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madstars-festival · 14 days

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[JURY INTERVIEW] MAD STARS Is the Gym in Which You Build Creative Muscle!

- Interview with Ali Rez, chief creative officer of Impact BBDO

We talked with Ali Rez, chief creative officer of Impact BBDO, who was a final jury and speaker at last year's MAD STARS, as well as the executive Jury of the New Stars 2023!

He has an impressive list of awards, having won over 900 awards in 20 years at the world's major awards. He is also one of the world's most recognized creative leaders, having been named one of the 'Top 10 Creative Leaders in the World' and the 'NO.1 ECD in MENA and APAC' by marketing publication The Drum for the past two years.

Ali Rez spent a lot of time on the podium at the Awards ceremony for MAD STARS 2023 accepting just some of his agency’s huge haul of awards, Overall, the agency won 42 trophies, including 2 Grands Prix and 12 Golds, and was crowned ‘Agency of the Year’.

Impact BBDO’s full list of wins at MAD STARS 2023: - Agency of the Year - International Honorary Awards with AnNahar Newspaper - 2 Grands Prix, 7 Gold, 1 Silver & 1 Bronze for Schoolgirl Newscasters for EBM - 2 Gold, 3 Silver & 1 Crystal for Waxing Lady Tutorials for GharPar & Indus Hospital - 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze & 2 Crystal for The Newspapers Inside the Newspaper Edition for AnNahar Newspaper - 1 Gold, 1 Bronze & 2 Crystal for Shrine Saviors for Yokohama & Roads for Life - 2 Silver & 5 Bronze for We Miss Lebanon for LBCI - 1 Bronze for Cinema Crunch Hack for Lay’s - 3 Crystal for Redress Lebanon for AnNahar Newspaper - 2 Crystal for Hunger Insurance for Gamers for Snickers

Ali also presented his session,‘To Create Change, Change the Way You Create’, during the last year’s festival. The idea behind this session was that if one wants to create truly ground-breaking work that ushers in a new trend or starts a movement, focus not on the output, but on the process that leads to that output.

He talked about his conference. “Often the answers to a completely creative solution lie in the way we create things. This is true for work that takes on societal issues and seeks to bring change for the better, as much as it’s true for brands seeking an uplift in their communications and business success. If the input isn’t creative, most likely the result is going to be mediocre. This topic is even more pertinent in an age where we see conversations of Generative AI dominating discussions around the process of creation.”

In other words, if you want to create world-shattering creativity that starts a new trend or sparks a new movement, you need to focus on the process that leads to the outcome, not the outcome itself.

We sat down with Ali, one of the leaders driving innovation in the advertising industry, to talk about how to foster creative thinking, what makes a successful ad, and the role of awards like MAD STARS in the industry.

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Q. What does it mean to you and your agency to have so many wins art MAD STARS? How important do you feel awards and festivals are for the industry? What do they do?

A. It’s a fantastically big honor to have won the Agency of the Year two years in a row at MAD STARS. The caliber of work in this global show is superb, as are the jury members who select the work.

Awards and festivals are vital for the industry. It’s an old myth now that they serve the purpose of vanity alone. Instead, shows help us see where the industry is headed, and what good, effective work looks like. Award shows help build purpose in people who make the work and in brand owners who care about their brand. They inspire, motivate, and rally those who see great work and aspire to set new benchmarks.

The most valuable asset a client can ask of their agency is the creativity that the agency brings to the table. Award shows are the gym in which you build that creative muscle.

Q. Advertising has become a tough industry. What do you think are the keys to success right now?

A. It’s always been a tough industry, hasn’t it? Of course, the challenges keep changing shape, but at its core, it’s the same fundamentals: how does one keep creating new things?

‘How do we stay one step ahead? How do we attract and retain the talent that can generate that sort of creativity?’

The race for the Big Idea will always be relevant, and one of the keys to success is having the ability to crack it consistently. Another path to success is building a work environment that is creativity-focused.

Q. What would you say to creatives on the way up about how to make their work/ad great? How best to develop their creative thinking?

