FAQ's
The latest and most common questions to the ‘Gifted? Team’ this year...
Below are some questions from the Prepare Day at New Designers, and some sent directly to Gifted? If you're not sure about anything, just send us an email and we will try to answer your query as best as we can. It may even end up in these FAQ's!
WHAT IS GIFTED?
At Gifted? we search high and low for the very best and brightest new talent for Hallmark. So if you’re a creative looking to join somewhere fun, forward thinking and a little bit different, and you’re passionate about design, we can’t wait to hear from you.
Do you have that special something? If you do we’d love to get to know you and your work a little better, so apply for our Gifted? competition.
We run competitions six times a year to help us to recruit the very best and brightest new talent, with briefs that are designed to nurture commerciality, creativity and skill.
One of these competitions is run in conjunction with New Designers in London, between 28th June and 28th July 2017.
HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN SPONSORS OF NEW DESIGNERS?
We have been proud sponsors of New Designers for 19 years now - how time flies!
HOW LONG HAS THE ‘GIFTED? COMPETITION’ BEEN RUNNING?
This will be the 8th year of the Gifted? Competition, and we have loved every one of them!
This year is the first time we will be running all our competitions under the Gifted? banner. Due to the success and global awareness of Gifted? over the past years, we felt that we now have the perfect platform to help promote new and existing talent across the world.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO ENTER THE GIFTED? COMPETITIONS?
Great News! Anyone and everyone can enter the Gifted? competitions. How good is that?!
WHAT ARE THE GIFTED? COMPETITION DATES THIS YEAR?
We will be holding 5 general entry competition and one competition specific to New Designers. Take a look at our latest brief and the entry requirement. All Gifted? competition briefs will state the deadline date as part of the brief criteria.
This year, Gifted? at New Designers will launch on the Wednesday, 28th June 2017 and close on the Friday 28th July 2017 (midnight GMT).
We will be promoting Gifted? at our stand (S3) at New Designers - come along and say hi, and take a look at all the goings on this year!
We will not accept submissions beyond each competition closing date.
CAN I SIGN UP AND REGISTER AT ANYTIME?
Absolutely! You can sign up right up to the closing date of each competition brief - (midnight GMT).
HOW DO I SUBMIT MY ENTRY?
All submissions are online only. You will need to sign up first to be able to do so.
Once signed up you'll receive a password to allow you to upload from this website.
Each entry must be no more than 5mb in size. Please see our 'Saving Your Files' page for help.
WHAT WOULD MAKE A WINNING ENTRY?
There are a few ways to approach the competition and show your skill base to be in with a winning chance; you may have a 'unique style' that could be carried across all the briefs, i.e. David Hockney has a distinctive style but carries it across to different subject matter, still showing diversity.
Or
For each brief you may decide to show a different side to you and your 'diverse' skill base, i.e. if you're a graphic designer, you might want to use typography, illustration, or photography for the different brief.
Be unique, original and innovative in your approach, don't be literal, think beyond any preconceptions but keep your commercial head on. Any images that are rude, crude or obscene would not be suitable.
Do your research, check out our existing ranges in Marks and Spencer, Tesco's, Waitrose etc. We don't want to repeat what we already have - we're looking to you, the new generation of designers to inspire US!
IMPORTANT: Please retain the original artwork, photo, render etc. as these may be required if you are a winner.
CAN SCHOOLS ENTER?
Only if the entrant is over 18 years old.
DO YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE UK TO ENTER?
Not at all. Gifted? is a global competition open to everyone. However, we do not cover travel expenses to and from the placement.
IS THERE A DEADLINE FOR SIGNING UP?
For most Gifted? competitions we will state the deadline as part of the brief criteria. For the New Designers brief, the deadline for signing up will be the same as the competition deadline - Friday 28th July 2017 at midnight (00:00GMT).
WHEN WILL THE WINNER BE ANNOUNCED?
Usually the winner of each competition is announced around a week after the competition has ended, with exceptions to the New Designers Competition as this may take a little longer. Stay tuned!
WHAT IS NEW DESIGNERS?
New Designers is the UK's most important graduate design exhibition, full of innovation and fresh thinking. It takes place over two weeks, with each part focusing on a different set of design disciplines and featuring its own Awards Programme.
The show sees over 3,000 of the most talented and newly graduated designers from the UK's leading universities, come together to exhibit in one spectacular venue - the Business Design Centre, London.
WILL YOU BE AT NEW DESIGNERS THIS YEAR?
Yes. The Gifted? Team will be launching the New Designers Competition at the New Designers Exhibition on Wednesday 28th June.
The Gifted? Competition stand (S3) will be there for both Part 1 & 2 of the exhibition.
Part 1: 28 june – 01 july 2017
(awards preview 28 June)
Part 2: 05 – 08 july 2017
(awards preview 05 July)
Please feel free to come along and say hello, and find out more about the Gifted? Competition. If you are unable to make it down to London, keep an eye on the News section or these FAQs for any important updates.
WHY SHOULD I ENTER?
The competitions are a great way to stay creative. The briefs provide new challenges and an opportunity to try your skills at something new and different.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?
1. The chance to work with Hallmark on a placement within an experienced and innovative creative studio.
2. Work on live briefs.
3. An opportunity to expand your portfolio.
4. As well as all the great stuff mentioned in the previous question - that's quite a few good reasons!
5. If you win, you have an opportunity to ‘wow’ Hallmark.
6. Win a cash prize (£200*).
*£500 cash prize opportunity for taking part in the New Designers Gifted? brief - 'D is for design - getting creative with the alphabet' - between Wednesday, 28th June 2017 and Friday 28th July 2017.
Do you own the Designs if I enter?
No we don't! All rights of ownership and copyright are yours. Unless your entry is selected as a winning entry, you maintain the right to use your design(s) however you please.
WHEN WILL YOU BE JUDGING THE ENTRIES?
We'll let you know as soon as we know more for each competition. Stay tuned to the News page.
If you have signed up to be Gifted?, we will also send occasional updates to your registered email address.
CAN I ENTER MORE THAN ONE DESIGN?
You can submit up to 5 entries for each competition brief. However we prefer quality over quantity so more isn't always better.
IS IT JUST FOR ILLUSTRATORS?
Not at all. This competition is open to all creatives - In fact we encourage all different talents and skills to enter. We have such a diverse creative studio so we'd love to see designs come in from all creative areas.
CAN I POST MY ENTRY?
No. Gifted? is an online submission only competition. If you have created your masterpiece using a non-digital medium, you will have to scan or photograph it and submit this via the website. Again, please make sure it follows the submission criteria mentioned above.
CAN I POST MY ENTRY(S) ONTO MY BLOG OR WEBSITE?
With regards to posting your designs online, we would prefer you didn't until the competition is over and judging has been finalised. We need to keep potential concept ideas strictly confidential. This will ensure our up and coming designs stay unique to Hallmark.
WHY DO I HAVE TO SIGN-UP?
We learnt some lessons from past Gifted? Competitions. By asking you to sign up on the website, we are able to match names and submissions a lot easier, without the need for extra admin work, and making sure you receive your prize money in good time.
DOES THE DESIGN NEED TO BE FOR A SPECIFIC OCCASION?
This will depend upon the brief set for each competition. Take a look at our latest brief.
HOW CAN I CONTACT YOU IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
The best way is by email.
Alternatively, you can follow us on:
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram
These can also be found in the footer of every page on this website.
In addition to all of the above info, we cannot stress how important it is to follow each brief criteria and submission rules.
We hope these FAQs have been of help, but if you require further assistance, please use the contact email:
Thank you!