Beyond chuffed to be working with Beyond Meat as their pan-European agency, and to welcome them to the isobel family. 

Looking forward to getting stuck in. Not that we haven't already..

Beyond Meat Win

Whilst the nation’s attention is firmly centred on the Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands, we've been looking to football’s future here at isobel.

The London-based agency has extended its girl’s grassroots football initiative, 

, with two new U16s team signings, from Southeast London to Manchester.

In preparation for the new season in September, isobel now sponsors 6 girls football teams. The isobel Kicks initiative began in 2023 to help grow the grassroots girl’s game and provide football kit sponsorship to teams that don’t have the financial backing.

Williams, Managing Partner of isobel, says,

 “The momentum behind girl’s football is so positive, and the opportunities for growth and equality, are very real. But there are also still barriers in place and challenges to be overcome, and one of those is being able to afford kits. If we can play even a small part in giving more girls the opportunity to play football, then we’ll all be a very proud bunch at isobel.”

In addition to sponsoring kits, isobel is also partnering with professional football clubs, to provide isobel Kicks sponsored team members with workshop sessions, such as 

. Sessions will take place over the school holidays.

It's coming home!

We really love doing this every year – and every year we’re just as surprised by how motivated and proactive our students are.

This time the class got stuck into a brief close to their hearts – sustainable fashion. They took a week to build a strategy and a creative idea to present to the agency and our judges.

As per usual, the students were given talks and workshops from strategist, creatives, designers, finance controllers and video editors – this time also getting an insight into how AI is changing industries. The spent some time at SINE studio, seeing how post production works behind the scenes – and they had a particularly interesting talk on The History of Advertising.

The class was split into two teams for their project. And at the end, both teams were assessed by a panel of judges including Cherie Nelson from Urban Outfitters.

"What an amazing opportunity Isobel offers for young creatives. I have been involved for several years and students absolutely love their time working with the agency staff and students from other schools and colleges. It is great for me to see our students shine in a different setting and the confidence that they show in their pitches after a week at isobel. I believe that this experience has a lasting effect on the young people." - 

Jamie Rogers, Teacher at Charter East Dulwich. 

“I just wanted to write to thank you guys for a wonderful experience last week. I really enjoyed listening to the talks and getting a better insight into the different roles in advertising and having the opportunity to use your fantastic facilities and work in a team to create our ad campaign – I had a lot fun! It was so generous of the whole isobel team to share the office with us and give us so much time. I learnt a lot.” – 

"I found the work experience truly insightful into the advertising industry and loved seeing a glimpse of the office environment. It was amazing to feel so welcomed, and the group project was fun to work on alongside the sessions provided by different members of staff." - 

“It was a privilege to join the isobel team to help judge summer school of 24 student campaign pitches for sustainable fashion. isobel’s summer school is a wonderful programme which gives the students get a real flavour of working in a creative agency and a fantastic opportunity to flex their team working skills and develop confidence. I was impressed by the thought and creativity the students put into their pitches, as well as the time, warmth, and commitment to the programme from the whole team at isobel. - 

"Thank you for providing us a work experience placement at isobel. I enjoyed having talks with every member of isobel and more specifically enjoyed listening to James talk about the History of Advertising.
Although being chosen as the best group for the fashion brief was amazing, I loved working with my group and being given advice by the professionals at isobel." - 

"Thanks isobel team. Last week was a real eye opener into the world of advertising. I was really impressed by the history of advertising and the psychology behind it...I completely recommend future students to grab this opportunity..." - 

"Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work at isobel with you and the team. I really had an amazing time and I feel like I can benefit from this work experience since I learnt many new skills that are important for the future. And I really enjoyed the time I had at isobel and meeting/working with new people." - 

"Thank you for the work experience you all took us through. All of the different talks we had and the different studios were the best part. All of the staff had very nice manners, were welcoming and the food we had everyday was great" - 

"Being on this program was truly inspiring, this enabled me to learn in different ways and levels. I would love to thank the supportive staff members and people that helped us and improve our knowledge." - 

Summer School 2024

Visa makes successful bid to be ‘champion of local shops’

. Otherwise terrestrial is by accident as I look for the football or the latest box set.

We’re changing our shopping habits as well. It’s so much easier online. Why bother actually trudging to all those shops? Takes so long; often disappoints.

Well, that’s exactly what I thought, until late last year we moved out to the country. Turns out shopping in a small market town is an immense pleasure.

People have time for you, are pleased to see you, are unfailingly attentive and polite. There is a real sense of community, of people together getting on with life.

That’s why this commercial from Visa struck home.

We see a series of small-scale shopkeepers singing to Queen’s

, plaintively asking just that – send me customers because I am ready with my heart and soul and product to serve them. Whatever it is – books, records, groceries, picture framing, flowers and so on.

The central idea – that there are some real people waiting to help you on the high street – makes total sense to me now and I could not help feeling a little more committed to the idea of shopping local.

And I like the involving mystery of the ad. It does not spoon-feed you; rather, it gets and holds your attention as the story unfolds.

Does it work for Visa? It’s billed as a Christmas message, which perhaps allowed the length to get to 60 seconds and the tone to be more emotional.

The endline is “Visa. Everywhere you want to be. #WhereYouShopMatters”. Visa takes a low profile in the ad, rather like its role in life. Perhaps branding could be stronger, although I know how hard this can be without getting heavy-handed.

If Visa wants to appear as the everyman champion of local shops, this is a good totem pole. Needs follow-through to really bite, though.

Written by Steve Hastings and originally published in Campaign.

STEVE TALKS VISA

Beyond Meat Win

It's coming home!

Summer School 2024