A. If you look at the true definition of creativity, whether in arts or sciences, it is always a reprocessing and 'Connecting the Dots' of several forms of input, or inspiration. In order to get to a place where your brain can come up with something radical, it must have something to feed on. What I always recommend is to fill your brain with as much as you can, especially with things that are outside advertising.

Never watched ballet? Go watch it right now. Read Vonnegut. Listen to Stravinsky. Learn about Zaha Hadid. Absorb Rothko.

Steve Jobs would never have offered fonts in the first Macintosh if he had not taken a calligraphy class in school, and it changed how we interact with computers forever. What we bring in from the outside, we reformulate to build something new.

Q. You were also a New Stars judge. What did you feel about the standard of work and the New Stars that attended?

A. This was a great jury to be on, one where we all learned a lot from the work and each other - and I must say, everybody on the jury was just amazing.

There was some terrific exploration and a lot of deep insightful strategic thinking in this category designed for younger creatives. The standard of work was high, especially considering the amount of time the teams had to put their work together. Some cases were crafted very well, while others had a very conceptual approach with local insights. The ones we picked to award had an all-round presentation: strategic thinking that addressed the brief, a sharp creative idea, and well executed.

Q. How important do you feel it is to promote and nurture new talent? Why?

A. It is essential to the industry. Not only from the perspective of making sure that new talent keeps up the high standards of what good communication and creativity are but also from a purpose-based point of view. There’s great learning in it too for those who mentor.

I’m often astounded and inspired by the playfulness and explorative methods used by newer talent that challenge age-old processes. Promoting and nurturing new talent is an absolute win-win for the creative industry.

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🌟 MAD STARS 2024: Call for Entries 🌟

Don't miss out on the chance to showcase your creativity and innovation on a global stage.

The 1st entry deadline is approaching fast—May 10th (KST) is less than a month away! 😯

As Ali Rez rightly suggests, why not seize this opportunity to unleash your creative potential and draw inspiration from innovative solutions worldwide?

And calling all professionals in marketing, advertising, public relations, ad tech, and related fields with 5 years of experience or less! Be sure to participate in the New Stars MAD Competition 2024!

This competition isn't just about winning—it's about connecting with fellow creatives worldwide, exchanging ideas, and receiving valuable feedback from industry experts. 🔥

And here's an exciting perk for the Gold winners: a workation in the stunning city of Busan, South Korea! 🏖️

Don't miss this chance to combine work 💻 and relaxation 🌊 in a picturesque seaside setting.

Ready to make your mark at MAD STARS 2024?

Submit your entry now: 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3x4rjlZ

Apply for the 2024 New Stars MAD Competition: 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3P7ch4X

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #interview #jury #speaker #newstars #newstars2024

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madstars-festival · 20 days

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[WINNER INTERVIEW] I Nailed My Internship!

- Interview with Heeyoon Kim of winner MAD STARS 2023 & Cheil Worldwide Internship Participant

Every year, MAD STARS offers internship opportunities at renowned advertising agencies for winners of the General Public (Bronze or higher) and YOUNG STARS (Crystal or higher) categories!

Last year, 14 companies, including Serviceplan Korea, Ideot, Cheil Worldwide, and HSAD, participated. This year, we're thrilled to announce that many agencies are eagerly preparing special internship programs exclusively for MAD STARS winners! It's an exciting opportunity for participants to not only showcase their talents but also to kickstart their careers with valuable hands-on experience in top-tier agencies.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Heeyoon Kim, who achieved remarkable success at MAD STARS 2023 in the General Public, earning 1 Silver, and 3 Crystals.

Heeyoon worked on an internship at Cheil Worldwide after her remarkable achievements. As an art director intern, Heeyoon worked under the ECD Soora Min team at Cheil Worldwide's Production 3 Headquarters since January this year.

Since 2022, she has passionately pursued her dream of becoming an advertising art director. Her journey has been enriched by various experiences at MAD STARS, where she participated in both the General Public and Young Stars MAD Competition.

We delved into Heeyoon's journey at MAD STARS and her enriching internship experience!

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Q. Please introduce yourself in brief.

