Hive Health

As promised mid the 2011 party blog here is the winner of the Group film competition. Pairs were randomly assigned  from across the 3 group companies. Each elite duo tasked with developing a celebration of Hive, birthdays and four years of patient centricity.

Allowed to use only a mobile phones and limited editorial software the event was showcased whilst we were up in Scotland. Hosted by a suitably smart Kieran and Morgaine who despite strict rules managed to enter as well.

Canape fueled voting saw Prateek and Debbie spanking the rest of us with this copywriting and iphone etch-a-sketch effort. Views from the huddled voting masses indicated that ‘Adam’s bulging vein’ won them over. Prateek’s drawing skills clearly demonstrating that all the talent lies in Accounts not creative.

The year has flown since I last wrote about the Communiqué awards. Last year saw us hit highly commended as Best Small Consultancy or first of the Losers as we saw it. The previous blog on the Communiques tells our woeful tale.

The process of getting us to the Communiqués is pretty simple. 1. Write award submission, with full knowledge that the date can be extended for a few pounds. This year saw me and a fellow entrant Jan at Lucid, at all-day brand planning for a shared client, both of us confident that we would get it all done in time that evening.  I was also regretting the offer to ‘just leave it with me’ stubborn in me need to right the wrongs of last year. Later and way into the early hours of the morning I finished the subsequent poem, supporting team mime that contribute to our entry – send them to a snoring Ian and Jas for review.  2. Make it through to the next round. We receive the invite to an interview at Royal Society of Physicians – prepare presentation and practice the company song once again. Ian’s ‘bee flat’ joke practiced and delivered with aplomb. The audience was a cross section of agency folk, potential clients, all chaired delightfully. This year’s questions focus on the figures and the business structure rather than last year’s people focus – I guess a function of our recession. Frankly, we could have been better at the presentation. We were presenting at right angles to the screen and it was pretty weird as far as getting it together we could help but compare to our previous losing effort – which was pretty slick – we left the 2009 interview buzzing. We left this one and headed for a grumpy lunch. 3. Make finalist stage – email from the delightful Debbie T, thus far this is a road well trod for us losers. 4. Decide on table – old friends, new friends and bit of both. Last min drop outs (why does this always happen?!), last min replacements. 5. Attend event. Black tie – tied bow ties, dinner, drinks, and nerves. Prosecco shared in the agency. With ’09 in the mind we thought we would repeat last year’s example of film noir. This year we wangled a special pen spy cam courteously of Q-branch (Ebee) with the mind that you blog readers can share the moment with us. You know the beapart bit by now. So here goes;

(Unfortunately the special spy pen – is stuck in Kate’s bag. Film goes here)

WE LOST. WORSE THAN LAST YEAR. At this rate by 2015 we will be not even allowed to buy tickets.  Consistent losers  – I feel like Andy Murray. Congratulations to the winner’s awesome job. Brilliant news on Lucid s highly commended – lovely people.

Jas and I returned to Mayfair to lick our wounds. The rest of the evening saw a big crowd of us dancing until 6am and me getting advice on not taking winning too seriously by a very helpful Lawrence Dallaglio. Jas also had similar sage advice from a Russian dancing chick, who offered “to make good for losing by you spanking my behind”, an offer that remained untaken.

Thanks loads to all the many friends who shared commiserations with us, really lovely to feel us being looked after. Total respect to Bruno’s the location for post club breakfast – who returned my left watch to me this morning.

Thursday saw us at another awards bash, this time the OTC Bulletin Awards. We were delighted to be nominated 6 times for 3 brands across 4 award categories, and chuffed to pick up 2 of them. But the night belonged to alli, one of our founding clients, and a brand that will always hold a special place as a result.  6 brand awards. Congratulations GSK and to the other award winners for the night.

Slightly waylaid by a wardrobe malfunction (badly behaving tights), we entered the Park Lane hotel at 7pm last night. Were instantly papped from all angles by blokes in trenchcoats. It emerged that the theme of the OTCs this year was “Newsflash”, and the organisers carried it off handsomely. Rory Bremner made us laugh and showed us the cream of 2008 consumer branding and pharmacy marketing. We look forward to seeing some of our own work up there next time – our press dates fell outside of the judging window this year.

After the awards, we distributed vodka shots to the masses with the usual indelible stamps.  These contained real Manuka honey (good for you).

One small disappointment – we left our complementary box of chocs on the table. Ian is gutted, what with Mothers Day just around the corner…