Entries close September 30 for Cannes Chimera brief ‘Lead the fight against extreme poverty’

The third Cannes Chimera global communications challenge, set to the brief ‘Help Lead the Fight Against Extreme Poverty’, will close for entries on 30 September.

The second Chimera Workshop is just days away from starting as Cannes Lions 2012 Grand Prix winners begin mentorship of nine winning ideas.

This latest challenge set by Cannes Lions and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, calls for new communications concepts that can incite the public to support an emerging international agenda to ensure that extreme poverty is virtually eliminated by 2030.

Says Tom Scott, director of global brand & innovation at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: “It’s a huge goal and it’s 17 years away. So how do we make that goal relevant today? How do we bring it forward so people think about it, care about it, talk about it? How do we get people to get involved and want to see it get accomplished?  We believe that by using the great power of creativity, some very inspirational communications ideas will emerge that will answer the brief and kick-start the momentum to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030.”

Innovative and world-changing ideas that answer to this brief can be submitted, by no later than 30 September, on just two pages. Up to ten competition winners will be eligible for up to an initial $100,000 (US) to work and perfect their idea and will be invited to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation campus in Seattle for a 2-day workshop during which they will be mentored by the Cannes Chimera, a ‘super-agency’ made up of Cannes Lions Grands Prix winners.  Following the workshop, winners may apply for additional funding of up to USD$1Million to implement their concept in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its global partners.

Says Philip Thomas, CEO of Lions Festivals: “Whilst anybody can submit an idea, we particularly call on people in the advertising and communications industry to take part, since they have the extraordinary ability to change human behaviour through great creative storytelling and can influence others to take action that will ultimately impact the world in future years. Who better than the great minds of our industry to put to good use their creative and persuasive talents to help build a better future for mankind?”

The previous Cannes Chimera challenge ‘Aid is Working. Tell the World,’ which called for communications ideas in four specific submission categories – Mobile, Data, Young Audiences and The Progress of Development – to help change the global conversation about the impact of investments in foreign aid, is about to enter its second stage.

During the first week of October, the nine winners of this challenge, will attend an intensive but inspirational two-day workshop where they will join forces with the Cannes Chimera, winners of the 2012 Cannes Lions Grands Prix, to brainstorm and perfect their ideas before using their $100,000 funding to further develop their concepts, ahead of reapplying for a further $1 Million to put their idea into practice.

Says Chimera member Graham Fink, chief creative officer of Ogilvy Shanghai, ahead of the forthcoming workshop.”Every day we apply our creative talent to solve clients’ problems, but now we have the chance to use it to solve critical world issues. What a fantastic opportunity to help make the world a better place.”

Nick Law, Global Chief Creative Officer of R/GA New York, a Chimera member for two consecutive years, added: “Most days we use our talent to change minds; this is an opportunity to change lives.”

The Cannes Chimera Initiative was launched by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which brings together the global advertising and communications industry, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropic foundation, in an effort to generate communications ideas that motivate global audiences to support change and take actions that address a unique development issue through a competitive brief.

For more information on the 2013 creative brief and background please visit CannesChimera.com

All entries must be submitted online through Canneslions.com by 30 September 2013.