I am an advertising undergrad, and with my time with Studio North I got to work on 2 briefs, one of them being a live brief along with the rest of the creative team. During this time I was able to practice and develop my creative skills whilst getting helpful constructive feedback from the very friendly and approachable creative team.

During my time here I was able to gain a valuable insight into how the industry works, whilst also getting some very important practice on how to make a fantastic cuppa!

Here at Studio North we’re always looking to support the next generation of designers, so were please to get involved with the DNA (Designers Northern Alliance) this week.

The two day event was designed to bring together representatives from industry and academia as well as showcase the best undergraduate and post graduate talent in the North West. Students from the University of Salford, University of Chester, Manchester Metropolitan University, UCLAN, Liverpool John Moores University, North Wales and Huddersfield University attended along with some of the regions most celebrated design agencies.

As well as an exhibition of the best graduate talent from universities in the North there were keynote lectures from the cream of the creative industry, portfolio surgeries, roundtable discussions and Q & A sessions.

We were delighted to help out with the portfolio surgeries. It’s always energising to see creativity in it’s rawest form, without the complications and reality of restrictive brief, limiting budget and punishing deadline!

The event and exhibition was held at The Triangle, Manchester, for more information you can visit www.designersnorthernalliance.org

A totally irrelevant blog…

Growing up in Manchester is always going to bring you into direct contact with footballers past and present. Some of these experiences are extremely pleasant like sharing a flight from Schiphol to Milan with ex-United 60s/70s player Carlo Sartori back in 1999 to watch United play Inter (I had played Sunday league football with Sartori Jr as a boy and my dad also knew the family through the deli).

Brought up in Collyhurst, Carlo played 55 times for United but had now settled near myself in Wythenshawe. He’d come down and watch us play for Hazel Grove as kids but when I boarded the flight in Amsterdam I hadn’t seen the old man for donkeys years but still, someone who had shared changing rooms with the likes of Best, Law and Charlton, remembered his boy’s old teammate. I was honoured.

(more…)

As my first glimpse of a working environment it was brilliant that I managed to come here. I am in year 10 and had already done one week of work experience in a gym before this but it didn’t compare to this. I have taken G.C.S.E graphics but it doesn’t compare to this. I was unsure about coming here because I was told that all I’d be doing would be making cups of tea, but my experience on the first day I was welcomed and everybody was really friendly and had a great sense of humour. As I am only in year 10, I have had no experience working with a Mac before but I was quickly shown the ropes. (more…)