GLOBAL – AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, DECEMBER 7, 2011: The Kennedys, Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam’s apprenticeship program, announces the six graduates from its initial intake on June 2011.
The first batch of the Kennedys are Rachael Kendrick, researcher, writer, pro-blogger and stand-up comic from Australia; Vasco Vicente, Portuguese drum & bass DJ, producer and all-around creative adventurer; Camille Herren, director, cinematographer and editor from Switzerland; Riccardo Rachello, Italian art director addicted to all things digital; Massaër Ndiaye, writer and pop culture addict from Paris by way of Dakar, Senegal; and Philip Cronerud, multi-disciplined designer hailing from Stockholm, Sweden.
Operating as an autonomous advertising agency within W+K Amsterdam, the Kennedys created and produced real work for both local and global clients such as Nike Football, Women Win, Nuit Blanche, RIMA apparel and EYE Film Institute Netherlands.
This year W+K Amsterdam will hire three of the six students as full-time employees, proving its worth as training ground for potential hires. And because the program seeks candidates from varied creative disciplines, it gives Wieden+Kennedy the opportunity to collaborate with young, ambitious creatives who bring fresh energy, new ideas and often an entirely different way of thinking to the advertising industry.
W+K Amsterdam Executive Creative Director, Mark Bernath, said “Among many things, I’ve been most in awe of their passion to work independently, to actually make everything themselves without the help of studio, production companies or editors. The sheer range of what they were able to create in such a short amount of time was remarkable. They really inspired and invigorated the office.”
The Kennedys worked within Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam for a period of six months with full access to facilities and staff, all of who were eager to share their know-how and experience. The Kennedys’ creative director, Alvaro Sotomayor, said, “Because they lacked experience in advertising, they didn’t come with a strategic grounding. So on a practical level that’s what we helped them with the most – strategic grounding and big ideas.”
The Kennedys have navigated the always-complicated processes behind creative work for clients. Yet even with this experience, the graduates aren’t letting it go to their heads. Recent graduate and hire, Riccardo Rachello, reflects on a notorious W+K expression, “The most important thing I learned is to continue to walk in stupid every day. That’s the only way you can learn something new.”
Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam look forward to launching The Kennedys year two at the
beginning of 2012. Recruitment details will be available at www.thekennedys.nl.
