Chance The Rapper, Sandro Miller propel AICP Next Awards

There are certain things you can be sure of when you’re attending an AICP event in LA.

You will see the coolest glasses collection this side of a designer optometrist on Rodeo Drive. You will dance to a DJ spinning old school songs that are so ancient, the sperm and egg that created him had not even connected at the time the song were actually popular. You will see beautiful women killin’ it so hard in their cocktail dresses that they deserve to be ranked by Entertainment Weekly and People’s Red Carpet reporters.

And beards, lots of beards.

Like Dawn Redman, EP of audio post-house Juice Studios, said, “The ACIP Next Awards is like homecoming and the AICP Christmas party is like prom.”

AICP LA attendees check out a virtual reality exhibit at the eventOr former Element 79 GCD, now Co-Head of Creative at Creative Artists Agency and co-founder of peace coalition, Saturday Morning, Geoff Edwards happily observed the crowd ready to reconnect since moving to LA.

Of course, there is award-winning advertising to be celebrated as well.

The AICP Next Awards, as a part of its country-wide tour recognizing outstanding work and the creative forces behind it, came to LA’s Pacific Design Center on July 27. As AICP president Matt Miller touched on in his opening speech, the event has recently transformed into a platform for thought leadership and analysis by those pushing boundaries and raising the bar higher on marketing content.

Although Chicago on the agency side was unrepresented, there was outstanding work from Chicagoans including branded content from director Sandro Miller for Squarespace and Chance the Rapper for Nike.

This was a night for all to simply be inspired. Here is a sampling of some of the jaw-dropping honored campaigns.

BRANDED CONTENT
NIKE — WE THE PEOPLE
Wieden and Kennedy, New York

Nike celebrated the strength of unity and power of team with Unlimited Together, a film that brought a tear to my eye, featuring original lyrics from Chicago-born artist Chance the Rapper who just killed it at Lollopalooza.

WEBSITE
SQUARESPACE — PLAYING LYNCH
Preacher

Director Sandro Miller got John Malkovich to get under the skin of David Lynch’s most memorable characters — including the director himself. The result is amazing.

VIRTUAL REALITY
USA NETWORKS — MR. ROBOT VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE

Creator Sam Esmail invites u to step inside the world of “Mr. Robot” like never before and experience a pivotal moment from Elliot’s past.

BRANDED CONTENT
THE ATLANTIC — AM I TYPECAST? 
Wieden and Kennedy, New York

Here, Michael K. Williams, of The Wire and The Night Of, wrestles with one of his own: Is he being typecast?

Obviously, this is just a tiny sampling of the work, that quite frankly excited me in ways that I haven’t been in years by advertising, and got me all “jelly.” All of this year’s 2K17 honorees can be viewed here. Be sure to get your ticket to the always popular Chicago show early. Then you, too, can compare cool glasses, beards and the work with me.

There are certain things you can be sure of when you’re attending an AICP event in LA.

You will see the coolest glasses collection this side of a designer optometrist on Rodeo Drive. You will dance to a DJ spinning old school songs that are so ancient, the sperm and egg that created him had not even connected at the time the song were actually popular. You will see beautiful women killin’ it so hard in their cocktail dresses that they deserve to be ranked by Entertainment Weekly and People’s Red Carpet reporters.

And beards, lots of beards.

Like Dawn Redman, EP of audio post-house Juice Studios, said, “The ACIP Next Awards is like homecoming and the AICP Christmas party is like prom.”

AICP LA attendees check out a virtual reality exhibit at the eventOr former Element 79 GCD, now Co-Head of Creative at Creative Artists Agency and co-founder of peace coalition, Saturday Morning, Geoff Edwards happily observed the crowd ready to reconnect since moving to LA.

Of course, there is award-winning advertising to be celebrated as well.

The AICP Next Awards, as a part of its country-wide tour recognizing outstanding work and the creative forces behind it, came to LA’s Pacific Design Center on July 27. As AICP president Matt Miller touched on in his opening speech, the event has recently transformed into a platform for thought leadership and analysis by those pushing boundaries and raising the bar higher on marketing content.

Although Chicago on the agency side was unrepresented, there was outstanding work from Chicagoans including branded content from director Sandro Miller for Squarespace and Chance the Rapper for Nike.

This was a night for all to simply be inspired. Here is a sampling of some of the jaw-dropping honored campaigns.

BRANDED CONTENT
NIKE — WE THE PEOPLE
Wieden and Kennedy, New York

Nike celebrated the strength of unity and power of team with Unlimited Together, a film that brought a tear to my eye, featuring original lyrics from Chicago-born artist Chance the Rapper who just killed it at Lollopalooza.

WEBSITE
SQUARESPACE — PLAYING LYNCH
Preacher

Director Sandro Miller got John Malkovich to get under the skin of David Lynch’s most memorable characters — including the director himself. The result is amazing.

VIRTUAL REALITY
USA NETWORKS — MR. ROBOT VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE

Creator Sam Esmail invites u to step inside the world of “Mr. Robot” like never before and experience a pivotal moment from Elliot’s past.

BRANDED CONTENT
THE ATLANTIC — AM I TYPECAST? 
Wieden and Kennedy, New York

Here, Michael K. Williams, of The Wire and The Night Of, wrestles with one of his own: Is he being typecast?

Obviously, this is just a tiny sampling of the work, that quite frankly excited me in ways that I haven’t been in years by advertising, and got me all “jelly.” All of this year’s 2K17 honorees can be viewed here. Be sure to get your ticket to the always popular Chicago show early. Then you, too, can compare cool glasses, beards and the work with me.