Young creatives measure their strengths

 
Newspaper advertising Switzerland took part in the "Best YET - Best Young European Team" competition for young creatives for the third time. However, the British participants were victorious. 
"The conditions are special: you have 24 hours to solve your task. All you have at your disposal are your brains, paper and pens." This is how jury president Tove Langseth opened the "Best YET" competition in Stockholm, in which 20 teams of two young creatives from ten European countries took part. The briefing followed shortly afterwards: Esben Stærk Jørgensen, CEO of Lego Sweden, was commissioned to design a launch campaign for the sixth edition of the Bionicle play figure. The advertising had to appeal to both new and existing customers, and the Lego touch had to shine through. The main focus was to be on print ads. It is no coincidence that it is the European newspaper marketers and associations that are organizing the "Best YET" competition to encourage young creatives to get involved in newspaper advertising. Switzerland is taking part for the third time. The four Swiss participants qualified for the competition "Only an advertisement can do that", which is sponsored by the Swiss Press Association. The young creatives were invited to the Swedish capital by Publicitas Publimedia.
After the briefing, the team of Martina Kunz and Michael Holzgang, both from the Lyss-based agency In Flagranti, got straight to work on site: the Stockholm Coin Museum had set up a studio for the young creatives. The second team, Patric Franz and Patrick Ryffel from the Bern agency Freiburghaus und Partner, chose a different approach: they obtained two Bionicle figures in the old town and studied the toy in detail.
 
 
 
New target group definedIn the middle of the initial reflection phase, the organizers broke the news that the briefing had been changed: The new target group was no longer kids, but their parents. Not everywhere do toddlers read the newspaper - the new target group was intended to ensure that a newspaper ad could actually be the focus of the campaign. The representatives from the Netherlands and Belgium in particular had pushed for the adjustment. The Swiss took it in their stride: "For us, the task was clear from the start," explained Michael Holzgang. A rebriefing is to be avoided next year: At the initiative of the Swiss, the procedure will be adapted so that subsequent changes are ruled out.
Andreas Prokesch, who also acted as a juror, was on hand to advise the Swiss teams on both days. "Both groups are on the right track," said the former ADC President.
Hot phase instead of lunch breakAt lunchtime on the second day, the hot phase began for the young creatives, as there were only a few hours left until the deadline. The Patric/Patrick team implemented three of several ideas: "In the first subject, we show the evolution from the classic Lego figure to the Bionicles. The second focuses on the difference between the father and child generations. And the third shows a Lego man whose forehead is covered in cold sweat in the face of the new competition," say the two.
Martina and Michael, who had discarded an idea from the previous day, are now relying on media fireworks: "We are plastering an issue of the Swedish Sunday newspaper with advertisements. This is to celebrate the launch of the figures with a bang."
The deadline was half past three. One hour later, all teams had to present their work. They each had just two minutes to do so. Then the jury withdrew. The creative minds from ten European countries made their decisions quickly: after two rounds, they had chosen the finalists. Unfortunately, the Swiss were unlucky: first place was taken by an English women's team with two subjects. The winning subject demonstrated that parents can not only pass on annoying things like an oversized nose to their children, but also something good with the Bionicles. The two winners, Miranda Abbs and Zoe Hough, will be going to the Cannes Festival in June. Second place also went to Great Britain and third place to France. After all, two subjects from the Patric/Patrick team were on the jury's shortlist but were eliminated.
After the award ceremony, the Swiss showed their sporting spirit. Martina Kunz commented: "There are 20 strong teams here, so the competition is fierce." The Swiss participants agreed that they had benefited greatly from the Best YET. In addition to the learning effect, the competition gave them the opportunity to meet young colleagues from all over Europe.
Andreas Prokesch was satisfied with the standard of the entries: "A whole series was very good, even if some of the works fell short. And the Swiss didn't have to hide their ideas at all. They worked very hard." Marco Hendriks from Publicitas Publimedia and Toni Vetterli from the Swiss Press Association drew a positive balance: "The competition is constantly evolving and Switzerland will definitely be back next year."
Carole Scheidegger