DDB Worldwide Expands Successful Talent Development Program Globally

NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DDB Worldwide (www.ddb.com) is pleased to announce the global expansion of its successful LaunchPad talent development program with 14 participating agencies across DDB's network of international offices, effective January 2013. Designed to bridge the gap between student and professional creatives, LaunchPad is a three-month internship program at DDB for students and young creatives working towards their first big break in the industry. The staggered rollout for the program includes DDB offices in New York, Sydney, Singapore, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco, Dubai, Istanbul, Helsinki, Johannesburg, Berlin, Sao Paolo, Buenos Aires and Shanghai.

LaunchPad was created by the Sydney, Australia, office in 2007 and later expanded to DDB's offices in Melbourne and Auckland as its popularity grew. The global expansion is a testament to the program and the agency's commitment to bridging the gap between classroom education and hands-on application, helping budding creatives differentiate themselves within the competitive advertising industry. 

"It is our responsibility as an industry to grow and shape our young talent into creatively brilliant leaders of tomorrow's advertising landscape," asserted Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer of DDB Worldwide. "I am grateful for the incredible mentors and agencies that helped me break into the advertising industry, and the industry needs to focus on training its new blood, particularly when nurturing talent is considered against the backdrop of the talent shortage that agencies across the world are currently experiencing."

The following ad schools and industry organizations participate in DDB's LaunchPad program to develop talent: Art Center, BYU, Creative Circus, Hyper Island, Miami Ad School, Parsons, SCAD, Skidmore, SVA, University of North Florida, Washington University and VCU.

"We have been participating in the LaunchPad program for several years now," said Pippa Seichrist, President and Cofounder of Miami Ad School. "The students started out interning in DDB's Sydney office. We're really happy that Matt Eastwood, Chief Creative Officer of DDB New York, expanded the program to the New York office so the students don't have to fly halfway around the world to intern with him. DDB has so far offered four of our 'Launchies' jobs upon graduation. LaunchPad is a great way for young creatives to learn and prove themselves."

Launchies, or individuals selected to take part in the LaunchPad program, work on live briefs at DDB, and receive real work experience to feature in their portfolio.

"When I started working with DDB through the LaunchPad program, I was told that it would be a three-month audition, and that was a very accurate description," said Alex Stainton, Copywriter at DDB Sydney. DDB is a dynamic, creative environment, and opportunity is everywhere. You have to work harder than anyone else and give it everything you've got, but the results are worth it. We have pitched ideas for major clients, presented, sold them, met with directors, shot our first TV spot and more.... We are launched."

Eastwood added, "In Australia, the vast majority of creatives who completed the LaunchPad program found full-time agency employment shortly after graduation. We found that this program truly made a difference to students trying to break into the agency world after graduating, simply by offering them a chance to diversify their portfolios while working in a fast-paced and dynamic agency environment. So it's exciting to see LaunchPad expand outside of Australia."

A recent testament to the caliber of professionals the LaunchPad program produces is the highly acclaimed creative team of Matthew Knapp and John Downing, hired at DDB New York this year as Senior Copywriter and Senior Art Director, respectively. The duo joined DDB New York from the DDB Sydney office, where they got their start in the industry following participation in LaunchPad in 2007.

Young creatives starting out in the industry and looking for their first big break can learn more about the program by visiting DDB's LaunchPad Facebook page. For additional information on deadlines to apply for the next LaunchPad session, please email us at: [email protected].

About DDB
DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc (www.ddb.com) ranks among the top five consolidated advertising and marketing services global networks, according to Advertising Age. DDB emphasizes Social Creativity to grow the value and influence of brands around the world by creating ideas that people want to play with, participate in and pass along. The agency is consistently one of the most awarded at the Cannes Festival of Creativity and was recognized by The Gunn Report as one of the Top 3 Global Networks for 10 of the last 12 years. DDB was also recently named the Spikes Asia Network of the Year for the second consecutive year and the Eurobest Network of the Year for the third consecutive year. DDB Worldwide is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC) and consists of more than 200 offices in over 90 countries.

Contact
Christie Giera
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SOURCE DDB Worldwide