SCABs

Finding Future Lions ideas in a post D&AD wasteland

By Fat Penguin – The SCA Intake of 2016/17

 

Finding Future Lions ideas in a post D&AD wasteland

 

Jesse: I’ve taken a map of the world, and tried to go country by country looking at the solvable problems in each one.

 

Rollo: It goes without saying but I’m looking in areas that interest me. I think that with D&AD so many of us started out by trying to solve briefs in ways we just weren’t passionate about. Relieved to have an idea signed off. But there’s no point just finding an answer to the brief. It must be something you’re passionate about. A problem you want to solve. Because that’ll just show through in the work.  And it won’t feel like work at all.

 

Flav: I feel like my brain needs a short break before starting on Cannes. So I took the weekend to reset and do some portfolio work before I go straight into Cannes. I’m still shocked how much D&AD has taught me. Excited to see what Cannes teaches all of us! 🙂

 

Gnome: I’ve been reading my rather large collection of National Geographic magazines, they are full of problems that haven’t been solved and need solving.

 

Sophie: Asking everyone and anyone this one question. ‘If you could change one thing in the the world, what would it be?’

 

Anam: The newspaper is my best friend right now. There’s so many problems happening across the world that need a solution. Also the AJ+ page on Facebook is great for finding other world problems that need a hand. For the tech side, I really like looking at thisiswhyimbroke.com for some really unique niche products.

 

Augustine: Getting obsessed with tech, which invariably gives way to almost-crippling anxiety about a future that is impossible to imagine, in which we’ll have all manner of chips inside our bodies and frolic about on hoverboards or whatnot, whilst the Earth burns up and our children drown in floods. We’ll resuscitate our dead offspring by transposing their consciousnesses into geese and wear clothes exclusively made of hemp as we dance about in fields, having nothing but time on our hands in the aftermath of automation. Seriously though, I’m feeling a little rusty, trying to write propositions but a little out of practice and, for Cannes, taking stabs in the dark and going down lots of rogue routes. Researched cliteracy for about an hour yesterday. No, that’s not a typo. It’s a thing. Look it up.

 

Krista: What Rollo said. I will start by looking at problems that directly affect me and hope they resonate with a wider audience. Oh, and I desperately need to get up to date with the latest technology. I didn’t even know there was a new iOS update.

 

Kyle: During D&AD I felt very conscious to always go back to the brief and make sure I was answering what was asked. Whereas with Cannes there seems a sense of freedom, which is much needed. But I am aware of how important it is to still be adding to my portfolio, so I think I’m going to use my portfolio as a way to divert any pressure during the Cannes process.

 

Alex: Find things that interest me in order to produce interesting things. Have fun with the freedom of the brief and try and crowdsource problems from people at a large family knees-up.

 

Beth: Cannes is exciting as we get to explore and discover all sorts of new tech. Some of it is a bit scary to be fair. But it’s also really interesting looking at cultural and social shifts over the past 3 years. I think for Cannes it’s really important to talk to as many people as possible as they might just have the problem you are looking for.

 

Arthur: Cannes is a weird one. Not sure that the openness of the brief is a good thing. A lot of it will be down to luck. So instead of working towards a winning idea, I’ll look for the best bookable one.

 

Orla: research, research, research. All the white hats.

 

Jacob: Absorbing yourself in the tech world – seriously cool stuff going on. Who knew.

 

Christine: Tech blogs, tech videos, reading newspapers, reading random stuff, Indiegogo, Kickstarter, collect the dots, look at previous campaigns. You can tell future lions has some sort of recipe. It all starts with a problem (fact), then the brand is introduced (often with a collaboration) then the solution with some fancy tech words and finally how much good this idea could bring to the world. Ish… Remember to find a boring fiver american voiceover and some classic case study music.  

 

Daze: Having fun on Cannes is my number one priority. Unexpected audiences are also a must – I’m trying to steer clear of starving kids in third world countries. Since winning is extremely unlikely and the winners aren’t really in the style of work I enjoy doing (see Christine above re: boring voiceovers and classic case study music), I think pushing the boat out with something weird is the order of the day.

 

Max: ADC vids, Cannes winners, AKQA, bestads, TechCrunch, Mashable, gizmodo. Fall in love with tech, it can do anything. That’s the joy of this brief

 

Hen: I’ve been thinking about the things that make me angry, i normally start a sentence with “I can’t believe it’s 2017 and we still…” Then try and solve that problem. To find the tech i think up what the perfect solution would be, then see if it exists, if it doesn’t, I try and find the nearest thing that does.

 

Kenny & Mary: Every evening during dinner for the past month or so, we’ve been watching re-runs of the BBC’s Dragons Den. Sounds a bit sad at first but when you see how well the Dragon’s tear apart ideas and products, it kind of sharpens your own ability to find holes in what you’re creating.

 

Ludo: Look for BIG problems and try solve them, simple. Start with personal problems within your own environment then push into wider circles. Indiegogo is a good place to hunt.   

 

Malou: I sit with our cat and think about problems. I also have a book that’s really good. And and and I’m planning on going to lots of museums + reading different tech blogs. Yay

 

Tomo: I look through reddit, tech sites and listen to podcasts to find the cool technology that’s come through in the last few years. Then I think about what else you could do with that.

 

Pjotr: I look around.

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