9th August to Bristol Media freelance members.
About Patrick
Patrick was the executive creative director and Vice Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, London. Then executive creative director of the EHS Brann network of direct marketing agencies. From 2013 to 2018 he was the creative lead for Google’s creative think-tank The Zoo. He has won many awards, the most prestigious being Cannes Gold in 2013 with Cheil for Samsung. In his spare time, Patrick publishes Directory magazine and resource.
Patrick will return in October to run his critically-acclaimed workshop ‘Getting the Big Idea’… find out more.
Bristol Media’s Chair, Chris Thurling, has just arrived back from Austin, Texas where he’s been attending SXSW 2019 – the world’s largest annual celebration of the interactive industries. On Tuesday 19 March, Chris will be joined by Ann Hiatt (former Amazon and Google Chief of Staff, SXSW speaker and one of our Keynote speakers last year) for a ‘hot off the press’ lunchtime digest to share their highlights and latest trends emerging from this year’s festival.
Following the 40-minute talk, there’ll be an opportunity to ask questions in a 20-minute Q&A.
The talk starts at 12.30pm on Tuesday 19th March at Zone, The Brew House, Tower Hill, Bristol BS2 0EQ. There’s a small fee of £10+VAT for Bristol Media members (£15+VAT for non-members), light refreshments will be provided.
We have very few places remaining for the talk so book now!
According to Business West’s Business Skills and Training Survey 2017, 64.9% of businesses in the West of England have never hired an apprentice, with lack of time cited as the main reason.
Yet with 96% of companies who take on an apprentice reporting benefits to their business (National Apprenticeship Service), organisations who do not consider this option when hiring or developing staff could be missing out.
Read on to find out more about some of the key benefits to employers of hiring an apprentice:
Increased Productivity
An astonishing 72% of businesses report improved productivity as a result of employing an apprentice, according to the National Apprenticeship Service. Having an extra pair of hands on the team means more tasks can get completed and you may even have time to explore projects or carry out research that you would not have previously been able to do. Although there can be time spent assisting an apprentice, the increased overall productivity can outweigh this.
Increased Revenue
On the back of this, increased productivity usually means an upturn in revenue and profit. The National Apprenticeship Service claims that the average person completing an apprenticeship increases productivity by £214 per week, so what’s not to like about that?
Lower Staff Turnover
Apprentices are often loyal to the company in which they gained their training and qualifications, with The National Apprenticeship Service reporting that 71% stay with the same employers once they finish their apprenticeship. They recognise that you have invested time and money into training them up in a particular skill, and at the same time will feel integrated into your organisation so will repay that with loyalty, resulting in a lower staff turnover and in turn, less money spent on recruitment.
Fix Skills Gaps
Taking on an apprentice within your company means that you can teach them the specific skills you need as a business. Working with a training provider, you can also use apprenticeships to upskill your existing staff where you feel it is needed most, so whilst technology advances and different skills are needed, you can protect your company from skills gaps that could have a negative impact in the long run.
Revitalise Your Business
Apprentices often come into an organisation with a fresh perspective, as well as bags of enthusiasm and energy. This can have a positive effect on your existing staff too, who may enjoy having someone with new ideas join the team. A positive workforce are more likely to perform better as well, so really it’s a win-win for you.
Build Your Brand
Apprenticeships are big news and are becoming a more popular recruitment method across all industries. Any organisation that has an apprenticeship scheme is likely to be seen as a business that is forward thinking and likes to invest in their staff, and that is attractive to anyone, whether they’re looking for a new role, or great company to work.
Apprenticeships can benefit any size of business, whether you’re a large corporate, SME or start up. Need more advice and information on where to start? Why not get in touch with the Skills Team at Business West who can let you know the best next steps to take. You can email them or call 0330 124 4446.
Bristol Media Chair, Chris Thurling, is heading off to Austin, Texas this week to attend the world’s largest annual celebration of the interactive industries – SXSW 2019. Whilst at the festival, Chris plans to meet up with Ann Hiatt, former Amazon and Google Chief of Staff and one of the contacts he made at SXSW last year.
Chris has a packed schedule of keynotes, workshops and networking opportunities over the course of the 5-day digital festival and will be joined by Marissa Lewis-Peart, winner of 2018’s Ben Martin Apprentice Award (BMAA). Dubbed as the “premier destination for discovery,” Chris and Marissa will hear the latest news and trends from the world’s leading tech and creative companies at SXSW.
As a seasoned SXSW’er, Chris will be on a mission to make new connections for Bristol Media, as well as absorb all that the event has to offer. Chris and Marissa will be live-tweeting during the event, so follow us on Twitter @Bristol_Media #BristolSXSW to receive the latest updates.
Ann has kindly agreed to come back to Bristol after the festival to join Chris in a ‘hot off the press’ lunchtime digest on 19th March. They’ll share their thoughts and experiences from SXSW plus a roundup of highlights and insights into the latest trends from the festival. Following the talk, there’ll be an opportunity to ask questions in a 20-minute Q&A.
The talk starts at 12.30pm on Tuesday 19th March at Zone, The Brew House, Tower Hill, Bristol BS2 0EQ. There’s a small fee of £10+VAT for Bristol Media members (£15+VAT for non-members), light refreshments will be provided.
Places are very limited so book asap via Eventbrite!
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