Schedules

Here’s a taste of what’s to come.
Simply click each day to reveal the schedule

Thursday 7th November


Conference Registration opens


Welcome and Introduction


An Audience with Sir John Hegarty

This year’s conference opens with a ‘must see’ talk from one of the world’s most awarded and respected ad men – co-founder and Worldwide Creative Director of BBH
, Sir John Hegarty.

His groundbreaking work for Levi’s made launderettes sexy, he made ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ part of the English language and pioneered the use of music in commercials.

A legendary creative, Sir John is also an outspoken commentator on the state of our art. In this keynote session he’ll be discussing the UK advertising industry, taking us through what we’re doing right, where things have been going wrong and how we can take back creative control.

Keynote Speaker:
Sir John Hegarty, Co-Founder and Worldwide Creative Director, BBH

Producers:
Jackie Badham
Doug Murchie

Sponsored by A&E Networks


One Minute Briefs

Great ideas don’t have to take forever, and this session puts that to the test.

It’s quick fire creative as Nick Entwistle and James Clancy from the Bank of Creativity bring their Twitter challenge to life at PromaxBDA UK. Find out how one minute briefs can help unleash your creativity and change the way you think creatively. Always interesting, sometimes ingenious and occasionally ridiculous… The idea might be really good or really shit but at least you’ve only spent one minute on it!

You can take the One Minute Brief challenge with Nick and James – they’ll be there all day in the upstairs breakout space, so test your creative skills and see if their Twitter followers vote your creative to be the winner.

Speakers:
Nick Entwistle and James Clancy, Bank of Creativity

Producer:
Pauline Russell, BBC Worldwide


How British TV Conquered the World

Pop Idol dazzled them, Strictly spun them in circles, Come Dine With Me…errrr, wined and dined them – and that’s just the reality stuff.

From Downton Abbey to Top Gear, our tiny island has become a powerhouse for must see telly. We’ve blazed a
trail and set the tone. Well done everyone! But what is it about our distinctive quirkiness that’s helped make such a big splash abroad?

Take one panel of TV experts, a comedy quizmaster, add a bit of British eccentricity and a classic quiz show format. Then sit back and watch as they tussle over the facts and wrestle with the fiction, as we test our guests to see if they really do know their British telly.

Panel:
Duncan Gray, Commercial Director of Top Gear, BBC Worldwide
Steve November, Director of Drama, ITV
Tracy Forsyth, VP of Commissioning, BBC Worldwide
Shane Taylor, Actor

Host:

Jeff Leach, Actor and Comedian

Producers:
Michelle Grayburn, BBC Worldwide
Sarah Johnson, BBC Worldwide

Sponsored by NBC Universal International Television


Unlock Your Creative Genius – The Improv Way

Creative juices run dry..? Your nimble mind lost its mojo…? What you need is a bit of improv in your life.

Off script, off piste, off the top of your head - on the spot thinking is enough to put fear into the best of us, but armed with a few tricks of the improv trade you’ll be ready to face anything.

Forget everything you think you know about improv and find out how it can unlock your creativity and help you nail brainstorming and pitches.

Speakers:

Steve Roe and Max Dickens Hoopla Improv

Producers:
Gemma Baukham, BBC Worldwide
Gema Enseñat Sky Creative

Sponsored by Nickelodeon


Project Reem – The ITV Rebrand

This was no ordinary rebrand… this was a project of epic proportions. Find out how ITV took on the challenge of rebranding every aspect of their brand identity right down to the staff ID cards – on one day.

Reemah Sakaan and Phil Lind from ITV and the team from ENVY reveal how they set about re-positioning the brand
to ‘The heart of popular culture’ with collaborative creative thinking, innovative post production and getting viewers to do their own car stunts. You’ll get some juicy techy stuff with live ‘colour picking’ as the team make an ITV Ident right in front of your eyes – this session is a master class on how to engage consumers with your brand.

Speakers:
Reemah Sakaan, Director of Marketing & Media Planning, ITV Network
Phil Lind, ITV Creative Director
Marcus Dryden, Head of VFX, ENVY
Dave Ince, Head of Design, ENVY

Producer:
Olivia Heriot-Walker, ITV Creative

Sponsored by ITV


Lunch

 


Great (British) Creative

What is British Creative, and is it Great..?

We’re a tiny island that has offered so much creativity to the world – but are we still at the top of our game? Does being British influence our creative output, and what can the UK creative industry do to continue to make its mark globally?

In a specially shot film we ask these questions to an eclectic mix of the UK’s leading creative minds from the worlds
of film, photography, theatre, dance, architecture and beyond; from fashion designers Bruce Oldfield and Wayne Hemmingway, to composers Nitin Sawhney and Patrick Doyle, and from Choccywoccydoodah to The Tranny with a Fanny.

