Two Swedish graduates have won D&AD’s 30-day challenge – a paid placement at London agency AMV.BBDO. Competing teams had to create a buzz that would inspire tutors and students to take part in next year’s student awards. The challenge launched at the end of September with 15 teams and Petter & Kasper Prinz are the last ones standing.

The team developed Creativesear.ch, an aggregate search engine that provides results in the form of pictures, text, film and music. In its first month, the site became the single biggest referring site to www.dandad.org/studentawards.

“Petter & Kasper did what creative thinkers should - they saw a problem and solved it,” said D&AD president and AMV.BBDO ECD Paul Brazier.

“The creativesear.ch positions D&AD where it belongs - as the first place to go for inspiration. Most importantly, they answered the brief.”

He continues, “I was impressed by the fact that they understood the tone needed for D&AD and presented it in a clear and dynamic way. Well done to them, I’m looking forward to welcoming this team in to AMV for their work experience.”

Over half of Student Awards 2010 briefs include a placement as part of the prize. The winner of the Nokia interactive design brief will land a 3 to 6 months paid placement in their creative department; Which is offering a 12-week paid placement to one of the winners of the Integrated Communication brief; De Facto will offer a paid placement to a Viral brief winner, along with £1000 if they decide to use the idea.

Finally, New British Design will create a prototype and help market at least one of the winning furniture designs. Further additional benefits are available.

See the benefits and the briefs at www.dandad.org/studentawards.

Saatchi & Saatchi Johannesburg has appointed award winning CD Adam Wittert as its new Executive Creative Director (ECD).

Wittert was previously with DraftFCB for five years as an ECD, and prior to that spent several years at Lowe Bull and TBWA Gavin Reddy as a senior copywriter. Before that he was a senior copywriter at Ogilvy for six years.

He has attained many awards over the years including Cannes Lion Golds, Gold Pendorings, a Grand Prix Loerie, as well as Gold, and silver Loeries, and Creative Circle and Apex awards.

Over the years he has worked on many notable accounts including Toyota, TigerBrands, SA National Lottery, Dulux Paint, Audi, FNB and Vodacom.

“Adam is a highly awarded creative leader who knows how to deliver brilliant ideas and content, across a myriad of screens,” says Grant Meldrum, MD, Saatchi & Saatchi Johannesburg.

Commenting on his appointment, Wittert says it is all about the ‘big idea.’

“Saatchi & Saatchi is revered globally as a hothouse for big ideas and I am looking forward to leading a team of top-notch creatives and to working on great brands like Proctor & Gamble (P&G), Peugeot, and Sanofi-Aventis.”