McCann Erickson Malaysia signs MoU with Saito College to mark the launch of McCann Next

| | No Comments

McCann Erickson Signs MoU with Saito College.jpgMcCann Erickson Malaysia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saito College to mark the launch of the McCann Next, an industry initiative that encourages the development of Malaysia’s next generation of creators and innovators. The creative collaboration pairs Saito College’s students with experienced mentors at McCann Erickson, a key player of the global advertising industry.

 

The McCann Next initiative presents a platform and opportunity for the next generation to come together to share and co-create with assistance of experienced McCann professionals as mentors. Some 60 Saito College students are expected to be in the McCann Next community of like-minded talent who will push the boundaries of creativity.

 

Present at the signing ceremony in McCann Erickson’s office at Ascent Paradigm were Sean Sim, CEO of McCann Erickson Malaysia (pictured left) and Ooi Chee Kok, Principal of Saito College (right).

The project complements the two and a half year courses offered at Saito College and means that upon completion of the program and their tertiary education, these students will have a stronger foundation and be better prepared to enter the workplace. Participants gain valuable insight and experience through attending talks and workshops, undertaking real time briefs and realising conceived ideas in an encouraging and inspirational environment.

 

“McCann Next not only enables these students to be taken under the wings of experienced mentors, it provides a platform for young like-minded talents to come together to share and co-create,” said Sim.

 

“This is essentially an industry initiative that we hope will help us attract and retain the young and brightest talents for our industry. It appears that the youth of today are so keen on the idea of becoming entrepreneurs and joining small start-up companies that they overlook the thrill and value of working alongside creative peers in a professional setting with long-time industry experts. Through McCann Next we are showing that the advertising industry is always at the forefront of innovation and thriving with entrepreneurial spirit. It allows freedom to explore possibilities, applauds original thought and appreciates the next-generation’s drive to push creative boundaries,” added Sim.

 

This is the first phase of the McCann Next initiative and with Saito College being a pioneer in Malaysia’s art and design education; it was a sensational choice of collaborative partners to lift-off with. McCann Erickson intends to build relationships with other schools, colleges and universities in order to expand the program.

 

McCann Next is a regional initiative driven out of APAC, which started out as McCann Millennials in Japan and over time will be rolled out to other countries. This project has already seen remarkable success in Japan. The innovative taskforce comprises promising university students nationwide and was launched in late 2015. Since its formation, the Japanese initiative has co-created innovative projects such as the world’s first artificial intelligence creative director and the world’s first mindfulness meditation robot. Shun Matsuzuka, the head of McCann Millennials, was present at the MoU signing to discuss his team’s achievements and contributions to the advertising industry, as well as offer an example of what McCann Next can accomplish. Matsuzuka will be transferred to McCann Next.