On July 12, 2024, the 23rd Shanghai International College Student Advertising Festival (hereinafter referred to as the "Fun·Open·Create"), themed "Fun·Open·Create", held its opening ceremony in the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone. Jin Mei, Standing Committee Member of the Pudong New Area Committee, Party Secretary and Executive Deputy Director of the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone Management Committee; Zhang Guohua, Global Vice President of the International Advertising Association and President of the China Advertising Association; Lü Xuecheng, Deputy District Mayor of Pudong New Area; Yu Peigang, Second-level Inspector of the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation; Wang Jiang, Deputy Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League; Sun Yu, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone Management Committee; Liu Jun of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission; and representatives from the guiding units, along with representatives from the organizers, including Du Guigen, President of the Shanghai Advertising Association, and Duan Yong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai University, jointly pressed the start button for this year's Festival.

(Image captions: Secretary Jin Mei, President Zhang Guohua, Deputy District Head Lü Xuecheng, Second-level Inspector Yu Peigang, Deputy Secretary Wang Jiang, Deputy Director Sun Yu, Mr. Liu Jun, representatives of the organizers, President Du Guigen, and Deputy Secretary Duan Yong )

The Shanghai Advertising Festival , successfully held for 22 sessions since 2001, has become a highly influential platform for advertising creativity and exchange among university students. It attracts over 8 million teachers and students from more than 700 universities worldwide, enjoying widespread recognition and popularity among university students. Compared to previous years, this year's festival upholds the concepts of "more fun," "more open," "more international," and "more practical," featuring six major sections : competitions, gatherings, conferences, exhibitions, tours, and lectures . It offers a variety of learning formats, including campus tours, lectures by renowned professors, and expert Q&A sessions. Furthermore, it incorporates more unique Shanghai cultural experiences such as a Disney fireworks show, a night cruise on the Huangpu River, visits to featured companies, and interactions with renowned brands, allowing young people from all over the world to fully unleash their youth and creativity on this broad stage.  

           

Secretary Jin Mei

President Zhang Guohua

Deputy District Head Lü Xuecheng

Mr. Yu Peigang

Deputy Secretary Wang Jiang

President Du Guigen

Deputy Secretary Duan Yong

Secretary Jin Mei, Second-level Inspector Yu Peigang, Deputy Secretary Wang Jiang, President Zhang Guohua, and Deputy Secretary Duan Yong delivered speeches, encouraging college students to dare to surpass their predecessors, be good at innovation and creativity, break through their own limitations, embrace new technologies and new trends, and have fun ! The Shanghai Advertising Festival will work together to discover, empower, and motivate more people, making the Shanghai Advertising Festival a unique event with Shanghai characteristics, Chinese style, and global influence.

The theme for this year's Guangzhou International Advertising Festival has been released. 

Brand theme released for this year's Guangzhou International Advertising Festival

The advertising creative works competition is one of the most important components of each year's Shanghai Advertising Festival. This year's festival released two tracks: a public welfare theme and a brand theme. The public welfare theme, released that day, revolved around the theme "Beautiful City, Fun·Create·Build," and included : Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation's "I Love Shanghai—Shanghai City Image Promotion," Shanghai Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau's "The Warmth of a Cup of Coffee," Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League's "Youthful Vigor Makes the City Extraordinary," Shanghai People's Radio's "Protecting the Mother River," and the Shanghai World Cities Day Affairs Coordination Center's "Youth Leading the City's Future." The brand theme, centered on the theme " FUN· Create · Build, Brand Without Borders," included: Shanghai International Tourism Resort's "Tourism is Life," China UnionPay Co., Ltd.'s "  Worry-Free Payment in Splendid China," Herion China's "Supporting National Health," and China Postal Savings Bank Shanghai Branch's "Digital RMB  Payment Without Boundaries." In addition, this year's festival organizing committee released the open-ended theme "China's Etiquette" for the first time. China Postal Savings Bank Shanghai Branch specially set up a grand prize of 98,000 RMB for the most popular contest . Each theme here is a call to the passion and talent of creative young people around the world. Winning works will receive a lot of high-quality exposure and empowerment through the organizer's channels, such as the World Cities Day series of events, the 2025 Osaka World Expo in Japan, and the broadcast on landmark advertising screens in Lujiazui, the Bund, and Nanjing Road in Shanghai, as well as important partner media platforms.

