MRS Unlimited – Inside the Award Winning Currys Campaign: Inclusive Co Creation and Commercial Impact Webinar

Chair

Ibtisam Belola

Ibtisam Belola, FRSA, is a Principal Researcher at Nexer Digital with 20 years of experience helping organisations understand the people they design for. Her work in accessibility spans across both the public and private sector with organisations such as AstraZeneca, Bupa, Historic England, Wealth Wizards,the Department for Education, DEFRA and the National Library of Scotland. Sams's work is grounded in a belief that good research starts with listening—deeply and with empathy. She enjoys bringing teams together around human stories and translating complex findings into clear, strategic guidance. Sam is committed to making research and design more representative and equitable, and she hopes her work contributes to a future where accessibility and inclusion are simply the way things are done.

Christine Hemphill

Christine Hemphill is a researcher, designer, and innovator specialising in disability and age-inclusion. She is the founder and Managing Director of Open Inclusion, a UK-based, globally active research agency. Open is a market leader in disability and age-informed market, social, design, and innovation research.

Open Inclusion works with leading commercial brands, government bodies, academic institutions, and third sector organisations supporting them by providing authentically inclusive, practical insights. Open has particular expertise in the intersection of disability and emerging technologies such as AI and XR, customer/user experience, transport, and inclusive brand communications.

Christine is a Fellow at the MRS, a Member of the MRS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Council and the past Co-Chair of MRS Unlimited (the Market Research Society’s sector group for disability-inclusive research and researchers). She teaches disability-inclusive research as part of a doctoral course on AI for Digital Media Inclusion at the Institute for People-Centred AI, University of Surrey.

Julie Ellison CMRS — Research Director, Open Inclusion

Julie Ellison CMRS is Research Director at Open Inclusion and Co-Chair of MRS Unlimited. She led the research design and community insight process behind Currys' Sigh of Relief, working with disabled communities to shape both the creative direction and the product decisions that made the campaign so distinctive. The research programme went on to win the MRS Jeremy Bullmore Prize for Creative Development Research, demonstrating how inclusive insight strengthens ideas and helps to connect with more people. Julie is passionate about the inclusion of disabled people in research design and governance and believes that when insight is shared, retold and acted on, it can change things for the better.

Annabel Jerome — Senior Account Director, AMV BBDO

Annabel Jerome is a Senior Account Director at AMV BBDO, leading the creative team behind Currys’ award-winning ‘Sigh of Relief’ campaign, the brand’s strongest-performing advert to date. Annabel is experienced in delivering complex, insight-driven creative work and champions inclusive, collaborative processes that bring lived experience into the heart of advertising. She played a pivotal role in shaping the co-creation partnership between AMV BBDO, Open Inclusion and disabled contributors, ensuring the campaign delivered both commercial impact and authentic representation.

Stephanie Simon – Senior Strategist, AMV BBDO

Stephanie Simon is a Senior Strategist at AMV BBDO, bringing strategic and creative insight to some of the agency’s most impactful campaigns. A Cannes Silver Glass Lion winner, Steph was the lead strategist on the Currys ‘Sigh of Relief’ campaign from pitch right through to delivery. This shaped the strategic direction that secured AMV BBDO the Channel 4 Diversity in Advertising Award and made ‘Sigh of Relief’ the brand’s strongest-performing advert to date. With a passion for work that challenges assumptions and opens up new audiences, she brings a distinctive and considered strategic voice to the panel.

Breandan Ward — Disability Co-Creator & Research Co-Producer

Brendan Ward is a disability advocate, community representative and co-creator with extensive experience championing the rights and voices of blind and visually impaired people. He was a research co-producer on the Currys 'Sigh of Relief' campaign representing the blind community and ensuring their lived experience shaped the creative at every stage. Brendan's involvement is a powerful example of genuine, community-led co-creation and why it produces braver, more impactful work.