TIE : The International Exchange

We are very lucky to have such fantastic people involved with TIE. Everyone, from the people who work for us or advise us, to the people and organisations that take part in each placement. If you're interested in hearing what people have to say, please check out the comments below - they certainly make us pretty excited about being involved!

• Binka and Robin Le Breton, Iracambi, Brazil
• Ed Richards, Leo Burnett, UK
• Tiffany Sherrington, Mindshare, UK
• Mark Burr, Edificio Ecologico (EE), Brazil
• Andrea Corradini, Inata, Brazil
• Wladimir Reis, GTP+, Brazil
• Ryan Fisher, Wieden + Kennedy, UK
• Sir John Hegarty, Worldwide Creative Director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty
• Jon Steel, Marketing Fellowship Director, WPP Group
• Penny Brough, Wieden+Kennedy, UK
• Chris Jackson, Leo Burnett, UK
• Stuart Smith, Former Planning Director Wieden+Kennedy, UK
• Sarah Baumann, Leo Burnett, UK
• Jeremy Bullmore, WPP, UK
• Simon Anholt, UK
• Gib Bulloch, Accenture, UK
• Sir Chris Powell, UK
• Alessandra Nilo, Gestos, Brazil
• Dov Rosenmann, Plan, Brazil
• Edison Martins, Mart Pet, Brazil
• Carlos Renato Rocha, Arcos, Brazil

•  

  The organizational work that Tiffany did with us (beyond the call of duty) also left us with a keen desire for more…huge progress was made - we now have a much clearer idea of what our priorities are, what our story is, who our key clients are and how we can proceed in our future communications. Her work has helped us focus clearly on what we do and who we are and how we can begin to become a more professional organization.

  Binka and Robin Le Breton, Iracambi, Brazil
•  

  TIE is a unique way of developing communications professionals (call it 'extraordinary training' if you will). TIE nurtured the leadership skills that I needed to progress my career at Leo Burnett. It helped build the confidence in my own abilities and allowed me to do things that I didn’t think I could do. I’m not a strategic planner, or a communications/media planner, yet the placement required that I create a communications campaign from scratch, devise and conduct research, devise a communications strategy (considering all elements of communications rather than just advertising), lead the creative briefing process, plan media and create a comms plan, think about the role of public relations…all without the usual support and advice of my team, my superiors or partner agencies back in the UK.

  Ed Richards, Leo Burnett, UK
•  

  As an ex-WPP Fellow, my background is in market research, advertising planning, brand consultancy and now communications strategy. Before TIE, I began to feel that perhaps I needed a more defined strategic specialism. However, one of the most surprising and satisfying elements of my TIE experience was discovering that all my strategic skills made me uniquely equipped to help Iracambi, the small NGO to which I was assigned. From business consultancy work to creative brand workshops (in Portuguese!) to developing a communications plan, my holistic background was my biggest asset.

  Tiffany Sherrington, Mindshare, UK
•  

  This bridging of talents will bring the EE Project onto another level of reach and action, through communication initiatives, which will in due time have great environmental and social impact in the city of Recife, in the Northeast region of Brazil. TIE has been a blessing to our Project from which many flourishing sustainable ideas with applicable solutions can begin to be brought into the light with communications campaigns. TIE shines a torch onto the solutions that enhance human development and defend the preservation of life.

  Mark Burr, Edificio Ecologico (EE), Brazil
•  

  TIE is a great opportunity for learning with the best people from the communications industry. This project has changed Inata in many different ways - our clientes understand better the role of communications after the exchange; our students get an intensive preparation for working at professional agencies. TIE increases their opportunities of getting a job, and society gets an important benefit throgh the promotion of social causes. We had two great experiences, and are anxious for the third. TIE has made a big impact and difference in our work and lives.

  Andrea Corradini, Inata, Brazil
•  

  Having Ryan work with the Solidarity Kitchen and create a campaign that communicates the true essence of GTP+ has been an incredible experience for everyone involved. Ryan has raised the self esteem of everyone within the organisation and it has been a very positive experience overall.

  Wladimir Reis, GTP+, Brazil
•  

  TIE is a unique scheme for those who contribute to it, and those who benefit from it. It forces you to feel uncomfortable, to have to so quickly embrace a new culture, to open your eyes to new problems and think differently about solving them. Waking up each morning not really knowing what will happen or what will be thrown at you is initially un-nerving but ultimately gives you a real buzz and sense of achievement. Having an ‘open brief’ but with a world of expectation and responsibility on your shoulders is frightening, but also really exciting. The immediacy of how quickly you can make an impact is incredible, how quickly things can happen and how easily you can apply yourself and do some good. What you take away from participating in a project with TIE is 1,000-fold: you achieve much, much more than you could ever learn taking a comms course in the UK or working in everyday communications. I would recommend the experience to anyone. I’d also highly recommend the cake.

