• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, February 27, 2023

New York-based digital creative agency Barbarian is bringing its “Maker Days” Shark Tank-like Hackathon back after a COVID hiatus. 

The event, set for March 1, is being revived with a couple of twists. Given the timing, that straddles both Black and Women’s History Months, it will focus on the roles creativity and technology can play to support underserved communities. 

Also, this year’s competition will utilize an algorithm designed in-house to create random integrated teams. All agency staff are invited to participate. 

According to the agency part of the challenge is to utilize creativity and tech in addressing challenges but also to inspire teams to work outside their comfort zones to solve problems together. 

The algorithm will be used to randomly select five teams. Each team is composed of at least one representative from each of the agency's disciplines (project management, account management, creative, strategy, operations, finance, IT and martech.) 

Each team is tasked with creating an innovative idea that leverages new technology and/or platforms, to bring attention to an important issue among underserved communities in America, in a way that is disruptive to culture and has a positive impact on society. 

A Barbarian leadership panel will select a winner from among the five teams and that team will present to the entire agency.

Barbarian is part Cheil Worldwide.