What's Floating Around Cloud 9? 14 Jan 2013

Welcome to another week and blimey it’s a busy one!

We are gearing up for the launch of the Midlands Media Awards set for 1^st February which we are running on behalf of the Birmingham Press Club - the oldest Press Club in the world. 

This exciting awards scheme will recognise and reward the very best local and regional journalists, broadcasters and photographers and will deliver an outstanding event celebrating the diversity of the media throughout the Midlands.

With an impressive and impeccable two stage judging process and categories created to reflect and reward the rich heritage and modern innovation within the media, this is an event not to be missed.

The Midlands Media Awards cover Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire (West Midlands).

Entries are welcome from anyone working within the local media, journalists, broadcasters and online news contributors and there are over 20 categories to choose from including one which will enable the public to vote for their favourite source of news and information.

The event is set for Thursday 13^th June at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham and to keep up to date with information about the awards, use #MidlandsMediaAwards on Twitter.

The CIPR Northern Conference for 2013 will take place a week later at the Great North Museum Hancock, in Newcastle, 19 June.

The theme this year is Power to the People which is incredibly relevant in a post-Levenson world, so whilst the full programme is to be announced, tickets will be available from late January and early bird discounts are available for advance bookings.

Fresh 2013 is also on the go and as we celebrate 10 years of Fresh, its going to be a big, big, big, big year…we have plans to host a Freshtival, not a Festival, but a Freshtival.

 We have already seen a sneak preview of the  new Creative which will accompany the awards this year from our friends over at Palmer Hargreaves and although we are chomping at the bit to tell you all about it, we are under pain of death not to reveal any details until its ready to go, so look out for more news in February.

In other news this week, if you do any work at all for the Travel Industry, be it websites, advertising, design, media or PR, and you fancy something completely different in 2013, then we have a great suggestion.

Our friends over at Beachcomber UK along with Email for Travel, have set up a great new website promoting the first ever Travel Trade Crusade.

The Travel Trade Crusade! ---- 12th -14th July 2013 - is a mad road trip across Europe, taking in 5 countries in 3 days that raises money for good causes. Only teams from the travel industry or those associated with the travel industry can enter and compete with each other along the way to tick off certain challenges set by us. Most teams will head back to Blighty at the end of the rally.

So if you are a Travel Agent, Tour Operator, Holiday Attraction, Travel Press, Travel Design or Advertising company, Travel Industry official body, Consortia, Airline, Airline company, Representation Company or Hotel Group…the list goes on of who can take part.

The competition lasts for 3 days starting in Calais at 9.00 a.m. on Friday July 12th, 2013 and finishes in Amsterdam on Sunday July 14th, 2013. Its been designed to be fast and furious to minimise time away from the office.

The challenges and points scoring system are unique and that’s all we’re going to say! 

Check the challenges section for more details, but ultimately, they are designed from the bizarre to the brilliant and will give you stories to tell for years. Some challenges can be ticked off anywhere and others are evenly distributed across the countries.

Because of the unique challenge system, teams are required to take a camera with them. Don’t worry, you don’t need any high-end recording equipment, just a digital camera that can take photos and short video clips.

So, do something very different in 2013 and make sure you take part!

Finally this week, we are looking forward to Friday as we take our first fam trip of the year down to London for an exclusive event with the Jumeirah Carlton Tower.

The luxury, five star Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel is situated in the heart of Knightsbridge and is located within walking distance of Harrods and Harvey Nichols department stores and the exclusive designer boutiques of Sloane Street.

Jumeirah Carlton Tower was voted Europe's Leading Business Hotel 2011 at the World Travel Awards; top three best hotels for service in the UK in the Condé Nast Traveller Gold List 2011 and 4th place for Best UK Business Hotel in the 2010 Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards.

Synonymous with sophistication and luxury, the 216 room, 5 star hotel overlooks the private gardens of Cadogan Place with spectacular views over London’s skyline.

Excited, you bet we are!

Have a great week everyone!