AGENCY P I TCH
want to be really close to them, to help them accelerate their messaging.” Broadsword’s New York office will be led by Ben Hocken, who is eagerly anticipating his new role as MD Americas. “The majority of our clients are global clients so it made real sense for us to be there,” he explains. “A lot of what we do is about changing people’s behaviour and it’s quite a subtle process, so partly it was driven by having a finger on the pulse of what’s going to engage with people in those different regions.” For Hocken, the challenge of working with big financial clients is making engaging events out of topics that can initally seem quite dry. “Something like credit trends actually has a huge effect on what people can afford to buy,” he says. “We take it back to those true life stories and help brands make that message more accessible. “The way you change behaviour is by making something that is relevant,” he adds. “By making people feel important - making people feel like they’re part of that change. Getting them to become fans of the organisations that they work for.” As a female leader from the traditionally
An event for credit rating agency Moody’s
but gently influence the approach that our clients take to panel representation and give the future workforce the right people to aspire to,” she explains. And for Green it’s imperative to attract this future workforce. “We’ve undergone a bit of damage to reputation with what happened to the industry at the start of the pandemic,” she says. “My kids are 16 and 19 and they’re thinking about when and where it’s safe and secure to work. They’ve watched what’s happened in the sector. “We need to re-inspire and re-engage with young people and young talent and get the very best we can into the industry - and make sure that it doesn’t all go over to TV and Netflix.”
And whether it’s partnerships with local schools or getting involved with mentoring and associations, Broadsword is making a real effort to attract a new generation of eventprofs to the sector. “We’ve started a podcast to talk to and access the younger generation without doing
male environment of event production, Green is hoping to tell a new story about women in the sector. “I’m so passionate that young girls do see that there is a pathway for them in event production,” she enthuses. “We’ve got fantastic female event production managers, but there’s so few in the industry. Hopefully we can inspire more.”
it in the normal, more formal style,” says Green. “It’s trying to give them opportunities and help bring people into the industry.” Broadsword has also focused on sustainability internally through partnering with isla and auditing events for CO2 output. “I really believe in the triple bottom line, it’s not enough to just focus on money,” says Green. “You really need a
The way you change behaviour is bymaking something that is relevant
healthy organism as a business. The digital side is really key; it is such a sustainable way of bringing a large amount of people together. “I really hope that over the next five to 10 year period we don’t have to continually fly people around the world. To deliver events with your local team is a much more sustainable way to do it.” “We need to be using digital advancements of technology”, says Hocken. “We need to be more smart about it rather than just going back to how it was.” This refusal to accept the status quo is at the heart of Green’s approach to another of Broadsword’s focuses for 2022; diversity, equality and inclusion. “We’re not going to go in and dictate,
Ben Hocken will lead the New York office
The British Independent Film Awards
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