Engage with the freshest creative thinking around the world
Through longstanding programmes, and bespoke partnerships, we connect forward thinking organisations with next-gen talent across a network of educational institutions globally. Rich and real-world learning for students and graduates, focussed on your live innovation and business challenges, results in new concepts for campaigns, products and experiences and a wealth of insights to boot.
Partnership snapshots
Real world challenges, tackled by diverse emerging minds
How can we 'own halloween' in a way that will creatively shock, engage and inspire our community?
Exploring digital approaches to driving greater awareness around longstanding seasonal campaigns.
Show us what the future of the shopping centre looks like, and how we'll attract younger audiences into it.
If search, Chrome, Google ads and other digital products were to come in a box, show us what that box should look like.
What will our store experience look and feel like in 2025 and how will digitally augment what is physical for our most tech-literate future customers?
Help customers help fulfil the ambition of buying their first home.
Create a campaign that will encourage culturally engaged young people to experience opera for the first time.
Engage people around the story of the Toyota Mirai and reinforce our reputation as pioneers of new technology.
Encourage consumers to co-create the future of travel at TravelBrilliantly.com
Partner showcase
Examples of work submitted, loved and launched
Sensorial new product ranges
The homeware retail maestros teamed up with luxury Italian paper purveyor Fedrigoni — on an education learning partnership that invited product and packaging designers nationally to imagine an illuminating new candle range for an in-store launch.
Oliver Bonas X Fedrigoni: Learning partnership
Attention grabbing visuals, to inspire responsibility
The Department for Transport challenged emerging designers and illustrators nationally to create eye-catching visual executions — encouraging young drivers to think responsibly about their alcohol consumption. Shown below are some of the submissions selected to launch in the market.
DfT: learning partnership
Engaging emerging talent through YCN's education programmes should be a page in every marketer's playbook.
Selected submissions showreel
Empowering businesses through collaborative learning
Learning partnerships: Selected submission showreel
How can you own Halloween?
The mortgage disruptors wanted to own Halloween this year; with an array of ideas welcomed — posters, campaigns, films, events, products and much else too. And one especially surprising entry was launched into the market, shown below and covered here by the Drum.
Habito: Learning partnership and selected submission
“The calibre of creativity we’ve seen from those who took part in the Habito halloween challenge was outstanding, but David’s idea really blew us away. We’re so pleased to be able to bring it to life."
Since we began in 2001 we've designed mutually valuable ways to connect forward-thinking organisations with bright, diverse and emerging thinkers within universities, colleges and art and design schools around the world. Real-world learning partnerships that lead to relevant new campaigns, products and experiences. Drop us a line to learn more about partnering.