The Phoenix Partners is delighted to have won a Bronze Award in the inaugural Corporate Engagement Awards presented last week by Communicate Magazine at a ceremony at The Light in London.
The Award recognises the success of the Tuxedo Reward and Recognition Programme which the agency created on behalf of Canon Europe, and was designed to inspire and motivate its European sales team.
The Tuxedo campaign was entered into the ‘Relationship building as part of a sponsorship campaign’ category. The programme included a memorable and luxurious Member Weekend for nearly 350 VIPs and staff in Berlin last March, as well as all associated communications activity, gift sourcing and fulfilment.
For more information about corporate engagement programmes carried out by The Phoenix Partners, please contact Rachel Hargrave on 01590 815026.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Monday, 25 July 2011
IOD sponsorship confirmed
The Phoenix Partners has agreed to sponsor the Institute of Directors’ (IOD) regional events programme beginning in September.
The partnership commences with the Annual Business Leaders’ Dinner in Nottingham on 22nd September, when the agency will be providing audio-visual support as well as providing creative input by theming the event.
The sponsorship also comprises four networking lunches to be held quarterly at the Old Chemistry Theatre at Nottingham Conference Centre, and is the second (non consecutive) time for the agency.
Rachel Hargrave, managing director at the agency and the current vice-chair of the Leicestershire committee, commented: “As a highly active agency within the region we look to encourage co-operation between neighbouring businesses wherever possible and the IOD’s objectives match that perfectly. We see the IOD as one of the prime organisations leading the way in promoting what the East Midlands has to offer, and welcome any opportunities to talk to members firsthand about their own experiences and aspirations.”
Sue Charlesworth at the IOD, added: “We look to key businesses in the region to lead the way in future growth and success, and we are delighted that The Phoenix Partners has once again taken up an intrinsic role in the fulfilment of our services.”
For more information about the IOD contact Sue Charlesworth on 0115 848 6190.
Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com
The partnership commences with the Annual Business Leaders’ Dinner in Nottingham on 22nd September, when the agency will be providing audio-visual support as well as providing creative input by theming the event.
The sponsorship also comprises four networking lunches to be held quarterly at the Old Chemistry Theatre at Nottingham Conference Centre, and is the second (non consecutive) time for the agency.
Rachel Hargrave, managing director at the agency and the current vice-chair of the Leicestershire committee, commented: “As a highly active agency within the region we look to encourage co-operation between neighbouring businesses wherever possible and the IOD’s objectives match that perfectly. We see the IOD as one of the prime organisations leading the way in promoting what the East Midlands has to offer, and welcome any opportunities to talk to members firsthand about their own experiences and aspirations.”
Sue Charlesworth at the IOD, added: “We look to key businesses in the region to lead the way in future growth and success, and we are delighted that The Phoenix Partners has once again taken up an intrinsic role in the fulfilment of our services.”
For more information about the IOD contact Sue Charlesworth on 0115 848 6190.
Rachel Hargrave
t: 01509 815026
e: Rachel@thephoenixpartners.com
Thursday, 21 July 2011
An Insider's View On a Meetings and Incentive Forum in Noordwijk, The Netherlands
It’s perhaps a little embarrassing to admit, although I’m probably not alone, but when anyone mentions the Netherlands I think of city breaks in Amsterdam or shipping conferences in Rotterdam, not of a beach holiday.
But Noordwijk is about 30 minutes outside of Schiphol airport and is a lovely resort on the beach.
Having never attended an M&I Forum before all I knew was that I had preselected from the supplier list so I could attend meetings relevant to The Phoenix Partners.
We arrived throughout Tuesday and enjoyed a stunning cocktail and buffet held on the beach front patio at the Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin where I was staying. With great entertainment and a fantastic buffet including a huge tuna fish carvery we had our first conversations with the suppliers and other European buyers. Everyone was commenting on how few buyers were there from the UK... perhaps they were attending over the weekend once we had returned home?
After an early night (honest!) we had a beautiful breakfast and briefing before a busy day of meetings. These were really useful. I’d picked hotels and chains that I had no real knowledge of and came away with a couple of instantly useful contacts for our clients and projects.
Later that afternoon we reconvened on the beach for team building. The choices included sand sculpture, rafting, beach games, power kiting and a seminar on organising conferences. In a dare devil moment I opted for power kiting. It was difficult to walk along the beach as it was so windy! We had to tether each other to the beach as the kites dragged us along. Hard work but lots of fun!