  Ryan Fisher, Wieden + Kennedy, UK
•  

  We live in a global world with global media. The world really has shrunk. And with that shrinking, the problems the world faces become ever more apparent. We can no longer fail to notice or plead ignorance. Of course many of us assuage or guilt by donating money. Which in itself is essential, not to be scoffed at. But the more you talk to people dealing with these numerous problems the other valuable commodity they need is people's time. In fact it is the most valuable thing you can give. It is through direct contact that we can assess the needs and the solutions of those less fortunate than ourselves. And this is TIE's great gift. All of us have the means, in no matter what we do, to improve the lives of others. It is for this reason we should do all we can to support TIE and applaud Philippa White for her gift to the less fortunate.

  Sir John Hegarty, Worldwide Creative Director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty
•  

  For WPP there are many advantages: we are able to continue our investment in talented employees while improving their understanding of the global economy and developing markets; we are better placed to advise clients on corporate social responsibility; but most of all as a Group we are able to use our expertise for the benefit of society. I'm very excited by the possibilities.

  Jon Steel, Marketing Fellowship Director, WPP Group
•  

  The time I have spent here has been a great experience. Brazil is a complicated place, at times frustrating, but overcoming challenges of language and culture has been hugely rewarding.

  Penny Brough, Wieden+Kennedy, UK
•  

  Above all I think I’ve had a growth in confidence that I can tackle difficult and challenging situations and not just get through it, but actually thrive.

  Chris Jackson, Leo Burnett, UK
•  

  At Wieden + Kennedy, we're not do-gooders, but we want to do more good. People in our industry are experts at helping bring about behavioural change. So why can't we use this special power for good, sometimes, rather than evil? This is why TIE is such a timely, wonderful and important creation, and why Wieden + Kennedy got involved at the outset. It affords our individuals the opportunity to contribute something meaningful to communities that genuinely need what our people can offer. The NGO* Plan (in Recife, Brazil) were thrilled with the positive contribution made by Penny Brough (the first of many 'exchangees' we will be sending from Wieden + Kennedy). Furthermore, Penny gathered an array of rewarding, rich and broad experiences that will be of enormous benefit to herself, and to Wieden + Kennedy, for many years to come.

  Stuart Smith, Former Planning Director Wieden+Kennedy, UK
•  

  Being part of the TIE pilot has been worth every moment for us at Leo Burnett. We are thrilled to discover such an innovative and effective training experience which has the potential to be shaped to meet our objectives and values on both the individual and agency level. It really takes participants out of their comfort zone and the security blanket of "the team" and forces them to develop their leadership skills, as well as putting their core craft skills to a different use. The placement is very challenging but it has produced very real benefits to the individual in terms of performance, confidence, leadership and broadening perspectives and therefore ambition. From an agency perspective, this approach to training not only reflects our values but we're very happy to have been able to help such an incredible organisation as Gestos and to have developed a relationship with them and Mart-Pet which we hope will continue.

  Sarah Baumann, Leo Burnett, UK
•  

  TIE is an unusual invention. It's neither aid nor trade but better than both. No-one's the gracious benefactor and no-one's the humble recipient. The key word is Exchange: through the exchange of one kind of experience with another, all participants come away with more than they started with. Everyone benefits and so, indirectly, do thousands of others.

  Jeremy Bullmore, WPP, UK
•  

  What TIE is all about, and what it is actually beginning to achieve, is truly important. Success in today's world depends so much on your ability to persuade, to influence, to attract - to brand, in other words - and nowhere is that secret art more profoundly understood and more effectively practised than in the communications industries of developed countries. The fact that we have kept those secrets to ourselves for so long is part of the reason why the wealth and power gap is widening instead of narrowing. TIE is one of the tiny handful of organisations that has understood this dynamic, and is actually doing something practical about it. Keep telling those secrets!

  Simon Anholt, UK
•  

  Transferring business skills and knowledge to the development world is critical for a more inclusive and sustainable model of globalisation. Nowhere is this more important than in the powerful forces of communications and marketing. TIE represents an in innovative conduit for such expertise to organisations in parts of the world where need is greatest but who have traditionally had least access.

  Gib Bulloch, Accenture, UK
•  

  TIE is a terrific idea. It allows advertising people to use their skills to make the world a better place and gives them a chance to grow and broaden their experience.

  Sir Chris Powell, UK
•  

  TIE has really helped to strengthen Gestos' vision and has significantly impacted on the lives of the people within our organisation. The TIE placement with Chris has really helped increase our self esteem as an organisation and has really helped our people be more open and better prepared to deal with different cultures. Overall an outstanding experience for us.

  Alessandra Nilo, Gestos, Brazil
•  

  Working with TIE opened new horizons and provided a new understanding of how to communicate inside and outside our organisation. Our projects are really interesting but we need a new eye to help us communicate our ideas. TIE has been a great partner.

  Dov Rosenmann, Plan, Brazil
•  

  Good work doesn't exist when it's only made by one, or for one. A better world doesn't exist when the work is only done by one, or for one. Because of this, the union between Mart Pet, TIE, Gestos, Leo burnett London and all of the professionals involved with the project was, and will be, so important.

  Edison Martins, Mart Pet, Brazil
•  

  The experience we had with TIE was wonderful. It gave us the opportunity to grow as an agency and to contribute to a great project. We are ready for more.

  Carlos Renato Rocha, Arcos, Brazil