That’s another Two+Two wrapped!!
Two+Two 2024 held a few challenges for us, not least would we be able to afford to put it on this year, but once again the generosity of the industry and lots of people and companies pulling together meant we were able to make it happen.
Firstly, massive thanks are due to McCann Manchester, The APS Group, Brandon Consultants, Havas Lynx, Sound and Colour Film and Avark, for becoming event partners and providing funding and services to help us get it off the ground. Then Ian Cox at Avark introduced us to Coinbase who we were delighted to welcome on board as Headline Sponsor.
Coinbase, as Headline Sponsor, set the brief this year, in the tried and tested Two+Two format and I’m sure we’ll be posting lots of updates from the 5 finalist 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 Red Snakes, led by Abi Stones from Forepoint and Ciaran Watkins from VML won Gold and are invited to Coinbase’s London offices for an immersive full-day workshop with the firm’s UK marketing team, the international brand team, and international design leads. As part of this experience, Coinbase will work with them to design a marketing campaign that will be displayed throughout Coinbase’s London offices.
The Green Tigers took Silver. Their Leaders Mark Harrington from Poke and Shazi Parast from Cuttsy and Cuttsy helped them win internships with Brandon Consultants.
We had two teams share Third Place – the Yellow Goats led by Ian Cox from Avark and Amira Barwany from Havas Lynx, they won a special commendation from Coinbase and will also win a trip to Coinbase’s offices in London, to work with the team. Also in third place, the Blue Tigers, whose leaders were Joe Gosling and Molly Holmes, who have won internships with Avark. Well done to them both.
Of the three remaining finalist teams, the Pink Roosters will spend 2 days with Couch further developing the brief, the Red Dragons have won mentorships from Abi Stones at Forepoint and the Pink Horses have won mentorships from APS Group.
Congratulations to you all!
As always, huge thanks to all our Leaders, Mentors & Judges, the Universities that encouraged and brought their students, Coinbase, the Event Partners and Creative Resourcers who made it all possible. There follows a big list because it takes all these wonderful people to pull it off.
The industry pulling together to help and encourage the next generation.
Sponsors and Partners
A very special thank you to this year’s sponsors and partners: Headline Sponsor, Coinbase; The APS Group; Avark; Brandon Consultants; Havas Lynx; McCann Manchester and Sound & Colour Film.
Judging Panel
Chair: Tom Richards, CCO 21 Grams; Paul Dunleavy, CD, APS Group; Imogen Tazzyman, ECD, McCann Manchester, Tom Duff Gordon, VP International Policy, Coinbase; George Goldhagen, Marketing Lead, Coinbase.
Leaders, Mentors and Finalists:
The Reds: Leaders: Ciaran Watkins (VML), Abi Stones (Forepoint); Mentors: Hannah Tudor (McCann Manchester), Robbo Robinson (Havas Lynx), Adam Waterhouse (Avark), Craig Noone (Couch), Hannah Mottram (Carat), Will Adams (Zeal Creative), Caitlin Dunbar (One Agency Media), Craig Armstrong (Prime).
The Red Snakes (Gold): Jasmine Swingwood (University of Bolton), Isabelle Barber (University of Leeds) and Jessica Whittaker (Manchester Metropolitan University).
The Red Dragons (Finalists): Hollie Spooner (Leeds Arts University), Billy Mutoti (University of Leeds), Ella Richards (UCEN Manchester) and AJ Hubbins (University of Salford).
The Greens: Leaders: Mark Harrington (Poke), Shazi Parast (Cuttsy & Cuttsy); Mentors: Natalia Dunn (McCann Manchester), Mia McGlynn (Havas Lynx), Jeff Cafolla (Amplifi), Jen Jones (Sound & Colour Films), Connor Beighton (Influential), Ella Bradley (IMA-HOME), Rich Brown (MFuse).
The Green Tigers (Silver): Ayaz Yusuf (University of Bolton), Poppy Budd (Lancaster University), Katy Hartley (Leeds Arts University) and Lili Garmin (University of Salford).