A. Hello! My name is Heeyoon Kim, and I dream of becoming an advertising art director.

My greatest joy lies in sharing my creations with others and observing their reactions.

It seems like just yesterday that I was awestruck by the award-winning works at MADSTARS, my heart racing with excitement. Now, finding myself as a winner and being interviewed feels incredibly surreal. I'm genuinely honored to have this opportunity😄

Q. You have been recognized in the General Public of MAD STARS for two years in a row since 2022.

What made you decide to enter MAD STARS?

* Heeyoon Kim's MAD STARS Awards -MAD STARS 2023 General Public: 1 Silver, 3 Crystal, 8 Finalists - MAD STARS 2022 General Public: 1 Finalist

A. Recognized as one of Asia's premier advertising contests, MAD STARS annually attracts a plethora of outstanding entries.

Notably, many of these works have received accolades from MAD STARS and other internationally acclaimed advertising competitions. Feeling inspired to develop through competing alongside these distinguished works, I naturally decided to submit my own.

Q. Tell us about your favorite piece of work you've submitted to MAD STARS.

A. While I hold deep affection for all the submissions if I had to choose just one, it would be 'First Ukraine Michelin Stars'.

First Ukraine Michelin Stars Innovation Stars - Silver / PIVOT - Crystal, 2023

This was a project carried out with a team member full of passion, and it was especially meaningful because it developed ideas to assist Ukraine, which is suffering from the impacts of war. Throughout the project, our team focused on finding ways to naturally help Ukraine without instilling guilt or being coercive.

During this process, we discovered that Ukraine did not have a single Michelin Star restaurant, which led to the idea of opening a Michelin Star restaurant that sells Ukrainian traditional food, thereby preserving its culinary culture. Implementing this project required consideration of everything from the restaurant's logo to the menu, dishes, and interior, during which our team members really put in a lot of effort.

The team worked tirelessly, day and night, researching Ukrainian traditional food and culture, and holding meetings to gradually develop the idea. As a result, I am truly happy that this work allowed us to win both Silver and Crystal awards at the Busan International Marketing Advertising Festival.😊

Q. Especially last year, in addition to being finalists in the General Public, you won four trophies, including Silver and Crystal.

I'm curious about your strategy for achieving significantly more awards in 2023 compared to 2022 when you were one work finalist (which, of course, is still a significant achievement!).

Did you focus on anything specific or put in extra effort in 2023 compared to 2022?

A. In 2022, the work that was selected as a finalist in the General Public category was a project I undertook individually rather than with a team.

Naturally, handling everything from planning to production on my own presented many challenges, and without team members to discuss ideas with, it took me a long time to gain confidence in my ideas. Following this experience, I met team members who shared my vision, and we worked together, leveraging our teamwork.

Working with passionate team members made it possible to smile even in the toughest moments, and by dividing roles and bringing out each other's expertise, we seemed to create greater synergy. As a result, we were able to produce works of higher quality, which I believe led to winning more awards.

Q. In addition to entering the General Public, you have participated in YOUNG STARS, a college student marketing and advertising competition, for two years in a row since 2022.

What made you decide to participate in YOUNG STARS for the second year in a row?

* Heeyoon Kim's YOUNG STARS Awards - 2023 YOUNG STARS MAD Competition: Finalist -2022 YOUNG STARS AD Competition: Silver

A. The chance to compete with students from various countries was the most appealing aspect to me.

Furthermore, I believed that competing alongside many students who love advertising would enhance my passion for it even more, leading me to participate in Youngstars for two consecutive years.

Q. You participated in the YOUNG STARS Final Round in Busan, Korea last year.

Do you have any funny stories from the event?

A. In 2022, I couldn't participate in the on-site competition due to COVID-19, but in 2023, being able to join the on-site competition and meet college students from various nationalities in person was probably the most enjoyable part for me.

