The Shark Awards have announced the winner of this year’s Young Shark competition.
The competition which is open to creatives under the age of 26 was won by Shauna Irani (left), a copywriter from Ogilvy India who beat off her competition with her direct mailer idea ‘The Real Test of 2020’.
The brief directly addressed the topic affecting the entire planet: Covid-19. The young creatives were tasked with creating a campaign for the global creative industry of writers, art directors, photographers, animators, composers, editors and designers encouraging them to be brave and show their great work despite this challenging year. Many award shows have been cancelled or postponed but not The Shark Awards, and in setting the brief, the Sharks team were looking for an appropriate way in which to call on the industry to keep creativity alive in these current circumstances.
Shauna’s winning idea is a Shark Awards testing kit. The direct mailer invitation resembles a Covid-19 testing kit, with information leaflets tucked inside the vials. The invitation calls on brave creatives everywhere to step up to the real test of 2020: The Shark Awards.
The Young Shark Award was judged by Vishal Dheiman (left), Head of Innovation at BBDO NY who commented: “We received a lot of entries of the highest standard, but Shauna’s idea stood out as an overall concept. It was imaginative, whilst straight to the point. Covid 19 and testing kits have been a huge focus for how we respond to the virus, and her execution was flawless in design & copy for how we as creatives respond – by keeping to create! I’d love to see this in Production and receive the kit myself. Congratulations Shauna!”
Shauna Irani says: “At a time when most festivals were being cancelled, simply being able to participate in the Young Shark Awards 2020 was a unique pleasure and to be selected as the winner brings me unparalleled joy. It’s been a privilege to have my work viewed and critiqued by one of the industry’s top names.
“Winning the award has not only gone a long way towards boosting my resume, but the experience has also provided me with the confidence to rely on my own creative instincts, and a network to connect with the finest in the industry. For a young creative, this is invaluable.”
Shauna has also been a finalist at the AAAI Cannes Young Lions 2018 and the Young Spikes India 2019.
The other two finalists are here.
The entry deadline for Advertising, Digital and Design is Tuesday 1st September and Thursday 31st December for Short Film and Music Video.
Enter Shark Awards 2020 here.
