I have no idea what the APG is, really.
It stands for the Account Planning Group and as far as I can tell is a bit like D&AD but for planners. Winning the Grand Prix is just like winning a Black Pencil. To win a Grand Prix, or a Gold or a Silver, you have to write a 2,000 word paper describing the rationale behind a piece of your strategy work.
Most people write these papers over several weeks, with 3 or 4 drafts.
Two planner friends of mine, Paul and Doug are entering the APG this year. They haven't written a single word yet. And the deadline is tomorrow - at noon.
This isn't down to their laziness or inefficiency. This is because they're writing about the something (can't tell you which client) where the strategy behind it was that people perform better under pressure. So they are going to write the paper in just 24 hours, live on a webcam. To place them under pressure.
Good, eh?
You can help by increasing the pressure and watching them live over at Two Planners In A Room. The more pressure they're under the better the idea becomes. So spread the word.
'The maximum number of viewers for this channel has been reached.'
I imagine they must be under quite a bit of pressure already with all those eyes on them.
Posted by: Marguerite | May 28, 2009 at 13:42
We're upgrading to a pro account so more people can watch, be ready just after 2pm.
No work done yet.
Posted by: Paul H. Colman | May 28, 2009 at 13:55
Haha, I love that. It is true though, I know I definitely work better under pressure. I've got friends who knock out 3000 word essays a few hours before deadlines.... some get really high grades (admittedly most don't...ahaha). Good luck guys!
Posted by: Rachel | May 28, 2009 at 17:25
Amazing idea... People dont tend to value working at the last min and under pressure... I do all essays and coursework at last min, and I'm currently revising for an exam at last minute! It works.. at least it has so far! Good luck!
Posted by: Emma | May 31, 2009 at 21:59
everybody can relate to procrastinating.
Posted by: Andrew Abouna | Oct 22, 2009 at 06:53
APG awards are more like winning Kinsale or Creative Circle. It's the IPA awards like are equivalent to D&AD.
Posted by: anon | Oct 25, 2009 at 12:41