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Virtual Coaching Sessions: April thru November 2024

On-Site Program Las Vegas: 30th September thru 4th October 2024

Creative LIAisons Funded by LIA

To develop, educate, inspire and nurture emerging talent.
That in a nutshell is the driving purpose behind the Creative LIAisons initiative. What began as a vision in 2012, became a zeal which crystallized into the Creative LIAisons Global Coaching Academy.

We don't just talk a good game. We go to bat for young, emerging talent around the world by giving them access to top award-winning people, learnings and opportunities in an industry where, lamentably, the nex-generation of creatives are barely fed. Money from the festival gets channelled back into this program. LIA covers the costs of flights, hotel accomodations and some meals for approximately 125 global attendees annually. In short, the companies that send attenddees, pay nothing. The returns, however, are priceless. Learning the fundamentals, skill training, including how to be a leader, could mean the difference between success and failure. Even the best knives need to be sharpened to maintain its cutting edge.

Onsite Program
The onsite training takes place concurrently with LIA judging at Encore @ Wynn in Las Vegas.

All seminars, panel discussions and workshops are carefully curated together with the masters of the industry - from design, digital, health & pharma, production, technology and more – to empower the audience with tips and tricks of the trade.

One of the unique features of Creative LIAisons in Las Vegas is its campus-like atmosphere. The festival by virtue of its smaller size is contained, congenial and conducive for interpersonal interactions, networking and making life-long connections.

The best part of the onsite program, by far, is the opportunity to sit in the judging rooms. No other global festival allows attendees to go behind the curtain; to witness the discussions and debates as they happen. Seeing with absolute transparency how senior creatives bring their points-of-view, cultural references and arguments for or against a piece of work is, arguably, one of the best ways to learn. Attendees go back, armed with the knowledge of how to better critique their own work and to be more open to criticism. No idea is a sacred cow.

LIA welcomes a global contingent of approximately 125 emerging talents to Las Vegas for this educational initiative. There are no delegate fees and flights and hotel accommodations for all attendees are covered by LIA.  As a result, attendance is extremely competitive.

Virtual Program
The virtual program, which began in 2021, is the other side of the coin. 

No other awards show offers one-to-one e-coaching sessions on such a global scale and with coaches of such high caliber. Many of the top global heads and industry luminaries have praised this effort. More than that, they have backed it wholeheartedly by graciously giving their time to be a coach. 

As the creative process is fluid, so is the virtual program. Each mentee has access to three different coaches from around the world. They are even given the opportunity to peruse the list of coaches and submit their coaching 'wishlist'. The program does not dictate how each session is to be structured. It is completely bespoke - left up to the mentee and coaches to decide what works best. Every creative journey is personal and emotional; not just cognitive.

Selection Process
LIA does not directly select attendees. The names are put forward by Companies that support LIA, Agency Networks, Ad Clubs and Associations, Trade Press through regional competitions. LIA also allows a small quota of mentees to self-nominate for the virtual program. Each year the number of virtual mentees is over 180. 

All mentees of both the onsite and virtual programs have to be currently working in the industry or a related business and be between the ages of 21 - 30 years old.

"We talk about burn-out. For a lot of people their answer to burn-out is time off. This is an answer to burn-out. Go, get better at your job, take yourself to the next level, be around people who will inspire you, make connections. Creative LIAisons is the kind of program that can help solve burn-out." Susan Credle, Global Chief Creative Officer, FCB

Creative Coaching

Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential, helping them to learn rather than teaching them.

Coaching is ‘performance driven’, designed to improve the professional’s on-the-job capabilities. It is the universal language of change and learning.

The foundation of the LIA Coaching Academy is a game changer. It is designed for young talent with creative flair. The rising stars who have exceptional natural abilities, the drive to be better, and the ambition to be a top level creative.

The chance to have ‘one-to-one’ bespoke and private training coaching sessions with some of the industries finest creative minds is a golden opportunity for young creatives working in this business to improve their skill set. An opportunity to develop the art of perfect practice.

The industry leading coaches are from the four corners of the world. They are charged with helping develop, motivate and train the next generation of practitioners in communication to their full potential. Partnering with gifted young creatives in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional capabilities.

Coaching boosts confidence, develops creative skills, improves work performance and builds effective communication ability. These personal real-time one-to-one virtual coaching sessions are an extremely rare opportunity for rising stars.

I’m a big fan of football and when I look around the world at great players and teams, there’s always a world-class training academy behind them, designed to develop their talents.

This is the goal of the LIA coaching academy, destined to be a creative talent development powerhouse in our industry.

And this is important, as we are a Creative Solutions industry. We live and die by our ideas and I believe that creativity is the most valuable asset in business today.

It’s through a creative lens that we solve everything.

LIA has always championed, nurtured and inspired young talent. This platform is designed to develop, educate, inspire and grow creative talent to their full potential.
 

That’s why we as an industry must invest in a new generation of fearless talent with a commitment to excellence, and help them constantly improve. They are our lifeblood.