“PowerKicK Your Career” with the Global Best Awards
Without a doubt the PowerKicK is about motivation and inspiration. Whether its inspiring you to make the life change you’ve been wanting or a little scared to make, motivating you to take that vacation you’ve always wanted, or simply encouraging you to be the best at all you do, PowerKicK it. PowerKicK your future!
Spanning the globe students are in classrooms studying, learning theories, skills and techniques working tirelessly to become well qualified professionals set to enter the working world. This is extremely true of students in Digital Media and Communication.
I’m sure those reading this have surely been a student at one point in their lives. We all know, sometimes an extra push or that extra bit of encouragement and motivation can really boost you to the next level. Using the motivational aspects inherent in the PowerKicK, I set out to encourage University students of Bangkok to “PowerKicK their Careers” with the GBA.
Over the past year I have been very fortunate to work with Robert Tucker, Managing Director of the Global Best Awards (GBA). As Managing Director of the Global Best Awards he is keen to acknowledge shifts, advances and innovation in technology that are game changers and will reshape the landscape of industry.
He recognizes the global reach of digital technology and its growing impact. More and more people around the world are connecting to the Internet. Regardless if its reading news, shopping, browsing blogs or surfing social media sites; eyes and attention spans are being redirected online. Finding new and innovative ways to capture potential consumers has become the continuously innovative task of the new digital media generation.
According to Robert, “Cutting edge developments in digital technology have made any idea feasible, freeing the imagination as never before; digital technology has spawned new evolutions of thinking.”
The Global Best Digital Advertising Awards (GBA) was formed out of a sense of awe and 
admiration of the magic of what is being created with these digital technologies and is set to honor the boundless talent of these individuals and teams who are pioneering this digital age in advertising. They are truly the innovators of communication in our time. The creativity can be inspiring, the technical prowess astounding and the strategies genius.
Professionals across the board who love what they do recognize a responsibility to cultivate the next generation and “pass the torch.” Teaching and empowering the youth keeps industries thriving and developing to be the best they can. The GBA has recognized their responsibility and taken the call to action. In their first year, the GBA has instituted a global student competition to motivate students to show what they can do.
Enter PowerKicK!
This student competition provides a venue for students to showcase their skills and talents in front of industry veterans and professionals. Bangkok is a growing hub of Asia, grooming a crop of talented students. It goes without saying that introducing students to the competition was vital. As a first annual awards and competition it was my goal to present a fresh, unique and interesting way to launch it in classrooms around Bangkok. I began to reach out to Universities around town such as Assumption, Chulalongkorn, Thamassat, Ramkampheng and others.
My task was to introduce myself, The GBA and the student competition to Directors in the Digital Media and/or Mass Communication Departments on campus. With both departments developing student skills in advertising, digital media, PR and communications…they were ripe for the competition.
As with anything new there is always some hesitation and reluctance. It’s having the self confidence to push through those feelings when you truly realize unexplainable rewards. The qualities of the GBA and the positive opportunities for students were recognized at once. Upon introducing myself and the GBA we were immediately greeted with enthusiasm. After I had “buy in” on the competition it was time to shift to the PowerKicK motivational side. After receiving a second “Ah Ha” moment, I was batting 2-for-2. Given their levels of excitement, I was confident and ready to swing for the tri-fecta. Finally, I asked to come back to campus and present the competition and PowerKicK to classes of students. Access granted!
Many people see a photograph of a PowerKicK and think, “Wow, so cool! But I could never do that.” This hesitation you must breakthrough, because YOU KNOW what the end result will look like, a strictly amazing photo. This can be applied in all situations of life. When something new is presented at times we hesitate, pause, and think “I can’t do that.” It’s this moment when you must PowerKicK your thoughts and attack it. Knowing the end result will be great; have confidence in yourself and go for it!
This analogy worked extremely well with students. I scrolled through some great PowerKicK photos to build their appetite, then encouraged one or two lucky students to give it a try. After initial hesitation; a classroom full of their peers cheering them on helped build the confidence to PowerKicK. The results were fantastic!
The presentation ended with a recap and I left with a final thought, “If you can overcome hesitation or fear here in the classroom and PowerKicK; imagine what you can do with the skills you have been learning in the classroom and your talents. Showcase these skills, submit your work to the GBA student competition and PowerKicK your career! Take that first step!”
After reinforcing what students already knew about themselves and their talents, their 
self-confidence reached a new level. Through the PowerKicK we created a fun atmosphere which built a positive, shining self-image that gave these students the courage to try something completely new. Riding the tsunami of self-assurance these students were exuding the GBA realized a surge in registration to the student competition by Thai students.
A panel of industry judges will review submissions and awards will be given to the best student works in November 2011. With the success of the PowerKicK in classrooms, who knows…the PowerKicK maybe headed to a campus near you!
