PHA is proud to announce its sponsorship and involvement in the 2026 School of Thought programme, the North’s renowned 12‑week creative competition designed to sharpen the skills of the next generation of bold thinkers in advertising.
School of Thought is widely recognised for its high‑pressure, high‑reward format: 12 creatives, 12 agencies, and 12 fast‑turnaround briefs. Each week, participants tackle a new challenge set by a different agency, building a diverse, industry‑ready portfolio as they progress. The competition has become a powerful launchpad for emerging creatives looking to break into or accelerate their careers in advertising, with the ultimate winner receiving an all‑expenses‑paid trip to the Cannes Lions Festival.
This year, PHA will host Week 3 of the programme, welcoming 12 creatives to take on an agency brief, delivered on Monday and presented back by Thursday. PHA will also proudly sponsor the Best Idea Award, presented at the official Wrap Party on Thursday, 9th July at Belgrave Music Hall, Leeds, a longstanding tradition where agencies come together to celebrate standout talent.
For PHA, the partnership is a full‑circle moment. The initiative was championed internally by Junior Creative Bronte Littlewood, who completed the School of Thought programme last year and won the competition. She cites it as a pivotal part of her career journey into the industry and ultimately into her role at PHA.
“School of Thought genuinely changed the trajectory of my career. It gave me tons of industry exposure and is a huge part of why I’m at PHA today. Being able to give back – hosting a week, meeting the new cohort, and sponsoring an award – feels like an incredibly special full circle moment“, says Bronte.
PHA’s involvement reflects the agency’s commitment to nurturing creative talent and supporting industry development across the North.
By opening our doors to this year’s cohort, we’re helping to give emerging creatives the same opportunity that helped shape one of our own — and continuing a culture of investing in people, ideas, and the future of the industry.
More from us
At PHA, we combine deep northern expertise with global reach. With teams based in Leeds and Manchester and an international network spanning the US and Asia through our London HQ, we help brands scale local insight into worldwide impact. If you’d like to continue exploring how northern agencies shape culture, creativity and communications, you can read more from our team:
- What is a creative agency?
- Questions you should be asking your creative agency
- London thinking, northern grit: The benefits of choosing PHA
We’ve also had the privilege of supporting standout creative campaigns, including JAECOO’s DRIVE. CAMP. EXPLORE. campaign, and Into the Limelight for the launch of DASH Water’s new flavour.
If your brand is ready to tap into northern creativity and start building a campaign that cuts through the noise, contact our teams of northern specialists. Whether you operate in B2B, B2C or anywhere in between, start the conversation today and get in touch at hello@thephagroup.com to kick-start your next wave of growth.