Art Directors Club Launches ADC Young Guns 11 Competition for Creatives Age 30 and Under

Cristina Blanaru Ads, Creativity

 Art Directors Club (ADC), the premier organization for creatives in integrated media and the first global creative collective of its kind, announces the launch of the ADC Young Guns 11 competition for creative professionals age 30 or younger.

ADC Young Guns is the industry’s only international, cross-disciplinary, portfolio-based awards competition that identifies today’s vanguard of young creative. It is open to both ADC members and nonmembers. Last year’s competition drew entries from 45 countries, with 47% of entries coming from outside the U.S.

The program is open internationally to creatives age 30 and under who have been working for at least two years, full-time or freelance. Eligible entrants can submit a combination of professional and personal work in graphic design, photography, illustration, advertising, art direction, environmental design, film, animation, motion graphics, interactive design, typography, architecture, copywriting, product design, package design, fashion design, furniture design, interior design, sound design and industrial design.

Online entries available through www.adcyoungguns.org will be accepted starting May 1, 2012. Entries submitted on or before the early bird deadline of June 2, 11:59 pm EST will qualify for special pricing: $99 USD. All other entries will be accepted until June 16, 2013, 11:59 pm EST, at a cost of $135 USD.

ADC Young Guns recognizes creatives who excel at breaking boundaries and who dare to be different on their paths to success. This year’s call-for-entries campaign was created by Grand Army, who were recognized during Young Guns 9. Partners Larry Pipitone, Joey Ellis, and Eric Collins sum up the Call for Entries with ‘Level Up’ – an aspirational concept that speaks to the ability to advance one’s career by being named an ADC Young Gun.

ADC Young Guns 11 was kicked off in style last Thursday, April 25. Current Young Guns and future Young Guns gathered at the Art Director’s Club 29th Street Gallery for a ‘Level Up’ that mirrored the conceptual and design aesthetic of the Call for Entries campaign. Young creatives were treated to a larger-than-life, custom-built game of PONG. The classic video game was projected to 60 feet wide and two stories high.

Every year, a committee of past Young Guns is assembled to oversee the development and execution of the competition:

  • Rich Tu (YG9) – Art Director, AKA NYC and ADC Young Guns 11 Chair
  • Bill Oberlander – Managing Director, Robin Hood and Co-Founder of ADC Young Guns
  • Ian Wharton (YG8) – Partner, Zolmo
  • Michael Fremiuth (YG8) – Partner, Franklyn
  • Nicole Jacek (YG8) – Founder, Creative Director, NJ(L.A.)
  • Elle Kim (YG8) – Senior Art Director, The Museum of Modern Art
  • Stewart Smith (YG7) – Founder, STEWDIO
  • Timothy Goodman (YG7) – Designer, Illustrator, Independent
  • Dan Blackman (YG9)  – Designer, Independent
  • Jon Contino (YG9) – Founder, Jon Contino Studio
  • Julie Glassberg (YG9) – Photographer, Independent

All ADC Young Guns 11 winners will receive an unique

  • version of the iconic ADC Young Guns Cube, designed exclusively for YG11, will have their
  • work featured in an exhibition at the ADC Gallery in New York and included in the
  • ADC Young Guns 11 Annual; also, their work will be added on their permanent profile page on
  • www.adcyoungguns.org, will have a complimentary 1 year
  • ADC membership along with permanent
  • membership in ADC Young Guns network and will have the chance to be featured in
  • ADC Young Guns events, including presentations of their work at Apple stores around the world.

ADC Young Guns has become more than just a competition—it now comprises a community network of rebels and prodigies, unsung heroes and rising stars. Over the years, our roster has grown to include some exceptional talent, among them Stefan Sagmeister (YG1), Rei Inamoto (YG4), James Victore (YG1), Ryan McGinness (YG2), floto+warner (YG5), Alexander Gelman (YG1), Deanne Cheuk (YG4), Todd St. John(YG1), Scott Stowell (YG3), Mike Mills (YG1), and Alex Trochut (YG6).

The Art Directors Club is the premier organization for integrated media and is the first international creative collective of its kind.  Founded in New York in 1920, the ADC is a self-funded, not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to connect creative communications professionals around the globe, and to provoke and elevate world-changing ideas.  It focuses on the highest standards of excellence in communications for the industry, and encourages students and young professionals entering the field.  ADC provides a forum for creatives in Advertising, Design, Interactive Media and Communications to explore the direction of these rapidly converging industries.