FBI Talent Co. and Akcelo partner to bolster young creatives with new talent program
Recruitment firm FBI Talent Co. has this week launched a new talent program, ‘LAUNCH’, for emerging creatives and students, with support from indie agency Akcelo.
The program will provide Sydney and Melbourne-based creative the opportunity to showcase their thinking, as well as obtain education, training and coaching.
It will be a quarterly free-to-enter initiative, where the winning professional team will be awarded $10,000 in prize money, as well as ongoing career mentorship to the top professional and student teams.
The inaugural program will also see the winning student receive a paid three month minimum internship with Akcelo, in their Sydney or Melbourne office.
The winning professional team will also receive placement in London International Awards’ 2024 ‘Creative LIAisons’ program.
“Australian agency creative departments are increasingly becoming top heavy and with overseas markets finally opening up after the last 3 years, the reality is that we’ll be losing a lot of mid-senior talent in the next 12-18 months,” said Michael Kean, CEO of FBI Talent Co.
“As an industry it’s critical we focus on entry level and young talent getting into the industry; most importantly setting them up to succeed. A big part of LAUNCH is the requirement to enter as a team; it’s simply easier for agencies to consider hiring young talent who already have a working rhythm and are job ready. We’re thrilled to have Akcelo as our first agency partner, as well as partnering with the LIA Creative LIAisons team.”
As a co-founder of the YoungGuns International Advertising awards in 2001, and Launchpad, the first creative internship program in Australia in the 1990s, Kean has long been a supporter of young creative talent.
Akcelo has created two briefs to kickstart the LAUNCH program, each focused on challenging traditional forms of creativity, allowing up-and-coming talent to flex their creative problem-solving muscle.
“We believe in the power of fresh perspectives and innovative thinking,” said the agency’s global creative director, Louise McQuat.
“Through the LAUNCH program, we’re not just scouting for new talent; we’re investing in the future of creative excellence. Our partnership with FBI Talent Co. is a testament to our commitment to nurturing the next wave of creative leaders and innovators who will redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in brand experience and innovation.”
Aden Hepburn, CEO of Akcelo, added: “More opportunities for new talent to break through, is something the local industry desperately needs. We are honoured to be kicking off this great initiative in partnership with FBI Talent Co.”
For the LAUNCH program, student teams are eligible so long as they are not currently employed in a creative capacity within an agency; for the professional teams, any creative team can make a submission if individuals are under the age of 30.
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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