**CoLab

Bud Campaign Overview Deck

Upwork Budweiser Colab Blog Post draft

Contest Schedule/Timeline

• May 20: Announce the Upwork CoLab program with a CTA for creative strategists to apply for the project via a custom landing page hosted on Upwork’s website.
• May 20-June 1: 
• Promote the program on Upwork owned and operated channels and associated partner channels.
• Talent submissions accepted via the custom landing page on the Upwork website. 
• Third party vendor and Upwork employees vet and shortlist 5-7 qualified candidates to be passed on to Budweiser after the application site closes 
• June 7: Budweiser identifies 3-5 finalists and talent is notified on next steps.
• June 17 : Talent finalists pitch their creative strategy plan to Budweiser team.
• June 18 : Creative Director selected and notified to begin project.
• June 23: Supporting Upwork Talent selected to support the project.
• June 24- July 21: Creative and design work begins, rounds of reviews by Budweiser
• July 22: Final campaign art deliverables submitted to Budweiser
• July 22 - August 30:  Ongoing campaign work continues (TBD)
• August 30-September 9: Budweiser Labor Day Campaign Hits the Market

Upwork CoLab Budweiser Project FAQs

What is the job description/where can I find the details?

Thanks for the question. The specific job is for a creative director to design a custom can for Budweiser for Labor Day plus build an earned media campaign driving PR impressions and social mentions. You can find the full job description and brief on the CoLab application site here.

What prior experience does the creative director need to have to apply for this opportunity?

Thanks for your interest. You should have previous experience as a creative director in order to successfully execute the campaign requirements, which includes designing a custom can and the development of an earned media campaign to support the roll-out. You should be able to thoughtfully articulate a campaign concept per the application questions and feel confident in bringing your ideas to life if chosen. 

What are the eligibility requirements? / Am I eligible to apply?

Thank you for your interest. Please review the project brief here to determine your eligibility. You must be 21+ to apply. Otherwise, you should feel comfortable and confident in your skill sets to complete the project. 

I’m from X country. Am I eligible to apply?

Thanks for your interest. Yes, Upwork is a global community so this project is open to applicants from the 180+ countries that we support. Check out this article for more information about eligibility to join Upwork: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211067778-Am-I-eligible-to-work-on-Upwork-/

What is the criteria you’re using to select the winner of this project? 

Thanks for your question. Similar to any project application, Budweiser will be utilizing the application as the criteria for selecting the finalists. Please take the time to accurately and thoughtfully fill out the application. Most questions are required to allow for equal qualifiers among applicants. Once selected as a finalist, the final selection will be based on a strategy and campaign overview pitch for the Budweiser team. Budweiser and Upwork do not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, or other similarly protected characteristics.

What is the window to apply for the Budweiser project? 

Thanks for your interest. You can apply for the Creative Director job for Budweiser’s Labor Day can design and roll-out campaign from May 20-June 1. We encourage applying early. Depending on the amount of interest, earlier applications may be given priority.

Will my client be Upwork or Budwieser? 

Thanks for the question. The client of the project is Budweiser and the creative director will work directly with Budweiser’s team. 

Is this a full time position? 

Thanks for the question. No, this is not a full-time position. 

What is the length of the project?

Thanks for the question. The project will begin on June 18 and run through the completion of the earned media campaign in September. You can find more information on the timeline in the Budweiser brief from the CoLab application site here.

Do you have to be in a certain timezone?

Thanks for the question. No, this project is open to our global community but you will need to be able to meet with the Budweiser team in Eastern Standard Time zone. 

Is this a freelance project or is it payrolled?

Thanks for your interest. The Upwork CoLab projects are all independent talent projects. 

What’s the pay rate for this project?

Thanks for your question. Semi-finalists and the winner will be paid for their work, which will be agreed to at the offer stage.

Does the creative director get paid for this opportunity? Is it hourly or a fixed price? 

Great question. Yes, the creative director and the supporting team will be paid for this opportunity.

In addition to the creative director, what other professionals will be hired for this project? Who will be determining who gets hired for those additional roles, Budweiser or the creative director?

Thanks for your question. Additional professionals will be hired for this project to complete the creative and content work to bring the design and earned media campaign strategy to life. The specific professionals needed will be determined and hired by the creative director at their discretion based on the agreed-upon budget. 

How are you selecting the broader team to support this project?

Thanks for your question. The broader team will be selected by the winner of the creative director position utilizing Upwork’s talented community to build their team.  

How many Upwork freelancers will be working on this project in total? 

Thanks for your question. The total number of team members will be determined by the creative director and the skill sets needed to complete the design of the can and execute on the earned media campaign strategy, based on the agreed-upon budget. 

Why do you have to have an Upwork profile to be selected? 

Thanks for your interest. All Upwork CoLab projects will be managed and run through Upwork’s work marketplace, including communication, transferring of files, and payment. 

How will we be notified of the finalists and winner?

Thanks for your interest. The finalists and winner will be notified via email. Please keep an eye on your inbox after submitting your application.  

I applied for the job. Did you receive my entry? 

Thanks for applying. Please check your inbox for a confirmation email confirming receipt of your application and outlining next steps. If you can’t find the email, please check your spam folder for an email from team@upwork.com. If you still can’t find the confirmation email, please email brand@upwork.com to confirm. 

I applied for the project. What’s the status of my application? / How will I know if I got the project? / Did I get the job?

