Category Archives: Events

Captify supports London to Brighton NABS cycle as sponsor

We are pleased to reveal that Captify, the award-winning search intelligence specialist, has joined this Friday’s London to Brighton cycle in aid of NABS as one of our main sponsors.

The Sea Change for Mental Health cycle is one of a series of events being funded and organised by TLA this year with the aim of raising more than £25,000 for NABS – a charity that promotes positive wellbeing for professionals in the media and advertising industry to help them thrive.

Thanks to Captify’s commitment, every rider taking part in this inaugural event will receive a medal to mark the achievement of completing the 63-mile cycle from Marble Arch to Brighton’s Marine Parade. The medals will be presented at the after-party at the nearby Patterns bar, where everyone involved can celebrate with a free-bar, BBQ (weather permitting) and entertainment.

Thanks to its rich consumer data and technology, Captify is best known for helping brands to make informed decisions through consumer behaviour analysis, brand trends, product and market analysis. Its clients include the likes of Adidas, American Express, Apple, Disney and Microsoft.

Commenting on the support provided by Captify, TLA founder Anton Hanley said: “We’re thrilled that Captify has chosen to support the Sea Change for Mental Health cycle. It is genuinely one of the most innovative businesses operating in the tech and media industry today and a partner we are proud to be working with to make this a memorable experience for every rider.”

The event will feature riders from companies such as Mail Metro Media, Haymarket, Dennis Publishing, PHD, Mediacom and the IPA.

For more information, visit our official charity page.

Award-winning Jungle Creations confirmed as media partner for London to Brighton cycle

We are delighted to announce that the international and award-winning Jungle Creations has signed on as our media partner for this Friday’s Sea Change for Mental Health cycle from London to Brighton.

The Sea Change for Mental Health event, which is being run by The Lead Agency in aid of NABS, will feature riders from some of the UK’s biggest media agencies and owners – including Mediacom, Accenture and Haymarket. Thanks to Jungle Creations coming onboard as a key partner of the event, the key moments of the cycle will be captured by an award-winning team for all to see.

We grabbed 10 minutes with Hannah Watson, head of communications for Jungle, to find out more about the company that will be both behind the camera and on the road for this inaugural event.

Hi Hannah. It’s great to have Jungle Creations onboard as video and media partner. For those who don’t know about the company, what can you tell them?

Jungle Creations is best known for video, more specifically videos that generate millions of views. Together with our internal full-service creative agency, The Wild, we create award-winning campaigns for brands including The WWF, Hasbro and Yoti.Del

Who are your key clients?

Baileys, The National Lottery, Hasbro, among many others. We’ve worked with clients all over the world in almost every industry to help them reach our audiences.

How long has the business been around?

We were born in July 2014, so almost five years. We were set up by our Founder and CEO, Jamie Bolding, who was just 23 at the time. Today we’re 130 people strong with offices in London, New York, LA and Toronto and we have over 110 million followers across social media.

What have been your biggest achievements to date?

Generating the most Facebook video views and engagements for clients of any other UK publisher for two years running has been a really proud moment for us because we pride ourselves on creating content that works for brands and that our audience loves to watch. We’ve also been named Branded Content Team of the Year for two years running by The Drum alongside an array of other awards including a Cannes Lion for our work with Yoti whilst our Founder and CEO was name as the top media and marketing honouree in 2018’s Forbes 30 Under 30.

What made you decide to support the event?

As a business we really believe in the cause. We’ve done a number of campaign videos relating to mental health, working with organisations to help raise awareness of the prevalence of mental health issues whilst trying to combat the stigma surrounding it. Our team also love an outing, especially if it involves a competitive element, and they couldn’t wait to get involved. As video partner we hope to capture the highlights, and the great day it’s set to be whilst offering Sea Change the opportunity to use the footage and photos we capture to get even more people involved next year.

What are you most looking forward to about the ride?

We’re most looking forward to meeting new people and completing a famous cycle ride, it’s definitely one for the bucket list!

You can find out more about this special even by heading over to the charity microsite

Spotlight on NABS – our chosen charity for this Friday’s London to Brighton cycle

This Friday (7 June) the media industry will unite for a 63-mile cycle to raise thousands of pounds for NABS, the mental health and wellbeing charity for professionals working in the media and advertising industry.

The Sea Change for Mental Health journey will see riders from the likes of PHD, Mediacom, Accenture, Mail Metro Media and more set off from Marble Arch and head south for Brighton’s Marine Parade, experiencing in one of Britain’s most celebrated cycling routes.

