This year, the Crowbar Festival will be held from 24 – 28 August 2009. The festival will kick off with the Crowbar 24-Hour Advertising Challenge (24- 25 August) and the Crowbar Seminar on Wednesday (26 August) before closing off with the awards presentation show at Shangri-La Hotel on Friday evening, 28 August.

Previously known as the Boot Camp, participants of the Crowbar 24-Hour Advertising Challenge will be given a ‘live’ brief and have 24 hours to crack it. The objective of the workshop is to teach the students how to take a brief apart and how to arrive at a good idea.

This year the 4As are doing away with the lock-in policy, where previously participants are confined to a room overnight to brainstorm for ideas. Participants can now have the freedom to use their creativity as best as they could. Thus reflecting the change in arrangements, Boot Camp will be renamed “24-Hour Advertising Challenge”.

Access to mentors remains, as each team of 3 can consult and seek guidance from the Creative Directors whom they are assigned to, such as Tay Guan Hin, Regional Executive Creative Director of JWT who will also be delivering a lecture. The rest of the mentors are Alvin Yeo, Senior Art Director of Y&R, Ashidiq Ghazali, Creative Director of BBH and Gregory Yeo, Senior Art Director of BBDO.

The 24-Hour Advertising Challenge takes place from 24 - 25 August 2009 at Ngee-Ann – Adelaide Education Centre.

The day after, the Crowbar Seminar will be held to inspire and spur creativity. While organised as a part of the Crowbar Festival for students, young creative professionals are also welcomed to attend. Consisting of veterans from the creative industry, the panel of speakers will be delivering talks aimed at encouraging Singapore’s young creatives as they share their experience and insights.

The panel of speakers comprises of Eugene Cheong, Creative President of Ogilvy Asia Pacific, Jeff Cheong, Head of Tribal / Executive Creative Director of Tribal DDB, Mark Fong, Creative Director of Y&R and Sng Tong Beng, an independent film director.

The Crowbar Seminar will be held at the Theatre for the Arts, Nanyang Polytechnic on 26 August from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Admission fee is $30 per person, except for full-time students who are entitled to free admission. To secure a seat, please send in your registration form before 12 August.

For more information on the Challenge and Seminar, visit www.crowbar.com.sg