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Back in February I sat my IPA foundation exam to gain a qualification which has helped me to better understand the advertising industry. I am pleased to say I passed with credit and learnt not only about my area of specialism (creative services), but the wider world of advertising from data and digital, to demand…(Read More)
As a specialist healthcare, creative agency, words are at the heart of everything we do. Training is in our cultural DNA and we believe that every job is a training ground for your next job. Last year alone we logged 2200 CPD hours which is a hugely impressive amount for an agency of our size…(Read More)
The transition from University to working in a creative agency has been a steep learning curve. It has taken me from working on ‘theoretical’ university projects to being involved in the real-life application of design work. When I first started at Wordbird in 2017, I was dropped straight into a live project. Although this…(Read More)
Being an Assistant Copywriter at Wordbird is a fascinating and unique experience. From week-to-week, I’m intrigued to learn more. A month in and already I’m immersed into the world of marketing, learning about ‘Biology of Brands’ and developing ‘Write from Wrong’. Last week my mission was to explore the rules and…(Read More)
Before becoming a writer in training at Wordbird I was oblivious to the plethora of promotional material that is imposed on us daily. Companies often make big claims, even if they’re not precisely true. But things have to be so much stricter when it comes to healthcare. It’s common sense really, but something…(Read More)
Sales representatives are one of our key audiences. It is important we get inside their heads to understand exactly what works for them and what doesn’t. With many pharma companies cutting down on their field sales force, face-to-face interactions present an invaluable opportunity for us to create compelling communications. But what makes…(Read More)
“Zinc the slide deck, find this SPC on the EMC, and call the PMPCA” are but some of the weird and wonderful phrases I remember hearing in my first few weeks in the world of healthcare copywriting and communications. Starting out can be a little overwhelming New recruits learn quickly that copywriting is a world…(Read More)
At the Museum of Brands in Notting Hill, there’s a great little exhibition looking into the history of public health advertising. You’ll learn a lot for a small-sized exhibit. The exhibit What made the biggest impact on me was seeing just how much public health advertising has evolved over the years. Different…(Read More)
At Wordbird we believe that effective communication is more than just getting a message across. It can be life changing. We are proud to support HRA Pharma in communicating the centralised switch of the emergency contraceptive pill, ellaOne®, from prescription to non-prescription status. Not only is this major reclassification only the fourth ever centralised…(Read More)
Following a PM Society meeting on patient engagement, here are the most important things for us to know: Patient views always differ from those of clinicians, regulators and payers. It is essential to consult them. Patient-centricity is heavily used by pharma, but what does it mean? There is now a published definition, which we…(Read More)
At the end of an internship our trainees capture their experience. If you’re applying for an internship with us, read on. Medical report: patient is under observation for 12-week period. When told the good news about the internship, I felt a brief cardiac arrhythmia. I couldn’t help showing symptoms of uncontrollable smiling…(Read More)
Back in October we explored an exciting festival of ideas: New Scientist Live. ExCeL was packed, with over 120 speakers in five immersive zones, covering Humans, Engineering, Earth, Technology and Cosmos. From a Q&A with an astronaut to seeing naked mole rats, there was no shortage of wonder. Here’s what we took…(Read More)
In what ways do you add zest to the world around you? Have you ever thought about what happens when you leave a room? Creating and maintaining a good first and last impression is key to setting the mood. As part of the continuous personal development training at Wordbird the agency attended a half-day…(Read More)
Artem have been around for 30 years now. Their capacity for cool, practical and pyrotechnic special effects, props and sets, falls nothing short of amazing. It’s highly likely that you’ve seen something that Artem have helped bring to life. Do Robot Wars, Paddington 2 or even the Zoopla crabs ring a bell? 5…(Read More)
As a science graduate I’d never given much thought to the idea of brands until I came to Wordbird. Following our training on the ‘Biology of Brands’, I couldn’t wait to see how the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising would help me develop my brand understanding. The museum is sorted chronologically. Big…(Read More)
I spent the day sewing together banners at the internationally organised Protest Banner Lending Library workshop hosted by artist Aram Han Sifuentes at the Design Museum. It was incredibly fun and despite it being quite different from what we do at Wordbird, I was still able to take away some wider relevant learnings. Five thing…(Read More)
The digital age has revolutionised sectors such as retail, banking and media. Now healthcare is finally getting the attention it has longed for. And so it should. User-centred design within this sector can make the difference between life or death. London – and much of the UK – are leading the way with a huge…(Read More)
Clinical commissioning groups. You’ll know they sprung to life in 2013 and commission healthcare services, but how much do you really understand how they work in practice? CCGs are complex and constantly evolving so the textbook theory can be very different to reality. With pharma’s UK audience becoming ever more payer focused, it…(Read More)
Visualising data is nothing new in healthcare communications. But there are always ways to do it better Ain 2017, Data Journalist & Information Designer David McCandless hosted a workshop based on his books, Information is Beautiful and Knowledge is Beautiful. I was lucky enough to secure a place. His books unveil the intricate and often…(Read More)
A review of my favourite stands at The Royal Society 2017 Summer Science exhibition. Teams from all walks of science have translated their work into cool interactive educational spaces at this Royal Society summer event. It’s impressive and it’s free. If you go, find the scientists, get talking to them and make sure…(Read More)
Come summer, degree show season is always in full swing. Around the country, graduating students from art and design schools work tirelessly towards a big finale: the hotly anticipated degree show. Doors open wide to industry, and then public. It’s a taste of innovative work to come and a chance to forecast the creative…(Read More)
One of our ambitious team leaders has just completed a Business Leader course at the IPA. We like the IPA because like us, they are also champions of Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The IPA is widely recognised as the world’s most influential professional body for practitioners in advertising and marketing communications. They set the…(Read More)
On the 31st of January, Sarah and I attended the Hall & Partners event CREATING CERTAINTY. Author Richard Watson and an expert panel led the discussion on ‘Opportunities for brands to provide certainty in an uncertain world’. The event Meeting premise: Societal upheaval has heightened people’s feelings of uncertainty. What strategies should brands employ…(Read More)
At the end of November I went to the PAGB EU Exit seminar. Here’s the top 5 things I learned: EU exit is incredibly complicated for medicines – maintaining medicines supply in the UK is the goal for all. Negotiations must work for all UK trade – the deal may not be what is best for…(Read More)
At Wordbird, we work in our audiences’ shoes. Because knowing what your audience wants makes it easier to write for them. And what better way is there to find out what they want than talking to them? Talking to your audience can give unparalleled insight, as I discovered when I attended my first advisory board…(Read More)
SXSWi (South by Southwest interactive) is a massive film, interactive media and music festival that takes place in Austin every March. There are hundreds of talks about advances in tech, trend predictions and demonstrations. One of the speakers described it as ‘Nerd Cochella’… I’ve wanted to go for ages so was really grateful for…(Read More)
Strategy Bootcamp Recently I had the pleasure of attending the IPA Strategic Bootcamp. The IPA Strategic Bootcamp is a one day workshop about understanding what strategy really is and demystifying it. The course provided real practical advice that can be applied to every single project. Here are the 5 things I took away from the…(Read More)
