IAA Big Idea 2010 – Aussie student competition fosters new advertising industry talent

The International Advertising Association (IAA) in Australia has launched the 2010 ‘Big Idea’, a student award competition designed to foster the talent of the next generation of communication professionals.

In its eighth year, the 2010 IAA ‘Big Idea’ invites student teams from universities across the country to produce marketing communication solutions for a not-for-profit organisation.  The client for the 2010 IAA ‘Big Idea’ competition is Frontier Services – one of Australia’s leading providers of services to outback and remote communities.

For almost 100 years, Frontier Services has helped the people of theOutback to overcome the disadvantages of isolation through practicalservices and a reliable continuing presence that strengthens andempowers communities.  Frontier Services operations cover 7.5millionsquare kilometres of remote Australia – about 85% of the continent -employing more than 600 people in over 100 services.  The continuanceof Frontier Services depends on $3m in charitable donations annually.

Students from universities across Australia will compete inagency-style teams to develop integrated concepts that raise awarenessof the issues confronting remote Australia and capitalise on thecharity’s centennial year in 2012.

Entries will be professionally evaluated by a judging panel ofrespected industry professionals and representatives of FrontierServices:

Chair: Tim Parker, Executive Director – DMS, Clemenger Group

David Sullivan, National Development Manager, Frontier Services

Alison Wild, Head of Marketing Services, Bupa Australia Group

Iain Schmidt-Weichert, Advertising Director, The Daily & Sunday Telegraph

Darren Woolley, Managing Director, Trinity P3

Lara Sinclair, Online Media Editor and Marketing Writer

The judging panel will select a shortlist of finalists.  These threeteams will have the opportunity to make the final presentation to thejudging panel, including the client representative.  The presentationswill be the final step in the selection process for the winning team,which will be announced as the “National Champion”. The finalists willpresent on November 8th.