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Viral student ads: The shake up the industry needs, or playing into the perception anyone can 'do' advertising?

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By Gillian West, Social media manager

January 20, 2017 | 5 min read

As the world waited with bated breath for the 2016 John Lewis Christmas ad to drop last year an 18-year-old media student managed to dupe thousands into believing his A-level coursework was the retailer’s latest effort.

Featuring all the hallmarks of bygone John Lewis ads, Nick Jablonka’s ‘The Snowglobe’ had audiences fooled, racking up half-a-million views in a matter of hours and landing him a job offer from W Communications.

Weeks later, German film student, Eugen Merher, was propelled to viral fame thanks to a powerful spot he’d created for Adidas as part of a class project.

Dubbed ‘Break Free’ the ad, which tells the story of an elderly athlete rediscovering his passion for running, took on a life of its own courting attention from WPP and Droga5 with online fans picketing Adidas to run the campaign for real.

It’s thanks to easier access to tools and technology, as well as an abundance of online platforms, that student work is no longer confined to university walls with viral fame planting the spotlight on a chosen few before they’ve even earned their degree.

“[It’s] a reminder that what we do is not a rarefied skill that exists in a few select agencies,” observes Cheil Worldwide group executive creative director, Caitlin Ryan, who claims it’s exactly the kind of shake up the industry needs.

“This generation [students] have a much better way of using data to understand what the public responds to – and what they don’t. Seeing their work go viral and understanding why it did in an instinctive, rather than studied, way is an invaluable skill.”

Despite both the aforementioned pieces – and quite a few others – garnering worldwide attention Merher’s Adidas work has, arguably, made the most impact thanks to a fresh idea that doesn’t appear to draw inspiration from what’s come before “[that’s because] the idea is still the king,” supports Mother creative director, Dayoung Yun.

“I love the fact that students are taking advantage of technology that allows them to bring their ideas to life… but it’s important not to focus on how many ‘likes’ you get and rather on the actual experimentation and learnings while making it.”

With competition for junior roles getting more intense, a viral hit can provide an intoxicating mix of adulation and attention – not to mention bringing global creative agencies to your doorstop rather than vice versa – so the motivation for students is easy to see. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should warns AKQA executive creative director, Wayne Deakin, arguing that self-publicity is the “wrong reason for creating work and being in this industry.”

“I wouldn’t hire someone off the back of a viral success, this industry is about landing spearheading work over and over again,” he adds. “I want to see someone who thinks and solves problems across a number of challenges. Repeated success is more interesting than a flash in the pan [that said] you’d have to be a moody old sod not to want the next generation to succeed.”

And taking that slightly more cynical view is Turner Duckworth creative director, Clem Halpin, who admits he’s “not really feeling” the trend. “It plays into the perception that anyone can ‘do’ advertising or design,” he argues, adding that great work comes from a “very deep understanding” of the problem to be solved.

With W Communications offering a job off the back of one viral hit and the likes of WPP, Droga5, Adam&EveDDB and numerous production and talent agencies sniffing around after another, does even make sense to be chasing these hitmakers?

“Publicity can open doors, get you noticed, but it won’t get you a job unless it’s part of a consistently brilliant portfolio,” comments Halpin, with Yun adding that at Mother they’d much rather someone who has the endurance to tackle the “many hurdles” creatives face on a day-to-day basis, including cutting client feedback.

Ryan, on the other hand, believes there’s no reason why agencies shouldn’t court the “creatives of tomorrow” and have them working now.

Eager to recognise and nurture talent The Drum’s Roses Creative Awards has introduced a student category to offer practical support, training and development with three student placements up for grabs.

Featuring briefs from Love, Havas, Magnifi and One Minute Briefs, students who register via the Roses Awards site will be given a brief to work on with the winners of each brief awarded a two to four week placement at the agency that set the challenge, entrants will also be eligible to win a Gold, Silver or Bronze Award.

“If I could offer one piece of advice to students it’s be original – well-crafted copies will get you so far – but there’s nothing more exciting than executing an original idea.”

Caitlin Ryan, Wayne Deakin, Dayoung Yun and Clem Halpin are all judges at this year’s Roses Creative Awards which are now open for entry until 10 February. For more information on the Awards visit the Roses Creative Awards website.

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