On the final Friday of September, the Brew team came together for our annual conference – and what a day it was!
Hosted at the stunning Library of Birmingham, with panoramic views over Centenary Square, Brewsters from across the UK gathered to look back on our journey as a business so far, explore the challenges and opportunities ahead, and, most importantly, spend valuable time together as a team.
Setting the scene
The morning began with reflections on “The Next Chapter” for Brew. We revisited our history – from the agency’s early days through countless chapters of growth, rebranding and reinvention, exploring how change has always been at the heart of our story.
We then shared some of the successes over the last 12 months: from winning Agency of the Year at the Midlands Marketing Awards and introducing the vet website company, Connected Vet, into our group of businesses, to delivering standout projects and supporting our hospitality clients through tough market conditions.
Getting hands-on
We were also adamant we didn't want this to be a sit-back-and-listen kind of day. After the morning updates, we moved into an interactive challenge. Splitting into small groups, each team was given a business scenario, a budget, and a challenge to solve. The creativity and energy were fantastic and by the end, we had three genuinely solid ideas that will help us grow, improve efficiency, and strengthen our culture.
An afternoon adventure
After a well-earned lunch, it was time to hit the streets of Birmingham for something a little different. Armed with iPads, we split into four teams and embarked on a treasure-hunt style game designed by ClueGo. The city became our playground as we interacted with icons, tackled trivia, completed quirky challenges, and racked up points in the process.
Along the way, there were a fair few questionable photos and videos captured as “evidence” of our efforts, but most importantly, it got us moving, working together, and enjoying a healthy dose of friendly competition. By the time we regrouped, we’d all racked up some serious steps and had a good laugh in the process.
Wrapping up in style
To finish, we headed to our client All Bar One in Brindley Place, where we rested our tired legs over some incredible food and a few drinks while reflecting on a successful day. It was a great chance to get together as a team and share future plans, as well as loads of food for thought from the sessions throughout the day about where we can take the agency moving forward into our next chapter.
See you next year!
Matt Bowell
Matt has been in marketing for 25 years, clocking up many years for institutions like the NHS, the BBC, Comic Relief, Goodyear Dunlop, and Lonely Planet in the UK and abroad. Matt leads the client service team as one of Brew’s directors.