When communicating with foreign students, I mainly used English, but sometimes, when I wanted to have a newer and more enjoyable conversation, I used a translation app to show the translated language in real time. During this process, there were translation errors, but that made the interactions more enjoyable and helped us become friends naturally. I still keep in touch with a Chinese friend I got close to at that time!😄

Q. What skills do you think you've been able to develop through YOUNG STARS?

A. Working in a team on the project allowed us to refine our ideas through discussions and collaboration, thereby fostering our teamwork.

Furthermore, among the students participating in Young Stars, many exhibited exceptional planning and production talents, from whom I could learn a lot just by observing their work. I analyzed the strengths of the winning teams and reflected on my shortcomings, contemplating how I could further develop my ideas.

I believe this process helped me improve my ability to flesh out ideas.

Q. As a winner of the 2023 MAD STARS General Public, you participated in a six-week internship program at Cheil Worldwide.

What kind of work did you do at Cheil Worldwide?

A. During my internship, I worked as an Art Director intern at Cheil Worldwide, under the team led by Soora Min ECD.

I had the opportunity to work with various teams and experience multiple clients. My responsibilities primarily included video advertisement ideation, key visual development, and digital campaign ideation.

The most memorable moment for me was participating in a competitive presentation from start to finish with the ECD team. Despite the tight timeline, it was thrilling when our team won the competition.

Given the short duration of my internship, it was not easy to experience the entire process of a competitive pitch from start to finish, so I believe I was quite fortunate. 😊

Q. What did you learn from the internship program?

A. I've realized the importance of trend analysis. When creating advertisements, being able to interpret trends seems like the fastest way to gain a competitive edge.

Not only should one be aware of advertising trends, but it's also beneficial to understand the critical issues in society, what interests the younger generation, and what memes are trending, among other things. It's advantageous to have a broad range of interests, to the extent that others might say, "Wow, you know about this too?"

I believe that having such diverse interests and a better understanding of trends can lead to the generation of many new and engaging ideas when it comes to creating advertising concepts.

Q. What were some of the challenges you faced during your internship and something you felt you could improve upon?

A. When tasked with generating advertising ideas for unfamiliar products or services, I found setting a direction and concretizing a concept particularly challenging. Even in areas that I'm not well-versed in, I still needed to delve deep and propose ideas convincing enough for the client, which was initially really tough. 😢

So, whenever I was at a loss for the right direction, I made it a point to jot down all the ideas from team members during each meeting, striving to clearly understand the client's desired direction. I also endeavored to analyze related market cases, seeking elements and methods that could differentiate us in the market.

There are still many brands and products I've yet to experience, so moving forward, I thought about the importance of preemptively thinking about how I could turn the many things I encounter in daily life into advertisements.

Q. What changes did you see in yourself before and after the internship?

A. Previously, I focused on generating fresh and fun ideas, but after my internship, I shifted my focus towards creating solutions that align with the actual needs of clients. Compared to before, I believe I've learned to think more strategically.

Additionally, working with wonderful people who have taught me so much has made me realize that I need to become more humble.😄

Q. What kind of person do you want to become as you start building your career?

A. Rather than aspiring to become someone great, I want to be a person who still loves advertising and creativity as time goes by. Even when work becomes overwhelming, I wish to continue working with passion and excitement in my heart!

Also, since I don't know what opportunities life may bring or where I might end up working in the future, I'm determined to study English more diligently to become someone who doesn't feel hindered by language barriers.

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Anyone has the chance to enter the MAD STARS General Public for free until June 15 (KST).

Additionally, the Young Stars MAD Competition 2024, open to university students of any major, is accepting submissions until May 26 (KST).

Notably, several renowned advertising agencies are preparing internship programs.

Seize this opportunity to not only compete for awards at an international festival but also to kickstart your career with an internship at an esteemed advertising company!

Submit your entry for MAD STARS 2024 General Public 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3x4rjlZ

Apply for the 2024 Young Stars MAD Competition 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3P7ch4X

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #intern #internship #interview #winner #student #college #college student

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madstars-festival · 28 days

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[WINNER INTERVIEW] What It Takes To Win Grand Prix of the Year🏆

: Unbranded Menu team, Brian Lumanog and Sabrina Urbano, from Leo Burnett Manila

Each year, MAD STARS' highest honor, the Grand Prix of the Year, is awarded to two entries, one from the Product & Service (P&S) category and one from the PSA category.

