The Cairns Hatchlings, presented by Yahoo, is setting the stage for Asia Pacific’s brightest creatives to shine. Among the seven categories featured at this year’s program during the Cairns Crocodiles Festival (May 13-15, 2025), the Design category stands out as a canvas for boundary-pushing ideas.
If your creativity comes to life through visuals, spaces, and storytelling, this category is calling your name.
Enter the Cairns Hatchlings now!
As part of our spotlight on Hatchlings categories, let’s dive into what makes this design challenge both unique and career-defining.
The Design Brief
In 2025, participants in the Design category will tackle an exciting challenge: creating an innovative out-of-home (OOH) campaign to promote the Great Reef Census. This groundbreaking conservation initiative invites everyday citizens to analyse images of coral reefs, helping scientists protect and preserve these ecosystems.
Your mission?
Develop a campaign that transforms public spaces into a platform for action, inspiring participation and raising awareness of this citizen-powered initiative. From billboards and transit ads to immersive digital screens, your design must captivate, engage, and motivate audiences to join the cause.
What Judges Are Looking For
Winning campaigns won’t just look beautiful—they’ll be impactful, innovative, and strategic.
Key elements include:
- Compelling Visuals: Vibrant, reef-inspired designs that evoke the beauty and urgency of the message.
- Clear Messaging: A standout call-to-action encouraging people to spend five minutes contributing to reef conservation.
- Bold Creativity: Unique ways to use OOH formats like transit ads, static billboards, and interactive digital spaces.
- Resourceful Execution: With a zero-dollar budget, your designs need to leverage creative thinking, not high production costs.
- Real-World Impact: Your campaign should motivate people to visit greatreefcensus.org and participate in the initiative.
Why Enter the Design Category?
The power of Out-of-Home advertising lies in its ability to connect with audiences in their everyday lives. As a designer, this category gives you the chance to show how creativity can bring a campaign to life in the real world, turning public spaces into stages for storytelling.
This is more than a competition; it’s an opportunity to:
- Elevate Your Work: Have your designs seen by top industry leaders and decision-makers.
- Push Creative Boundaries: Experiment with bold, innovative ideas in a high-stakes environment.
- Gain National Recognition: Showcase your skills on one of the region’s biggest creative platforms.
- Learn from the Best: Attend masterclasses and network with industry giants at the Cairns Crocodiles Festival.
If selected as a finalist, you’ll head to Cairns for a 24-hour live competition. You’ll receive a new brief on-site and work under pressure to create a campaign that wows the judges. Your work will be evaluated by top creatives, providing feedback and exposure that could transform your career.
Key Dates and Deadlines
- Cairns Hatchlings – 15 May 2025
- On-Time Deadline first-round submissions: Thursday, 27 February 2025
- Late Deadline first round submissions: Thursday, 6 March 2025
- Finalists announced: Thursday, 27 March 2025
- Second round brief: Monday 12 May 2025 (Cairns Convention Centre)
- Live pitches (24hr round): Tuesday, 13 May 2025 (Cairns Convention Centre)
- Film category judging (48hr round): Wednesday, 14 May 2025 (Cairns Convention Centre)
- Awards Ceremony: Thursday, May 15 2025 – Cairns Convention Centre
Are You Ready to Design Your Future?
Entries for the Cairns Hatchlings Design Category open on November 6, 2024. Whether you’re a rising talent in the advertising world or a designer eager to make your mark, this is your moment to showcase your creativity and ingenuity.
Turn public spaces into your canvas. Enter now and show the world what you can do.
