Second year student Henry Coffey (Copywriting, 2025) attended the Creative LIAisons Global Coaching Academy on behalf of Brandcenter in Las Vegas this Fall. The on-site program, which runs concurrently with the London International Awards (LIA), brings together emerging talent from around the world for a program that includes seminars, panel discussions and the unique opportunity to observe the judging rooms of the LIA festival. Coffey reflects on the experience and lessons learned.
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When I landed in Las Vegas, I was afraid.
I was about to represent Brandcenter at the Creative LIAisons conference, which happens every year alongside the judging of the London International Awards. It gives 126 young creatives from around the world a chance to spend the week together and learn from industry leaders.
As I flipped my phone off airplane mode, greetings from my fellow young creatives started to fill up WhatsApp. I quickly realized I was in rarified air. They hailed from world-class agencies in 29 countries. They had unbelievable portfolios. Some of them were creative directors.
A frightening thought crept into my mind: were these people way, way cooler than me?
As it turned out, they were.
But the good thing about being around more accomplished people is that it’s highly educational.
Here’s what I took away from my week in the desert:
The next generation of creative leaders is wildly impressive.
How did I know everyone at LIAisons was impressive? It wasn’t their remarkable work. It wasn’t all the awards they’ve won. It wasn’t even their readily apparent wit and charm.
It was the questions they asked during the Q&A sessions. Normally, if you go to any speaking event, there are at least 3 bizarre moments during the Q&A. But at LIAisons, every single person sounded like a reporter who had worked at The New York Times for 20 years.
The entire week was a reminder of where the bar is in this industry — and how many talented people wake up every day focused on making great work.
Collaboration is a skill.
In the middle of the week, we split into teams for a creative sprint. Despite having just met, everyone was able to collaborate seamlessly.
I had long suspected that being a great collaborator was the most important skill for any creative. LIAisons confirmed it. Everyone knew how to contribute energy and inspiration without subtracting anything. It was fun to see how that enthusiasm, and the global perspectives present at every table, supercharged our creativity.
I found myself wondering — if the 126 creatives in this room worked at one agency, would it be one of the best agencies in the world?
Judging is difficult. Judges are good.
At the end of the week, we had the opportunity to observe the jury rooms for the London International Awards.
Judging, I quickly learned, is an exhaustive process. Hour after hour, round after round, the judges painstakingly narrowed down the best work of the year.
They thought long and hard about what work should be rewarded. They were also acutely aware that making something great requires a series of minor miracles, and they celebrated exceptional work accordingly. It was reassuring to see how much care they put into the process.
We’re fortunate that Creative LIAisons exists.
As the week wrapped up, the overwhelming feeling among all 126 of us was gratitude. We felt so grateful to have met each other. We felt grateful to everyone who took the time to speak to us. And most of all, we felt grateful to the London International Awards for investing so much effort, time and resources in young creatives. I am certain that the group I spent the week with will make good on that investment.
If there’s one thing I will be saying about the very cool people I met at Creative LIAisons, it’s “I knew them when.”
