Akima and Yes& were honored with Platinum at the 14th Annual Hermes Creative Awards.
The Hermes Creative Awards is one of the oldest and largest creative competitions in the world for professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional materials and emerging technologies.
The winning creative for Akima, an animated video called “Akima’s Iñupiaq Shareholders” was awarded the distinguished Platinum Award in the Video Animation category.
Akima's Iñupiaq Shareholders from Akima on Vimeo.
Akima, an enterprise that supports more than 14,700 Iñupiat shareholders and 40+ operating companies, wanted to create a visual journey that explores the values and history that define the native inhabitants of the NANA region in northwest Alaska.
The goal of the animated video was to clearly explain the interwoven relationship between the Iñupiat shareholders and Akima, the holding company for the NANA Regional Corporation’s federal group.
The company wanted to showcase how the strong values, lifestyle, and culture that have kept the Iñupiat shareholders thriving in one of the harshest environments on Earth also guide Akima to bring world-class solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, intelligence community and civilian organizations in 43 states and 16 countries and territories.
The animated video, narrated by an Iñupiaq elder who explores Akima’s heritage and what the future holds for the company and the Iñupiat people, is visualized in an ethereal animation style inspired by traditional Iñupiaq art.
Yes&’s Creative Director, David Stone and Art Director, Brian Domenici worked with Akima, Illo, and YouTooCanWoo to produce a true narrative that carries the Iñupiat’s ancestral heritage into modern times with a mindful and creative approach. The Iñupiaq story comes alive through muted tones, frame by frame textures, and evocative characters to accurately present the enduring culture of the Iñupiat.
The Hermes Creative Awards, which are administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), receive more than 5,000 annual entries from individuals, marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, media conglomerates, and Fortune 500 companies throughout the United States, Canada, and numerous other countries. AMCP judges are experienced industry professionals who look for individuals and companies whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.
Winners are selected from more than 200 categories grouped under print media, public relations, communications, electronic media, social media, interactive media, and pro bono. Hermes presents its prestigious Platinum award to the entries in each category judged to be among the most outstanding in the competition.