Colenso BBDO’s Ed Gunn to represent NZ at 4th annual Creative LIAisons in Las Vegas in October

Colenso BBDO planner Ed Gunn will represent New Zealand at the 4th annual invitation-only Creative LIAisons to run simultaneously with the LIA International Awards judging in Las Vegas in October.

2015 will be the fourth year in which LIA will host Creative LIAisons (formerly known as ‘Creative Conversations’). It is a week of educational and enriching seminars, lunches and dinners, all shared with the jury presidents and their juries. The days are filled with stimulating discussions centred on the experiences and ideas of the speakers in their respective fields.

Not only are the attendees being given the opportunity to listen to some of the industry’s biggest names, but they’re invited to sit in with the juries on the statue discussions. This represents a unique opportunity for the young creatives to learn the judging process at a relatively tender age.

One hundred lucky young creatives have been hand-picked and presented with the opportunity of a lifetime – to sneak behind the scenes and immerse themselves in the judging process for one of the industry’s most well-respected awards.

Each year LIA asks global agency networks, independent agencies, associations and media outlets to select individuals for the exclusive opportunity to experience LIA’s educational initiative. Campaign Brief selected two from Australia and one from New Zealand, while Campaign Brief Asia selected four young creatives to represent Asia.

Colenso BBDO CEO Nick Garrett told CB: “We are thrilled to have a member of our staff represent NZ at this year’s Creative LIAisons session in Las Vegas. Ed is a very smart young man and has made a big impact at Colenso in a short period of time so thoroughly deserves to be there. It might seem odd to some that we have opted to send a planner instead of a creative, but we feel this is testament to our philosophy that everyone’s job at Colenso is to contribute to the creative process and Ed has done as much as anyone in our building under 30 this year to live up to that, so good on him.”

Arguably, the most striking element of the Creative LIAisons is that they come at no cost to the young creative or their employer. The entire initiative – including travel and hotel expenses – is fully funded by LIA. It really is a win-win situation for the lucky one hundred.

LIA did away with its one-night Awards Show and put Creative LIAisons in its place. Says Barbara Levy (above left), President of LIA: “The value of a one-night awards show pales significantly in comparison to the manifold benefits the industry can reap when we invest time and money into growing the younger generation.”