With entries for the inaugural Cairns Hatchlings program, presented by Yahoo, flying in from around the Asia-Pacific region, we caught up with Alexis Whelan, national creators and content lead at Kinesso, who’ll be judging the awards to find out what she’ll be looking for.
Find out more about the Cairns Hatchlings program—and submit your entries—here!
B&T: What motivated you to join the Cairns Hatchlings jury, and what excites you most about being involved in this initiative?
Alexis Whelan: The chance to stand alongside other industry leaders and discover the next generation of creative superstars. The most exciting part is the live judging for sure – the pressure on both the presenters and the judges and the buzz and conversation that will come off the back of the presentations will be interesting too, I’m sure!
B&T: Why do you believe programs like Cairns Hatchlings are so important for emerging talent across the Asia Pacific region?
Alexis Whelan: It levels the playing field and gives team members incredible opportunities to connect on an APAC level and bridge the gap between markets. We all have so much to learn from each other and I fear we don’t connect as often as we should.
B&T: From your perspective, what makes Cairns Hatchlings stand out from other industry awards and talent programs?
Alexis Whelan: It stands out because of its market size being APAC but also the intense challenge of 24 hours in person and not on your ‘home’ playing field. Adds a lot more excitement and personality to the process compared to a video submission!
B&T: How does the opportunity to showcase work live at the Cairns Crocodiles event add value for the finalists?
Alexis Whelan: Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to show their best work to some of the top leaders in the industry and make their mark? It’s the ultimate masterclass in upskilling for communication, presenting, ideation and also handling real-life feedback/questions in the room.
B&T: Beyond recognition, how do you think the networking and mentorship opportunities provided by the program can shape the careers of participants?
Alexis Whelan: Networking and mentorship opportunities are completely transformative. It will give the participants an opportunity to build new relationships, test their skills and will in situations they typically wouldn’t and connect with like-minded people in a very close industry.
B&T: The program emphasises collaboration with charities to create real-world impact. How important do you think this aspect is in developing well-rounded industry professionals?
Alexis Whelan: The charity aspect is crucial, it’s not often that we get to give back to communities that need the most help.
Further on this, when we are stuck in the day-to-day, we can lose a lot of touch when it comes to the value of the media plans being billed and cost on fees. This gives those young professionals a look behind the curtain to see that we still can make a positive difference in the world.
B&T: What qualities and attributes will you be looking for in the finalists?
Alexis Whelan: I’ll be looking for:
- Creativity
- Ability to leverage real-life tools to their best ability whether that is Pinterest as a platform or a specific trend.
- Presentation skills
- Ability to adapt and build on feedback/questions in real time
- Resilience
- Genuine passion and excitement in what they bring to life
B&T: In your experience, how can initiatives like Cairns Hatchlings help bridge the gap between emerging talent and top industry leaders?
Alexis Whelan: With shared knowledge and inspiration on both ends, this isn’t just a one-way chat from top industry leaders to emerging talent. It also allows both parties to learn from each other, especially when top industry leaders can learn from emerging talent who are in the day-to-day, tools and on the ground working through a very fast world.
B&T: What advice would you give to applicants hoping to make the most of this opportunity?
Alexis Whelan: Have fun, challenge yourself and the brief, ask why and ask it again and lean all the way in.
If you are putting yourself up on a stage, put your whole authentic self there.
And lastly, network. This opportunity allows you to connect with like-minded people and some incredible industry leaders.
B&T: Looking ahead, what impact do you hope the Cairns Hatchlings program will have on the industry and the next generation of talent?
Alexis Whelan: Raising the creative bar and building a more fluid positive approach to networking and mentorship, I believe that the APAC market level will bring further diversification to the entries.
