One thing we tend not to shout about much here at Orchard PR is our experience in project management. It’s something that is not only second nature to many of the team but also a key part of the role we play for our clients.
The Guernsey Bar
A few months ago we were asked to help The Guernsey Bar put together their stand for the Guernsey Careers Show 2014. This year the organisers were determined to make the event a much more interactive showcase, demonstrating the employment opportunities available in Guernsey by using bite-size tasters of different professions and making them more accessible, exciting, motivating and engaging for the show’s visitors.
Given this brief we began to develop a plan for The Guernsey Bar ahead of the April show. With three months lead time we began to put a project plan together, we appointed a creative agency and we started the process of creating an engaging stand to represent the legal profession and the careers it offers.
We had already worked with the Guernsey Bar and digital agency Blix to rebrand the organisation and develop a new web presence. Now creative agency Two Degrees North came on board to work up creative designs for the exhibition stand and an informative leaflet.
To give the stand something more visual to help it make an impact we borrowed an advocate’s gown and toque (the name given to an advocate’s hat), which we placed on a mannequin overlooking the show floor.
The strapline we developed for use on the display material was “There’s more to law than lawyers”. With two pop-up banners accompanying the main exhibition display, as well as the handout leaflets, we endeavoured to profile five main careers available within the legal profession; as well as the opportunity to become a lawyer.
We also put together a digital quiz and a showreel of famous court scenes taken from well-known films to help bring the stand to life.
Working with all the law firms in the island we put together a rota of volunteers who manned the stand throughout the day – this is what they said about their experiences:
“The stand was tremendous – it was eye-catching and the addition of the robes this year made it clear that it was a stand about law (and not cocktail-making as some students have previously thought!) It was also good to have the handout which included representatives from each firm and highlighted that there are many different options for careers within the legal sector. This made the stand more accessible to the students.” Casey Foster, Mourant Ozannes.
“I thought the stand looked very professional. We had a steady stream of visitors and it was good to see that the new re-vamped stand did its stuff. Thanks to you and your colleagues for your work on that.” Jo Cottell, Collas Crill.
“The stand and mannequin worked well. Maybe next time we could have a couple of real advocates in their robes.” Claire Long, Ogier.
The Guernsey Financial Services Commission
The GFSC also enlisted our services for the Guernsey Careers Show 2014. The Commission wanted a simple display that provided a solid presence, while also showing the variety of roles available within financial services regulation. The aim was to build awareness of the Commission and promote its recruitment activity, including the recently launched graduate trainee scheme.
‘Why work for just one financial company, when you can work with all of them?’ That was the key question posed by the strapline on the exhibition stand and information brochure, each following a concept designed by Two Degrees North. The layout was impactful and focused on showing the variety that can be experienced when looking at Guernsey’s financial services industry from a different perspective.
We coordinated the production of both the stand and brochure, helping to prepare engaging and informative content for the latter. This involved arranging a photo shoot and conducting interviews with the Commission’s analysts and support staff so that we could present the human face of the company and the diverse paths that its key staff members had taken to get to where they are today.
A final (perhaps most important) element of the stand was the competition to name and win a giant soft toy leopard, inspired by the GFSC’s logo. This added an eye-catching and light-hearted angle to the overall display, balancing its more serious messages. Our vote went for ‘Reggie the Regulator’.