Among the cycling group will be Charlie Altman, NABS’ director of fundraising, who has taken time out of her training and fundraising to tell us more about the charity and its mission.

Support cyclists like Charlie help reach the £25,000 target to raise money for NABS and make a difference for mental health! Click here to make a donation for a great cause! 

Hi Charlie. What can you tell us about NABS and its mission?

“NABS was founded in 1913 to look after the employees of the advertising profession. Its mission, as a benevolent society, was to ensure that people in the profession had somewhere to turn to if they fell on hard times. Since then, NABS has expanded and adapted its services, with a growing focus on helping to prevent people from reaching crisis point.”

Who does NABS support and what does it do to help them?

“NABS supports everybody working in the advertising and media industry, including those employed in media agencies, creative agencies, and media owners, as well as freelancers working throughout the industry. NABS’ mission is to help people in the industry to thrive; to empower them so that their wellbeing can flourish.

NABS provides a huge range of support in various forms. Its Advice Line took nearly 1000 calls in the first three months of this year alone. Its Masterclasses help people in the industry to feel confident and resilient. And its evening Talks provide a chance to hear from some of the industry’s most senior figures.

NABS also offers superb networking and learning opportunities at its hugely popular speed mentoring events, which bring together people at all levels from across the industry. Its core services are free to everyone working in the industry, ensuring that people can benefit from help and expertise whatever their situation. That’s why NABS relies on donations to fund its work, especially as demand for its services is increasing each year.”

You can also watch Charlie’s video message ahead of the cycle here.

Accenture Interactive signs up as lead sponsor for NABS cycle from London to Brighton

We are delighted to confirm that Accenture Interactive  has signed up as lead sponsor for the inaugural Sea Change for Mental Health cycle from London to Brighton in aid of NABS.

The deal will see Accenture Interactive feature on the official cycling jerseys being worn by all riders and have a strong presence on key promotional materials throughout the event. The global business will also be represented by a team of cyclists taking part in the 63-mile journey.

Sea Change, which takes place on Friday 7 June, is being organised by The Lead Agency (TLA) and aims to raise £25,000 for NABS – the charity that helps people who work in the media and advertising industry to thrive.

100 media professionals representing some of the UK’s biggest media agencies, ad agencies and publishers will be taking part in the NABS cycle.  Joining Accenture Interactive and TLA on the route will be riders from PHD, Mediacom, Blue449, Jungle Creations, Mail Metro Media, Dennis Publishing and Haymarket.

Anton Hanley, founder at TLA, said: “For an organisation of Accenture Interactive’s size and stature to sign up as lead sponsor is a great indication of what we’re hoping to achieve with the Sea Change event. As well as being a fun and memorable experience for the 100 riders, the funds raised for NABS will have a genuine impact for people who work in the media and advertising industry.”

To claim one of the last remaining places on the ride and join the likes of Accenture Interactive, PHD and Mediacom, visit the Sea Change Website.

Media industry cycle from London to Brighton aims to raise £25,000 for NABS

Would you like to be part of a 63-mile cycle from London to Brighton in aid of media and advertising charity NABS?

On Friday 7 June, 100 representatives from the UK’s biggest media agencies and publishers will line up side-by-side to support and promote good mental health and wellbeing within our industry.

Sea Change for Mental Health is a shared mission, led by TLA, to raise more than £25,000 for NABS in 2019 through fundraising activity. Mental health affects 1 in 4 people, so we wanted to create an event whereby people can have a positive impact on the people they work closely to.

The London to Brighton cycle, which will be led by a professional support team, is open to teams and individuals of all fitness and ability levels. TLA will fund all riders taking part, so that 100% of the proceeds from their entry fees go directly to NABS.

Upon arrival in Brighton, there will also be medals for everyone and an exclusive after-party with music, food and a free-bar!

We’ve already received team sign-ups from Mail Metro, PHD, Haymarket, NABS and, of course, TLA. If you’d like to join us in making this a special event, head over to the charity microsite today and register your interest.

 

Industry bands to battle it out in Media Rocks charity gig

Media Rocks, the ultimate battle of the media bands, is back for 2019 and so are we as one of the event’s sponsors.

We spoke to Laura Pleasants, global director of marketing & PR for Captify (the tech company behind the charity gig) to get the lowdown on what people can expect on Thursday 7 February.

Hi Laura. What can you tell us about Media Rocks and why it’s taking place?

