Orangebox Training Solutions has plans to use a new animated character called Burt as part of its longer-term marketing plan.
And that is the result of an idea from two creative students at Hartlepool College of Further Education during a four-month work placement at Orangebox.
Louis Robson and Jack Beach-Menzies were asked to collaborate on a project that would enhance Orangebox’s social media push, while highlighting the training provider’s services. Now Burt is set to stay.
Orangebox’s marketing manager Glen Hughes said: “We have had previous work experience over the years with Hartlepool College that has gone well. This time we focused on creative animation and graphics.
“Louis and Jack were involved in live project after being assigned to us.
“We provided a brief, told them what we wanted. They went away and worked on the project during their placements and regularly updated us on how things were going .
“They created Burt, the character, as part of the brief. We wanted an Orangebox character that in some way depicted not only our main courses but also our core values of being vibrant and thinking outside the box.
“The feedback has been great, and we would like to vary the scenarios with Burt in the future. We would like to work with Louis and Jack again.
“Burt has his own unique page on Orangebox’s sharepoint intranet system that will be developed by Jack and Louis”.
Louis and Jack created a 60-second animation that has been used on Orangebox’s social media channels.
The pair were on a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design Practice (Year 2) at the time and now they have progressed to the Level 4 Professional Diploma in Creative Enterprise at Hartlepool College.
It is not easy for A&D students to find meaningful industry experience within Hartlepool, but Orangebox have felt the benefits.
Jack said: “We signed up together as we wanted to blend our skills together. We were given free rein to do whatever we wanted and we knew what we wanted to do as soon as we got there, an animation.
“It made us feel proud of what we had accomplished. We never thought it would turn out as good as it did.
“We were also offered more opportunities with Orangebox to create more artwork for them. We are so grateful to be offered opportunities like this from our tutor because it will enhance our portfolio and has given us new skills.”
Jack and Louis are available to work on other projects – and the pair clearly work well together.
Louis said: “We were at Orangebox for around four months and roughly around 30 hours. We had to collaborate a lot on the project. Jack designed the artwork and I used my animation skills to get the drawings moving.
“We were limited with equipment at home and had to animate using our phones which was quite difficult to do at times. But it just goes to show that you can create art with minimal materials.”

* To watch Louis and Jack’s Orangebox animation check out this link https://youtu.be/0R76V57Qu-I?si=yUl2sUNzT_84usiv and if you are interested in working with them email College tutor lauren.morrell@hartlepoolfe.ac.uk.