Mumbai, India — Dell India’s program, Dell Futurist, is set for youthful and ambitious thinkers who want to create a future where their passion transforms into their careers by enabling technology. The program has focused on different verticals like visual arts, music, and gaming, as they choose sustainability and art as the theme of the latest segment.
Dell Futurist invited students to present their idea of sustainability with a project or art and raise awareness in their own unique way. Partnering with thousands of colleges and universities across India, the competition encouraged students to think about sustainability and highlight the stark reality of many ecological problems in India. The winners were mentored by the best in the industry to help them build their case for their future.
Simultaneously, the digital-first creative agency of VMLY&R, The Glitch, conceptualized and executed the competition. The agency collaborated with eco-consultant Anirudh Sharma of Graviky Labs and Kunel Gaur managed by Art&Found to create a personalised masterclass educating students, providing mentorship, and allowing them to build sustainable project ideas and art.
Commenting on the program, Mayuri Saikia, director for India consumer marketing at Dell Technologies, said, “Reaching the young, creative, aspiring minds who are inspired is crucial for us as a brand as our products are clear enablers in this journey and celebrate their process. Dell Futurist is for youthful and enthusiastic ones who desire to pursue their passions as their careers.
Saikia added, “Dell’s flagship digital program intends to connect the passion areas for youth, and their future aspirations in terms of their professions and technology. We not only help them nurture their skills and get access to subject matter experts but also the leaders that inspire them!”
Five winners were selected from across the country who participated to co-create the final, 35-foot installation in Delhi, a city with one of the worst air quality indexes in the world. Drawn with ink made from filtering carbon and other pollutants from the air, it is one of the biggest eco-friendly murals in the country. Despite the third wave of COVID which brought a lot of movement restrictions, the team took the right advantage of technology by conducting AMA sessions with the students to plan and design the mural virtually and ultimately paint it in Delhi.
Also on the program, said Varun Anchan, associate vice president for Flux@The Glitch, commented, “We didn’t want to create a token campaign that hypes the problem of pollution. For us, it was important to build sustainability into the mindsets of students and show them that they can make an impact on the world. The campaign was about giving them a canvas that combined sustainability, creativity, and technology.”
Simultaneously, Rahul Dcruz, associate creative director for Flux@The Glitch, added, “Dell Futurist Sustainability+Art has been built over a span of 4 months, with partners from across the country and 4000 colleges and universities, to create India’s most sustainable mural in the world’s most polluted city. For us, the success of the campaign isn’t just the mural but the fact that it was co-created with students who will take the baton forward of sustainability and art.”
