Reimagining rejection for designers: Freepik announces winners of ‘Undead Ideas’ competition

11th May 2023, Málaga, Spain – Freepik – the leading platform for high-quality audiovisual content – announces the winners of its ‘Undead Ideas’ competition, which recognises the work of designers from all over the world. Coinciding with last month’s Design Day and Developed with US-based and award-winning advertising agency We Believers, the campaign was a call to action for designers to celebrate their best ideas rejected by a client.

Ukraine-based art director, designer and illustrator, Iraida Bearlala, won the audience choice category for her quirky food poster collection, and Philippines-based graphic designer and illustrator, Rob Wapaño, won the judges’ choice for his abstract illustration of ‘strife, hardship, and peril’. Both winners have their entire project featured on Freepik’s website, where they will receive a financial reward every time someone downloads their work. In addition to the winners’ assets, people can still make use of and download all participants’ entries here.

Commenting on her work, Iradida Bearlala said: “I like to try new things in illustration and design. Delicious food brings joy and makes people kinder – just like good drawings!” Following his win, Rob Wapaño added: “Freepik did an awesome job on organizing this initiative. I am truly grateful for being chosen, and I appreciate the opportunity to showcase my work. Winning has inspired me to become an even better illustrator, designer, and artist.”

‘Undead Ideas’ received impressive engagement from the creative industry globally – especially in the US and Latin America. 62 designs were submitted in total (of which 27 were selected for the next phase of the competition) and 2,192 votes were received. The initiative has been also backed by important international creatives who have experienced first-hand what it’s like to have a creative idea or passion project canned. Keep an eye out for the video on Freepik’s LinkedIn to hear from New York-based artists Giulia Zoavo, Samuel Regan, Paulo Junger, Arthur Daraujo and Max Kolo; California’s Tyler Spangler; Franklin Gomez in New Jersey; and Argentina’s Juan Cavia.

Carlos Cantú, CMO at Freepik, said: “It’s been great to see that this campaign has helped generate awareness about the realities and struggles of being a creative. The whole community has truly got behind ‘Undead Ideas’ – I think because it’s all too real for so many of us”.

“At Freepik, we work with designers, illustrators, and creatives every day, and are wholeheartedly on their side. We want to celebrate creativity, not squash it! There is a graveyard of rejected ideas out there and it’s been amazing to see some of these come to life.”

Lucas Panizza, Executive Creative Director at We Believers added, “We’re stoked about how our first campaign for Freepik turned out. Thankfully, they’re the kind of client who’s all about embracing ideas, not shutting them down.”