Congratulations to all the winners who collected Lotus petal-shaped trophies at the 2018 ADFEST Lotus Awards last night. It was truly amazing to see so much fabulous work, created by incredible people, who are all based in the Asia Pacific and MENA region. Creativity is truly flourishing in our part of the world!
DOGS & CATS WIN BIG!
‘Gravity Cat’ must surely be one the world’s most awarded cats after winning the Grande for Branded Content tonight. Created by Hakuhodo Inc., it promotes a game that defies gravity by creating a world that defies gravity. “It has a very Japanese sensibility, it felt from and of a place and the craftsmanship was captivating,” says Grand Jury President Joyce King Thomas.
Peter Grasse, Executive Producer at Dictionary Films in Tokyo, adds: “What made this campaign stand out above everything else was the attention to detail. It was the most beautifully crafted piece in the category. It really shows that the difference between a Grande and a Gold Lotus – the difference between the best and the rest – is craft.”
Meanwhile, the Integrated Grande went to Colenso BBDO, Auckland for Pedigree ‘The Child Replacement Programme. Says Joyce: “The attention to detail was fantastic – the films were funny, the social media was smart – it had everything you want an integrated campaign to be.”
CAIRO WINS THIS YEAR’S FILM GRANDE
A big congratulations to FP7/CAI in Cairo, which won the Grande Film Lotus this year for Orange “Now or Never”.
"This is an amazing, relevant idea that could perhaps only be done in that environment. It was executed in a way that was so fresh and bold that every second carried you to the next one," says Jury President Levi Slavin, Chief Creative Officer of Colenso BBDO, Auckland. “The very best entries were able to hold our attention, regardless of duration.”
“RADIO ISN’T DEAD – IT’S SLEEPING”
Unfortunately, Levi lamented that the quality of Radio entries wasn’t higher this year, with only 1 Bronze and 3 Silvers awarded.
He said, "A lot of people say radio is dead. I'd say that radio isn't dead; it's merely sleeping. And this is not just a challenge in Asia Pacific, but also around the world. We were pleased to hear entries that went beyond the conventional radio format, but we feel that more can be done to push this medium."
"The audio format has the potential to be more powerful than film. It taps into human imagination; what we call the theatre of the mind. Audio could be anything: from engaging radio spots, to music, to branded audio content. While we did not see anything this year that tapped into the full potential of audio, we hope to see this category challenged and pushed beyond convention next year."
Which agency will take up the challenge?
TOUGH LOVE: NO EFFECTIVE GRANDE AWARDED
"Unfortunately, we did not see a clear winner that showed how a creative, strategically sound creative idea translated to a remarkable business impact. This was why the jury decided not to award a Grande this year,” explains Jury President Derry Simpson, Group Managing Director of 303 MullenLowe, Perth.
"When it comes to the Effective Lotus category, while results are very important, they aren't the only criteria we are looking at. There has to be a creative idea: a smart solution to a client's problem born from a powerful, strategic insight."
It’s worth bearing this advice in mind when you enter the Effective Lotus category next year!
MEDIA: ENTER, ENTER, ENTER!
Derry also oversaw the Media jury, and says: “We should have had hundreds of entries in Media, but I don’t think agencies are looking at the category as an opportunity. Those that did, did very well. So when agencies are entering in best print or best outdoor, they should also think about entering on the media side.”
The jury absolutely loved an ingenious campaign by McCann Worldgroup India, Mumbai for PayTM “Sweet Change”.
"The Grande winner that eventually emerged was a small ambient piece that managed to change behaviour in a big way. It is such a beautiful demonstration of how when you use the right medium in a simple, culturally relevant way, the results can be powerful," she says.
INNOVATION IS ALIVE & WELL
This year for the first time, The Super 8 Jury Presidents enjoyed live presentations from shortlisted finalists.
Joyce said: "We absolutely loved the new INNOVA judging format. It gave us a chance to talk to the creators behind the work and gain clarity for the film in each case. We were truly able to go beyond the idea and into the ambition of the idea."
The Grande Innova Lotus was presented to ‘Cogy Wheelchair’ by TBWA\Hakuhodo, Tokyo because “it showed the most ambition. Best of all, it delivered on this ambition, by demonstrating real impact to solve a real problem," says Joyce.
MCCANN MUMBAI WINS LOTUS ROOTS
This year’s Lotus Roots award went to ‘Immunity Charm’, a beautiful campaign from Afghanistan created by McCann Worldgroup India, Mumbai.
Joyce says, “The infant mortality rate in Afghanistan is 50%, one of the highest rates in the world. The agency looked at local culture to find a solution. It’s beautiful work, and the jury felt it provides a strong start in providing an incentive for women to immunize their children.”
Jimmy Lam, President of ADFEST, says: “We’re especially proud of Lotus Roots, which is unique to ADFEST. In this category we recognise the best creativity that makes the most of local culture. That’s something we clearly would like to cultivate and recognise every year.”
For all the Grande, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners, visit www.ADFEST.com
YouTube: https://youtu.be/zLLPlCg2zFk