After a shower to remove the beach from the ears and teeth we regrouped in the foyer to transfer to a boat that cruised along the canal. Again more food and entertainment – far too much wine and dancing followed - but I managed to be up for breakfast at 8am. More meetings before I transferred back to Schiphol for the journey home.
I think this is an ideal format to meet with hotels, DMCs and tourist boards to ensure that we stay ahead of the competition with regards to proposals or to enable us to differentiate ourselves to our clients – offering them a little extra knowledge or an amazing offer. A big thank you to the organisers.
The end result - some great contacts and a slightly stiff neck from the kiting!!
Jo Fahey - Sales Manager
t: 01509 815026
e: joanne@thephoenixpartners.com
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Design - a way of life!
We are very lucky at The Phoenix Partners to have a design department that not only has two guys that are great to work with but equally great at what they do. In fact, it probably isn’t going too far to say that design, photography and all associated technology takes up a lot of their life.
Designers see things differently. If getting the right shot when the creative impulse strikes means going that extra mile, rummaging around in flower beds or lying on the floor, well that’s just what needs to happen – isn’t it Roger?
So, being key members of the team, here’s a little bit more about them and their favourite project during their illustrious careers.
Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design
I started life as a photo journalist and, in fact, photography is still hugely important to me. I worked for several different newspapers across the East Midlands before going in-house at a nationwide utilities company. I left to retrain as a graphic designer ooh ... many years ago and have worked in graphic design ever since.
A really fun and memorable project that I was involved with here at the agency came about through a spontaneous bit of pyromania. It was for Castrol and the brief was to produce a giveaway for 200 garage owners (also premium customers) at the launch of a new high performance oil lubricant. It had to be unique and something the recipient would want to see in their everyday working environment.
Castrol had sent us 25 broken and used pieces of motorcycle to incorporate into the piece so we had the idea to set them on fire and took photos at close range using creative angles. The client selected his favourite shot and 200 limited editions were produced. That to me is what design is all about.
Matt Stokes - Designer
I've always been creative; whether it was as a small boy playing make-believe in my grandparents' house, designing projects in Athens during my second year at University or working day-to-day on astonishing projects at The Phoenix Partners. My mind has always been imagining, creating, realising and growing. I work in the best profession in the world designing graphical communication for all manner of clients, both digitally and in print. During my years of working in busy studios I have gained professional qualifications, awards and experience in this addictive industry. I also have developed my photographic ability, firstly as a hobby before incorporating it into my work professionally. I currently live in the beautiful local Charnwood countryside with my wife. In my free time I enjoy running Kilomathons, updating my photo-blog, eating good food and riding my motorbike.
My favourite project is probably because it was incredibly successful in terms of the impact it had. The brief was to create a full blown marketing campaign for Burton College around the term "Get the Burton bug" and implement it, in this case, into a full-time prospectus.
I developed the concept to imply that education was infectious and used this as a style throughout the prospectus. Using photography, I made the bugs come to life with props designed to illustrate courses offered by the college which then adorned the appropriate pages of the prospectus. Taking these concepts, I developed the overall graphical look, choosing appropriate imagery to complete the final clean and clear visual style of the book. As a result of this Burton College won the Best 14-19 Campaign at the FE First Awards in 2008.
To pick the creative brains of Roger or Matt give them a call on 01509 815026.
Designers see things differently. If getting the right shot when the creative impulse strikes means going that extra mile, rummaging around in flower beds or lying on the floor, well that’s just what needs to happen – isn’t it Roger?
So, being key members of the team, here’s a little bit more about them and their favourite project during their illustrious careers.
Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design
I started life as a photo journalist and, in fact, photography is still hugely important to me. I worked for several different newspapers across the East Midlands before going in-house at a nationwide utilities company. I left to retrain as a graphic designer ooh ... many years ago and have worked in graphic design ever since.
A really fun and memorable project that I was involved with here at the agency came about through a spontaneous bit of pyromania. It was for Castrol and the brief was to produce a giveaway for 200 garage owners (also premium customers) at the launch of a new high performance oil lubricant. It had to be unique and something the recipient would want to see in their everyday working environment.
