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Gold Award from IPA
First Excellence in CPD Awards proves training and development makes real business sense
Thirteen cases from ten agencies were awarded prizes at the first Excellence in CPD Awards held at the IPA last night (Monday 30th September 2002) for demonstrating how commitment to training and development has had real business impact.
There were 3 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze awards presented and 9 special prizes for:
- Best Agency-wide Initiative (above Ł100m billing)
- Best Department or Team Initiative
- Best Individual Initiative
- Best Use of a Small Budget
- Most Innovative Initiative
- Best Internal Coach or Mentor
- Best Training or CPD Manager
- Best Evaluation of Return on Investment
- Best Practice of the CPD Criteria
The three gold awards were awarded to (in alphabetical order):
- J Walter Thompson for ‘Ascending the Value Chain’ written by Charles Faircloth;
- Saatchi & Saatchi for ‘Achieving Peak Performance at Saatchi & Saatchi’ written by Paul Burns;
- WCRS for ‘Beyond the Beanbag’ written by Dawn Sillett.
J Walter Thompson’s case ‘Ascending the Value Chain’ written by Charles Faircloth also won a special prize for Best Agency-Wide Initiative (>Ł100m billing) and demonstrates the vital role training and development will play as the agency aims ‘to evolve from an advertising agency into a brand communications agency’. The case demonstrates how commitment to a new interactive online training regime, created for J Walter Thompson by Imparta (a specialist in competency development through technology), takes training out of the classroom and into the day to day lives of professionals. This new initiative has contributed to JWT professionals being more in tune with business opportunities for both clients and agencies. 87% of client-facing staff on the JWT London board have now completed this course and when asked whether they have transferred learning back into the office, 77% confirmed that they had in various forms including: new product development strategy, understanding distribution and supply issues and improved realisation of the impact that diverse changes can have on a business.
Saatchi & Saatchi’s case ‘Achieving peak performance at Saatchi & Saatchi’ written by Paul Burns has also won a special prize for Best Training or CPD Manager. The case highlights how commitment to an ongoing training programme designed to provide levels of training and coaching in line with the company culture and mission has contributed to a dramatic increase of 25% in individual performance scores and a 12% rise in client satisfaction since the programme was implemented in 2000. This initiative turned the corner in Saatchi & Saatchi training, who now use no external training providers (except for specialist disciplines) and have harnessed the talents and expertise of those within their agency to provide training and coaching at all levels on a continual basis. This new way of approaching staff training has cemented the Saatchi & Saatchi identity at all levels in the organisation and the result is a strong and specifically branded Saatchi & Saatchi training programme.
WCRS’s case ‘Beyond the Beanbag’ written by Dawn Sillett also won a special prize for Best Department or Team Initiative and demonstrates how the planning department of WCRS strove to better their approach to the subject of ‘creative thinking’. WCRS hired cre8tive.net group to tailor a training scheme entitled ‘Practical ways to generate fresh ideas’ to help planners: facilitate exceptional awaydays and brainstorming sessions, think beyond advertising and acquire and use a range of practical techniques for creative thinking. Although the programme was initially intended for solely for planners it soon became a desired event and so WCRS extended it to anyone who would be likely to run and organise brainstorms. ‘Practical ways to generate fresh ideas’ has generated observable results in idea generation (products, names, and promotions) that have benefited WCRS’s clients and built a stronger team atmosphere amongst planners who tend to work alone. Additionally, WCRS can now offer a new service to its clients in the form of awaydays and brainstorms that have already contributed directly to the bottom line.
The silver awards went to (in alphabetical order):
- BMP DDB for ‘LoveHate’ written by Ben Malbon. This case demonstrates how an agency-wide ‘technology fortnight’ brought the agency up to speed with the latest trends in technology and equipped people with the technological skills to provide excellent client service. It has also won a special prize for Most Innovative Initiative.
- Optimedia for ‘Optimark’ written by Gus Annetts. This case shows the use of a model for evaluating the Return on Investment of training and development. It has also won a special prize for Best Analysis of Return on Investment.
- Prager Proximity for ‘How to Develop Media Champions in 100 Days’ written by Caroline Bodkin. This case demonstrates how a programme turned client-facing staff into ‘media champions’, confident in identifying, debating and discussing a client’s media issues and recommending integrated solutions. It also won a special prize for Best use of a small budget since they only used Ł5000.
- WCRS for ‘From Face to Watch to Old Master’ written by Dawn Sillett. This case shows how one person benefited his agency through achieving an MBA. It also won a special prize for Best Individual Initiative.
The bronze awards went to (in alphabetical order):
- BMP DDB for ‘The DDB University’ written by Angela Johnson;
- BrandConnection for ‘Building the Foundations for Success’ written by Sarah Hazelhurst;
- Citigate SMARTS for ‘Integrating Integration’ written by Tristan Fulton; this case also won a special prize for Best Practice of the CPD Criteria;
- McCann-Erickson for ‘Account Management Graduate Training Programme’ written by Gywn March and Stephanie Smith;
- Mindshare for ‘Alison’s Learning Journey’ written by Alison Mayersbeth; this case also won a special prize for Best Coach or Mentor;
- Mindshare for ‘Generation M’ written by Jenny Harden.
A panel of judges chaired by Adrian Vickers, Founding Partner of Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, judged the Excellence in CPD Awards that were sponsored by Business Link, www.businesslink4london.com .
The judging panel was:
Jude Bridge, Head of External Marketing, Marks & Spencer plc.;
Barrie Brien, Financial Director, Lowe;
Kate Bruges, Business Development Director, J Walter Thompson Co Ltd;
Gary Duckworth, Chairman, dfgw;
Gay Haines, Chairman, Kendall Tarrant;
Professor Jim Lynch, Director of the Institute for Corporate Learning, Leeds University;
Bruce MacRae, Investors in People Assessor, Capital Quality.
Simon Mathews, Former Managing Director, Optimedia Ltd.
Kate Stanners, Creative Director, St Lukes
John Stubbs, Chief Executive, Marketing Council
Said Adrian Vickers, Founding Partner Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and Chairman of the panel of judges, “I had expected to be impressed, and was, by the quality of the entries but I was particularly surprised and delighted by the originality and variety of the cases submitted in this first year and the many ways they've been able to demonstrate how training and development can benefit a business, whether through new business wins, ability to offer a new service to a client, stronger teamwork or increased staff retention. This is promising for the future of both the awards and our industry's reputation for training and development”.
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