Young Spikes and JWT’s Wall of Inspiration

JWT Asia Pacific has selected 12 fine arts students to create a live art installation during the Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity.  The installation will reflect inspirational thoughts from six of the industry’s most senior creative leaders, provoking discussion about the roots of creativity during the three-day event. 

 

The project, titled ‘The Wall of Inspiration’, will unfold over the course of the festival on the wall of the Young Spikes Integrated Competition booth. Young Spikes challenges teams of up-and-coming advertising executives under the age of 28 to create a live campaign for a real client in 24 hours. JWT Asia Pacific sponsors Young Spikes as part of its mandate to mentor and support young creative talent across the industry. 

 

This year, JWT has invited six Spikes jury presidents to each provide a pair of fine arts students with a quote designed to inspire the Young Spikes contestants, along with a list of five things that have inspired these senior creative directors during their own prestigious careers. The students, from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LaSalle College of the Arts, have three days to create a piece of art that interprets that person’s thoughts and ideas. The project will add a visual layer of excitement and creativity to the competition venue. 

 

“The six senior creative greats have a chance to ignite and inspire two groups from the next generation – the Young Spikes contenders, who are already working in the industry, and the fine arts students,” says Tay Guan Hin, JWT’s Southeast Asia Executive Creative Director. “That will come full circle through the Wall of Inspiration. The students will create a piece of art that will inspire the Young Spikes, who then will create campaigns during the contest that bring fresh insight to our industry.” 

 

The senior creative whose ideas and words will inspire the live art project include Amir Kassaei, DDB Worldwide’s Chief Creative Officer , who is serving this year as the Film, Print, Outdoor and Radio jury president; Party Creative Director and Founder, Morihiro Harano, the Digital and Mobile jury president; Yang Yeo, JWT Shanghai’s Chief Creative Officer, this year’s Design jury president; Eugene Cheong, Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific’s Chief Creative Officer, who is serving as Craft jury president; Tina Manikas, Global Retail and Promotions Officer, Draftfcb , the Direct, Promo and Activation jury president, and Michael Hilliard, Executive Producer, Finch, the inaugural Branded Content and Entertainment jury president. 

 

“Spikes Asia is delighted to welcome for a second year JWT’s ‘Wall of Inspiration’ project. Reflecting the values of the festival, it showcases creativity and inspiration as well as putting the spotlight on young talent,” said Myriam Coupard, Spikes Asia Festival Director. “We have no doubt that our delegates will follow with great interest the development of this live art project during the event.” 

 

The Wall of Inspiration project also gives participating students critical exposure to an industry that employs many fine arts graduates as art directors, illustrators and junior creative directors. A number of the fine arts students who took part in the live art project last year say the experience either inspired or directly led to a career in advertising. 

 

“The overall experience at Spikes Asia made me realise that a job in advertising is not a job, it’s an amalgam of work and play,” says Naini Shah, a recent LaSalle graduate who worked on the Wall of Inspiration last year.