Burson-Marsteller launches youth division that ‘gets digital’
A public relations firm has created a division of young people who “get digital”.
The Sparks is a team of “bright young things” who are “hooked into social media trends, best practice from brands online, and who grew up with digital news cycles,” WPP agency Burson-Marsteller has announced.
An explanatory note from the agency reads:
The Sparks are the things that inspire us. That set our creative minds flowing and that trigger great ideas. They’re also a young creative group we’ve formed at B-M Australia who are tasked with injecting inspired ideas into everything we do. Einstein said that imagination was more important than knowledge and the formation of this group is a testament to what the youth of our industry can offer from their creative minds.
The team, which was officially unveiled today, has been involved in new business, client sessions and working on creative projects “designed to inspire B-M and the industry”.
One of these projects is a video shot on their iPhones using the 8mm app that explores the meaning of creativity.
The Sparks team – which is made up of people in their early twenties – includes Danielle Harris, Dionne Tanner, Alan McGuinness, Georgia Hewett, Freya Hunter, Dan Silburn and Ursula Williams and is led by B-M’s head of digital, Carly Yanco.
The Sparks team was behind B-M’s Twitter pitch for Kellogg’s, which saw the agency use the #BMmakeskelloggsPOP hashtag to explore Kellogg’s place in pop culture with the following executions.
“For when hunger puts you on the edge #BMmakeskelloggsPOP”
“A big Hunk O’ CocoPop #BMmakeskelloggsPOP”
“Well, colour me happy! There’s enough Crunchy Nut here for two! #BMmakeskelloggsPOP”
Another The Sparks project is the launch of a Tumblr platform, which contains PR and marketing news, opinion pieces from B-M employees, guest blogs and case studies.
Yanco told Mumbrella: “Older generations can, of course, be just as in tune with the digital world as youngsters. The difference with Gen Y is that they haven’t been in the industry so long, so they’re not tainted by experience and siloed into a certain way of thinking.”
“They’re not so limited by what they think might and might not work,” she said.
oh my giddy aunt
User ID not verified.
Good to see two CSU grads in there. Will be keeping an eye on this.
User ID not verified.
a tumbler platform? Get your hand off it.
User ID not verified.
Does this mean that the rest of B-M don’t get digital?
Not a great PR strategy is it?
User ID not verified.
OMG, cant wait to see all of the comments by the COB today. I realise that this ‘launch’ should show how up to speed this agency is however it actually shows exactly the opposite. Sad.
User ID not verified.
Looks like we will see some more of these crackers!
http://www.theage.com.au/natio.....1nv0r.html
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/t.....1nsa4.html
Not that they’re not good at generating content – but what is needed in this space requires much more than just understanding the medium.
User ID not verified.
Looks like there is a few more than two CSU graduates in the mix. Good work guys!
User ID not verified.
I would rather launch a division that gets clients, and even more importantly, consumers. The channel isn’t the message.
User ID not verified.
I don’t really get it.
User ID not verified.
This is a joke right? It’s some sort of mockumentary on the social side of the ad game. Surely?
User ID not verified.
so how exactly does this make money?
User ID not verified.
‘For when hunger puts you on the edge’
Accompanied by that famous photo of NYC builders sitting ‘on the edge’ of a girder.
Job done.
And an Elvis/Warhole in there for good measure.
Looking forward to the Einstein execution.
User ID not verified.
Wow! Just checked out the tumblr and turns out there are keyboard shortcuts for copy and paste!! Ctrl C? Ctrl V? Who new!!!
And I’ll this time I’ve been using the ‘Edit’ drop down menu!
Thank god for these “bright young things” who are “hooked into social media trends, best practice from brands online, and who grew up with digital news cycles.”
User ID not verified.
By way of clarification the idea of The Sparks isn’t based on youngtsers “getting” digital more than others, though I know the title of the article suggests this. Everyone needs to be well versed in the digital space.
The group is about empowering young people in the agency, giving them a voice and letting them flex their creative muscles on projects they wouldn’t usually work on as part of their day-to-day activities.
User ID not verified.
If Yanco is surrounded by a bunch of oldies who are limited by what they think might and might not work, can I suggest she hire some new oldies. Surprising as it may sound, there are lots of experienced folk who love coming up with fresh and innovative ideas. Just as I’m sure there are lots of young people who want to do more than just digital alone, and who probably don’t want to be patronized by being placed in an agency nursey.
As I watch this debate unfold I reckon it’s the 30 to 40 year olds that are the problem. Let’s put them out to pasture and let the rest of us get on with it.
User ID not verified.
But nobody really gives a shit what twentysomething douchetards have to say, and that is their problem. What value does this really add to any customer (or the agency)? All it says is we have hired a bunch of arts degree goons who use Twitter and Facebook and can photoshop famous works of other people to pass off as their own ‘edgy’ and ‘creative’ pieces. If they are so smart, ask them to spell “P-L-A-G-I-A-R-I-S-M” and “Y-A-W-N.” The agencies money would have been better spent on another few ping pong tables and maybe a rock-climbing wall to soothe the fragile ego’s of the creatives, and fade out the hiring of youngsters whose life experience consists of schoolies, uni, watching the Gruen Transfer and drinking at the Marlborough in Newtown on a Saturday night.
User ID not verified.
Drawing on a lot of over used popular images from decades past to push the message on the medium du jour… how, ummm, ordinary.
User ID not verified.
“They’re not so limited by what they think might and might not work,” she said.
They are also not experienced enough to know what can and has worked and vice versa.
Sounds like B-M and the “new” McCann may be a perfect match for clients interested in experimental work by teenagers with “digital at it’s core”, as opposed to customers, sales, channel support etc. etc…..all that boring old school stuff cool young hipsters don’t care about.
User ID not verified.
That fucking movie. That’s a piss take right?
User ID not verified.
wow there sure are a lot of bitter old people reading Mumbrella these days – do you not remember starting in the industry and wishing you had the opportunity to think on some big projects?? No where did it say that these young people are making the decisions and leading pitches… sounds like they have input, and are given the chance to voice their opinions.
If you get some ideas out of it, great! If not then at least the up and comers are getting the experience you are all seem to think they need.
I say good job BM
User ID not verified.
Interesting to see a team that is defined by it’s AGE as it’s key characteristic, rather than by their passion, skillsets or learnings. Whilst i completely agree that the empowerment of younger people in an agency is important, i’m not sure grouping them all together to work on stuff as a team is the way to go about it – Mentorship programs linking different levels of experience have been proven to be highly effective – and highly motivating for both sides of the age equation – be interesting to see what comes out when you re-enforce AGE as the stereotype rather than anything else.
User ID not verified.
The Sparks appear to be a age based subset. A different take perhaps, an experiment. While it might turn up new ideas in preliminary brainstorming sessions, perhaps on further reflection and concept development, it is indeed useful to take account of the experience and achievements of others. As Isaac Newton remarked “If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants”. Do we want pygmy ideas or giant ones or more?
User ID not verified.