The Radio Bureau has launched the first Student Outstanding Radio Creative Awards (ORCAs). Inspired by the well-known (and currently retired ORCAs), the Student ORCAs challenges advertising students to explore the creative possibilities of radio by creating an outstanding radio commercial for a specific brand.
Advertising students at Media Design School and AUT will go head-to-head in the first round which involves writing a 15, 30, 45 or 60 second commercial script for radio.
Shortlisted scripts will then need to be made into recorded radio commercials, which will form the finalists. The judging panel consists of ex-AUT and Media Design School students, most who have taken away an ORCA themselves and come from a mix of creative agencies including FCB, Colenso BBDO and DDB.
Both winning teams will take home a cash prize and be presented with their award in front of industry professionals at the Ralph van Dijk Radio Scriptwriting seminar in Auckland in mid-August.
“Marilyn Monroe said: ‘It’s not true I had nothing on. I had the radio on’.”
TRB GM Peter Richardson said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with both AUT and Media Design School to offer their students the chance to get their work recognised and in front of an industry audience”.
AUT programme leader of advertising creativity Paul White is excited about the opportunity that the award presents to students. “Marilyn Monroe is reputed to have said, ‘It’s not true I had nothing on. I had the radio on’.
“Which only goes to show that you never know who’s listening to your radio commercials. But we all know the best way to get people listening is to create outstanding radio ads.
“The new Student ORCAs are a chance for advertising students to really shine creatively. There’s no pre-set length of commercial, no geeky technology to cope with; pretty much nothing to get in the way of creating something great for radio. We’re excited by the start of the student Orcas to showcase new talent.”
Media Design Course leader Kate Humphries thinks radio scripts are a great addition to advertising students’ portfolios.
“Although radio doesn’t always make it into student portfolios because no one has the time to read anything, the restriction of working with just words and voice has always been a great training ground for young creatives,” she said.
“So, the Student ORCAs represents an awesome opportunity for students to get some dwell time with industry judges who between them have won a giant fistful of Orcas, D&AD Pencils and Cannes Lions for their radio ideas … a fact which is currently proving both inspiring and incredibly nerve-wracking for all our budding scriptwriters at MDS.”
Applications for the awards are currently open and close on Wednesday 1 August. Advertising students at MDS and AUT can apply by submitting their script direct to Paul White or Kate Humphries.
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