I can’t believe it’s already time for this “it’s a wrap” post. Two+Two 2023 had several challenges including a change of venue and a last-minute change of date due to the rail strikes, but everyone pulled together to make sure it could still happen, and what a day!
We had more support this year than ever before: almost 50 agencies and just under 100 mentors and Leaders! It always blows my mind how collaborative the marketing and creative industries are, 8 groups of Leaders and Mentors from different agencies, all pulling together, supporting and championing their student teams.
This year our brief saw us partnering with Stockport MBC’s Climate Action Now (CAN) team to tackle climate change. A fantastic brief co-written by David Campbell, one that resonated with every person in the room. Through the combined efforts of the council and businesses in the area, coordinated by #StockportCAN, the aim is to make Stockport carbon neutral by 2038. To do this, and to have an impact in a broader geographical area, we all need to make changes in our lives, some facts we discovered along the way can be found here.
I’m sure we’ll be posting lots of updates from the 3 winning teams, as they have much to look forward to! For those unfamiliar with the format: the students are grouped into colour streams, with each of the teams taking a name from the Chinese Zodiac. This year the ‘Pink Horses’, led by Angelo Giaquinto, CD at C21 and Jo Green, AD at 438 Marketing won Gold and will work with the APS Group and StockportCAN to develop their idea further.
The Orange Dragons took Silver. Their Leaders Mark Bottomley and Two+Two alumni Amira Barwany helped them win placements with Zeal Creative.
The Blue Roosters led by Alex Moran and Dave Armstrong took Bronze. Well done to them, they will spend a day at Havas Lynx Group.
For the first time we had 4th and 5th place prizes, generously offered by Fearless Adventures and Brandon Consultants respectively. The Yellow Horses took 4th place and the Red Horses were our 5th place winners. Congratulations to you all.
Massive, massive thanks to all our Leaders, Mentors & Judges, the Universities that encouraged and brought the largest student cohort we have ever had, the Sponsors, Partners and Creative Resourcers who made it all possible. It’s a big, nay huge list, because it takes so many people to make the day a success. Kudos and thanks to you all. The industry pulling together to help and encourage the next generation is a wonder to behold.
Sponsors and Partners
A very special thank you to this year’s sponsors and partners: The APS Group; Dentsu Creative; Fuzzy Duck; Havas Lynx Group, JD Sports, McCann Manchester and Evoke Mind+Matter.
Judging Panel
Chair: Paul Kinsella, CCO Havas Health and You; Paul Dunleavy, CD, APS Group; Nick Leslie and Liz Atherton, StockportCAN, Leanne Ledger, Senior Strategist, Emperor; Richard Pearson, CD, Dentsu Creative.
Leaders, Mentors and Finalists
The Pinks: Leaders: Jo Green (Account Director, 438 Marketing), Angelo Giaquinto (Creative Director, C21 Communications); Mentors: Beccy Fisk (Senior Art Director, McCann Manchester), Ben Sewell (Creative, APS Group), Bill Lyne (Head of Copy, Fox Agency), Danny Young (Creative, Zeal), Jonny Ashworth (MD, Mighty Giant), Lansona Kershaw (Junior Copywriter, Waterfall), Molly Holmes (Strategy Executive, IMA Home), Zoe Robinson (Graphic Designer, Refinery).
The Pink Horses (Gold): Jessie Chien Ying (Northumbria University), Rashi Maroo (University of Leeds), Aysha Buliwala (University of Salford) and Robbo Robinson (Leeds Art University).
The Oranges: Leaders: Amira Barwany (Creative Copywriter, Havas), Mark Bottomley (MD, The Foundry); Mentors: Alex Halfpenny (Design Director, Born Ugly), Christie Rolley (Senior Planner, 438 Marketing), Ciaran Watkins (Senior Creative Copywriter, VMLY&R Health), Frankie McCulloch (Client Manager, Born Ugly), Nicol Pomfret (Senior Account Manager, Refinery), Paul Grimshaw (Senior Designer, Owl Live), Paul McNulty (Video Producer/Director, Fox Agency), Paz Martinez Capuz (Design Director, Elmwood), Sharon Cassidy (Senior Content Designer, Owl Live), Sonia Kaur (Retail Marketing Manager, JD Sports).