Castrol had sent us 25 broken and used pieces of motorcycle to incorporate into the piece so we had the idea to set them on fire and took photos at close range using creative angles. The client selected his favourite shot and 200 limited editions were produced. That to me is what design is all about.
Matt Stokes - Designer
I've always been creative; whether it was as a small boy playing make-believe in my grandparents' house, designing projects in Athens during my second year at University or working day-to-day on astonishing projects at The Phoenix Partners. My mind has always been imagining, creating, realising and growing. I work in the best profession in the world designing graphical communication for all manner of clients, both digitally and in print. During my years of working in busy studios I have gained professional qualifications, awards and experience in this addictive industry. I also have developed my photographic ability, firstly as a hobby before incorporating it into my work professionally. I currently live in the beautiful local Charnwood countryside with my wife. In my free time I enjoy running Kilomathons, updating my photo-blog, eating good food and riding my motorbike.
My favourite project is probably because it was incredibly successful in terms of the impact it had. The brief was to create a full blown marketing campaign for Burton College around the term "Get the Burton bug" and implement it, in this case, into a full-time prospectus.
I developed the concept to imply that education was infectious and used this as a style throughout the prospectus. Using photography, I made the bugs come to life with props designed to illustrate courses offered by the college which then adorned the appropriate pages of the prospectus. Taking these concepts, I developed the overall graphical look, choosing appropriate imagery to complete the final clean and clear visual style of the book. As a result of this Burton College won the Best 14-19 Campaign at the FE First Awards in 2008.
To pick the creative brains of Roger or Matt give them a call on 01509 815026.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
My Olympic Interview
Having applied to become a Games Maker – one of the 70,000 volunteers who will make the London 2012 games happen - I attended my first interview at Warwick University on Sunday 10th July.
The whole process took around an hour and a half including registration and security briefings. In a group of 30 we watched videos from the key sponsors talking about what they are looking for in every Games Maker: their skills, their personality and their passion for the Games. We each then had a one-to-one competency-based interview.
I was volunteering to be in the Events Services team. My interview went well and as a result I volunteered to be a team leader at one of the athletics venues spread across London. The role involves welcoming visitors into all the Olympic and Paralympic venues offering assistance. There’ll be highs and lows as while we will get to meet and help people from all around the world and add to their experience of the Games, we’ll also be working long days and won’t get to see the field of play.
Games Makers need to have excellent communication skills, a can-do attitude and be firm and assertive when necessary. Responsibilities and tasks will include providing leadership and support to Event Services team members, making sure team members are in the right positions and helping team members give excellent customer service to spectators and other visitors.
These are skills I use in my day to day role at The Phoenix Partners so I have every confidence that I can make a real contribution as well as enjoy the experience.
I left feeling really motivated and excited about London 2012. Unfortunately it’s a long wait now – we hear via email in late 2011 – so it’s fingers crossed until then!
Jo Fahey - Sales Manager
t: 01509 815026
e: joanne@thephoenixpartners.com
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
The big event!
Creating events, running events and travelling the world in the process? The life of an event organiser isn’t for everyone but it certainly is for Rachel Hargrave, our MD here at The Phoenix Partners! Here are some of her highlights to date.
My first event: A conference for Goldsmiths at The Forest of Arden – 18 years ago – always exciting, if you’ve never done an event before to see how a show comes together.
The event I am most proud of: Honda’s 50th birthday celebration at ICC Birmingham – because the director turned the story of Honda’s 50 years into a musical which turned out to be phenomenal. We were also able to wow the audience with some new technology at the time, wireless headphones and everyone in the audience had a set to listen through. But the thing I remember most was how silent and spooky it was in the ICC during the performance. We had amazing feedback with some people saying how it had changed their life!
My most disastrous event: Probably the occasion when we did an event where the singer ‘lost her voice’ during the after dinner performance. Although I was tempted to give it a go on the mic, we thought it was best to quickly identify a replacement and thankfully the audience was understanding and supportive!
My fantasy event: It would be an incentive conference event to Argentina. It’s such a vast country and it’s certainly a region I would love to explore after my walk up Kilimanjaro in September. If we could appoint Sir Ranulph Fiennes or Ray Mears along the way, even better!
An event I wish I could have attended: The event which incorporated the launch of the Bentley Continental at the Geneva motor show. Just simply, I wish I’d been there!
