Jenni Dill and Imogen Hewitt
Arnott’s CMO Jenni Dill and Publicis Groupe chief media officer Imogen Hewitt are encouraging the industry’s brightest under-30s to seize one of Australia’s best advertising competitions.
Young Lions, run by The Advertising Council Australia (ACA), offers young professionals working in media, marketing, PR, film, and digital to represent Australia at Cannes Lions June 16–20 this year.
Dill and Hewitt, jury chairs for the marketing and media categories respectively, said the Young Lions program gives emerging talent a unique opportunity to gain exposure and experience.
"At junior levels, there are no real opportunities like this out there to build experience and win something as big as this,” Dill said.
“Whether it’s competing in the local part of the competition, accessing amazing mentors, or engaging with the judges, Young Lions goes beyond just the company you currently work for.
“Participants get access to a bunch of awesome people that really help to open your mind and help you upskill.”
The local competition mirrors the intensity of Cannes Young Lions in France, with a compressed four-day format to better prepare participants for the infamous 24-hour creative sprint.
The winning team in each category will be flown to Cannes to compete against their international counterparts.
Hewitt said there are both professional and personal benefits.
“Being recognized in context is really motivating and can keep people in the industry longer because they can get a sense of how significant their contribution can be,” Hewitt said.
“The payoff potential is much bigger than the commitment required - it's not easy, but it's an absolute career accelerator and a life changer.
“There's just no reason that you wouldn't roll your sleeves up and jump in with gusto to make that kind of difference to yourself, your peers and the world at large.
“It's a bit of a diamond made under pressure situation, where you get to test what you're made of how quickly you can think.”
Last year two members of Dill’s team seized the opportunity and won the marketing category.
“My team was excited, a little bit daunted, but really motivated by that opportunity, they were like, what have we got to lose?” Dill said.
“So there's nothing to lose really. It does mean you need to find some time and put in some effort - it makes sure that you're got the ability to think and respond almost in the moment to big questions, big business problems, which is an essential part of our industry.
“I think the presenting experience alone in front of some fairly senior industry people is a great learning experience in and of itself.”
Registrations for Young Lions Australia close tomorrow March 11.
A $300 application cost is required, this can potentially be covered by employers.
Winning tips and tricks from the judges
Judges want to see clarity on objectives, insights and strategy with a clearly executed plan that wows their socks off.
“You really want to see something that you wish you'd thought of yourself and results that have the potential to move the world in terms of the answer,” Jenni Dill said.
Imogen Hewitt’s judging panel is looking for a couple of really key things.
“I want to know that you've understood the task at hand and you've been able to crystallize the objectives in a really clear way,” Hewitt said.
“I want to know that you are then going to measure those objectives with a framework for measurement that is completely linked to the job that we need to deliver on - that the more technical aspect of it.
“Then what I'm looking for is a good insight that's grounded in behavior that really speaks to a need or a motivation from a customer perspective - that should be the thing that you can't uncouple from the idea.
“So great clarity around the objectives, really good insight into the task at hand and the brand and the people that this is designed to impact, a really great idea that's innovative, potentially cross channel, that isn't limited or siloed in the way that you're thinking about things, the evidence that you're thinking about delivery, implementation and measurement so that this thing works.
“Ideas like this are never a nice to have, they should be absolutely grounded in the difference that they can make or the commercial outcome that we're looking for, but that's kind of the collection of assets that I'd be looking for.
“That all then needs to be wrapped up in a beautiful piece of storytelling.”
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