AWARD has joined forces with Leonardo.ai and the Outdoor Media Association to launch the inaugural AWARD Lab GenAI Sprint, an initiative designed to test how generative AI can support human-led creative campaign development.
The sprint, open to AWARD Crash and AWARD Uni alumni, will take place from 7–9 May. Teams will respond to a not-for-profit (NFP) brief within a 60-hour timeframe, using Leonardo.ai to generate ideas while working alongside production specialists from Commercial Producers Council (CPC) member companies. This collaboration ensures that craft and production expertise are integrated from the start of the creative process.
Mandie van der Merwe, AWARD Chair, said: “AWARD Lab is a first-of-its-kind initiative that moves the conversation beyond AI’s potential into more sophisticated application. It puts people at the centre, showing how creative teams and production partners shape the work, with AI supporting ideas driven by human insight.
“This is about strong ideas, craft and technology working together, not one replacing the other.”
The NFP partner will provide approved, high-resolution images to ensure all creative outputs meet licensing requirements. Teams will also submit process logs documenting how ideas evolved, enabling judges to assess human creative direction, decision-making, and originality.
Dwayne Koh, Head of Creative, Leonardo.ai, said: “Generative AI is changing the pace of the creative process, but the most important ingredients remain human insight and expertise. Leonardo supports teams as they explore and develop ideas, working alongside creative, craft and production partners to help bring those ideas to life.”
The winning team’s campaign will be further developed with production partners and deployed nationally across premium digital out-of-home (DOOH) sites supplied by OMA members.
Elizabeth McIntyre, CEO, OMA, said: “Digital out-of-home is the world’s most public gallery. This sprint highlights how strong creative ideas, developed through a combination of people, craft and technology, can reach audiences at scale.”
By combining AI tools, creative talent, and production expertise in a structured competition, the initiative highlights new possibilities for brands and agencies to accelerate ideation, enhance craft, and deliver campaigns at scale.
Key Dates:
- NFP brief reveal: 12:00 pm, Thursday 7 May
- Competition closes: 11:59 pm, Saturday 9 May
- Judging commences: Monday 11 May
- Winning team announced: Tuesday 19 May
- Winners’ work goes live nationally on DOOH: w/c 25 May
