City & Guilds hunts advertising agency
The City & Guilds Group, which oversees the vocational qualifications of the same name, is looking for an advertising agency for the first time, in an effort to modernise its image among students and employers.
The City & Guilds Group, which oversees the vocational qualifications of the same name, is looking for an advertising agency for the first time, in an effort to modernise its image among students and employers. The organisation could spend as much as £1.5m on a campaign.
City & Guilds appointed consultancy Brandsmiths to advise it on a root-and-branch rebranding a year ago, and is now talking to four agencies about a campaign to promote its new image.
A spokeswoman confirmed that a pitch was in progress, adding that it was “all about giving City & Guilds a sharper edge and emphasising its relevance to modern students and employers.”
The organisation offers 500 different qualifications in 22 different sectors. It works with many of the UK’s leading companies, including Asda, London Underground, News International, Sainsbury’s and Transco, to ensure its courses are as relevant as possible.
The 100-year-old organisation is the UK’s leading provider of vocational training – 14 million people in more than 100 countries have a City & Guilds qualification. With 500 employees, it has a turnover of £50m, although all profits are ploughed back into the group. Well-known City & Guilds qualification-holders include Ainsley Harriott, Jamie Oliver, Gary Rhodes, Anita Roddick, Alan Titchmarsh, and Ricky Tomlinson.
