Mark Stringer, founder and chief executive at PrettyGreen told Event he has wanted to introduce the concept for quite some time.
"I really feel that part of our role as an agency is to inspire people, to encourage them to get away from their day-to-day and change the way they think about things."
He reiterated that the events are not promotional, and the agency in fact hasn't allocated itself a spot to present on 19 May. "It’s not about us talking about ourselves, it’s not a self indulgent agency thing, it’s more about showcasing the world that we live in," Stringer said.
The events will include presentations from renowned speakers, break-out sessions, panels and immersive sessions.
Each instalment will showcase a particular theme, and the inaugural event has been named It’s Been Emotional. "We’ll try to keep the themes to what we feel is important, and for us emotion plays a big part," said Stringer. "It’s also about what’s topical and what’s important at the time."
The plan is to host the events at least twice a year, depending on demand. "If we get to the place where we charge for these events, that our content is so great that people want to pay to attend, that is the holy grail," said Stringer.
He also has more long-term aspirations for the concept. "I see that we could eventually turn this into an overnight event with a festival, where people can learn in the day and let their hair down at night. It would allow them to learn in a way that isn’t a traditional conference."
While Stringer proposed the idea to the agency’s board, he said that The Clearing has become a company wide project. "It’s an all agency project, and the whole team will attend," he said.
Speakers and panellists confirmed for the event so far include:
- Rachel Swift, head of brand marketing at John Lewis
- Kerry Rolston, marketing director at 9Bar
- Michael Townsend Williams, founder at Breathe Sync
- Roman Kemp, Capital Radio DJ and vlogger
- Ben Grace, managing director at Bulldog Natural Grooming
- Jess Search, CEO at Britdoc
- Spencer, football vlogger
- Jane Cunningham, founder, Pretty Little Head
- Laura Thomson, Phenomenal Training
The event will run from 10.30am to 5pm, with refreshments and lunch provided. Attendees will also be invited to stay for a drink at the end of the day.
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