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Alumni

Sammy Carrick

Career Path: Creative Lead at Coolr
Location: UK

Started working as a digital marketer/creative all rounder for a North East based, nationwide hospitality group. I ran all social media pages and helped to design and brand their bars and restaurants. It's here where I learned my skills in design and social media. Moved to London in 2015 to start working for a company called Born Social as a Creative, there were 20 people who worked there and we worked with little snack brands, cafes and start-ups. Left Born Social in 2023 as a Senior Creative Strategist, having helped to grow the agency to 130 people - working for Guinness, Jägermeister, Primark, Warner Bros and many more.

Sam Carrick

What are you doing now?

Creative Lead at Coolr

 

Previously at Fold7 as a Senior Creative where I work on some of the biggest brands in the world across multiple markets worldwide, including Audible and Carlsberg.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study here?

Great design school and I was Newcastle based. New, modern facilities and a great Uni culture.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

We had this great lecturer called Chris Wharton. No one used to miss his lectures because he was so engaging, knowledgable and interesting. The area that really sparked my interest was the design module. I'd always had a keen eye for art throughout school, and learning basic Adobe skills really helped kickstart my love for design and making cool stuff.

How connected was your course with industry?

It was a really nice blend between advertising and media - the history of ads, human behaviour and also the more craft side of making stuff - such as design and copywriting. It allowed me to choose the area that most interested me (there was stuff in my course for everyone!)

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals/ give your career an edge?

Sparked my love of creativity, design and advertising. Put my on a path to drive towards.

Which skills/knowledge did you learn on your course that you use most now throughout your career?

Design!

What did you enjoy most about your time at Northumbria University?

I used to get excited by the prospect of working in advertising - I could foresee it - Northumbria helped me to realise that this was possible.

What advice would you give somebody who is considering studying at Northumbria?

Just do it! It worked well for me!

How would you describe your time at Northumbria in three words?

Interesting, Engaging, Fun

For more information about me visit:

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