News / 21 Mar 2024
Students gain industry experience with creative agency Ride Shotgun
BA (Hons) Marketing Communications
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Students Millie Addinall and Maia Johnston on placement at Ride Shotgun. Photograph courtesy of Ride Shotgun.
Students on BA (Hons) Creative Advertising (now BA (Hons) Marketing Communications) were given the opportunity to pitch to creative agency Ride Shotgun, who set a competition brief for their client HSBC.
Final year students Maia Johnston and Millie Addinall were chosen as the winners and given a two-week paid placement at Ride Shotgun, working on briefs and spending time gaining experience in different departments.
Working across both the Sheffield and Leeds offices, Maia and Millie were given the chance to work on three briefs whilst on placement, pitching ideas and receiving feedback from the teams.
They found not only the work opportunities invaluable, but also the chance to receive insights from those already working in the agency, allowing them to find out more about what is involved in a range of roles; from client services to styling, production and social media marketing.
“Overall the two weeks at Ride Shotgun was a turning point for our career, we got to learn so many things about the industry and now have a confident idea of where we’d like to be in the future. It's exactly what you need just before graduating, we hope to see everyone again!”
Maia Johnston and Millie Addinall, BA (Hons) Creative Advertising students
Both Leeds Arts University and Ride Shotgun recognise the value of gaining real-life experience, making connections and getting a full insight into the creative industries. Working with external agencies to set live briefs allow students to make the most of their time at university, building up a portfolio and beginning to make valuable connections long before graduating.
“As a student, the time I spent working on live briefs in agencies was what landed me my first junior job. Working with Nick and the creative advertising students is a great way to pay it forward. It was hard to choose a winner from the brief we set, but Millie and Maia stood out to us. Their campaign had a great idea at the core, presented confidently and articulately. They were a joy to have on placement in our Leeds and Sheffield studios, tackling every brief with flair and enthusiasm. Well done guys, you smashed it!”
Ellen Jackson, Senior Copywriter at Ride Shotgun