D&AD Goes North (to the Streets of Preston)

MANCHESTER, England, November 17, 2011 -

Gary Aspden, the man responsible for some of the most remarkable collaborations with adidas, was last night welcomed as guest speaker at the latest D&AD North event. Remember that sequined tracksuit worn by David Beckham to open the Commonwealth Games? That was Gary.

The evening’s talk, held at The Continental in Preston, was on the theme of collaborations - including subcultures in the North West during the 1980’s, and the impact that these had on Gary and his work - and was a mix of exceptional stories along with inspirational words of advice on networking.

D&AD, who represent the global creative, design and advertising communities, have been running their series of lectures and events for 50 years, with the primary aim to ‘inform, educate and inspire those who work in the creative industries’.

Fergal Kilroy, the Interim Director of Content, Community and Campaigns at D&AD commented:

“Gary’s ‘Conversation in Creativity’ was a masterclass on the potential of building a brand through collaborations. As a body of work it made perfect sense in print or on screen. The suggestion of each one though must have required a great deal of faith from the bosses of adidas. An endearing maverick whose outlook was definitely shaped by growing up in North West England. He enthralled his audience.

“It was great to have D&AD’s North Committee and in particular the team at JP74 make the event possible and thanks also to Creative Lancashire for their invaluable support.

“D&AD looks forward to showcasing more talks and lectures in the region during its 50th year.”

Historically, these events have been more London based. To redress the balance, a D&AD North Committee was formed last year to bring their support and inspiration to the Northern regions. This is the fourth talk in the ongoing series, and was organised by Jake Smith, Interactive Director at JP74, D&AD’s digital agency. He commented:

“When asked to set up the Preston event, I was after someone with an element of creativity that crossed disciplines and with collaboration as a central theme.

“Gary’s from the region originally, but his work has carried him all over the world, working with some amazing people, and I figured he’d have an insightful and inspirational story to tell. Gary delivered!”

The D&AD North event was organised in association with Creative Lancashire’s ‘Conversations in Creativity’.

Contact: Jake Smith
Tel: +44(0)1282-774443
Email: studio@jp74.com

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