Ogilvy Group UK’s second Ideas Shop – at which the agency offers its services free of charge – has been acclaimed as a “huge success” and has garnered universal praise from the people who matter most – its clients.
Over three days from July 8th to 10th, the Ogilvy Idea Shop served as an advertising and marketing clinic for local businesses, community projects, charities, arts groups and other organisations and enterprising individuals in the area.
The Idea Shop was open to everyone and was staffed by agency volunteers, all of them experts in their individual fields, such as creative, advertising, mobile marketing, search, web builds, PR, direct marketing, design, branding and events organisation. Team members were also on hand to advise on related areas such as mastering the web, brainstorming, event management, presenting and pitching. Agency experts also gave evening talks on subjects such as PR, search, digital marketing and using mobile phones to boost your business.
The Shop was opened (see above) by Gareth Jones, editor of the leading trade weekly Marketing, and over the three days 70 organisations, businesses and individuals were seen by the team. The feedback has so far been overwhelmingly positive.
Jartua Gilpin of Carmel Bridge, an organisation which help migrants utilise their skills, knowledge and talents in the job market, said: “I’d like to thank you again for the excellent sessions. I had an excellent adviser in Ange Luke, whose enthusiasm and generosity were a real boost for me. I also had great opportunities for networking.
“Thanks for the time and effort you put in, it was very well received and I am sure will propel a good few of the businesses present to better success. I shall stay in touch and keep you posted of ‘our’ collective progress – as you certainly are part of the budding success that Carmel Bridge will be.”
Sophia Cheng of the Environmental Investigation Agency added: “The Idea Shop was a great idea! I really think it was invaluable for us, we often have ideas but to have them endorsed and developed by those with experience is really encouraging. I am sure there will be many grateful organisations and businesses come the end of Saturday.
“We left the workshop feeling inspired, the ideas discussed were exciting and interesting but importantly, do-able for a small workforce to take on. Immediately, we are improving our email layout and working on setting up an EIA blog.”
“Marketing plays an essential role in the successes of any enterprise but small businesses and charities can’t always afford to employ communications professionals”, says copywriter Ruth Jamieson, founder and manager of the Idea Shop. “What the Ogilvy Idea Shop is intended to do is offer tailor-made sets of ideas and tactics that can be implemented straight away. We feel that with the positive feedback that’s coming in, we have achieved just that.”
This is the second time Ogilvy has run an Idea Shop, the first being at Brixton Market in February. Ogilvy plans to open Idea Shops in other areas of London later in the year.
A dedicated website and blog is now up and running, at http://ideashop.www.ogilvy.co.uk.
