On April 24, 2025, the 2025 Spring Creative Planet Lecture of the Academy Award of Advertising Festival of Chinese College Students (hereinafter referred to as the Academy Award) was successfully held at the School of Journalism and Communication, Nankai University. The event brought together academic experts, advertising industry leaders, and representatives from well-known enterprises. Among the distinguished guests were Professor Chen Na, Vice Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, NKU; Ms. Yuan Jian, Secretary-General of the Academy Award and Vice President of Admen Cultural Group; Mr. Dong Lijin, Chair of the International Brand Association Asia-Pacific, former President of Meikao (China), and jury member of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity; Ms. Liao Yuning from China Resources Zizhu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Ms. Guan Yuxing from Yunnan Baiyao Group Co., Ltd.; Ms. Peng Xinrui from Beijing Ershang Jinghua Tea Industry Co., Ltd.; Mr. Jia Qisen from Pocari Sweat; and Ms. Liu Shan from Tasly Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. The event attracted over a hundred faculty and students from NKU, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin College of Commerce, and other institutions, who gathered at Xiushan Hall to explore new chapters in the integration of industry and education.
Driving Industry Through Competition: Building a New Model for Talent Cultivation
Vice Dean Chen Na, on behalf of the School of Journalism and Communication, NKU, delivered the opening speech. She spoke highly of the Academy Award as a benchmark in promoting the shift toward application-oriented advertising education. She emphasized that the collaborative education model between universities and enterprises not only serves as a bridge for deeper dialogue between industry and academia, but also reshapes the practice of advertising education. It further contributes to cultivating application-oriented talents with an industry mindset in higher education. She stated that young people's creativity is an inexhaustible source of future development. The Academy Award provides students with an excellent platform to showcase their talents. She hoped that students would integrate their unique perspectives and relentless pursuit of creativity into their works, producing more engaging and meaningful pieces.
Ms. He Xiaoying, Marketing Director of Admen Cultural Group, delivered a speech on behalf of the organizing committee. She noted that the Academy Award has now become an important platform connecting universities, enterprises, and the industry. As a national-level creativity competition, it not only spotlights talent for the industry but also offers young students a platform to demonstrate their abilities. She emphasized the need for joint efforts to further enhance this creative and imaginative platform for the youth. She also expressed the hope that students would bring unprecedented youthful energy to the 2025 Spring Academy Award and wished them great success in the competition.
Ms. Yuan Jian, Secretary-General of the Academy Award and Vice President of the Admen Cultural Group, presented the Annual Practical Education Promotion Award of the 2025 Spring Collection Competition of the Academy Award to the School of Journalism and Communication, NKU. Professor Chen Na accepted the honor on behalf of the School.
Ms. Chen Guirui, representative of the Academy Award organizing committee, provided a comprehensive introduction to the key aspects of the competition which are designed to support the development of creativity from multiple perspectives. She gave a detailed overview of the competition and participation process, shared outstanding cases from previous editions, and distributed the Creative Kit with detailed guidance on participation and submission, encouraging students to engage actively in their creative endeavors.
Decoding Competition Topics from Leading Enterprises: Practical Guidance to Spark Creativity
At the event, representatives from renowned enterprises gathered to deliver a diverse and engaging session on topic analysis and sharing of exemplary creative cases. Drawing on industry perspectives, they analyzed creative approaches, and provided students with professional guidance through a combination of strategic analysis and case studies, helping them transform theoretical knowledge into practical skills. Additionally, the representatives provided highly targeted practical suggestions for each category of competition topics, guiding students in refining their creative approaches. The venue buzzed with excitement as students' creativity and passion were fully sparked. Participants eagerly expressed that the valuable insights they gained from the session left them confident and eager for their upcoming creative journey.
Ms. Liao Yuning, Assistant Brand Manager of China Resources Zizhu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., analyzes the competition topic of Yuting
Ms. Guan Yuxing, Assistant to Director of the Performance Marketing Department, Health Products Business Unit, Yunnan Baiyao Group Co., Ltd., interprets the Yunnan Baiyao competition topic
Ms. Peng Xinrui, Designer at the Marketing Center of Beijing Ershang Jinghua Tea Industry Co., Ltd., presents the topic of Beijing Capital Agribusiness & Foods Group
Mr. Jia Qisen, Senior Director of the Marketing Department of Pocari Sweat, elaborates on the Pocari Sweat competition topic
Ms. Liu Shan, Head of Brand Integrated Communication at the Brand Center of Tasly Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., introduces the Tasly Huoxiang Zhengqi Dripping Pills competition topic
Creativity Pioneers: Solutions in the AIGC Era
The event also specially invited Mr. Dong Lijin, Chair of the International Brand Association Asia-Pacific, former President of Meikao (China), and jury member of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, to share cutting-edge insights. Focusing on Reinventing Skills for the Generative AI Revolution – Leveling Up for the Future of Work and Creation, Mr. Dong demonstrated how to leverage Midjourney to build an intelligent creative workflow that progresses from cultural symbols mining, prompt sets optimization, to multimodal generation. He stated that AI increases the efficiency of creative trial and error by 300%, allowing students to concentrate more on strategic thinking. This advancement facilitates the inclusion of outstanding works in the Academy Award portfolio and provides practical examples for teaching reform.
While sharing his industry expertise, Mr. Dong skillfully guided students through interactive, thought-provoking discussions, sparking their creativity and passion. He not only delivered a creative feast for the students but also provided clear guidance on their career development.
As a model initiative integrating higher education with industry practice, the 2025 Spring Roadshow of the Academy Award represents the School's innovative exploration in industry-education integration. Looking ahead, the Academy Award will continue to advance its educational model of technology-driven innovative practices, identifying a new generation of media professionals with strategic thinking, technical literacy, and creative abilities.
