The IAA Big Idea 2024 challenge judges announced
The IAA Big Idea 2024 challenge – a national marketing comms competition from the international Advertising Association Australia – has unveiled its judging line-up.
This year’s judges are a class of senior marketing communications practitioners drawn from several well-known institutions across the industry.
They include Mumbrella’s commercial director, Victoria Seymour; AKQA’s general manager, Justine Leong; Yahoo!’s APAC director of data and insights, Dan Richardson; Akcelo’s chief executive officer, Aden Hepburn; Lution’s chief strategy officer, Nick Thomas; Volvo Cars’ marketing director, Julie Hutchinson. and brand marketing manager, Australia, Andrew Knox.
WPP’s Australia and New Zealand president, Rose Herceg, will chair the collective.
“We are delighted to be partnering with the IAA ‘Big Idea’ national competition for 2024. Fostering professional development for the next generation of practitioners in the marketing communications business, is critical to the continuing success of our industry,” Herceg said.
“This IAA program is invaluable. It gives undergraduates real-life experiences as they transition from university to a career. For our industry to continue thriving we need new talent. We must provide meaningful opportunities for new starters in our industry to see that they can make a career and a life within our industry and enjoy a long and successful career.”
The BIG IDEA initiative offers comms, media, advertising and marketing students with the opportunity to develop a marketing communications campaign for a real-life client, providing them with the chance to work in an agency team setting. The challenge requires participants to partake in the entire campaign development lifecycle, from research to concept development and the final presentation.
Volvo Cars is 2024’s client partner. Consequently, the automotive brand has provided the brief – “to develop and support a local initiative that reflects the Volvo Cars company’s purpose which Australians will connect with”.
“Volvo Cars is delighted to participate in the IAA ‘Big Idea’ 2024. The program allows a business like ours to give back to the industry, to foster talent and offer hands on training and development for undergraduates entering the field of marketing and communications,” Hutchinson said.
“We saw this as a fantastic opportunity to gain insights into our brand from some of Australia’s brightest strategic thinkers. I have been impressed by the creative ideas and approach that we have seen from this upcoming generation, and I can’t wait to see future ‘Big Ideas’ come to life as these young professionals take up positions across the industry.”
IAA Australia’s chair, Heather Leembruggen, added: “IAA BIG IDEA provides hundreds of undergraduate students all over Australia with an inspiring learning experience giving them the chance to put their learnings into practice and providing lots of scope for innovative ideas, critical thinking and creative solutions.
“It is recognised for its contribution to the professional development of tomorrow’s generation of industry leaders and marcoms practitioners in helping participants to shine in gaining jobs and internships.
“IAA BIG IDEA is designed specifically to foster the talents and skills of the upcoming generation of communications professionals, in line with the IAA’s ongoing commitment to professional development and the value proposition embodied in the IAA’s stated mission that ” We believe education and continuous professional development ensures our industry is future ready.”
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Matthew is the editorial assistant at Mumbrella. He joined the company at the end of September 2023.
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Aden Hepburn
Akcelo
AKQA
Andrew Known
Dan Richardson
Heather Leembruggen
IAA Big Challenge 2024
Julie Hutchinson
Justine Leong
Lution
Mumbrella
Nick Thomas
Rose Herceg
Victoria Seymour
Volvo Cars
WPP
Yahoo
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