News & Events

The Future of Creativity

Event date:

11th November 2008

Mark Wickens, Chairman & Creative Partner at Brandhouse shared his vision for the Future of Creativity, identifying three threats and two opportunities. Please visit www.blueskiescareers.co.uk/blog for the synopsis and video of the presentation.

Career Routes in Marketing

Event date:

21st October 2008

Blue Skies Marketing Recruitment recently gave the presentation, 'Career Routes in Marketing' in conjunction with Warwick University. The presentation given by Claire Summerfield, head of the Juniors division at Blue Skies, coincided with the marketing careers week held annually by the university.

The presentation focused on how to take those first steps into the marketing industry, with some practical dos and don’ts. Claire gave a guide to the career paths you can take in the industry, sector options to look at and how to get ahead in your career. Following on from this, salary expectations and industry benefits were discussed, plus some top tactical tips for those all important interviews.

The presentation was an opportunity to talk to students approaching the end of their degree and therefore actively thinking about their career choices and applications. It hopefully gave the students an insight into how to cope with the interview process, some depth/detail of what is required to get ahead of the competition as well as some further career development options and the likely agency/in-house paths they can take.

Blue Skies were delighted to be able to offer the marketers of the future some guidance. According to Claire, “it was important to emphasise the need to be preparing for their futures as early as possible – certainly before they graduate. Getting valuable experience in a marketing environment will help them differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack, hopefully ensuring them that all important first marketing role”

To see the Power Point presentation go to the link below, under handouts:

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/findingajob/sector/marketing/resources

How account planning can hold the key

Event date:

24th September 2008

Liz Bielinska and Rebecca Ashley are half of Planning Express, a North West-based account planning outsource company, they shared some of the secrets of account planning and how it can help you in the potentially turbulent months ahead. Account planning may be something you’ve heard of but don't utilise to its full potential. In forty-five minutes Liz and Rebecca gave a quick guide to planning, explaining how all communications agencies can utilise account planning skills. They also demonstrated how planning can help differentiate you and protect your business in whatever economic conditions are around the corner. They gave practical tips on how to think like a planner in your agency’s area of specialism and take home techniques you can use as soon as you get back in the office.

Digital Fight Night

Event date:

9th September 2008

The 'big ideas' used to always come from ATL agencies but is it now possible for a pure play digital or integrated agency to take the lead? With the help of our panel; Buster Dover, Head of Digital, VCCP, Craig Morgan, Managing Partner, Spike, Andy Hyatt, Head of Digital, Bernard Hodes Group and Aaron Martin, Executive Creative Director at Syzygy addressed how the agency landscape is evolving. This interactive Q&A event was chaired by Mike Spicer, Group MD, EHS Brann.

Engagement: the innocent word that spells the end of control for the adman

Event date:

18th June 2008

A recent seminar for Blue Skies was held in Birmingham on 18th June 2008, hosted by keynote speaker Julian Saunders. Julians session looked at defining what is meant by ‘engagement’, with great examples from the USA, Australia, the Far East and Europe, and explored how the emergence of this new effectiveness idea has opened up the brief to all comers. An open debate followed discussing ‘what are the practical implications of making engagement happen on your brand?’, plus his six practical tips for creating an engagement campaign on your brand. Julian was Chief Executive of Red Cell, London, Executive Planning Director of McCann Erickson and Planning Director of Ogilvy. In 2003 Julian founded The Joined Up Company, a brand, communications and training consultancy.

Attachment: Julian Saunders invite.pdf

Creative rules for the new communications landscape

Event date:

15th May 2008

The latest in our series of seminars, was held in Leeds on the 15th May, and was hosted by our keynote speaker, Patrick Collister. Patrick looked at how the communications landscape is evolving. The internet, for example, has changed buying behaviour both on and offline necessitating a more integrated approach from agencies. For over a century brands have been able to talk to consumers, but now those very consumers also have a voice. Patrick used ‘The Big One’ and ‘the Won Report’, annual surveys of the world’s best above and below the line campaigns (measured by quantity and quality of awards won) to show how agencies can place themselves at the centre of this changing phenomenon. Patrick was formerly Executive Creative Director and Vice Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, London, from 1993 to 2000. In 2001 he became the Executive Panjandrum Thing for the EHS Brann group. In 2003 he launched Creative Matters, a training company working with agencies and clients in the UK, Holland, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, Dubai and Lebanon.

