Tips for submitting your best AWARD School application
5-step framework for cracking a creative brief: Find out all you need to know to develop a strong and insight-driven creative idea here.
When crafting your application ideas…
Be original.
Your application portfolio gives us an insight into your personality and the way you think. Don’t give us the answers you think we want. Be unique and be original. The only way to achieve that is to be yourself.
2. Don’t stop at your first thought.
Your first few ideas might not all be bangers, but that’s okay. Get them out of your system so you can dig deeper. The gold is almost always underneath.
3. Get a second opinion.
Try and show a few trusted people your work before you submit it. They’ll provide you with a fresh perspective, and it might help improve what you’ve done. You must be open to criticism, and you must not fall in love with your work.
4. Keep it simple.
Don’t go over the top and do a TV storyboard for a print brief. Remember that the judges will be reviewing hundreds of submissions. So keep your entry simple and easy to read. Don’t add any unnecessary material or detail. For example, if you need to explain your idea, it’s too complicated.
5. Raw is good.
There’s no need to do polished and finished layouts for your concepts. You will be assessed on your ideas - not your layout skills. Neatly hand-drawn ads will suffice. If you’d like to include an image that you can’t draw, then simply trace it. All artwork must be saved as a JPG and be in black and white pen/sharpie.
6. Start with Truth.
Great ideas don’t come from the product. They come from the truth behind it. Start with an insight. Something human, relatable, and most importantly, TRUE. Then build from there.
7. Get inspiration.
Before you start your thinking, it’s worth looking at various advertising resources with award-winning creative work. They’ll give you heaps of advertising examples of lateral thinking. Resources to look out for are AWARD Awards, Cannes Lions, D&AD, ONE SHOW and Clios annuals, etc., refer here:
www.awardonline.com/awards/award-annuals
www.oneclub.org/awards/theoneshow/
8. Keep it local.
You can only apply for one state/program, so we strongly recommend that you apply for the state that you live in.
9. Ideas love fun.
Most importantly, try not to let the stress get in the way. Take a deep breath, and remember the best creative work often comes when you’re having fun with it.