**Out for a Chinese with the BPA**
Last Friday a few of us attended the (link: http://thisisthebpa.co.uk text: Birmingham Publicity Association’s) first event of the year – The BPA Chinese Lunch. We took along some guest clients too – from Millward Brown and Birmingham St. Mary’s Hospice.
For the uninitiated, the Birmingham Publicity Association is dedicated to bringing people who work in the creative industries in the Midlands closer together at fantastic events while raising funds for local, deserving charities. The BPA has been in existence in some form or other since 1930 becoming official in 1946. Not many things in this ever-changing industry of ours have lasted that long!
This first BPA event of the year is one of three hardy perennial gatherings, where the emphasis is firmly on fun. To coincide with Chinese New Year – which in 2017 is the year of the rooster – the event took place at one of Birmingham’s finest Chinese restaurants – Henry’s Cantonese in leafy St Paul’s Square.
Starting with a drinks reception, the event also comprised a three course lunch followed by… karaoke! There’s always no shortage of willing participants within the BPA’s vibrant membership group.
BPA member organisations include everything from global organisations to sole traders, graduate trainees right up to CEOs and MDs. Media owners and agencies, advertising and marketing agencies, digital agencies, PR agencies, freelancers — in fact, all facets of the creative industries are represented.
On the face of it, this might seem like a bit of a jolly. And yes, it was lots of fun. But can we extract any business benefit out of this kind of activity? After all, it took place in business hours and meant several key people being out of the office during that time.
My view is a solid yes. I would say that though. I’ve been involved with the management council of the BPA for over 10 years. I’ve served as chairman for two of those and I’m currently in the last few weeks of a three year stint as president. So, you could say I’m vested.
But the BPA is a powerful group. I have made many great business connections over those years and many of those have turned into firm friends. In fact, I wouldn’t be here in my new post as Creative Director with Superdream without the BPA.
After I kicked the karaoke off in presidential fashion, the celebrations continued long into the evening. Our clients left fed, watered, better connected and happy – our relations with them very much closer knit than they were before. Try putting a value on that.
One of them also left clutching two tickets to see Anastacia courtesy of the charity raffle – you lucky person – and I might even have volunteered for a charity bike ride. From Vietnam to Cambodia. Damn you alcohol!
(image: https://assets.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/09113246/bpa1-300×200.jpg alt: bpa1)
The lovely ladies from Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice
(image: https://assets.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/09113252/bpa2-300×200.jpg alt: bpa2)
Steve and Natalie with guest clients from Millward Brown
(image: https://assets.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/09113256/bpa3-300×200.jpg alt: bpa3)
Steve giving us his best Robbie impression
### Written by Steve Price