Creative Showcase

Event date:

24th January 2008

Blue Skies Creative celebrated the start of the New Year in a unique way – with a celebration of creativity. We showcased the best creative work that ran in 2007 from some of the most highly awarded agencies in the UK, including EHS Brann, Albion, AIS, LBi, The Partners, and Start Creative. There was no criteria and no awards, this was simply a celebration of the work created in 2007 that made agencies and clients most proud. It was a fantastic opportunity to see the most inspiring and innovative work from some of the biggest agency names, across DM, SP, Design and Branding and Digital, and we got to view campaigns which may not have appeared in the marketing press or at awards. David Harris, Wunderman’s new Executive Creative Director, introduced the evening. He gave us a quick round-up on creativity in 2007 as well as shared his thoughts on what it means to be integrated in 2008. In addition, Patrick Collister, Ogilvy’s ex Creative Director and founder of the Won Report, an annual survey of the world’s best integrated advertising, was on hand throughout the evening to give a global context to our UK creative showcase.

Blue Skies Executive agency legislation seminar

Event date:

21st November 2007

In conjunction with Peninsula Business Services, the UK’s largest Employment Law and Health & Safety Consultancy, Blue Skies Executive offered a workshop for Company Directors, Owners- Managers and Proprietors. This complimentary breakfast seminar offered an outline to solutions for protecting your business with best practice as well as identifying common pitfalls that need to be avoided.

Creative rules for the new communications landscape

Event date:

21st November 2007

The communications landscape is evolving. The internet, for example, has changed buying behaviour both on and offline necessitating a more integrated approach from agencies. For over a century brands have been able to talk to consumers, but now those very consumers also have a voice. Our keynote speaker, Patrick Collister, explored how integrated and 'so called' below-the-line agencies can place themselves at the centre of this changing phenomenon.

Attachment: Communications Landscape Invite.pdf

The Impact of Social Networking

Event date:

12th September 2007

In the second Blue Skies seminar to be held in Manchester, we held a free evening presentation with keynote speaker Kate Steele, Head of Corporate Group at Manning Selvage & Lee, who shared her views and opinions on how companies, ‘utilise Social Media in a commercial environment’.

Attachment: Kate Steele Invitation.pdf

The Brand consultancy - centre of the client

Event date:

3rd July 2007

Michael Peters – Chairman and Executive Creative Director, Identica
Michael discussed many of the issues that are taxing the creative industry at present.

Attachment: Invite-Michael Peters .pdf

The impact of social networking

Event date:

6th June 2007

Kate Steel, Head of the Corporate Group, Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L)

Kate Steele recently spoke at a Blue Skies seminar on social networking via digital portals. Socialised media such as blogs, wikis and photo-sharing sites have moved far beyond being simply a meeting place for 'techies' or a posting board for complaints. It is now a way of reaching key demographics.

Attachment: Social Networking Seminar Synopsis.pdf

The five rules of engagement - the new creative landscape

Event date:

9th May 2007

From a seminar hosted by Blue Skies Marketing Recruitment and presented by Patrick Collister, formerly the Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather and EHS Brann, and now founder of Creative Matters. Media agencies are highly competent within their own disciplines such as media planning, creative, DM, PR and so on; however, the world of communications is evolving at record breaking speed.

Attachment: Rules of Engagement.pdf

The digital future of brands – 10 steps to getting it right!

Event date:

20th March 2007

From a seminar hosted by Blue Skies Marketing Recruitment and presented by Martin Bailie, Planning Director, glue

"Brands only have a role if they add something to the conversation."

Attachment: The digital future.pdf