The Blues: Leaders: Joe Gosling (Bearded Fellows), Molly Holmes (IMA-HOME); Mentors: Leah Taylor (McCann Manchester), Louisa Thomas (APS Group), Daniel Wallbanks (Paragon), Andy Lester (Eleven), Iona Dowds (Born Ugly), Danny Young (Zeal Creative), Alex Allston (Fox Agency), Natalie English (People Activation).
The Blue Tigers (Joint Bronze): Leigh MIllington (University of Bolton), Lucy Gibbons (Leeds Arts University), Maria Giampani (University of Leeds) and Emily Stenson (Manchester Metropolitan University).
The Yellows: Leaders: Ian Cox (Avark), Amira Barwany (Havas Lynx) ; Mentors: Alex Hodgson (McCann Manchester), Nicholas Watmough (APS Group), Tris Miles (Prime), Katie Mihailovits (Future Design Consultants), Jasmin Barkhuizen (One Agency Media), Lisa McClory (D2 Legal Technology), Manny Afambu (Essence Mediacom).
The Yellow Goats (Joint Bronze): Megan Dovey (Leeds Arts University), Naira Mehta (University of Leeds), Inderpreet Kaur (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Katie Rimmer (University of Salford).
The Pinks: Leaders: Dave Wright (Creative Concern), Mital Daya (The Foundry); Mentors: Karim Elkadi (McCann Manchester), Sara Simeone (Niftyz), Charlotte Bourke (438 Marketing), Harley Thomson (Eleven), Joe Bembridge (Brandon), Ian Gould (Inizio Evoke).
The Pink Roosters (Finalists): Chris Aschmann (Leeds Arts University), Panayiota Christou (University of Leeds), Grace Southern (Staffordshire University) and Ashley Dlamini (Manchester Metropolitan University).
The Pink Horses (Finalists): Thomas McGowan (University of Salford), Saffron Boora (Lancaster University), Momooreoluwa Ojo (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Jessica Leach (UCLAN).
Talent Teams & Supporters: Georgina Ross (Evoke Mind+Matter), Holly Harkin (Havas Lynx), Ian Lenehan (McCann Manchester), Alice Peacock (Fox Agency), Lisa Jones (Couch Health), Ali Sergeant and Natalie Winterton-Whitfield (Zeal Creative), Sarah Harris (MC2).
Networkers: Owen Evans (Dentsu Creative), Joanne Oates and Mark Winter (Freelance Creative Directors), Richard Pearson (Freelance Creative Director), Jo Whiteley (The IF Agency), Lizzie Wood (Fourth Day PR), Ruaa Kaseki (Freelance Creative), Dave Powell, Andy Barker, Jack Calvert and Bex Clark, (Thrive Creative), Olly Moriarty, Steve Coffey and Natalie Booth (One Agency Media), Elle Duke and Josh Brooks (UppB2B), Stephen Lightfoot, NFsTE;
Universities: Lancaster University (LaVerne Handfield and Lee Francis); UCLAN (Kev Darton), Leeds University (Sally Chan), UCEN (Paolo Feroleto and Alex Komlosy); University of Bolton (Sarah Joyce); Manchester Metropolitan University (Michelle Gledhill, Stuart Grainger, Jeff McCarthy, David Edmundson-Bird, David Colley); Sheffield Hallam (Pam Bowman); University of Salford (Alan Oliver); Leeds Arts University (Nick Young); Northumbria University (David Hart); Staffordshire University (John Hudson); University of Lincoln (Brian Voce), UA92 (Meg Walker), Liverpool John Moores University (Gwenda Mynott) University of Liverpool (Rachel Spence, Anne Pettitt, Sadie Lawty)
Venue: UA92, Old Trafford Campus. What an amazing state-of the art campus, and so wonderfully looked after by Deena Mahmoud, Mike Rawlings and the team.
Last but definitely not least the Creative Resourcers: Phil Cookson, Amanda White, Hannah Timperley, Melanie Schilling, Jane Roura and Louise James.