A Big Chip Welcome To The Digital World

This is a guest blog post by Alex Trembath, project manager at MadeWith.

When I joined MadeWith back in April, there was a buzz of excitement around the office when, in my first fortnight, the company was named on the shortlist for the ‘Best Newcomer’ category at Big Chip 2009. Since then, as a newcomer to the digital marketing scene myself, I’ve been paying close attention to the runners, riders and general hype surrounding the awards.

The first thing that struck me is that I have become part of something special. It appears to me that Big Chip 2009 is not just a fantastic showcase of the digital talent that exists here in the North West (which it is), but more poignantly a representation of the fact that all of that talent as a collective is gathering momentum and achieving great, positive things at a time of general melancholy in the UK. In the midst of a recession, it is refreshing to feel part of a growing movement.

On a personal level, Big Chip has helped me answer a very important question that has troubled me for years. Stemming from my days in print journalism, there has been a rather unsettling voice in my head asking “do I need to move to London to succeed in the media sector?” It is quite clear from the array of flair (and competition!) on show at Big Chip 2009 that, for a young digital marketer, the North West is a very exciting place to be.