This all started, as most worthwhile things do, down the pub. The Old Crown, to be precise. Back in 2011, i met with Ollie Purdom, who’s one of the founders of crack marketing recruiters, Pitch Consultants.

 

Ollie and his business partner, Rob Markwell, were keen to do something that encouraged Birmingham’s graduating students to actually consider working in the city where they learned their trade rather than jumping on the first train to London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow or wherever.

 

The creative industries in Birmingham and the surrounding area have been quietly thriving over the past decade or so, particularly in the digital sector. There are plenty of companies for graduates to consider, both agencies and clients, of all shapes and sizes.

 

The germ of the idea was this. “Let’s start an awards scheme where graduates get to answer a fictional creative brief, from a number of angles, and the best entries win paid-for placements at agencies and clients from the Birmingham area. The students get to work on something different and the companies get exposure and access to new talent. After all, Birmingham is a hive of creativity and most students don’t even realise.” Or something like that.

 

I set about creating a concept that would outline the idea of B-Hive using a visual language that didn’t resort the the usual tired old student imagery. I developed a striking creative, playing on a instantly recognisable ‘insect collector’ theme using actual bee carcasses (sourced from a local beekeeper) that breathed life into B-Hive and gave it a unique personality.

 

B-Hive was originally a pro-bono project. As a passionate advocate of our fair city, I was happy to help. The first year’s competition was a great success that saw many graduates gain employment at agencies in Birmingham and the wider region.

 

The second year saw B-Hive gain sponsorship from Marketing Birmingham. Which saw the account turn into paying business. B-Hive has a fantastic pedigree for attracting great talent with hundreds of graduates having been involved over the years. Many of whom have gone on to land jobs at agencies and clients around the region. Any agency worth talking about locally gets involved and the reputation of Birmingham’s creative scene continues to grow.

 

Want your stripes? Earn them.