After waiting patiently, D&AD finally released their briefs for this years New Blood competition. In previous years I always assumed it was just for Graphic Designers to enter, and hadn't ever properly looked at the briefs on offer and just dismissed the whole competition. However looking closely, it is a lot broader, but still under the category of creative advertising. Each brief is quite open allowing you to use any medium and any visual style to complete it, which includes animation and illustration. There a few more specific briefs too, but these are mostly for graphic designers.
The two I am most interested are below.
National Trust
The first is a brief for the National Trust, making some information packs and content to attract people aged between 20 and 40. At first when seeing this brief I imagined creating activity packs for children, so I had to rethink how I would target such a different age group. I am really interested in this brief and started making a mood board which you can view here- http://www.pinterest.com/iambambiwillow/national-trust-brief/
http://www.dandad.org/awards/new-blood/2014/categories/8/national-trust
Don't Sell, Make Your Mark
The second brief I was interested in wasn't for a specific brand, and is more of an open brief designed by D&AD themselves. This brief is to tell a story interestingly, it can be any story but you can't sell something in it. As a concept itself it could be fun to do, especially as I was hoping to write a narrative for an animation anyway. However I feel this brief slightly juxtaposes with its intent, as by completing the brief and if you win, you are trying to sell your own brand and your own style of working in hope for recognition (which I suppose is making your mark, and technically there is no prize money so it wouldn't be selling necessarily, however I just think it is a little odd!)
http://www.dandad.org/awards/new-blood/2014/categories/5/d-ad
