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McCann Leeds’ Creative Courage event: The Truth About Britain

McCann Leeds Creative Courage

Strategic creative agency McCann Leeds recently opened its doors for the return of its Creative Courage series, marking its first in-person Creative Courage event since 2019.

Creative Courage is an initiative from McCann Leeds that celebrates the power of creativity, which has the power to challenge and change the norm, fuelling optimism, prosperity and people.

Creative Courage events aim to inspire, to spark conversation and collaboration, and hosting this event face-to-face offers an invaluable opportunity for members of the creative industry in the North to be inspired, to collaborate and create.

The event consisted of three main topics, presented by four expert, industry-leading speakers.

Truth About Britain


McCann Leeds’ Strategy Director Coral Cranmer took the stage first, accompanied by Rodney Collins, Senior Vice President at McCann Truth Central and newly appointed Global Head of Human Sciences at McCann Worldgroup.

Rodney and Coral took the audience through key findings from the latest ‘Truth about Britain’ report from Truth Central, which has been released at a pivotal time, highlighting how Britons have adapted to an ever-changing world.

Since the last report in 2018, there has been a world of change; including everything from a Royal wedding, Brexit, and a humanitarian crisis to, of course, the pandemic.

The findings of the latest report showed the audience how Brits feel about being British today, and what ‘Britishness’ means to them. The results were surprising to a lot of attendees, who were reminded that a room full of marketers are not necessarily reflective of the nation at large.

Coral and Rodney wrapped up by discussing the role that brands must play in the lives of the British public, and the responsibility on brands to make a positive change to the world: certainly a lot of food for thought!

The Margot Collective



Introduced by Ruth Harper, Strategy Director at McCann demand, The Margot Collective is comprised of senior female talent from around McCann World Group who have the ability to consult on any client brief, where needed, to ensure there is a strong female voice involved in the creation of work.

The collective can also draw in women from around the world with the most relevant experience, both in their professional lives and personal passions. This results in real female insights, honest creative and work that works for women.

Ruth highlighted how important a strong female voice is in creativity, with some startling figures to get the audience thinking about gender-balanced marketing for the future, and how brands can authentically tap into women’s desire for change.

The Future for Brands in Britain



Finally, McCann Leeds welcomed Gareth Turner, Head of Marketing at Weetabix and founder of Big Black Door. Gareth gave an insightful talk about the ‘Future for Brands in Britain’ in what is, undoubtedly, a rocky economic climate for the nation.

Gareth discussed innovative ways for brands to thrive in a recession, including providing better experiences, staying away from compromise, and rewarding consumers to help them feel valued.

This event was the first in the new series of Creative Courage events, which will be held in the coming months, hosted by McCann Leeds. The next date is expected to be announced soon.

Register to sign up and hear about all the future Creative Courage events here.

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