Following our last interview with Takahiro Hosoda, CCO of TBWA Hakuhodo, who led the Grand Prix of the Year PSA winner SHELLMET, we're back with an interview with the P&S winner!

Unbranded Menu was selected for the Grand Prix of the Year P&S category out of 20,282 entries from 63 countries last year!

The campaign rewarded players who found images of McDonald's menu items such as burgers, fries, and ice cream in the game world that were like McDonald's menu items, but unbranded, by capturing them and uploading them with the hashtag #ThisIsMcDonalds.

The campaign engaged gamers through the fun and delicious rewards of finding food images in the game that resembled McDonald's menu items. The campaign engaged 27 million gamers in the Philippines - two-thirds of the country's gamers - and increased sales for McDonald's delivery service, McDelivery, by 35%.

By tapping into the psychology of gamers and connecting gaming and fast food with a simple idea, Unbranded Menu!

Brian Lumanog, associate creative director, and Sabrina Urbano, senior account executive, Leo Burnett Group Manila, who submitted the campaign, tell us the story behind Unbranded Menu!

Congratulations on your Grand Prix of the Year. Where did the idea for the Unbranded Menu come from?

Brian Lumanog: Oh, gee. Thank you so much, MAD STARS! What an honor! We’ve been wanting to do work in gaming with McDonald’s for quite some time, but as you know, getting a brand in a game can be hell expensive. We kind of knew that to succeed, we needed to pin down an idea without the need for new game development and no million-dollar sponsorships.

So, one night, my wife and I were playing Overcooked 2. We were having fun and we finally beat our previous high score. We had to commemorate that moment somehow. And so, as gamers do, we took a screenshot of our cute little characters holding their cute little burgers proudly. And then I thought, “Wait a minute, those burgers look like McDonald’s burgers.” It’s one of those ideas that hit you like a freight train. It was a hit-and-run, and we ran with that idea. Call it an origin story or whatever, but it took a village that spanned Manila, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, and Chicago to make Unbranded Menu happen, to shape it into what it eventually turned out to be.

Sabrina Urbano: Unbranded Menu is an “aha!” idea that was birthed not long after the COVID lockdown when many of us got into video gaming while stuck at home for most of the year. We’d been looking for creative ways to bring McDonald’s into the gaming space and came up with the concept to gamify two main insights - the behavior of ‘screen-grabbing’ in-game finds, and coincidentally uncovering McDonald’s ‘lookalike’ products in the games we played. This was our approach to seamlessly weave the brand into the gaming community without having to go into traditional, big-spend media buys and invasive ads.

What were the challenges in getting it from idea to finished work and published?

Brian Lumanog: There were a lot. But more than the challenges, there were a lot of talented and passionate people who worked on Unbranded Menu and we all just enjoyed the journey to the finish. So, the challenges didn’t feel too much like challenges, you know? We were happy to get through each one together.

A few challenges though were: Doing feasibility research and finding video game food likes ourselves in dozens and dozens of titles before we even pitched the idea to the client (no complaints though, because we got to play a lot in company time, LOL). There was a lot of pre-production work, too, like coordinating with influencers, cooking up hundreds of possible scenarios to react to in real-time, and preparing artwork to use as replies to entries. And at launch, of course, the biggest challenge was keeping track of all the entries.

Sabrina Urbano: Apart from the research put into playing and cross-checking a plethora of video games, keeping our teams on track, and inspired without losing momentum was a notable test of our resilience (especially during a very busy calendar year). It was several months of early-morning to late-evening check-ups with our brand leads, agency partners, and the talented gaming influencers tapped for the job. There was a handful of us (me included) who still had much to learn about gaming and its intricacies, and the time spent on developing Unbranded Menu was the perfect ‘crash course’ to immerse us, rookies, into video games, the gaming world, and the culture that thrives within it.

Were there any “godsends” that helped to make it easier?