The Orange Dragons (Silver): Emilija Baronaityte (University of Lincoln), Priscilla Ennuson (Northumbria University), Zahra Ghulam (Lancaster University) and Kavya Komma (University of Leeds).
The Blues: Leaders: Alex Moran (Senior Design Director, Evoke Mind+Matter), Dave Armstrong (Senior Designer, BDB); Mentors: Alex Jones (Senior Art Director, 438 Marketing), Beth Johnson (Senior Account Manager, Brandon), Dan Roughley (Motion & Innovation Leader, JD Sports), Jasmin Barkhuizen (Junior Creative Designer, One Agency Media), Lee Millward (Design Director, Emperor), Lizzie Wood (PR Account Director, Fourth Day PR), Louisa Holgate (Brand Strategist, Emperor), Neil Parsons (Head of Design, C21 Communications).
The Blue Roosters (Bronze): Aishatul Ahamed Malik (UCLAN), Taija Bailey-Roach (UCEN Manchester), Kalina Georgieva (Lancaster University) and Eleanor Richards (University of Leeds).
The Yellows: Leaders: Paul Waters (Strategist, Elmwood), Emma Morris (Head of Creative, C21 Communications); Mentors: Danny Ward (Senior PR Account Manager, Fourth Day PR), Dave Hall (Creative Lead, Ashfield Medcomms), Dave Wright (Designer, Creative Concern), Erin Moran (Brand & Creative Director, Traka Assa Abloy), Jenny Hughes (Head of Copy, Refinery), Karen Garbagnoli (Senior Designer, Forepoint), Lili Cox (Junior Designer, Waterfall), Natalie English (Creative, People Activation), Ryan Stockall (Designer, BGN), Will Adams (Senior Planner, Zeal).
The Yellow Horses (4th place): Neve Kinnear (Leeds Art University), Tanya Srivastava (University of Leeds), Meghana Srinivasan (Manchester Metropolitan University), Charlotte Brocksom (Agent Academy).
The Reds: Leaders: Mel Yates (Senior Creative, BGN), Mital Daya (Senior Creative, The Foundry); Mentors: Eilish Anderson (Influencer Lead, JD Sports), Eve Ford (Senior Account Director, IMA Home), Holly Wright (Creative, BDB), Liam Newbon (Creative Designer, Fox Agency), Nigel Moore (Production Director, Fuzzy Duck), Paolo Orazietti (Senior Designer, Elmwood), Sharlene Hanley (Planning Director, Refinery), Shaun Worth (Senior Copywriter, McCann Manchester)
The Red Horses (5th Place): Lucy Gibbons (Leeds Art University), Emer Harrington (Manchester Metropolitan University), Yan Zhang (University of Leeds), Hannah Gallagher (University of Salford).
The Greys: Leaders: Amy Dennis (Senior Client Manager, Born Ugly), Mark Harrington (Creative Director, Poke); Mentors: Andy Fryer (Senior Art Director, 438 Marketing), Callum Murphy (Designer, Havas), Chloe Willet (Creative, APS Group), Daniel Thompson (Senior Designer, Holdens), Emma Moss (Strategist, Evoke Mind+Matter), Laura Gallagher (Head of Design, People Activation), Nancy Hewson (Junior Content Executive, One Agency Media), Samson Owolabi (Creative Director, Bearded Fellows).
The Grey Goats (Finalists): Ella Curtis (Leeds Art University), Nora Butchart (Sheffield Hallam University), Amy Settle (Manchester Metropolitan University), Jen Strong (Lancaster University).
