Pigeon and IKEA Collaborate with Humber College’s Advertising Moguls of the Future

Pigeon and IKEA Canada are collaborating with Humber College’s Advertising Art Direction and Copywriting graduate certificate programmes with the launch of a competition for the marketing and advertising industries’ next big creatives.

On Monday, February 13th, at IKEA Etobicoke, approximately 60 students from Humber College’s Faculty of Media & Creative Arts advertising programmes were briefed on a creative competition to pitch campaign concepts that will inspire consumers to shop in person at IKEA. Professors Michael Rosen and Mary Secord assessed the first round of presentations developing a shortlist of projects that students pitched to Pigeon and IKEA on Thursday, March 23.

“When our partner Pigeon Brands approached us to get involved in this initiative, it felt like a perfect fit for our business, our brand, and our ongoing partnership with Pigeon. It aligns with our core values of togetherness, caring for people, giving and taking responsibility, and leading by example," Claudia Mayne, director, marketing and communications at IKEA Canada, said. "We jumped at the opportunity to inspire students of Humber’s Advertising Art Direction and Copywriting graduate certificate programs with a real brief focused on the live challenge of reaching and engaging the Gen Z audience and finding ways, through great creative ideas, to better drive them in-store and online."

Finalists were judged by Sarah Pender, Pigeon’s design director, Ania Russocki, Pigeon’s general manager of Toronto, Carolyn Thrasher, IKEA's marketing communications specialist, and Brinda Mathew, IKEA’s marketing performance leader.

“The advertising, brand communications and marketing industry on both agency and client side have been facing issues with a shrinking talent pool post-pandemic, and Humber College has been doing an excellent job educating its students on the exciting possibilities in the industry with its in-depth Advertising Art Direction and Advertising Copywriting graduate certificate programs. Students are taught how to contribute to the agency and marketing world via ideating strategic and innovative creative that drives results. As IKEA’s Activation Agency, we have executed many 360 integrated campaigns with the objective of inspiring action from consumers, and we’re really excited to share this expertise with students and contribute to their experience in the industry via our involvement with this competition partnering with our wonderful clients at IKEA. 

“It was inspiring to see the concepts the students came up with – and an important reminder of how effective it is to leverage creative input from external brand partners and fresh minds with an outside lens," said Ania Russocki, general manager, Pigeon. 

“It was such a great experience to see the breadth of ideas and solutions the Humber students brought to IKEA. It was so evident that they understood our brand, tone of voice, and communication style and provided ideas based on strong insights. Humber’s programs have really set the students up for success as they take the next step to start their career," said Carolyn Thrasher, IKEA marketing specialist.

"The opportunity for advertising students to learn by producing creative work from an actual client brief is always of huge benefit to a student's education. When that brief is actually presented by the client and their agency, and the resulting creative also presented, live to them, in the client's boardroom, the experience moves from school to the real world.

Pigeon and their client IKEA have assisted our students in gaining knowledge, insights and portfolio level creative work that is impossible to replicate in the classroom.

“All advertising education would benefit from more client-agency opportunities like this one that Pigeon and IKEA have given our advertising students," said Michael Rosen, Professor of Advertising Art Direction, Humber. 

The creative presented was astounding – the judging panel was extremely impressed with how thoroughly and strategically students delivered against the brief with playful and clever concepts to engage the Gen Z audience and inspire them to visit IKEA stores.

Karina Palmitesta and Jay Bawar were announced on Friday afternoon as the winning duo that will receive a cash prize. 

“This is what I went to portfolio school for: a real agency brief, a live client, and realistic, honest feedback from industry professionals," said Karina Palmitesta, copywriter and winner from Humber.