The Mutual Benefits of Engaging with Industry?

Cathy Johnson, University of Nottingham

‘TV and Digital Promotion: Agile Strategies for a New Media Ecology’ January 2012 – January 2013 AHRC Follow-On Funding Objective 1:

To analyse the processes and challenges of promotional communication in the sector of broadcast and digital media design, concentrating on the ways and means by which promotional 'agility' is being used and understood in the creative and reflective practice of one of the leading international companies in the field, Red Bee Media.

‘TV and Digital Promotion: Agile Strategies for a New Media Ecology’ January 2012 – January 2013 AHRC Follow-On Funding Objective 1:

9 months of field research with Red Bee, following key projects and undertaking 32 interviews

Interviewing practitioners from other companies within the promotional screen industries

Attending Promax UK, the trade conference for British broadcast promotion and marketing

‘TV and Digital Promotion: Agile Strategies for a New Media Ecology’ January 2012 – January 2013 AHRC Follow-On Funding Objective 2:

To facilitate knowledge exchange between academics, telecommunications and digital media companies (including Red Bee, British Telecom, and small/medium enterprises) concerning the emergent practice of 'social television,' a focal strategy through which promotional agility - connected to developments in social network marketing - is being pursued by media/corporate brands and the specialist companies that sell them expertise.

‘TV and Digital Promotion: Agile Strategies for a New Media Ecology’ January 2012 – January 2013 AHRC Follow-On Funding Objective 2:

Hosted a ‘Social TV Hothouse’ Brought together academics (computer

science, new media, film and television studies, etc) and industry (BBC, BT, Red Bee Media, Thinkbox, etc)

Forum to share research and insight and generate new thinking and perspectives

‘TV and Digital Promotion: Agile Strategies for a New Media Ecology’ January 2012 – January 2013 AHRC Follow-On Funding Objective 3:

To examine the artistic and cultural value of television promotion through public engagement and dissemination that facilitates dialogue and exchange between the producers, curators and viewers of promotional screen content.

‘TV and Digital Promotion: Agile Strategies for a New Media Ecology’ January 2012 – January 2013 AHRC Follow-On Funding Objective 3:

Two events at BFI Southbank on ‘The Art of Television Promotion and Digital Design’

An educations ‘masterclass’ for 15-25 year-olds on designing idents, combined with a competition, bringing together BFI Education and Red Bee Media

Red Bee MediaCreative (Design) Technology

(Delivery)

Idents produced by Red Bee Media for BBC One, BBC Three, BBC America, Dave, CCTV (China) and Discovery

The Institute for Screen Industry Research (ISIR)

Ideas Incubator Pool of new talent Cost-effective, high-power

research partner Source of upskilling and

professional development ISIR 'Ideas and Research'

Generating Collaborative Relationships

Collaborative relationships need to be built over time and with partners receptive to, and interested in, thinking and theorising

Generating Collaborative Relationships

Academia and industry use the same terminology differently. We need to learn to speak each others’ language.

Generating Collaborative Relationships

We need to take the time to find out about the agendas of industry and look for ways in which this might inform and shape our own research agendas.

Red Bee’s Strategic Priorities

Promotional Agility

Red Bee’s Strategic Priorities

Content Discovery

Red Bee’s Strategic Priorities

Social Television

Red Bee’s Strategic Priorities

‘On-brand’ TV:

Follow-on Funding Scheme

to explore unforeseen pathways to impact either within the lifespan of an AHRC research project or resulting from a completed research project

 to enhance the value and benefits of AHRC funded research beyond academia

 to encourage and facilitate a range of interactions and creative engagements between arts and humanities research and a variety of user communities to include, business and commercial, third sector and heritage sector, public policy, voluntary and community groups and the general public.

Ephemeral Media (BFI, 2011)

Branding Television (Routledge, 2012)

Brand Hollywood (Routledge, 2007)

Follow-on Funding Scheme

to explore unforeseen pathways to impact either within the lifespan of an AHRC research project or resulting from a completed research project

 to enhance the value and benefits of AHRC funded research beyond academia

 to encourage and facilitate a range of interactions and creative engagements between arts and humanities research and a variety of user communities to include, business and commercial, third sector and heritage sector, public policy, voluntary and community groups and the general public.

Knowledge exchange:

‘the processes by which new knowledge is co-produced through interactions between academic and non-academic individuals and communities.’

Impact:• fostering global economic performance, and specifically the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom• increasing the effectiveness of public services and policy• enhancing quality of live, health and creative output.

Follow-on Funding Scheme

ISIR Connecting Viewers with ContentRed Bee Media Blog

The Creative Student Network, University of Nottingham