What an opportunity.

Getting into the ad industry can be tough.

But award-winning CHS is offering a free pass to an interview, no matter what a person’s experience or portfolio.

All that’s needed is a creative mind which “knocks our socks off”.

And while the Christchurch-based creative marketing agency is keen to hear from graduates wishing to work in the sector, its ‘Golden Ticket’ is open to all.

Chris Southgate, Managing Director, pictured left, said: “We work in the most amazing part of the country with the best creative universities – Arts University Bournemouth and Bournemouth University.

“But often we find graduates go off to work in places such as Bristol, Brighton and, of course, London.

“We work closely with the universities.

“What better way to say ‘thank you’ for collating on a project than to offer a ‘Golden Ticket’ to an interview?

“But it’s not just graduates.

“Some of our best people have come from non-advertising backgrounds.

“We’d encourage anyone keen to work in the industry to contact us.”

Current vacancies at CHS include Account Manager, Account Executive, Copywriter, Middleweight Creative, Photographer and Photographic Stylist.

Founded in the 1970’s, CHS has an annual turnover of £4m+ and employs more than 60 people.

Services include strategic planning, publications, branding and integrated campaigns which combine videography, photography, direct marketing, web design and advertising.

Key clients include HSBC, Petplan, B&Q, Lakeland and – most recently – Purplebricks.

The agency was appointed by the estate agent following a competitive pitch to help amplify the brand’s #HomeSupport campaign on social media.

It follows Purplebricks’ confirmed partnership as Official Estate Agent of Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The campaign involved the commission of four artists, each chosen due to their roles as elite sportspeople past and present.

They included Rio 2016 silver medalist and professional boxer Joe Joyce, professional triathlete Vanessa Raw and former rugby player, Henry Fraser, who now paints using his mouth after an accident left him paralysed from the neck down.

Each artist created a powerful image depicting what ‘Home Support’ means for them.

The works inspired CHS to design #HomeSupport augmented reality (AR) filters.

They’ll be integral to the campaign objectives of creating a visual show of support for Team GB, generate social buzz and provide an engaging way for the nation to virtually cheer on the athletes competing in Tokyo.

The AR filters are part of a wider suite of social media assets from CHS, bringing to life the story of the #HomeSupport campaign both nationally and locally.

Chris said: “It’s a tremendous privilege to not just work with Purplebricks, but to support them on such an incredible campaign.

“In a year when so many of us will be cheering on Team GB from thousands of miles away, this gives fans across the world the chance to cheer on our national heroes.”

Gemma Schmid, Head of Brand at Purplebricks, pictured left, said: “As a tech-led hybrid estate agent, it was really important for us to bring our Home Support campaign to life in a digitally innovative way that tied in with all our real-world activations and incredible artwork that’s been produced.

“We hope these filters, and the wider story of Home Support we’re telling on social media, inspire the nation to keep the home fires of support burning as strong as we saw at the London 2012 games.”

Chris, who joined CHS in 2009 and was appointed MD last October, said the agency was the busiest it had ever been.

He added: “It really is the most exciting time to join us.

“And it’s such a privilege for me to work with what I consider to be the best team and the best clients in the world.”

• recruitment@chs.agency