Then we take to the stage as Damian Barr, journalist and host of the Shoreditch House Literary Salon, chairs the debate, talking to cultural commentators Patrick Burgoyne of Creative Review and Boyd Hilton of Heat Magazine, and director and producer of An Idiot Abroad and The Moaning of Life Krishnendu Majumdar. Prepare to be challenged and inspired by creative minds and strong opinions.

Host:

Damian Barr, Writer and Journalist

Panel:
Patrick Burgoyne, Editor, Creative Review
Krishnendu Majumdar, TV Director and Exec Producer, You & Me Productions
Boyd Hilton, Editor, Heat Magazine
Pam Hogg, Fashion Director

Producers:
Pauline Russell, BBC Worldwide
Marko Domazet, BBC Worldwide

Sponsored by BBC


F*@k You - I Suck - We Can Make It Better

Feedback – it’s enemy number one for creatives – so how do you deal with it…?

Award winning Creative Director Jim De Zoete from Red Bee Media and comedian and former promo creative Jake Yapp take a look at the three emotional states creatives go through when faced with feedback. They’ll help you move on from “f*@k you”, changing the way you respond to negative feedback – it’s the holy grail of creative development.

Speakers:

Jim De Zoete, Creative Director, Red Bee Media
Jake Yapp, Comedian and Presenter

Producers:
Laurence Honderick, Red Bee Media
Simon K. Matthews, Red Bee Media


Video Made The Popstar

Ever wondered what inspires pop stars when they make music videos? Well here is your opportunity to find out.

Iconic Erasure front-man Andy Bell talks about their collaboration with Tim Burton’s animation company, and music video director Nadia Marquard Otzen tells us how she helped launch the career of Emilie Sandé.

Joining them will be award winning music video commissioner to the stars, James Hackett. Together we’ll go on a musical journey through the creative thinking behind the visuals.

Host:
David Knight, Editorial Director of the UK Music Video Awards and Promo News

Speakers:
Andy Bell, Singer and Musician, Erasure
Nadia Marquard Otzen, Director at A+ Academy Films
James Hackett, Head of Video Commissioning, Virgin Records

Producers:

Sarah Pickering, Sony ATV Music Publishing
Steph Perrin, Felt Music


We Need To Talk About Alan

Monkey Tennis didn’t happen, but something even bigger did… Alan Partridge made it to the big screen and was one of the funniest films of 2013.

Brothers Rob and Neil Gibbons are the writing team behind Alpha Papa and Sky Atlantic HD’s ‘Mid Morning Matters’. Together they jumped through hoops, endured frantic on-set rewrites and battled with fan expectations to bring Alan to the multiplex.

In this session they’ll talk about their writing process and how they handled the pressure, we might even find out what’s next for Alan. For aspiring comedy writers everywhere, you’d have to be a mentalist to miss it.

Speakers:
Rob Gibbons and Neil Gibbons, Screenwriters

Host:
Danny Leigh, Film Critic, Journalist and Co-Presenter of Film 2013

Producers:
Zehra Faik, Sky Creative
Helen Barry


PUK @ Promax

Head to the conservatory for a night of booze, music and moves – The Funky Junkies bring day one of the conference to a close in style with a PUK bash definitely worth staying out for.


Friday 8th November


The People’s Choice

The judges have made their decision, but what do you think? Which promo moved you to tears, or made you get up and high five the person next to you?

Don’t miss your chance to view the best creative work of the year and vote for your favourite promo.

The session starts early, so to tease you out of bed Universal’s Production Music crew are offering the chance to win
two tickets to see Disclosure. There will also be coffee and biscuits.

A competition, caffeine and great creative – what more do you need to get you out of bed…?

Producers:

Farah Hasan, Universal Music
John Morgan, JM Creative

Sponsored by Discovery


The Sting – Sky Arts

Fresh eyes, fresh talent and a fresh new look for Sky Arts.

When Sky Arts opened its screens and its brand to an
army of fresh faced students, no one quite knew what
to expect. A few years on and the results of the Sky Arts Stings competition are clear for all to see. Great work from tomorrow’s creatives, today. This session looks at how the winning work was produced and how students partnered with Sky Creative to bring their ideas to the screen. Join us as we celebrate emerging talent and ask some important questions about the role experience plays in the creative process.

Come and meet the art students, get up close to their work and digitally create your own Sky Arts logo, they’ll be there all day in the upstairs breakout space.

Presenters:

Alastair Austin, Creative Head, Sky Arts
Kristen Bjaastad, Art Director, Sky Creative

Students:
Michael Clarke
Veronica Law
Sarah Bradley

Producers:
Kristen Bjaastad, Sky Creative
Paul Butler, Sky Creative
Steve Emery, Sky Creative


Ajaz Ahmed - Creative Velocity. Staying Hungry. Staying Foolish.