Luo Yongtao, General Manager of Brand Marketing Department of China UnionPay, a strategic partner of the 23rd Shanghai International College Student Advertising Festival, spoke as a brand representative, expressing his congratulations on the opening of the festival and his best wishes to young creative talents.

This year's Festival expanded its network, fostering collaboration among universities, enterprises, and platforms. At the opening ceremony, Du Guigen, President of the Shanghai Advertising Association, signed cooperation agreements on behalf of the Organizer with a strong lineup of Co-Organizers. These included partnerships with Xiamen University and Hong Kong Baptist University (Guest Universities); the establishment of the "Shanghai-Hong Kong Youth Digital Advertising Talent Exchange and Cooperation Platform" with Hong Kong Baptist University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and City University of Hong Kong; and joint co-construction agreements with Macau University of Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, Shanghai University, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai University of Science and Technology, the Shanghai World Cities Day Affairs Coordination Center, the Asia Design Week Organizing Committee, the World Advertising Congress China Brand Ceremony Organizing Committee, TEDxCountdown, and the Shanghai Employment Promotion Center, among others.

During the subsequent certificate presentation ceremony for the judging panel, Zhang Guohua, President of the China Advertising Association, and Lü Xuecheng, Deputy District Mayor of Pudong New Area, presented certificates to renowned advertising professionals Mo Kangsun, Sun Erhei, Cheng Ruifang, and Li Yin, and expressed their gratitude for their contributions to promoting industry innovation and cultivating future talent.

As a platform for mutual assistance and cooperation in employment and entrepreneurship for college students, the "Shanghai International College Student Advertising Festival Internship Base Alliance" has not only provided internship and employment opportunities for college students since its inception, but also continuously provided talent support for advertising companies, brand companies, and partner organizations. As of 2023, the "Shanghai International College Student Advertising Festival Internship Base Alliance" had 63 member companies. This year, 11 organizations, including China UnionPay Co., Ltd., Meiwang (Shanghai) Network Technology Co., Ltd., Baidu (China) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Chuangcai Advertising, Shanghai Yanshan Technology, Shanghai Yichu Culture, Shanghai Xinyun Media, Shanghai Shanghu Information, Shanghai Heqing Pitaya Industry, Pudong New Area Advertising Association, and Pudong New Area Media Convergence Center, joined the internship base alliance after selection, contributing new strength to "ensuring employment and promoting development." Zhang Li, Director of the Pudong New Area Market Supervision Administration, and Chen Hao, Deputy Secretary of the Pudong New Area Employment Promotion Center, presented plaques to these new members.

This year's China Advertising Festival partners, China UnionPay, Coca-Cola, and Postal Savings Bank of China Shanghai Branch, set up a brand market on-site, interacting enthusiastically with university students from home and abroad. The Tesla humanoid robot and Fourier humanoid robot, which were just exhibited at the Artificial Intelligence Conference, also made an appearance to ignite the carnival for the university students.

This year's Shanghai International College Student Advertising Festival is guided by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Pudong New Area People's Government, the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone Management Committee, the China Advertising Association, and other relevant authorities. The Organizer is the Shanghai Advertising Association, Shanghai University, and the Organizing Committee of the Shanghai International College Student Advertising Festival. Xiamen University and Hong Kong Baptist University serve as the Guest Universities. Multiple institutions participated as Supporting Organizations. Eastday.com serves as the Media Partner. Zhongqi Wanbo (Shanghai) Enterprise Development Co., Ltd. serves as the exclusive Host.

This event was reported by media outlets including the Shanghai Advertising Association, China UnionPay, Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone, Oriental News, The Paper, China News Service, and the School of Journalism and Communication of Shanghai University.