Our creative agency worked with college students – here’s why you should too!

While working alongside Birmingham’s students we:

• Worked with students
• Judged the students work
• Learned from the students
• Want to work with a progressive brand?

It’s rather cliché to say that the students of today are the future, but at the end of the day, it’s a fact. As a leading creative design agency in Birmingham, we understand the younger generations as both an audience and a workforce, and believe it is very important to facilitate their professional development as early as possible.

We know that young people will one day carry the torch of our digital marketing agency. That’s why we recently partnered with BMet College in Sutton Coldfield to help give the next generation of marketers and designers a taste of our everyday working life.

But how did we approach the situation, what were the results, and why do we recommend you do the same? Read on to find out.

We worked with the students to develop a marketing strategy

Our partnership with BMet began with James, a Senior Graphic Designer here at EDGE Creative. James also works as a design lecturer at the college, and highlighted that our client, Rudds Wellies, would be the perfect fit for his students and their yearly large-scale design project.

The project was created to develop their skills in not only design, but also brand development, product placement, commercial marketing skills, and more. By choosing Rudds Wellies as the target, James’ students would need to be creative in their approach, since their target audience is incredibly specific. 

Simply put, wellies are not an easy product to sell outside of very specific industries. Rudds could pose a challenge for even the most veteran branding agency, so EDGE provided some industry insights and useful pointers to guide the students through their real-life marketing project and live brief.

They took our advice and got to work. Many would go on to target specific hobbies or industries, such as horse-riding and farming, while others would try to reflect the footwear in a trendy, modern light.

12 weeks later, each student group had produced a social media campaign, a brand mascot, branded graphics, a short video, and a detailed strategy of how they would reach their new target audience.

Two of our senior team members helped judge the student’s work

Feedback not only helps such students develop their project work in the short term, but also gives them some insight into the essentials of running a campaign in the industry. They were also provided the opportunity to ask pointed questions to the judges to find out more about what it’s like to work in marketing.

Louise and Kelly made the difficult decision of shortlisting three groups whose work impressed them, and then the college chose an eventual winner.

But why did we bother? Well, in addition to giving back and nurturing new talent, the ideas of young talent in the industry can help you see things with fresh eyes and uncover a new perspective on the product or service.

We learned things from the students too!

The experience of partnering with BMet was enjoyable and certainly beneficial for both sides. The students were able to learn from experienced industry professionals, and our team were delighted to see all the new and fresh ideas from the younger generation.

Our collaboration aids the development of the next generation of workers into our industry. They will learn and grow from this experience and use it approach future marketing challenges, some of which may be in the real-world of marketing.

EDGE are proud of their educational partnerships and the organic developmental recruitment model they take to nurture talent. Providing students with authentic problem-solving activities to deliver real client objectives is the best approach to prepare them for the world of marketing, and having such experience is vital when seeking employment for the first time.

Want to work alongside a progressive branding company in Birmingham?

Building and selling brands is our passion. We might be based in Sutton Coldfield, but we can help you build and sell your business no matter where you are.

Be it through email and marketing communications, developing your website from scratch, or simply consulting with us, our digital agency will give you the creative solutions you need to market your business and increase your bottom line.

Interested in working alongside our multi-faceted, talented team of marketing experts? Get in touch. Call the office on 0121 355 8092 or email us at info@edge-creative.com and we’ll be happy to help.