Chevrolet Winners Interview: Konstant Van Huyssteen

Last year, in partnership with MoFilm, we launched a brief from Chevrolet looking for Ideas for the brands next pan-european television ad. The number of submissions we received was phenomenal which meant sorting through them was quite a task. Eventually we managed to work the submitted Ideas down to a shortlist of 6 - which you can view here - and finally a winner. Top notch work guys. So without any more waffling I would like to congratulate Konstant Van Huyssteen  for scooping the Bounty on this one, quite an achievement I assure you! 

A big congratulation must also go out to the creatives who produced the top 15 shortlisted Ideas. You have all managed to pick up either a Silver or Bonze Award. Check out our Chevrolet runners up list for more on these Awards! We also have an great little interview with our winner Konstant below. Congratulations again Konstant! 

I have to begin with asking you exactly what was going through your head when I called you with the news on that very bad and static filled line. 

With crowdsourcing ideas, it’s like a lottery entry, so you send the idea out and then you forget about it. Needless to say, I was happy to hear I won. 

So how did you stumble across Idea Bounty and what made you decided to submit and idea or did the Chevrolet brief spark a fire in you that you couldn't ignore?

I was googling crowdsourcing agencies and I needed some money. I like the Chevy brand, I recently bought an old Chevy El Camino 1973 and needed some money to fix it up, so I thought I’d try get it from Chevy. 

You have a little bit more experience than others with Crowdsourcing, what do you think it will take before the idea of mass collaboration will become standard thought for big brands?

No idea. I think there is a place for agencies and a place for crowdsourcing. Where the one stops and the other starts is an enigma to me right now. 

So you are copywriter by trade who has been doing quite a bit of freelancing - why did you decide to get out of the formal agency world and move to freelancing? 

I have been lucky enough to work at great agencies with great creative people (and I include some client service people and planners in that category), but I needed a more flexible structure, so freelancing fit the bill. 

Any plans for the $7500?

Fix the ’73 Chevy El Camino. 

What was your process for tackling the brief and what do you think gave you the advantage?

I read the brief carefully, then I looked at the other work out there in the category, and then I started thinking of a big idea which could have a solid digital component and could include all the markets. 

How long did you spend on your idea? Was it a long process of thinking or was it just one of those light bulb moments?

I’m not a light-bulb moment kinda guy. The idea came from strategic thinking. It’s quite simple really. Chevy needed to launch in 44 European countries. So what’s better than a journey to unite all of them? I didn’t document my hours. 

Your idea “The 44” was a brilliantly simple and as well as answering the brief your took your Idea a little beyond the requirements and really showed how far it could travel - so the question now is would you buy a Chevrolet for yourself and which one?

I’m old-school when it comes to cars, so I’m totally in love with my ’73 Chevy El Camino, but I think the Chev Camaro is a thing of beauty, but it would require a few more years of work to hook one up ha ha. 

If you had to tattoo a brand name or logo onto yourself which brand would you choose and why?

I’m not a cow, so I wouldn’t get branded on my body. But I have a Chevy cap and some green Bloemfontein Celtic Football Club sneakers.