“The first Media Rocks was launched in 2017 by Captify’s CEO & Co-founder, Dominic Joseph and over 400 people from across the UK media industry came together to celebrate the industry’s musical talent.

Before starting Captify, Dom was a professional drummer signed to Polydor records, touring the world for four years and supporting world class acts such as The Chemical Brothers, Blondie and Fatboy Slim. With Dom’s love and passion for music, he decided to launch a music event that would bring the advertising, media and digital industries together as one united force to support a special charity.

On 7 February, Media Rocks, the ultimate battle of the media bands is back. We’ll be bringing the industry together for a night of entertainment with the aim of raising thousands  for an incredible charity, the Saltpond Education Project.”

How will it work on the night? Will it follow the same format as last year?

“Media Rocks is bigger and better than ever, this year we’ll be taking over the entire of Omeara, London’s hottest live gig venue. Six bands will take to a stage graced by the World’s finest musical talent, including The Maccabees, The Mystery Jets and Biffy Clyro.

Before the battle of the bands starts, eBay’s Sarah Helppi will kick off the party with an DJ set in Cantina bar, Omeara from 5-7pm. Last year’s winners, The Vials from PHD, will also return for an exclusive opening performance to get the crowd off their feet.”

Who are the judges this year?

“The band’s fate lies in the hands of the esteemed panel of music industry experts – returning to judge…Mumford & Sons’ Ben Lovett who is taking a break from his huge world tour, Radio X DJ, Maz Tappuni & Captify’s CEO & Co-founder, Dom Joseph. It’s down to them to crown the champions!”

What companies are represented by bands this time around?

“For the first time ever, Media Rocks is going European as we welcome two bands from Paris, with the remaining four bands from London. It’s set to be an incredible night of entertainment, just take a look at the epic line-up for yourself:

  • Manning Gottlieb OMD: CATALINA SKIES
  • Harvest: CONCRETE AGE
  • the7Stars: FAWKES
  • Jungle Creations: EMMA & THE FRAGMENTS
  • OMD: THE GRAND
  • iProspect: LAVAA

What type of music are you expecting from them?

“From indie rock to heavy metal, original material to rock ‘n’ roll covers, we’re really excited to showcase a variety of music talent this year. You can find out more about the bands here.”

Who can attend?

“Over 700 people from the European media industry will come together for this year’s Media Rocks – from agency friends to media owners to publishers to brand safety partners to global brands. The night is selling out fast, it’s great to hear that it’s raising buzz and excitement among industry folk, with many returning after the success of last year.”

Where can people buy tickets?

“With less than over two weeks to go, tickets are selling out fast! You can secure the remaining tickets here for just £15, with all proceeds going to the Saltpond Education Project.”

Is there anything else people should know about Media Rocks?

“All proceeds from Media Rocks will go to a charity very close to our hearts – the Saltpond Education Project. Saltpond is a small, grassroots organisation aimed at helping some of the poorest and most vulnerable children in Saltpond, Ghana. Without this incredible charity, these children would be trapped in poverty and wouldn’t have access to the education that they deserve. You can find out more about all the amazing work they do here.”

Good luck to all the bands!

Challenge completed: London to Paris by bike

Team TLA and friends have successfully completed their latest charity challenge – 165-miles from London to Paris, by bike, in aid of the NSPCC.

We have now achieved over 90% of our £10k fundraising goal!

The team posed for a picture in front of the Marble Arch in London before they started their peddling to Paris, with a few punctures along the way…

london marble arch    

The sun was shining, the team was still smiling and the views along the way weren’t too bad either…

    

Boarding the boat to France…

    

And they made it! The team celebrated their brilliant achievement with a well-deserved ice cream whilst posing for a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower.

    

If you haven’t already, catch up with the other TLA charity challenges here.

If you would like to support the NSPCC’s fight for change, we would greatly appreciate any donations.

Our NSPCC Challenge: From London to Paris by bike

The NSPCC is fighting for change by standing up for children and demanding changes to the law that will better protect them from abuse.

To support that mission, we have been taking on a series of challenges to help fundraise for this important cause.

Man vs Lakes
Spot team TLA on the Man vs Lakes start line!
Man vs Lakes
Josh still smiling!
Man vs Lakes
Abel  feeling strong after emerging from the water

 

 

 

After completing the London marathon in April and Man vs Lakes in July (a 28-mile race through the Lake District complete with a 4200ft ascent), we’ve turned our attention to our next challenge.

