McCann Birmingham welcomes local students as part of Advertising Unlocked

19 students from Selly Park Girls’ School recently gained hands-on experience at McCann Birmingham as part of IPA’s (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) Advertising Unlocked Initiative. Throughout the day, students got to hear from industry experts behind campaigns for brands such as Thomas Cook, Epson and CrossCountry, learn more about career paths and pitch their own campaign ideas.

The group of 15–16-year old's heard from all areas of the business, including strategy & research, business leadership, creative, media, PR & social and legal. They received a step-by-step view on how campaigns are made and had the opportunity to ask the experts questions about work and careers. The students also split into teams and worked with mentors to develop their own campaign ideas before pitching to the rest of the group and our McCann panel. The initiative was created by the IPA to reveal how campaigns are made and inspire them to explore careers in advertising.

Chris Falconer, Group Managing Director at McCann Birmingham said “Our region is packed full of brilliant talent waiting to be discovered. It’s crucial that agencies like McCann get involved and show younger generations what’s possible within our industry and creative community. Participating in initiatives like Advertising Unlocked is just one step we’re taking towards connecting with young people who may not otherwise consider a career in advertising.”

Mr Arif, Senior Assistant Head Teacher at Selly Park Girls’ School said “This was an amazing opportunity because it allowed us to link the boardroom to the classroom. The girls were really happy and engaged, so we hope to bring that learning back into their lessons and really take the girls forward in terms of their learning.”

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