Ad industry joins scheme to put creative industries at heart of economic growth
The advertising industry has signed up to a new government initiative to put the creative industries at the heart of economic growth and support young talent.
By Sarah Vizard
The Create UK scheme was unveiled yesterday (2 July) by Business Secretary Vince Cable, Culture Secretary Sajid Javid and Facebook’s EMEA boss Nicola Mendelsohn. The aim is to double the value of exports from the creative industries to £31bn by 2020 in areas including advertising, gaming, film and animation.
The five-point plan focuses on education and skills, finance, infrastructure, intellectual property and international exports (see factfile below). It includes a £16m creative skills fund that will invest in apprenticeships and support new talent.
Speaking at the launch in London Cable said the initiative is an attempt by government to work with industry to boost growth. He said the scheme will encourage people to think beyond the current news cycle and parliament at how to grow the creative industries in the long-term.
“What I think about the creative industries is the word brilliant. When you reflect on what are the things our country does uniquely well, there aren’t many. The creative industries have a lot of these things, whether its film, fashion, games, animation, advertising, architecture we have world-beating firms. It’s a privilege to be able to promote what you are doing,” he added.
Javid, who took up his post in April, highlighted that the creative industries generated more than £71bn in gross value to the UK economy in 2012, up 9.4 per cent year on year and greater than the growth in any other sector. It also supports 1.71m jobs and over the past three years has seen employment grow 12 times faster than the rest of the economy, added Javid.
At the event, Mendelsohn also picked out advertising for the “contribution it makes to the creative industries”. The Create UK project is being promoted via a print and poster campaign, developed by Karmarama, that shows the role the creative industries play in boosting the economy.
“It is clear that the creative industries have already added so much to the economy. We should be proud of that but we absolutely should not be satisfied We need to make sure we continue to inspire the next generation,” said Mendelsohn.
Create UK’s five point plan
Education and skills: Develop an education and careers system that inspires and supports the next generation; increase employer engagement with schools and investment in skills; offer better opportunities for people from all backgrounds.
Access to finance: Improve knowledge of how to access and secure finance to grow to boost the numbers receiving investment.
Infrastructure: Create one of the most advanced communications infrastructures and regulatory environments with the aim of being in the top 5 countries in the world for digital infrastructure.
Intellectual property: Ensure a robust IP framework to promote a strong and balanced copyright regime at home and abroad.
International (exports and inward investment): Double the value of creative industries service exports from £15.5bn in 2011 to £31bn in 2020 and get more UK creative businesses exporting.