Ajaz Ahmed founded digital advertising agency AKQA when he was 21 years old. At the age of 39 he sold his controlling stake for over £240 million. Today AKQA employs 1,500 people and is the world’s most awarded digital agency, with clients including Nike, Google, Audi and Red Bull.

This is a must see session for anyone within broadcast media’s creative industry – Ajaz reveals the secrets of his success and discusses inspiration, innovation and how to adapt to survive in the digital age. He offers a new way of thinking when it comes to producing useful, compelling creative, relevant to today’s media-savvy consumer.

Speaker:

Ajaz Ahmed, Founder and CEO, AKQA

Producers:

Richard Kinning, Turner
Jennifer Conneely

Sponsored by Channel 4


Cool Shit from Everywhere Else

Looking for nuggets of creative inspiration? Look no further
We’ve shone a spotlight on UK creative, now lets see the rest of the world is up to. Join Federico Gaggio, a master at finding cool shit, as he takes us on a journey around the globe. Don’t miss his new showcase of inspiring, creative and innovative work, connecting and engaging people with brands in surprising ways. There’s some cool shit out there – we promise!

Speaker:
Federico Gaggio, VP, Executive Creative Director, Discovery Western Europe


Design Is Dead. Long Live Design

Join Joe Marshall of M-I-E and Kevin Hill of The Council in a mind-bending celebration of all things Great, British and Design.

In this lively session our two hosts agree to disagree as
they take you on a visually stimulating and eclectic journey, exploring what links Prince Harry to a Hobnob and explaining why these are two great examples of outstanding British Design.

So, if you’ve ever thought design is a logo in 10pt Helvetica, this is the session to well and truly change that idea, as we declare: Design Is Dead – Long Live Design.

Speakers:
Joe Marshall, Co-Founder and Exec Producer, M-I-E
Kevin Hill, Creative Director, The Council

Sponsored by Red Bee Media


Ode To The Stomach: Tasty Creativity with Bompas & Parr

They’ve set Grade II listed monuments in 55,000 litres of jelly, fl ooded the roof of Selfridges to create a boating lake, and planted a giant Pineapple Island at Kew Gardens to celebrate Incredible Edibles.

Sam Bompas the man behind world renowned ‘architectural foodsmiths’ Bompas & Parr reveals the secrets behind their cutting edge technology and their creative approach to creating spectacular food experiences. And they’re bringing their Whisky Tornado into action at this year’s PromaxBDA UK. Have a snifter….

Speaker:
Sam Bompas, Co-Founder, Bompas & Parr
Ann Charlott Ommedal, Tornado Technician, Bompas & Parr

Producer:
Sofia Asif, BBC Worldwide


Promax Envy Charity Challenge

A real conference favourite. Eager creative teams compete against each other to produce an engaging, innovative campaign idea that will raise a charity’s profile, and showcase their own dazzling talents in front of their peers. They’ll step up on stage and have a pitch off, a friendly battle to decide which idea gets the charity’s vote.

This year we’re proud to support Carers UK, a nationwide charity that was set up to help those often overlooked individuals who are responsible for the care of a disabled, older or seriously ill family member or friend.

Creative Teams:
Red Bee Media
Sky Creative
TellyJuice
Turner

Judges:
Emily Holzhausen, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Carers UK
Maggie Stratton, Media Officer, Carers UK
Natascha Cadle, Founder/Facility Director, ENVY
Joanna Sheppard, Head of Creative, BBC Worldwide

Host:
Brett Davey, Director of Creative & Original Production UK, Turner

Producers:
Sarah Gerona, Red Bee Media
Ben Mahon, Red Bee Media


The Promax Short Film Festival – The Winner

For the first time PromaxBDA UK has joined up with The Smalls and opened up the short film competition to even more UK talent. Watch the winning short film on the big screen.

Check out the shortlist of films in Competition – playing in the lounge, next to the downstairs session space throughout the Conference.

Producers:

Supergrizzly and The Smalls

Sponsored by UKTV


Closing Keynote: Tony Kaye – Iconic Director

D&AD’s most awarded commercials director, the iconic and inspirational Tony Kaye has fl own in from Los Angles to deliver the closing keynote speech at the PromaxBDA UK conference.

In this not to be missed session, the director of American History X, artist, musician and cinematographer, reveals how he set out to change the world of TV commercials – and succeeded.

Keynote Speaker:
Tony Kaye, Director and Creative

Interviewer:
Mark Lawson, Journalist and Broadcaster

Producers:
Chris Jones, Sky Creative
Joanna Sheppard, BBC Worldwide

Sponsored by Sky


The PromaxBDA UK 2013 Awards & Dinner Sponsored by Envy

It’s red carpet time as we head to London’s Hilton Park Lane to celebrate the best of what we do. Join EMI for the Champagne Reception from 7.00 before talking your seats for dinner at 7.45… And stay on for the After Hours Cocktail Party sponsored by Imagem