London to Paris

On 7 September, team TLA and friends will be embarking on a 165-mile, three-day bike ride that will begin in London at the Marble Arch and conclude in Paris, at the Arc de Triomphe.

There will be a team of 14 people taking on the challenge all in aid of the NSPCC: Steve McCann from I AM Impact; Alban Treglohan and Chris Langley from PHD; Jess Douce and Jamie Kirk from JLR; and TLA’s Anton Hanley, Tom White, Ed Clark, Abel Paz, Neil Cosgrove, Ed Whelan, Michael Fitzsimmons, Stephen Pammenter and James McDowall.

Having cycled from London to Liverpool in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support in 2017, TLA’s head of talent acquisition Michael Fitzsimmons is relishing the upcoming ride:

“I’m absolutely buzzing for it and can’t wait to set off! This will be my second cycle challenge with TLA since joining last year and it’s great to be heading in to mainland Europe this time round.”

charity challenge
Michael and Neil enjoying the challenge!
charity challenge
Feeling the pain at the half-way mark
charity donation
A generous donation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All 14 of the riders are busy preparing for the action, including Michael who is on the bike almost every day. “Training is going well, I’m trying to get out as much as possible to get that all important saddle time!”.

He added: “Working for a company like TLA provides me with these great challenges that I love to be a part of. I love the physical test, I get to know my colleagues better and importantly I help raise money for a great cause like the NSPCC”.

The NSPCC survives solely from support and donations from the general public. Without their existence, thousands of children living in the UK would continue to be subject to violence and abuse.

We will be so grateful for any donations you can give via our Virgin Money Giving Page to support our mission.

Bon voyage, Team TLA!

Check out our previous charity challenges!

As we grow and succeed as a business, we believe it’s important to help others do the same. That’s why we’re on a mission to raise £10,000 to support the NSPCC’s fight for change.

At the beginning of the year, having identified NSPCC as our chosen charity, we lined up a series of challenges and fundraising initiatives to help us reach our target. The first was the Virgin Money London Marathon in April, which Anton Hanley and Ed Whelan completed in soaring temperatures – a brilliant achievement and one that got our fundraising started.

Our next challenge takes place this weekend, with Anton and Ed being joined by three other members of the TLA team – Abel Paz, Tom White and Joshua Duxbury – to take part in Man v Lakes, also known as the Rat Race.

Gruelling… but fun

Man v Lakes is a gruelling (but hopefully fun) 28-mile race through the Lake District, complete with a 4200 ft ascent, that is sure to push the team to their physical limits. It involves running across quicksands and through mountainous terrain and forests; immersing themselves in the Lake with short wades, swims, slides and jumps; and tackling a floating assault course – and that’s just for starters!

With two other members of the team, Antony Neill and Neil Cosgrove, in support roles, this will be a great team effort and one that can have a huge impact on the lives of others if it helps us reach our fundraising goal.

If you would like to support our NSPCC mission with a donation, you can do so through our Virgin Money Giving page and the whole team will be immensely grateful.

London to Paris

In addition to the Marathon and Rat Race, members of the TLA team and friends will be taking part in a London-to-Paris Cycle in September – a 165-mile, three-day journey that will begin at the Marble Arch and conclude at the Arc de Triomphe.

The line up for the cycle is: Steve McCann (I AM Impact); Alban Treglohan and Chris Langley (both PHD); Jess Douce and Jamie Kirk (both JLR); and Anton Hanley, Tom White, Ed Clark, Abel Paz, Neil Cosgrove, Ed Whelan, Michael Fitzsimmons, Stephen Pammenter and James McDowall (all TLA).

Fundraising for Change.

TLA’s Paul Dowman to discuss artificial intelligence on Binary Festival panel

Our recently appointed tech architect, Paul Dowman, will take part in a panel discussion this afternoon as part of Liverpool’s Binary Festival.

Paul will be one of a number of digital experts taking to the stage for An Intelligently Artificial World, which will discuss, debate, debunk and demystify AI.

The gathering has been put together by BIMA’s AI Think Tank and is one of a number of talks and workshops taking place throughout the city.

The session will be hosted by the Think Tank’s chair Pete Trainor and Feed Forward co-founder Lydia Gregory. The session promises to discuss ‘solving full stack industry problems using subject-matter expertise, unique data, and AI to deliver products that help us survive the changes of an ever changing world’.

To attend the session, register here. 

Binary Festival was established in 2016 out of Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle and aims to celebrate the city’s digital community.

For more information, visit binaryfestival.com.