We used our agency/team structure to allow the 60 participants to experience both the creative and financial planning aspects of marketing. We gave them rooms full of information produced by their company (or press talking about it!) and creative production tools. External consultants were also there across disciplines like data mining and advertising.

Each team was also given a campaign to mount and a budget to achieve it. The work done on the first day then shifted into the reality of marketing within their company. They were asked to look at the barriers facing them, both strategic and practical, and find solutions to these issues.

It became apparent to the group that board-level understanding of the role of marketing was needed. The senior staff also recognised some weaknesses in the teams and that has been addressed.

Some of the creative campaign ideas developed at the workshop have been implemented, but, most importantly, the workshop led to a shift in attitude at board and senior management level to view marketing as a strategic investment rather than a cost.