NEWS RELEASE                                                                                 November 2011

WICKLOW MAN WINS BLUEBRICK.IE YOUTUBE COMPETITION

Jordan Ballantine from Greystones impresses BlueBrick.ie judges with his YouTube video

November 2011– In late October BlueBrick.ie, the revolutionary website from the Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI), issued a call for entries to an exciting YouTube competition offering entrants the unique opportunity to show their creative side and be in with a chance to win €500.  Entrants had to come up with an innovative video that highlighted the advantages of the BlueBrick.ie website and a clip that would encourage people to check out the website for themselves.  The winning entry, from Jordan Ballantine in Greystones, showed a detailed understanding of the benefits of the website, and also an inventive approach to the filming of the clip.  This combination won much admiration from the judging panel.

BlueBrick.ie is website that allows learners to search for, to compare and to apply online for a range of programmes and modules available on a flexible basis within a range of higher education course providers in Ireland.  It also, crucially, allows the user to apply and register online with ease.  The website has seen a huge increase in traffic since its launch two years ago, with over 90,000 visits during the month of August following the highly successfully hostingof the Springboard initiative within the site.

Entries for this unique competition came flooding in as people with a flair for creating a clever YouTube download strove to come up with an eye-catching clip to encourage people to visit BlueBrick.ie.  In order to qualify, entrants had to ensure their video showcased some of the key aspects of BlueBrick.ie as well as being as innovative as possible.

The standard of entries was extremely impressive but one entry in particular stood out as it focused on the benefits of using BlueBrick.ie in a unique way. Jordan Ballantine used his passion for filmmaking to create a unique viral video.  It was a unanimous decision from all four judges and this week Jordan was announced the winner of the €500 prize.

Speaking on his win Jordan said, "I decided to enter the competition after visiting the website as I really liked the concept of what it involved - it seemed like a simple way for people to get practical information to further their education.”

When discussing the overall idea for his winning entry Jordan explained the concept for his video by saying, "We felt it was important to get across the message of what Bluebrick.ie does in a short time frame so people get that message quickly and effectively.  We also felt it had to be entertaining yet have a slightly formal edge, so we decided a small camera trick might be the best way to do it, it also showed, in a way, the effects of going to college - from him wearing more casual 'lounge wear' then transforming into a suit implying he has found a job due to completing his chosen course.”

He continued, "The key here was a sense of subtlety though - we could have gone over the top, exaggerated his accent and played up to certain stereotypes but we know that in this climate, everyone could benefit from further education, regardless of social or employment status."

Jordan attributes his win to teamwork with actor Rory Mullen and Kenneth Adams, the Director of Photography for the clip.

Dr. Richard Thorn, Director of Flexible Learning at the IOTI commented “The professionalism of Jordan’s clip stood head and shoulders above the other entries – all of which were very impressive in their own right.  It was the sleek approach that Jordan employed which really appealed to the judging panel, we were extremely impressed by the quality of his entry.”

For further information contact Karen Morgan at Limelight Communications on 01 6680600 or email karen.morgan@limelight.ie