To plan your next event through Rachel give her a call on 01509 815026.
Adapted from a piece for M&IT Magazine, July issue.
Thursday, 7 July 2011
How to Haiku?
Following on from our blog about our fabulous photo wall, here’s another insight into a half day creative enjoyed by one of our team members Gita. Haiku verse, for anyone who hasn’t come across it before, is a short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities; the juxtaposition of two images or ideas, three phrases consisting of 17 syllables, and a reference to the natural world.
A four pronged attack.
A silvery impaler
Of delicate flesh
- what am I?
Guardian of the hearth,
Constraining wild and
Untrammelled passion within.
- what am I?
His life. His passion.
His very soul. A
Metallic stallion rampant.
- what am I?
Sweet chapel of ease.
Fragrant off’rings left
At this porcelain altar
- what am I?
Pixelated seduction.
Enraptured, through the
Square window we fall.
- what am I?
Encircled by iron,
Steaming with anger,
Now shrieking for attention.
- what am I?
English dragon, he
Wears a coat of fire.
A kings sword is less mighty
- who am I?
Have fun working out what these are. If you get stuck email us at office@thephoenixpartners.com and we’ll reveal all.
A four pronged attack.
A silvery impaler
Of delicate flesh
- what am I?
Guardian of the hearth,
Constraining wild and
Untrammelled passion within.
- what am I?
His life. His passion.
His very soul. A
Metallic stallion rampant.
- what am I?
Sweet chapel of ease.
Fragrant off’rings left
At this porcelain altar
- what am I?
Pixelated seduction.
Enraptured, through the
Square window we fall.
- what am I?
Encircled by iron,
Steaming with anger,
Now shrieking for attention.
- what am I?
English dragon, he
Wears a coat of fire.
A kings sword is less mighty
- who am I?
Have fun working out what these are. If you get stuck email us at office@thephoenixpartners.com and we’ll reveal all.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Love paper?
There’s something subliminal about paper as far as our office is concerned. Just the thought of a trip to Paperchase sends several of our team members’ hearts a flutter. Our designers though place paper on the highest pedestal of all, it being, of course, fundamental to the fulfilment of their design dreams.
And of all papers, Fedrigoni is one name they turn to when an exclusive approach is required by clients who want something that little bit special. Our head of design Roger recently accepted an invitation to their ‘Love Paper’ event to explore more of their range first hand for when the next bespoke project warrants it.
Roger says: “Fedrigoni is a name synonymous with quality and we’ve used it when the project deserves the finer touch. We also like their environmental ethos as they’ve developed a range that is FSC certified that can be printed on using certain digital printers – something that’s not always possible without compromising quality.
“It’s not an everyday solution but for small quantities where the first impression counts for everything Fedrigoni is always worth considering. We used their X-Per paper for invitations for a special event recently. This is a natural paper with a pleasantly textures and consistently tactile surface and great for printing. Our client fell in love with the design as soon as she saw it which is obviously the effect we like to have with all our projects!”
To see if our design team can have the Cupid-effect between you and your next design project give Roger a call. Or indulge yourself in Fedrigoni’s ware at www.fedrigoni.co.uk!
Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design
m. 07778 389 999
e. roger@thephoenixpartners.com
And of all papers, Fedrigoni is one name they turn to when an exclusive approach is required by clients who want something that little bit special. Our head of design Roger recently accepted an invitation to their ‘Love Paper’ event to explore more of their range first hand for when the next bespoke project warrants it.
Roger says: “Fedrigoni is a name synonymous with quality and we’ve used it when the project deserves the finer touch. We also like their environmental ethos as they’ve developed a range that is FSC certified that can be printed on using certain digital printers – something that’s not always possible without compromising quality.
“It’s not an everyday solution but for small quantities where the first impression counts for everything Fedrigoni is always worth considering. We used their X-Per paper for invitations for a special event recently. This is a natural paper with a pleasantly textures and consistently tactile surface and great for printing. Our client fell in love with the design as soon as she saw it which is obviously the effect we like to have with all our projects!”
To see if our design team can have the Cupid-effect between you and your next design project give Roger a call. Or indulge yourself in Fedrigoni’s ware at www.fedrigoni.co.uk!
Roger Bradshaw – Head of Design
m. 07778 389 999
e. roger@thephoenixpartners.com
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