The creative accelerator program spearheaded by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam is expanding to the agency’s London office for the successful program’s sixth year. Operating for the past five years solely in Amsterdam, The Kennedys brings together a small group of young creatives from across Europe and throws them into the deep end of the creative pool. A diverse mix from any creative discipline, The Kennedys work together for a period of seven months, and act as a shop-in-shop within Wieden+Kennedy; concepting, developing and producing real work for the agency's actual clients. This year for the very first time, both the London and Amsterdam Wieden+Kennedy offices are recruiting together, with the program kicking off in June in each office.
“If you are looking for a crash course in creative chaos this is it”
The call for applicants goes out to all writers, photographers, artists, designers, filmmakers, animators, tech developers, game designers, doers, makers, thinkers, schemers and plotters with a personal voice, a unique creative vision, who can speak conversational English and hold a European passport. Those interested can apply now until March 15th via The Kennedys website. Entrants can specify Amsterdam or London as their preference of location and are asked to display their creative prowess through a series of nine leading questions, including: “What is nothing?,” “Sum yourself up in three emojis or less,” and “How would you stop all of the madness in the world?” A mixture of big questions, oblique questions and daft questions that have been engineered to really get entrants thinking outside the box.
“Wieden+Kennedy has a history of hiring creative misfits who haven't come through the usual advertising channels”
Tony Davidson
Tony Davidson, Executive Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy London and global partner, said of the decision to bring The Kennedys to the big smoke: “Wieden+Kennedy has a history of hiring creative misfits who haven't come through the usual advertising channels. Expanding the experiment that is The Kennedys to London is an opportunity for those taking part to bring their diverse skill sets together to solve problems in whatever way. If you are looking for a crash course in creative chaos this is it.”
Alvaro Sotomayor, founder of The Kennedys and long-time Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam Creative Director, added: “This program was created to benefit those that believe in the new and the power of ideas for the benefit of our world. Expanding into London is an exciting opportunity for The Kennedys to grow, explore and cultivate even more talent across the pond, and to hopefully pump out more awesome solutionists into the world.”
“This program was created to benefit those that believe in the new and the power of ideas for the benefit of our world”
Since it’s inception in 2011, The Kennedys have produced campaigns for local, national and international clients including Nike, Spotify, Child Help Line and Eye Amsterdam to name a few, and which can all been seen on their show reel. Serving as a creative back door, the program is purpose built to nurture and grow diverse talent and provide a stepping-stone – in five years 14 Kennedys have joined W+K full time, while other alumni have gone on to be directors, artists, designers and other creative positions within the industry. The Kennedys work as a separate group within w+K, on real assignments, with real deadlines. Dedicated mentors are assigned to oversee the group’s work, answer questions, help brainstorm ideas and encourage success. Participants refine their skills to create campaigns in every medium, work as a team, and master the complicated process of developing effective creative work for clients.
