M&C Saatchi partners with O2 for its Open House programme

The initiative is part of a series of steps the agency is taking to dramatically change how it attracts and recruits talent

By Creative Salon

17 July 2023

M&C Saatchi Group is launching an Open House, a new free eight-week virtual training programme open to absolutely anyone who wants to learn more about a career in advertising.

The primary goal of the initiative is to remove barriers for people who want to break into the advertising or communications industry but have not had the support or access to do so. The programme also provides an opportunity to reach individuals that have never considered a career in advertising, acknowledging the industry hasn’t done enough to raise awareness and get ‘on their radar’. M&C Saatchi wants to encourage participation from these groups and make it clear that advertising is truly a career option for them.

M&C Saatchi Open House will offer a series of specially created, weekly virtual seminars, each hosted by a different M&C Saatchi expert, including CEO Camilla Kemp and Chief Creative Officer Ben Golik, sharing their knowledge on topics such as ‘How to interpret and write a creative brief’, ‘How to craft amazing ideas that transform brands’, ‘How to bring ideas to life across multiple channels’, ‘How to engage meaningfully with customers using data’ and ‘How to master the art of the pitch’.

M&C Saatchi Open House not only offers an opportunity to be shortlisted for a future role with the agency, but it will also equip participants with an in-depth understanding of the industry and a certificate of participation that they can take with them into future applications or career choices.

To announce the launch, M&C Saatchi has developed a series of ads which highlight the fact that the programme really is open to anyone and everyone, aiming to truly level the playing field. The executions target specific audiences such as people returning to work after a career break, those that have lost their jobs due to Covid-19, students looking for their first job, and individuals looking for more flexible working conditions – for example, those living outside of London or looking for shorter work weeks. The push will run across social channels using the hashtag #opentowork, as well as on recruitment sites and online platforms reaching a broad and diverse audience, with a focus on groups who are currently underrepresented in advertising.

Anyone interested in registering for M&C Saatchi Open House can visit openhouse.mcsaatchi.london.

Camilla Kemp, CEO, M&C Saatchi, said: “Whilst we have always been committed to attracting diverse talent, the reality is we haven’t done enough. This is one step we are taking to accelerate change, inviting a broader range of people from different walks of life, with different perspectives and different ways of thinking, into our industry. We’re aiming to create a sense of urgency, as the way in which we bring people into the industry must be changed more rapidly and more radically.”

Zoe Miller, Talent Manager, M&C Saatchi, added: “With lockdown showing us the power of remote working, we are opening our doors to people all over the UK, in the hope that we will attract a broader and more diverse range of talent to our business. Similar people think similar things, so we must bring a diverse group together to consider all perspectives and possibilities to effect change. We’ve done a lot to expand our approach over the years with programmes like Carbon Academy and partnerships with Brixton Finishing School and Creative Equals, and we’re looking forward to doing much more with this new initiative.”