MPA Inside Stories Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Growth is a long game; you have to build the relationships.”

Cindy Simmons is joined by Sue Benson (The Behaviours Agency) and Fergus McCallum (TBWA\MCR) to recap the key talking points from this year's MPA Breakfast Briefing. The event was focused on how we approach the growth of business, people and communities.

Sue and Fergus share their strategies for business growth, client engagement and industry collaboration. Plus, they discuss how Manchester is viewed on the world stage.

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com. 

“Even your rivals are cheering you on”

Cindy Simmons brings you the key moments from this year's MPA Inspiration Awards, along with guests Sue Benson, Founder and Managing Director of The Behaviours Agency and Leigh Herbert, Director of Client Services, Republic of Media.

Sue and Leigh share their insights into what winning an award means to them, along with some tips on how to enter (and win) next year’s awards. 

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com. 

“It’s about being an advocate for your own body”

Emma Slater from Wavemaker UK and Kelaine Blades from GroupM Nexus recently shared their inspirational journeys and battles with breast cancer, at an MPA event held in aid of the charity Prevent Breast Cancer.  They were joined by Nikki Barraclough from the charity. 

You’ll hear a mix of enlightening personal stories and expert perspectives on breast cancer and women's empowerment.

Host Cindy Simmons is also joined by Sue Benson from The Behaviours Agency, who previews a panel on achieving gender equality in business leadership roles.

Plus you’ll be brought up to date with other upcoming MPA events. 

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

Connect with the MPA: 

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“It’s that feeling of community in Manchester”

The MPA Inspiration Awards were recently held at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. It’s one of the biggest dates in the MPA’s calendar, and the awards are all about recognising the amazing talent across the city region.  

They span the creative industries as well as innovation in digital and media industries. 

Host Cindy Simmons brings you a flavour of the night as well as interviews with some of the winners. 

Featuring: 

MIC Media

Smart Media

Havas Media Manchester 

Immediate Media Manchester 

The Growth Company Manchester

Carat Manchester

Media Concierge

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

Connect with the MPA: 

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‘This is an example of why disruption works’

TBWA Manchester have spent the summer working on a campaign for British Cycling, which is the national governing body for the sport of cycling in Britain. 

It’s a prestigious client for the city, so Cindy Simmons, Managing Director of the Manchester Publicity Association, caught up with Tom Holmes and Emily Adams from TBWA, to get insight into their pitch and details on the campaign itself. 

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

Connect with the MPA: 

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‘Manchester is full of fantastic media and creative talent’

Mark Brogan, the Managing Partner at Wavemaker and Charles Reid, Client Managing Director at Dentsu UK, join hosts Christian James and Cindy Simmons, to talk about their recent office moves.  

As Charles says, Dentsu UK and Wavemaker are:

“two multinational global, creative, and marketing businesses who are choosing to invest significantly in one of the best cities in the goddamn world!”  

Cindy and Christian hear about what it’s like keeping teams motivated during a time of great change like this and how moving to a different space has improved opportunities for collaboration in this new, hybrid working world. 

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

Connect with the MPA: 

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"It's a safe, inclusive space to network and learn"

The MPA recently launched its Next Gen initiative. It’s all about supporting young people who work in PR, media and the creative industries, to help them grow their own networks and collaborate effectively.  

Christian James and Cindy Simmons hear from Max Brookes, from Universal McCann and Sophie Hill from Hearst, who along with Sophie Yesufu from Mediaforce, are the brains behind Next Gen.  

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

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Nicky Unsworth was CEO at the award winning creative agency BJL for 15 years.  In 2019, BJL was sold to Dentsu, one of the largest global marketing and advertising agency networks in the world.  Nicky is now a Non Exec Advisor, who works with independent agencies to deliver growth.  

Host Lisa Morton hears Nicky’s Inside Story and gets some great insights into where Nicky has come from in her career.  

Lisa and Nicky discuss the skills you need to lead a busy agency - from juggling multiple tasks; to the importance of diversity in your team and the best ways to lead. Lisa also discovers why it was so important to the team at BJL that the values of their business would be incorporated into Dentsu’s approach moving forward.  

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

Connect with the MPA: 

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"Disability isn't a dirty word. Say it and be proud"

The MPA held an event recently with ITV, all about diversity and inclusion when it comes to disability. 

The MPA’s landmark study on D&I in 2019 found that we need to do more to champion greater disability inclusivity in the North West’s creative industries.  ITV have been working hard to transform their approach to this. 

Hosts Christian James and Cindy Simmons bring you highlights from the event.  You’ll get an insight into how ITV’s Diversity Acceleration Plan has transformed their programming, recruitment and staff policies, and how you can learn from their experience and research.  

A number of useful organisations are mentioned in this discussion: 

ITV Able  is ITV's Disability network for ITV colleagues. We are here for everyone who wants to learn more about Disability.

Triple C Dank - works with and brings together professional disabled artists and key decision/change makers in the industry to take a solution-focussed approach.

Purple Goat is a marketing agency providing disability marketing to some of the world’s biggest brands 

Evenbreak offers careers advice for disabled candidates

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

Connect with the MPA: 

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What's up and what's on in the communications industry in Manchester?

Christian James, the MPA's Chair and Managing Director Cindy Simmons, bring you up to date with the latest industry news and events from Manchester's Publicity Association.

This podcast was produced by Purposeful Podcasts. If you want to build a community around your business or your brand, please do get in touch with the team at purposefulpodcasts.com.

Connect with the MPA: 

Website

Twitter 

Instagram