Presenting the kick ass class of Young Guns 22
It’s a kick-ass class. Young Guns 22 is topping the charts in creativity. But are you even surprised? Of course, not. If you’re new here, let me catch you up. Young Guns is a community of incredibly talented individuals – think amazing cinematographers, animators, illustrators, photographers, designers, and directors – and a new class of winners is chosen by an expert jury every year. This year we have 33 winners and among them, we have some very new, very exciting titles to unveil – an Architectural Designer, Composer, Stage & Show Designer, and Colorist.
We interviewed the winners so we could share their prowess with you. And if you’re a NYC local you can snag a ticket to the official YG22 Party at Sony Hall on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, where you will have the chance to meet and greet them.
Young Guns continue to dominate the creative industry, so we’re happily presenting you with the kick-ass class of Young Guns 22.
Geoff Baillie
Creative Director, Rethink
Based:
Toronto, Ontario
Hometown:
Ailsa Craig, Ontario
What were your original impressions of the Young Guns competition, award, and community?
I’ve been following Young Guns since I started in advertising. I’ve always loved that it brings in creatives from all fields, not just agency roles. So it’s very cool to be listed alongside music video directors, photographers, and designers.
How did you end up in the creative field anyways?
I studied English at the University of Toronto, thinking I’d probably do law or teaching. But as a student I was always happiest when I was doing something creative. Like writing or playing music. So I looked for a career where creativity could be the job, not the hobby. Luckily I ended up at Rethink, an agency that puts creativity first.
Congrats on the YG win! Why did you decide to enter this year?
I’m turning 30 this year! I just made it in under the wire. I entered with my partner Zach Bautista last year. Sadly he’s 31 now so I went in solo this time. In terms of what’s changed in our work, I think our work has grown in scale. We’ve done bigger projects together, like our collaboration with Marvel and Disney for our “Deadpool & Wolverine” campaign.
You only get to submit six projects that embody you and your talent. So, how did you decide which pieces were good enough to make the cut?
The majority of the work I submitted was done with Heinz. Working on Heinz has been a focus for me and my partner in the past few years. They’re such an amazing client who are always pushing for each idea to be better than the last. So I wanted my submission to reflect that, while also including other brands like IKEA to give a fuller picture of what I do at Rethink.
What was your reaction when you discovered that you won?
I was honoured to be nominated and thrilled to have won. That night I went out for dinner with my girlfriend to celebrate.
How does your current home inspire your creativity as an artist?
I love the neighbourhood I live in in Toronto. Lower Ossington. I find the walk to and from the office to be a very peaceful part of my day. I can walk around and think about the ideas we’re working on. Canada in general inspires me too. We’ve been punching above our weight in the advertising world, and we’re only getting better.
“Canada in general inspires me too. We’ve been punching above our weight in the advertising world, and we’re only getting better.”
Name a dream project that you have yet to fulfill — maybe Young Guns will propel you in that direction!
Honestly, the clients I get to work on at Rethink are very fulfilling, so I’d love to keep doing great work with them. I find the best ideas are the least predictable ones, where we act fast and react to something spontaneous in culture. So I hope to do more of that.
Come party with us and celebrate the class of Young Guns 22 on Wednesday, November 13, 6:30 PM, at Sony Hall in NYC!
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