This looks like fun.

Newcreatives.com, the online community database driven by the ideas of young creative people launches its ‘call for participation’ for its 2006 ‘newcreatives award’ competition. Young, global creatives can compete for the best ideas for ALESSI, the renowned, high-end Italian “Factory of Design”. The participants will look for the most impactful ideas in support of Alessi’s soon-to-open US Flagship store on Greene Street, in Manhattan’s fashionable SoHo District. (The store will open in mid-September of this year), as well as focus on branding ideas for the US market.

Interested creatives of all disciplines (advertising, graphic design, product design, free artists, photography, web design, filmmakers, fashion designers, illustrators, etc…), up to the age of 30, and with a maximum of 3 years of professional experience, can get their copy of the briefing by confirming their participation at award@newcreatives.com.

The competitors will have a month to complete a 2-category task on ‘How beauty can affect your daily life'. Mid-September, an international jury of professional advertising and design creatives will select category winners, who will get a free trip to NY and will be invited to the newcreatives award ceremony and winners’ exhibition in the new Alessi store in NY. At the award ceremony, the Grand winner will receive an additional $1000 in Alessi product.

The full press release can be downloaded here.

AdNews, Australia's leading industry publication, has tallied up the damage done to the collective balance sheets of Australian agencies at this years Cannes Lion festival.

Leading the charge, was Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, spending a mammoth AUD$65,350 (approx US$45,000) on entry fees, outspending its nearest rival by more than double.

Adnews produced the chart using publicly available entry data and used the lowest entry fee in that category as the basis for the calculations.

No doubt the chiefs over at Singleton's who have a steadfast 'no award show' policy are smiling.

Entries close July 10! So get in quick

Sadly no diatribe from me about the ills of using the word viral just a notice that the Asia Interactive Awards are open for entry.

Entries close July 5th so theres still time to enter.

Note: I am part of the jury which sadly only has one female. Which is one more than there was at D&AD for interactive.

Cannes Cyber Lions Short list here.

Good to see the steadler campaign from HOST has made it thus far, I liked the work.

Ashley says: This has to be the best year for Australia yet though. Congrats to Leo Burnett, Host, Tequila, Saatchi & Saatchi and I guess Netx too. And a big finger to the judges for not shortlisting any of our stuff. Bastards! hehe :)

The OneShow winners were announced on Friday night, and it would appear it was a tough competition this year, with only 60 pencils handed out. (I think this is lower than usual?) Over the next week, anyone that has a OneShow winner or indeed a finalist, please send it in to us.

For a list of the winners, click here

On a local note Australia did it tough once again :

SILVER George Patterson Y&R / Melbourne
Promotional Advertising VB Boony Doll

SILVER OneDigital / Sydney
Business to Consumer adidas adidas_1 Interactive Store

MERIT Tribal DDB Sydney / Sydney
10B: Web Sites McDonald's Australia McDonald's Corporate Website

MERIT NetX / Sydney
03A: Business to Consumer - Single Virgin Atlantic Airways Virgin Atlantic Phobias Self-help

MERIT RMG Connect Australia / Sydney
05A: Business to Consumer Samsung The Inside Job

George Patterson/Y&R's Boony doll was a huge success here. To find out more about this innovative piece, its worth taking a look at this article from the Sydney Morning Herald Well done guys!

A little disappointed we didn't achieve a pencil for Samsung, but hey the work we were up against in that category was phenomenal !