• by Laurie Sullivan , February 2, 2018

National Geographic has announced a partnership with Sprint to find the most innovative ideas in wireless connectivity. 

The campaign — Chasing Genius: Unlimited Innovation — challenges people to make a positive impact because Nat Geo and Sprint executives believe one idea can change the world.

Claudia Malley, Nat Geo’s executive vice president of Partner Solutions and the Chasing Genius spokesperson, said the campaign will run a service of stores and media targeted ads across the entire Nat Geo consumer ecosystem, from social to digital to newsletters.

Nat Geo created a steady stream of digital content that launched with a tech-themed quiz and follows up with a series of articles showcasing how enterprising thinkers use technology to tackle problems.

This editorial content includes banner ads and backlinks that draw in and lead potentially interested parties to the Chasing Genius submission home page organically through search.

A multiplatform campaign has been built to engage audiences, amplify the message and inspire participation in the challenge. Those stories are running on Instagram, digital media, broadcast TV and lower-third promotion, as well as a flow of emails sent to dedicated viewers -- about 30,000 members who have signed up to receive news on the platform.

To find the innovator, National Geographic and Sprint are asking participants to submit one-minute video entries for their Chasing Genius Challenge. The winner will receive $25,000 for further development of their idea.

The partnership with Sprint is the second installment of the Chasing Genius franchise, following the success of the first Chasing Genius campaign, which was created in partnership with GSK Consumer Healthcare. In this part of the challenge, National Geographic and Sprint will search for the ideas focused on connectivity and the network of the future.

The goal of the campaign is to create a community of people who believe they can make a positive impact. The companies believe the technology will allow the world to explore the next frontier. Through the platform, Sprint and National Geographic aim to empower "everyday geniuses" to become catalysts for positive global change. 

To enter, consumers are asked to create and submit one-minute videos describing their "Chasing Genius" idea and the solution it provides. The submissions will be evaluated based on innovation, creativity, viability and inspiration. Members of the council will determine the finalists and the community will cast their votes to choose the winning idea.

The council represents a mix of expertise and influence. Members include Eric Berkenpas, senior director of exploration technology at National Geographic; Victoria Jaggard, lead editor for science and innovation news at National Geographic; Tan Le, entrepreneur; John Saw, chief technologies officer at Sprint; Albert Yu-Min Lin, research scientist and engineer.

The deadline for submissions is March 5, 2018. The winner will be announced on March 21, 2018.