Brian Lumanog: A moving moment during development was when our super experienced, multi-award-winning, super creative bosses said that they didn’t know much about gaming, and they let our young ones (if you could still call me young) run the show. They gave us their trust and we made sure we didn’t let their trust go to waste. We kicked into creative overdrive after that. Unbranded Menu was a big team, and each player had an important role to play. Everyone was a ‘godsend’ in their way. It was co-op gaming at its finest. Sabrina Urbano: We’re very grateful to have had a hard-working, passionate, and light-hearted team who believed in the idea’s potential from the very beginning and invested nothing but their best from start to finish. Publicis Groupe’s Power of One collaborative vision was a big help in providing us with the talent and agency partners needed to bring the Unbranded Menu to life. It was such a treat seeing the younger creatives take the reins in this project, teaching our agency leads (who didn’t know much about gaming at the time) the ins and outs of it all. The amount of care we had in the work and in the people who created the work is such a blessing and has set the bar very high for how a successful, “godsend” team should be.

What were the results of the campaign?

Brian Lumanog: That 35% increase in McDelivery sales was something. I mean, the campaign was cool and creative and all. But would it have been as cool if it didn’t improve the client's business? The late, great Leo Burnett was right when he said, “What helps people, helps business”. We hope we helped McDonald’s and gaming fans have fun with the Unbranded Menu. Sabrina Urbano: Unbranded Menu reached 27 million gaming fans (that’s ⅔ of the Philippines' gaming population) thus bringing in +108% brand mentions, +140% brand engagement, and +35% McDelivery sales (thanks to a contribution of hungry gamers ordering on top of their coupons, and showing off their gaming on their feed, triggering even more cravings, and orders).

What do you think are the criteria for great creative work? What helped your agency to make your work an award winner?

Brian Lumanog: For me, it’s when a piece of work makes you go, “Why didn’t I think of that?”, and you beat yourself up over it the rest of the day. Occasionally, you come across such work, and you just know that the team behind it had a bit of extra fun working on it. It’s hard to explain and quantify. Not to toot our horns here, but Unbranded Menu kind of gave us that feeling. It’s a weird mix of excitement and tummy butterflies and nervousness. Everyone in the team, from the get-go, believed in the idea and wanted it to succeed. The team lost a lot of sleep, missed some holidays, and foregone actual video game time to take care of the idea. We’re super proud of it. We hope Unbranded Menu made a few creative and advertising people go, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Sabrina Urbano: We’ve been taught that the best creative ideas come from great, human-driven insights, and are sought through our own life experiences. Leo Burnett’s Humankinds philosophy attests to this, where putting people at the core of our ideas helps us connect with those we reach out to. Unbranded Menu is people-centric at its core – from the insight down to the individuals who partook in it - and is a great demonstration of how a creative idea can transform human (and gaming) behavior.

What does it mean to you and your agency to have won the award at MAD STARS?

Brian Lumanog: We’ve been entering work in MAD STARS for a few years now and every year just getting a shortlist has become tougher and tougher. MAD STARS has also been able to define its identity and taste for creative work and has set itself apart from the likes of Cannes Lions or New York Festivals, as a show that puts a lot of weight in digital and tech creativity. We’re very happy to be able to keep up with MAD STARS’ high standards. I hope to walk up the Busan stage again next time. Thanks again, MAD STARS.

Sabrina Urbano: So, DOPE. We’ve been very grateful for the recent recognition received at Cannes and New York Festivals, but the MAD STARS Grand Prix of the Year was a very fun surprise and a perfect cherry to top the year. Experiencing the wins in Busan was a rush and has the team stoked to bring you more award-winning ideas in 2024.

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Your ideas too can be the Grand Prix of the Year! Don't hesitate to showcase your ideas to the world now.

The first entry deadline will close on May 10th (KST).

✨Shine MAD STARS with your ideas✨

Submit your entry here 👉 https://bit.ly/3x4rjlZ

#festival #advertising #busan #creative #marketing #digital #madstars #awards #award #interview #winner #grand prix of the winner #award winning #winningwork #madstars2024 #idea #creative solutions

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madstars-festival · 29 days

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Challenge NEW STARS, Experience Wokation in Busan🌊

New Stars MAD Competition is a creative marketing & advertising competition for junior creatives all over the globe.

