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Top tips for creatives from the Young Creative Council
Thursday, 19 April, 2018 — Pre-degree graduate Charlotte Hugh is taking the creative industry by storm, and is one of five members who make up the London hub of the Young Creative Council. We catch up with her to find out what she's been up to since leaving Plymouth College of Art...
<h5>Named by <a href="https://the-dots.com/pages/plymouth-college-of-art-87019" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dots</a> as one of the <a href="https://the-dots.com/projects/this-international-women-s-day-meet-the-200-women-redefining-the-creative-industry-in-2018-213110" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">top 200 women redefining the creative industry</a> in 2018, pre-degree graduate Charlotte Hugh is one of the five members who make up the <a href="http://youngcreativecouncil.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Young Creative Council</a> in London along with being one half of the creative team at <a href="https://www.digitas.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Digitas</a>.</h5>
<p>A graduate of Plymouth College of Art’s BTec National Diploma, now known as our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/pre-degree/ual-level-3-extended-diploma-in-art-design">Extended Diploma in Art and Design</a>, Charlotte had the opportunity to study a range of creative subjects before specialising in advertising and brand communication, leading her to work on campaigns for household names such as Kellogg's, American Express and Nectar.</p>
<p>As part of the Young Creative Council, Charlotte hosts events, talks and workshops aimed at bridging the gap between education and the creative industries. They regularly collaborate with inspirational partners including <a href="https://www.dandad.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">D&AD</a>, <a href="https://www.itsnicethat.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">It's Nice That</a>, <a href="http://www.motherlondon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mother</a>, <a href="https://www.pentagram.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pentagram</a> and <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google</a>. As a collective they help motivate, educate and support emerging creatives.<br /></p>
We caught up with Charlotte to hear about her motivation, inspiration and top tips for creatives...
<p><strong>What have you been up to since graduating from Plymouth College of Art?</strong><br /></p>
<p>Since leaving the college in 2008, I’ve got a degree, had a brief stint working in New Zealand, moved to London and now have three global advertising agencies on my CV.</p>
<p>My current position is Creative Copywriter at Digitas, a digital advertising agency offering a range of services from integrated communications, commerce to CRM and innovation services, across the world.</p>
<p><strong>How would you describe your work, and where do you get your inspiration from?</strong></p>
<p>My job, I’d say is one of the best in the world. I get paid to come up with ideas for some the biggest household names. As a creative copywriter, I’m responsible for creating the tone of voice for a brand, as well as writing scripts and headlines for TV, print and digital advertising campaigns.</p>
<p>My inspiration can come from anywhere; a conversation with a friend, browsing the web, or just walking through the city.<br /></p>
"Every day is different, one day I’ll be writing a script for a television advert, the next I’ve got my head in a Virtual Reality headset"
Charlotte Hugh
<p><strong>What are the main things you took from your time at the college?</strong><br /></p>
<p>The course I studied at Plymouth College of Art was fantastic, as I learnt many different creative skills from graphic design; to textiles and fine art. This has definitely influenced the type of creative I am today, as it taught me to think differently, problem solve and has allowed me to understand the creative process of not just thinking of an idea, but making it happen.<br /></p>
<p><strong>What would you say is the proudest achievement in your career so far?</strong></p>
<p>Making something my parents would see in the ad breaks in Corrie was pretty awesome.</p>
<p><strong>So what motivates you to keep going with your work?</strong></p>
<p>Technology is a big factor, with new platforms and devices being created we have a big part to play in the future of creativity. It’s no longer just analogue, or traditional media. We can now explore what creativity is within the digital and even virtual world, which is super exciting.</p>
<p>Another motivator is seeing some of the incredible campaigns being created in this industry, and the influence they have on the audience. They motivate, and inspire me with my own work.</p>
<p><strong>What does the next year look like for you?</strong></p>
<p>I’ve got a number of big campaigns in the pipeline which will launch later in the summer. I’m looking forward to taking more responsibility and moving up in my agency role, as well as helping young creatives find their feet in the advertising industry.</p>
<p><strong>Any top tips for creatives trying to establish themselves in the creative industry?</strong></p>
<p>Be yourself. Agencies hire on personality as well as portfolio.</p>
<p>Creativity isn’t 9-5, every good creative I’ve ever met always has a passion project. Don’t let that die the moment you sign a contract.</p>
<p>Go to events, talk to people! You never know who you’ll meet.</p>
<p>Get placements or work experience during summer and Easter breaks, you’ll learn so much by just immersing yourself in an agency.</p>
<p>Use social media to your advantage. Set up a <a href="https://twitter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter</a> profile and make a <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LinkedIn</a> or <a href="https://the-dots.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dots</a> account. Social media is your tool to getting noticed and finding a job. These Twitter accounts are a good place to start: <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/YCC" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@YCC</a></strong> <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/The_Dots_UK" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@The_Dots_Uk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dandad" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@Dandad</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/AdJobWall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@adjobwall</a></strong>.</p><ul><li><a href="http://www.ohhaicreatives.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Head to Charlotte's website to find out more about her past work and current projects</a></li><li><a href="http://youngcreativecouncil.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Young Creative Council have lots of information about what they do on their website</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/pre-degree" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Explore our range of Pre-degree creative courses</a></li></ul>