Being a working mum with two pre-schoolers, my cultural references are quite limited as I spend a lot of time reading books with the children (and OK admittedly – CBeebies plays quite a big part).  I’ve always greatly enjoyed the magical and mystical world of children’s book illustrations, an interest which started in my own childhood with my addiction to Beatrix Potter books and the wonderful animal characters she brought to life from her own imagination.

Now in the 21^st century, CGI animation is a big draw to the kids, but the more realistic, the less charm in my opinion.  One of my favourite authors and illustrators is Lauren Child, creator of the Charlie and Lola series.   Her quirky style of writing and engaging imagery makes her books stand out for me as well as for my girls (including my very own ‘little sister Lola’ who is also ‘small and very funny’).

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When I was growing up in a quiet little town in the south of England, I was always jealous of people with accents. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful” I thought, “to be able to ask for jellied eels, or a sausage barm, without sounding like a ponce. Wouldn’t it be bloody brilliant if the sound of my voice alone communicated a deep-rooted link to the precise location of my upbringing.”

I do, of course, have vocal indicators that identify me as southern English. Many people are even able to place my accent in the south east. But am I from Basildon or from Basingstoke; from Berkshire or from Kent? My part-BBC part-Estuary English style of speech gives few pointers to a precise location. The fact is, millions of people across a large chunk of the country speak in much the same boring way as I do. My voice is a poor compass. It’s hardly surprising, then, that I dreamt of having a real accent.

And I wasn’t the only one. Quite a few of my schoolmates, acutely aware of our shared non-accent, tried to adopt alternatives – with varying degrees of success. Out of my best friends, Mark went Cockney, Dave became Brummie and Pete plumped for Pakistani: a particularly   ill-considered move that did little for his reputation among the local Asian community.

Now in our mid-twenties, I think we’ve all accepted we’ll never have real accents. We’ll always be simply ‘southern’. Yet I remain absolutely fascinated by cities or small regions with a unique style of speech. So when I was given the opportunity to move to Manchester in mid-2008 there was just a single thought that crossed my mind. Mint. Read more…

Have Pixar ever made a bad movie? I don’t think so. Couple of average ones (Cars, A Bug’s Life) perhaps, but no real duffers. In fact, I reckon pretty much all of their output is undeniably outstanding. And 22 Academy Awards, 4 Golden Globes, and 3 Grammys says I’m not the only one. Needles to say I was well up for Up.

What I love about Pixar flicks is the way they transcend generations. On the surface they’re kids films, movies full of wonder, colour and laughter. Yet just below the surface lurk some quite (and sometimes heavy), adult themes. Sibling rivalry in Toy Story; separation and parenthood in Finding Nemo; family dynamics and depression in The Incredibles; abandonment in Toy Story 2. I could go on. Up is no different.

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Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Best of Manchester Awards 2009. The edgy, quirky and creative soul of the city, that’s been plucked by an esteemed panel of judges and assembled for your pleasure on the top floor of the Urbis.

The Best of Manchester Awards, launched last year, celebrate the city’s most innovative thinking in art, music and fashion. Open to everyone that lives or works in Manchester, its aim is to give recognition to boundary-breaking, genre defying work and to elevate the profile of those spirited creative types who are bubbling under the surface. It is judged by a impressive panel of experts including designer Peter Saville, Turner prize wining artist, Jeremy Deller and fashion designer, Wayne Hemmingway. Winners are rewarded with space in the high profile exhibition, lots of media exposure plus a fast track development package. Oh and a big fat cheque for £2000.

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Red C celebrated 15 years of excellence last night with a big birthday bash at Dukes 92 in Manchester. All our clients and staff, each sporting a t-shirt with a word or two that described their character (such as ‘newly-wed’, ‘masseuse’ or ‘arm wrestler’), were there to celebrate the momentous occasion, which began with a champagne reception and was shortly followed by a tasty Thai curry buffet.

The drinks didn’t stop flowing all night and the guests were entertained with live music supplied by our very own band C’Red – with Adrian on drums, son Matthew on bass, Rosemary on vocals and husband Lindsay on guitar, plus some special appearances from other Red C staff. There was also music from rock ’n’ roll combo The Rhythm Aces, and some sleight of hand from our resident magician. Read more…

How do you change the behaviour of an audience that is quite literally stuck in their ways? An audience that has got to the age where telling them what they can and cannot do, will only result in the failure of the marketing message.

That’s the task we at Red C faced when Manchester’s NHS Primary Care Trust came to us with regards promoting responsible drinking to the ‘Over 50s’. At the time of briefing there were wide reports of what were known as ‘Saga Louts’, with Alcohol Concern reporting that more than one million over 65 year olds exceed recommended alcohol limits – a 75 per cent rise in women and a 31 per cent rise in men since the early 1990s.

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Red C have been giving their time generously to help Bupa staff members celebrate Bupa’s 60th anniversary as well as help raise funds for cancer charities.

The Bupa celebrity cook book “Around the World in Sixty Dishes” includes recipes donated by world famous chefs including Delia Smith, Gordon Ramsay and Brian Turner as well as recipes from staff members around the globe. Read more…