A big pat on the back from Staffordshire

In mid-February, 55 students and staff from Staffordshire University spent an all too short stay in London, visiting advertising agencies, design consultancies and other related studios.

In three days, as well as attending the Icograda seminar at the Odeon Leicester Square, we packed in 15 visits to some of the best London has to offer. These included J Walter Thompson, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Abbott Mead Vickers/BBDO, Leo Burnett, Trickett & Webb, Farrow Associates, Union Design, The Jenkins Group, McCallum/ Kennedy/ D’Auria, English/Pockett, Park Village, The Oil Factory, Rufus/ Leonard, Hibbert/Ralf and John Parry, an animator working at the Museum of the Moving Image.

We would like to thank all these organisations and the people who gave so generously of their time and experience to make our trip a success.

They have made it possible for us to achieve our main intention: helping our students to a clearer vision of their career objectives.

If we were to award a Gold Star, it would have to go to Bob Stanners of Leo Burnett for laying on a “working day” experience for 12 students.

How Bob managed to talk Gerard Stamp into placing six offices at our disposal so that the student teams could get their teeth into waxing lyrical over chocolate chip cookies, we do not know.

This was followed by a well- lubricated presentation and crit from Bob, and John Knight.

I would also like to thank all those people in the “business” who have patiently completed questionnaires, supplied information or have written letters to our students. They have been beleaguered with requests as students have prepared their Design Research Reports on subjects as diverse as the sales effectiveness of the Wonderbra campaign to the use of collage in the Murphy’s Stout Posters.

So thanks to you all – we will of course be knocking on your door again next year. Who knows, one of these students may end up getting a job. If they do it will be because of the involvement of people like you.

Tony Daffern

Senior Lecturer

Staffordshire University

Stoke on Trent