A showcase of Northern talent: Our day at Two+Two

Founded by Manchester-based recruitment agency Creative Resource, Two+Two is an annual event that brings together marketing and creative students from across the north to tackle a brief – just like in the real world. They’re joined by mentors and judges from some of the region’s top agencies, making the whole event a real showcase of what the north has to offer.

 
This year, Head of People Catherine MacDonald and Senior Copywriter Rachael Hill were invited to attend the 7th edition of the event to offer support and mentorship. They headed to Stockport to begin a jam-packed day of inspiring talks, creativity, and, of course, many cups of tea.

The brief: To come up with a big idea to tackle food waste for Stockport Council’s Climate Action Now (CAN) initiative – helping to save the planet, one bite at a time. 
 

After receiving the brief on the morning of the event, the students were split into colour groups and again into smaller teams. These teams were made up of people studying all kinds of creative disciplines, at all different Northern universities – giving each group a range of perspectives to bring to the table.  

For both the students and mentors, the first order of business was getting to know each other – building that level of comfort that really lets the ideas flow freely. The mentors spent time making sure each group understood the brief, and then it was over to the students to get stuck in. 
 
The morning passed quickly, with the teams and mentors nurturing their best ideas (and killing a few of their darlings). In the Green group where Rachael was a mentor, everything from food scrap vending machines to bin men influencers were discussed, and the creative atmosphere was infectious. Then, after a much-needed lunch refuel, the students returned to refine their ideas and produce their final presentations, before gathering to present them to the rest of their colour groups.  
 
With such creativity on display, the mentors and group leaders had a real challenge on their hands picking a favourite. But only one team from each colour group could make it to the final – and for the Green team, this was The Green Horses, with their idea to ditch the best before dates, give your food a squeeze, and ‘Trust your senses’.  

But there was a also a second chance for another Green team, as Stockport CAN selected the Green Dragons as their wildcard this year, after being intrigued by their unique ‘Doggy Dinners’ approach. 

While the group leaders from each colour team worked with the finalists to refine their presentations, the rest of the students and mentors took part in some quick-fire networking, moving around the room to speak to people they hadn’t met yet that day. 

Then it was time to gather downstairs to reflect on the day and see the all-important final presentations. Each of the six presentations showcased creativity, insight and personality in abundance – ranging from ideas that encouraged community togetherness, to giving food scraps a second life via doggy dinners.  
 
But the final idea from The Red Snakes was the one that really caught the attention of the judges. Titled ‘Nowt wrong with it’ in homage to the brief’s Northern roots, this concept was all about encouraging people to look beyond how food physically appears and make the most of every last bite. 

Their much-deserved prize will see them work with APS Group and the Stockport CAN team to refine their idea further, before presenting to Stockport Council and attending the 2025 Climate Summit.

Thank you to Creative Resource for developing such a fantastic event and championing Northern talent. The STM AGENCY team had a rewarding day at Two+Two, and here’s what they had to say:

“I loved my day at Two+Two and already can’t wait for next year’s event! The creativity on show from the students was so inspiring, and it really got me thinking about other ways we could give emerging young talent a platform like this.  
 
My approach as a mentor was to make sure the students kept their ideas grounded in the insight: who is the audience, and what do they actually care about? With so much excitement and creativity in the room, this helped to make sure the teams stayed on-brief – something that I’ve found is vital to keep at the forefront of your mind in any agency role.”

“Attending the Two+Two event for the first time was a very rewarding experience. I had heard lots about it from both university lecturers and students applying for roles with us, so I was thrilled when Phil and Julie from Creative resource invited me to participate. What stood out to me most was the students’ ability to collaborate, regardless of which university they were from. It’s this kind of teamwork that’s essential in agency life. 

I was equally impressed by the support provided by experienced professionals from Agencies all across Manchester, from huge agencies to smaller ones - it was very well supported.  

Networking was also a key element of the event, and the time allocated in the day, gave students invaluable opportunities to engage with industry experts. Many students approached me with questions about agency life, placements, interviews, and how to stand out in a competitive field. 

There was a real buzz in the room, and it was inspiring to see such enthusiasm and commitment from the next generation of talent.”