Coming full circle: Back at MMU with Emota
Five years ago, I was sitting in a lecture theatre at Manchester Metropolitan University, studying Event Management and trying to figure out where I might fit in the industry. I knew I loved the creative side of events – the ideas, the experiences, the storytelling, but at the time, I didn’t even know creative or experiential agencies existed.
Fast forward to now, and I’m back on the Manchester Met campus, this time with the Emota team running a creative workshop for the Events Faculty. It’s a proper full-circle moment. Manchester Met gave me the foundation that led me to Emota, and now I get to bring what I’ve learned back to the next wave of event professionals.
The workshop was part of an exciting collaboration between Emota and the faculty, supporting students as they plan their first ever student-led charity event: a walk designed by students, for students, raising funds for mental health services. Our role is to help shape the event’s name and brand identity, but before we get to design it, we need to listen.
We spent the day taking students through the creative process, exploring mission statements, values, visions, brand positioning, and event naming. The goal wasn’t to come up with final answers, but to get under the skin of what this event should feel like, what matters to students, what language and ideas resonate, and how they want the event to be seen.
It reminded me how, back at uni, I didn’t fully grasp how important brand identity is to an event’s success. Tone, values, visuals, they might seem like details, but they shape the whole experience. Seeing students connect those dots, share ideas, and think about the ‘why’ behind their event was brilliant.
It can be tricky to know where you want to go in this industry, and I hope this gave students a glimpse into the creative side, that there are roles and agencies out there where creativity is the job. For me, that’s what I enjoy about working at Emota, no two projects are ever the same, and every project has its own meaning, look, and feel.
Being back at Manchester Met felt nostalgic, but also exciting, and a chance to give back and inspire next generation of event creators.