University News Last updated 16 April 2014
This year’s B-Hive competition saw Birmingham City University walk away with more wins than any other university.
Students from Birmingham City University were crowned winners of four out of the competition's five categories, securing themselves a number of paid placements within the creative industries sector.
This year students were tasked with launching a new fashion brand that aimed to fuse the digital and physical retail space. The top entrants were then shortlisted to pitch their campaigns to leading industry professionals from a range of agencies and in-house communications teams.
Visual Communication students Leah Gallagher and Khushbu Patel both walked away with paid placements, after their impressive pitches to the judges.
Khushbu Patel, winner of the Advertising Category, said: “I was absolutely ecstatic at the opportunity to present to such big directors and from getting so much positive feedback. I'm so excited to start my placements; it's putting my foot in the door to some of the best advertising agencies in the country. I'm even more excited for my future career in the advertising industry!”
Winner of the Digital Category, Leah Gallagher, said: “The whole B-Hive experience has taught me a lot about presenting professionally, what employers want and how employers engage with you. It's a great platform to get noticed too, I'm now in contact with a number of different agencies and many creative individuals. The experience I'll gain on placements this summer will be invaluable.”
Now in its sixth year, B-Hive is organised by Pitch Consultants and operates as a ‘Dragons Den’ style competition across five categories of PR, marketing, advertising, digital and graphic design.
The awards are designed to showcase local creative
talent and build connections between 
students and the professional landscape, whilst arming students with vital experience for their future careers.
Ros Sinclair, Senior Lecturer in Creative Advertising and Branding at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, said: “I think that the success of both of these girls is down to the hard work that they are prepared to put in their presentation skills. The judges were impressed by their professionalism”.
(students pictured: Khushbu Patel, above and Leah Gallagher, below)
BCU winners:
- Sophie Coulson, studying Media and Communication, was named overall winner for the PR category, scooping placements at WPR, Rewired, Bright and RBH.
- Leah Gallagher, studying Visual Communication, won the digital category and as a result, will enjoy placements at 383 Project, Freestyle Interactive, One Black Bear and Studio Bonito.
- Adam Freeman and Lyndon Pryce, Business School students, both wowed judges making it difficult for a single person to be chosen, meaning they ended up joint winners of the marketing category. They secured placements at Hammerson Bullring, First Utility, Catalyst, Orion Media and Hammerson High Cross.
- Khushbu Patel, studying Visual Communication, impressed judges with her creativity and joined up thinking to take the top spot in the advertising category, winning placements at Big Communications, Chapter, McCann, WAA and The Unagency.