BMet students’ creative expertise helps virtually promote high-end beverage brand

The creative juices of BMet College’s (@BMetC) media students have been in full flow promoting a high-end beverage brand, as part of a live project.

Seventeen talented students on a level 3 creative media course at James Watt College had the unique opportunity to work with Scotland-based distillery, GHQ Spirits – to help launch their GHQ Gin and GHQ Vodka products.

The challenge, which began in January as part of a virtual eight-week industry placement, was to publicise the GHQ brand via the company’s social media channels.

The task gave students the chance to bring the advertising element of their course to life, as they were involved in the promotion of a real product with a real live brief and a real outcome.

The added challenge students faced was learning remotely due to the pandemic, but it did not stop them from producing first class content for the brand’s social media channels.

Working alone or in pairs, the students used photography, print based messaging and moving images to create posters and videos for the company’s viral advertising and billboard marketing.

As part of the project, they ran focus groups with parents and older friends and relatives asking them to complete initial questionnaires and surveys to help them understand their target audience.

The project launched with an introductory meeting with GHQ Spirits CEO, James McNeill.
Weekly online meetings then followed with the students’ Media Lecturer, Paul Morrell.

Paul, who led the project, said: “Having the students work on such a unique project with a top class national brand was an invaluable opportunity for our students.

“Our well-connected team continually strives to be at the forefront of creating “stand out” and “once in a lifetime” experiences, which is what BMet constantly seeks to do. The passion to be involved in this project could be clearly seen by everyone involved from the beginning to the end.

“As a college we really value live brief projects with leading employers like GHQ Spirits. Industry-related experiences enable students to hone their employability skills; priming them for future rewarding and successful careers.”

Four students were recognised as exceeding in the challenge, resulting in a winner and two runners up.

Harry Hindle was chosen as the winner, after creating a captivating video to showcase GHQ Gin that was circulated on GHQ Spirits social media channels.

Speaking of his win which included receiving a £100 Amazon voucher, he said: “I truly value the professional experience I gained through working on this project. It is a great opportunity, which will help me in the future, as I now know what it is like to work with an external client.

“Winning also means a lot to me. I feel a sense of accomplishment, which drives me to proceed and motivates me to continue trying to do bigger and better things. To hear that James really liked the advert I created, which fit his proposal and ideas is something I will forever hold onto.”

Runner up Jayke O’Malley, who also produced a video to showcase the new spirits and received a £50 Amazon voucher, said: “Just gaining experience working with a real national company in a professional capacity is good in itself. Having the opportunity to follow a professional brief and make an industry standard piece of work that satisfies a client and can be used in GHQ’s real promotion, is equally as rewarding!

“I am proud to produce a good piece of work during these difficult times. In the future, I would love to work within the media industry and feel that this project has helped me develop my editing and filming skills, as well as my professional development in general.”

Speaking of the students’ involvement in the project and their successful promotion of the GHQ Spirits product launch, James McNeill said: “I was very impressed with students’ diligence and creativity.  They synced with the brief given and produced work at a professional level.” 

Click here to see Harry and Jayke’s winning adverts:
Harry Hindle
Jayke O’Malley