Charles Sturt Uni’s Kajulu Blue team wins IAA Big Idea 2014 national comp for marcomms students

Attracting over 100 university students from NSW, VIC, OLD and WA to create submissions, IAA ‘Big Idea’ – Australia’s only national student marcomms competition – is proving to be the most highly sought after career-ready learning experience preparing undergraduates in communications courses for the transition from university into professional practice.

At the final shoot-out this week, “Kajulu Blue” CSU team beat fellow finalists University of the Sunshine Coast’s “Digitall Age” team, Academy of Design’s “Port Collective” and stable mates CSU’s “Kajulu Red” team to take the National Champions’ trophy.

Clemenger BBDO sponsored this year’s program.

Says Andy Pontin, judge chair and Clemenger BBDO Sydney CEO: “Kajulu Blue just nailed it.  A big, bold iconic idea brilliantly rationalised and executed with enormous attention to detail.  I wish we’d come up with it.

“The standard of entries across the board was outstanding, however, as ever a handful rose to the top due to the quality of the insights, the simplicity of the articulations, and the power of the idea.  I’ve got to say, if this is the quality of advertising thinking coming through our university system then the future of the industry is in good hands.”

The teams are asked to come up with a “Big Idea” and a fully-fledged marketing plan to market a real-life charity – this year for iconic Legacy Australia, a service provider to Australian families suffering financially and socially after the incapacitation or death of a spouse or parent during or after their defence force service.  The challenge was to contemporise this iconic brand and build awareness, support and donations from everyday Australians 18-30 years old (Gen Y).

Says Stephanie Allen from the winning team: “It was an amazing competition and an incredible opportunity to get some real-world experience.  We are extremely excited to win, but overall, just being a part of this national competition and hearing the ideas coming from the other teams was amazing.”

IAA Australia chapter president and chair, Heather Leembruggen, praised the outstanding quality of inventive, workable ideas and fine marketing campaigns generated by all the students.

Says Leembruggen: “The IAA is proud to encourage the skills and talents of the upcoming generation in our industry and help progress their professional development by providing this opportunity for them to work with a real-life client on a project that puts their classroom learning into real-world practice.

“Being able to provide these ideas and campaign plans to a charity organisation who can put them to good use out in the marketplace is a win win situation for all  – the students,

Legacy Australia and the IAA (International Advertising Association).”

The IAA Big Idea 2014 judging panel comprised:

–      Andy Pontin (chair), CEO, Clemenger BBDO Sydney

–      Gwynn Boyd, chair, national marketing committee, Legacy Australia

–      Ross Pearson, national marketing, Legacy Australia

–      Chelsea Wymer, trade marketing director, Fairfax Media

–      Martin Hadley, client services director, Starcom

–      Annalise Brown, managing director, Porter Novelli

12th IAA ‘Big Idea’ National Champion – CSU’s Kajulu Blue team:

–       Elizabeth Mellor

–       Isabella Rigg

–       Jaqueline Osborne

–       Kerri-Anne Chin

–       Nicholas Rutherford

–       Sean Bowman

–       Stephanie Allen

–       Faculty Advisor: Anne Llewellynn