Judging panellists consisting of the UK’s most creative minds were themselves put to the test in Stratford-upon-Avon last month as they became real-life Indiana Joneses in search of a fictional Shakespeare manuscript that time forgot.

The unique treasure hunt was organised by Leamington Spa-based recruitment agency Big fish to allow panellists to come together for an evening of fun before judging this year’s Fresh Awards, a nationwide search for the best marketing, advertising, PR and digital talent.

In a scene reminiscent of the famous Hollywood blockbuster, the judges took on the role of high-level artefact and book finders, tipped off by a trusted informant about an undiscovered and very valuable Shakespeare manuscript.

They were told that the informant’s body was found in the Avon before he could share the location of the book. So, armed with only a set of clues and a basic ‘survival’ kit consisting of maps, emergency money, a compass, important telephone numbers, a note pad and pens, the judges were split into teams and sent out around the town in search of vital information to lead them to the manuscript.

With the support of Leamington-based agency Edge Live, Nicola Kleinmann, managing director of Big fish, devised the evening to help the judges get to know each other and see Stratford in a different light: “When you have some of the most creative minds in the country, you need to keep them active and on their toes, and we certainly did that!

“It was fantastic to be able to give the judges an opportunity to experience Stratford in a fun and imaginative way, as well as to showcase just how creative the West Midlands region is. I’m sure they won’t forget their stay, and the venue for next year’s judging panel will have a lot to live up to.”

The Fresh Awards’ judging panel is made up of some of the most renowned figures in the creative industries. Amongst them is advertising legend Bill Bungay, who, alongside renowned Brummie Trevor Beattie, devised the infamous FCUK campaign and the ‘Hello Boys’ Wonderbra ads. Creative directors from TV production company Hat Trick Productions, the company behind ‘Father Ted’ and ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’, advertising agency Publicis and digital agency AKQA also formed part of the panel.

“Shakespeare is one of the most brilliant creative minds in history, and it’s great to be in his birthplace to assess this year’s entries,” said Paula Kelsey, organiser of the Fresh Awards. “A fantastic example of creative thinking, this evening’s event was a perfect way for the judges to come together as part of the three-day judging process and have fun.

“We continually get a high number of entries from creative businesses in the West Midlands region, and the standard of the work is always incredibly high – this event organised by Big fish certainly reinforced that.”