The Greens: Leaders: Kieran Edwards (Director, Dead Pixel), Hannah Cross-Philipson (Head of Creative, People Activation); Mentors: Abi Stones (Senior Designer, Forepoint), Charlotte Fenney (Director, Waterfall), Francesca Smith (Junior Creative, BGN), Ian Gould (Art Director, Evoke Mind+Matter), Iona Dowds (Junior Designer, Born Ugly), James Clarke (Creative Strategist, IMA Home), Natalie Booth (Creative Manager, One Agency Media), Ryan Gibson (Senior Copywriter, Holdens), Sean Totton (Senior Paid Search Manager, McCann Manchester), Shazi Parast (Creative Copywriter, Prime Global).
The Green Oxen (Finalists): Tanya Lister (University of Leeds), Eleanor Barrett (UCLAN), Jack Colchester (Staffordshire University), Orla Kelley (Northumbria University).
The Purples: Leaders: Joe Gosling (Managing Director, Bearded Fellows), Sophia Huddlestone (Group Account Director, Zeal); Mentors: Alastair Bevan (Senior Content Copywriter, Fox Agency), Andy Lester (Head of Design, Eleven Marketing), Jennie Geagea (Outreach & Marketing Director, Brixton Finishing School), Jenny Jones (Marketing and Development, Sound Colour Films), Katy Meakin (Social Strategist, McCann Manchester), Lilly Parr (Senior Designer, Brandon), Staci Yoxall (Designer, Ashfield Medcomms).
The Purple Roosters (Finalists): Beth Fitton (Manchester Metropolitan University), Zac Bray (Sheffield Hallam University), Chang He (University of Leeds), Divya Chowdhary (University of Leeds).
Talent Teams & Supporters: Georgina Ross, Evoke Mind+Matter; Holly Harkin, Havas Lynx; Ian Lenehan, McCann Manchester; Amy Morgan, McCann Manchester; Holly Bradshaw, Refinery; Gareth Johnstone, Zeal Creative; Alice Peacock, Fox Agency; Ella Earnshaw Kennedy, IMA Home; Elle Gascoyne, JD Sports; Sherry Ndala, JD Sports; India Holland, JD Sports.
Networkers: Laura Marshall, Kin + Carta; Laura Walkerdine, Kin + Carta; Lewis Monk, Emperor; Owen Evans, Dentsu Creative; Victoria Fawcett, Dentsu Creative; Olivia Downing, Uniform.
Universities: Lancaster University (Vicky Metcalfe and LaVerne Handfield); UCLAN (Caroline Holliday, Peter Short, Kev Darton), Leeds University (Sally Chan), UCEN (Paolo Feroleto and Alex Komlosy); University of Bolton (Sarah Joyce); MMU (Michelle Gledhill, Stuart Grainger, Jeff McCarthy, David Edmundson-Bird, David Colley); Sheffield Hallam (Pam Bowman); Agent Academy (Sana Aboarook); University of Salford (Alan Oliver); Leeds Arts University (Nick Young); Northumbria University (David Hart); Manchester School of Art (Andy Ellison); Staffordshire University (John Hudson); University of Lincoln (David Thompson), Huddersfield University (Haseeb Shabbir)
Venue: Stok, Stockport. What a fabulous venue! The former M&S building has been beautifully converted into an office development by Glenbrook Properties. Thank you to Richard Rees and Solomon Halpern for the generous use of the building and Helen Walters, Stockport’s wonderful Town Centre Manager for connecting us when our original venue fell through.
The team at Last Stop Events – Andrew Selby and Donald Donyane, you and your team are superstars!
Last but definitely not least the Creative Resourcers: Phil Cookson, Amanda White, Hannah Timperley, Becki Purcell, Melanie Schilling, James Sutton, Jane Roura, Louise James and Lisa Jones, who returned to the Creative Resource fold last year. A massive thank you from me to you all for 11 hours on Tuesday to set up, a 13-hour event day and a very early start and a long day to clear up on Thursday; you are amazing, all of you. I hope you know how appreciated you all are!
Stok will no doubt be occupied by a number of lucky businesses next year, any ideas for our next venue? 😊