Thanks for applying. Please check your inbox for a confirmation email confirming your application and outlining the timeline for next steps. If you are selected as a finalist, you will receive an email by June 1. The winner of the project will be notified on June 11. If not selected as a finalist or winner, you will be notified as well via email. Please keep an eye on your inbox after submitting your application.  

When will the winner be announced?

Thanks for the question. The winner will be notified in early June and announced shortly thereafter. 

When will the winning Budweiser can design be revealed?

Great question! The final can design will be revealed when the can is released to the market in early September, just ahead of Labor Day. 

When will the limited-edition Budweiser can be available for purchase? Where will it be available?

Great question! The campaign idea for the limited-edition can created by the winning team will ultimately determine where and how the cans will be released in market.  Please keep an eye out for further information on Budweiser and Upwork’s social channels. 

I live outside the U.S. Would I be able to find the limited edition Budweiser can in-stores or purchase it online? 

Thank you for your interest. The limited-edition Budweiser can will not be available in-stores.  The campaign idea for the limited-edition can created by the winning team will ultimately determine where and how the cans will be released in market.  Please keep an eye out for further information on Budweiser and Upwork’s social channels.

Why did you choose Budweiser to be the inaugural Upwork CoLab partner? 

Thanks for your question. We are thrilled to partner with Budweiser to launch the Upwork CoLab program with a project celebrating our hardworking and diverse workforce. 

This is an offensive brand to be promoting as it is profiting from alcoholism. I am disappointed in Upwork for promoting this brand. 

We appreciate your feedback. Upwork works with a wide variety of brands and are committed to partnering with brands who are socially and economically responsible. You can find more about Budweisers commitment on their website. 

My religion/beliefs prevent me from participating in this. Why did you choose this brand? Will there be other opportunities like this that will be more inclusive?

We appreciate your feedback. We take inclusivity very seriously at Upwork. There will be more opportunities available shortly with a variety of brands, products, sizes, and projects. 

Was Budweiser an Upwork client prior to the CoLab partnership? 

Thank you for your question. We can not publicly disclose client information without consent. 

Are you paying Budweiser as part of this partnership? 

Thank you for your question. No, Budweiser is not being paid as part of this partnership. 

Will there be other opportunities to work with Budweiser on the platform?

Thank you for your question. At this time we cannot disclose that information. If you have an Upwork profile, make sure to keep it up to date and stay on top of new job opportunities to be the first to know. 

How do I leave feedback on the application process? 

Thanks for asking. You can direct feedback to brand@upwork.com. We appreciate your participation and feedback. 

What is Upwork CoLab?

Thanks for your interest. Upwork CoLab is a brand partnership program connecting independent professionals with exciting brands to collaborate on high-value, relevant, and innovative projects. It will enable brands to tap into a global workforce of independent talent who provide unique perspectives, ideas, and solutions. The program will feature a series of unique projects with companies big and small in a number of industries requiring an assortment of skills.

How can I apply for the projects presented through Upwork CoLab?

Thanks for your question. Anyone qualified for the project based on the project brief is eligible to apply. To submit your application, you do not need an Upwork profile. However, if selected as a finalist and chosen for the project, you will need to set up an Upwork profile to accept the job as the project will be managed through the Upwork platform. 

How can an organization get involved as a brand partner through the Upwork CoLab? 

Thanks for your interest. If you are an organization who would like to partner with Upwork, please reach out to brand@upwork.com and our team will be in touch. 

What is your criteria for selecting a brand partner? 

Thanks for your question. We have a vast array of criteria we use to evaluate partners to make sure it is the right fit for both organizations, including unique and exciting opportunities for our talent community. 

Do you have any other partners lined up? If so, who? 

Thanks for your question. Yes, we will be offering a steady cadence of partner projects as part of this program. Unfortunately, we can not release the names of our partners until the project is ready to launch. Please keep an eye out on social and your inbox for the announcement of new partners and their projects. If you are a brand interested in participating in the program, please reach out to brand@upwork.com. 

Will there be more project opportunities through Upwork CoLab? If so, when? 

Great question. Yes, more opportunities will be rolling out throughout the year. Stay connected with us via social media and opt in to Upwork emails to be the first to know. 

Will there be other areas of expertise/ skills needed with other partners? 

Great question. Yes, this program is not exclusive to a specific skill. The brands and projects will be representative of our community’s expansive skill sets. 

Will all Upwork CoLab partnerships be seeking to hire designers? Will there be opportunities for freelancers with other skills? 

Great question. No, just like the Upwork platform, Upwork CoLab will provide a variety of projects requiring different skills. 

Are current Upwork freelancers given preference over those who might have signed up just to be considered for this specific project? 

Thanks for your question. All independent talent who apply for the project will be considered as we are an inclusive community of the world’s best talent. 

If someone who has never freelanced before applies for this project, will you still consider their application? How is that fair? 

Thanks for your question. Yes, if someone has the right skill sets to complete the project, they will be considered. Upwork supports and values our entire independent talent community – new and tenured. 

How is Upwork CoLab different from other jobs posted through Upwork?

Thanks for your question. There are a couple differences from a typical project posted on Upwork.  First, this project is brought to you through a partnership between Upwork and a notable brand with unique and exciting opportunities for the Upwork community.  In addition, to submit an application for consideration for the project, you must agree to some terms specific to this program.