Categories
1. copywriting
An element of advertising that showcases a strong written element that brings out a firm tone of voice unique to the brand. Students communicate effectively through words, create persuasive messages, and contribute impact to a more extensive campaign.
Skills Tested: Creative writing, Brand voice and tone, storytelling, clarity and conciseness, cohesion and consistency, leadership and collaboration.
2. Art Direction
Excellence in art direction, recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional skill in conceptualizing, leading, and executing the visual style of a project. Candidates will be judged on their ability to create compelling visual narratives, ensure cohesive design across multiple elements, and manage the aesthetic components of a creative project from inception to completion.
Skills Tested: Conceptualization, storytelling, layout and design, copywriting, typography, and persuasive visual communication.
3. Brand Strategy & Positioning
Focus: Develop a clear, compelling brand strategy that defines the brand's mission, values, and target audience. This includes how the brand is positioned in the market relative to competitors and the emotional connection it creates with consumers.
Skills Tested: Strategic thinking, market research, target audience identification, brand vision, and differentiation.
4. BRAND INNOVATION/
REBRAND/CO-BRAND
Focusing on innovation: Developing new ideas, products or strategies. Repositioning: Repositioning an existing brand to appeal to a new or broader audience. Co-brand: Campaigns where two or more brands collaborate to create a product or campaign that leverages the strengths of each brand to reach a broader audience.
Skills Tested: Market analysis, design thinking, strategic communications, and creative adaptation to evolving brand needs.
5. Integrated Marketing Campaign
Creating a comprehensive marketing campaign that uses multiple channels (digital, traditional, experiential) to create a cohesive brand message. This includes social media, print, video, influencer partnerships, and events.
Skills Tested: Cross-channel strategy, campaign planning, creative direction, and messaging consistency.
6. Social Responsibility
The category focuses on creating compelling campaigns that blend creative content with socially relevant contexts. Through multiple channels, students showcase how strategic thinking and innovative design can influence perception and inspire meaningful change. Judging will focus on the campaigns' relevance, creativity, and impact today.
Skills Tested: Creative Problem-Solving, conceptual thinking, design execution, storytelling, and research and contextual awareness.
7. Social Media Activations, Mobile
Creating real-time, interactive experiences through social media that generate excitement, buzz, and brand awareness. This could include viral challenges, live streams, gamification, or limited-time offers.
Skills Tested: Event planning, social media storytelling, live engagement, creative promotions, and collaboration.
8. Experiential Design
As the name implies, the discipline focuses on creations that must be experienced rather than observed. This discipline immerses its audiences in a sensory adventure, from elaborate exhibitions to installations, wayfaring to placemaking, and even digital experiences. This could include viral challenges, live streams, gamification, or limited-time offers.
Skills Tested: Creative conceptualization, UX design, creative strategy, storytelling through interaction spatial design, multi-sensory design problem-solving, and collaborative teamwork.
9. Collateral, Print, Packaging Design + Brand Elements
Advertising industry self-promotion stationery, logo, website, point-of-sales materials, the conception and creation of boxes, bottles, bags, and other containers in which products are displayed and sold.
Skills Tested: Creative conceptualization, UX design, storytelling through interaction, spatial design, and environmental.
10. Best Use of Emerging Technologies
Focusing on using innovative technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), chatbots, or AI in advertising and social media marketing. Use innovative tech capabilities to communicate your brand story further and support your event, product, or service message.
Skills Tested: Proficiency, innovation and creativity, interactivity and engagement, cross-platform design, data analysis and AI, scalability, ethical considerations and impact.
11. Product Launch Campaign
A category focused on a highly anticipated event where a new product is introduced to the public or specific market segment. It involves coordinated activities to create buzz and excitement around the product. The goal is to generate awareness, drive initial sales, and establish a strong connection with the target audience.
Skills Tested: Campaign conceptualization, brand consistency, target audience awareness, visual hierarchy, cross-platform design, typography and messaging, collaboration, and direction.
12. Ambient/OOH (Contextual Media)
The outdoor display of advertising messages, notices, or events demonstrates a thoughtful, innovative use of environmental surfaces in context to your event, product, brand, or service message. This could include conventional spaces such as bus kiosks and billboards and unconventional media such as guerrilla marketing, stunts, architectural, or environmental surfaces.
Skills Tested: Creative concept development, location awareness, contextual relevance, message clarity and impact, interactive and experiential elements, brand and message consistency, visual storytelling, audience engagement, and digital and social media integration.