It aims to develop their skills and inspire junior creatives around the world, expanding and facilitating their network.

Professionals in marketing, advertising, public relations, ad tech, and related fields with 5 years of experience or less can enter either individually or as teams of 2 or fewer. We're eagerly anticipating your participation and interest🩷

🗓️ Registration Period: Until 6 June (KST) 📢 Announcement of Finalists: 13 June (KST), on the MAD STARS website 🔥Final Round: 20-23 August (KST) in BUSAN, KOREA

🎁Benefits for Finalists🎁

Free Registration to access MAD STARS 2024 (Full package)

Opportunity to attend a Networking Party with New Stars juries

Accommodations and meals are provided for 5 nights, 6 days

Provide a winning trophy to those who win a bronze or over (1 trophy worth $700 per team)

Provide certificates of participation for all finalists

🏆Gold Winner's Benefits🏆

Opportunity for workation in BUSAN

Full package ticket to MAD STARS 2025

✨Join NEW STARS 2024 now! ✨ 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/4afg7BD

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #competition #ad competition #junior creative #creativity #creatives

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madstars-festival · 1 month

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[JURY INTERVIEW] Unlocking the Secret of the Finalist!

- Rimantas Staevičius, Creative Director, Milk

- Nurlan Satarov, & creative director & creative group director, Cheil Worldwide

We met up with Rimantas Staevičius, creative Director, Milk, and Nurlan Satarov, creative director and group creative director, Cheil Worldwide, who were two of the four preliminary juries who participated in MAD STARS last year, to talk about the preliminary judging process.

Last year, MAD STARS announced the finalists after an online preliminary judging round, followed by two online final judging rounds and one offline final judging round to determine the winners.

So, Rimantas Staevičius and Nurlan Satarov served as preliminary judges at MAD STARS 2023, so their assessments were conducted online rather than in a physical jury room.

What were the criteria they used to evaluate the entries?

Rimantas says that his criterion for judging work never changes regardless of the judging process. It is always the central idea.

Nurlan was judging Film & Film Craft. For the Film, MAD STARS asked for judgment that was a 50-50 split between the idea and the execution. For Film Craft, it was all about the execution.

Rimantas Staevičius

: I ask many questions about each piece of work he is judging - Is it fresh? Is it unexpected? Does it evoke an emotional response, be it laughter or tears? Next, I evaluate the implementation of the idea.

It must be engaging, well-crafted, and thoughtfully executed. Lastly, but just as crucial, is common sense. Beyond its artistic merit, does the piece effectively communicate its intended message? Does it have a sound strategic foundation, or does it merely exist for the spectacle? A gimmick to win an award?

And I also use the same criteria whether he is judging festival entries or the work his creatives produce.

Nurlan Satarov

: The key to being a good jury in this process is having a strong opinion, loads of industry experience, and a memory that can recall past works from all over the globe. That's how we make sure we're not falling for any hijacking or copycat stuff.

In Film and Film Craft, it’s all about classical storytelling and the mastery of the craft to effectively convey a message. In other categories, I'm really into ideas that cause a massive culture shift and have a profound impact. I'm talking about ideas that go way beyond the medium itself.

What stood out at MAD STARS for Rimantas was “The unbeatable Thai humor, evocative Japanese poeticism.”

Three pieces of work that he remembers vividly are:

Location: Thailand┃Advertiser/Client: Robinson Department Store┃Agency: Wolf Bkk

Everyone has what they wish, but one who has a discount sticker gets what they want.

Robinson, Thailand’s top department store has launched its annual ‘Robinson Salesation’ sale, which allows you to choose whichever items you want to discount by just putting stickers on and getting the price off.

To promote this campaign, Wolf BKK and Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Thailand notable director, have collaborated to create this amusing commercial called The Air Drummer. The film spot wants to encourage Thai people to “Discount for what you love most.”

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Location: Japan┃Advertiser/Client: Sotetsu Holdings┃Agency: good design company , SIX inc. , Hakuhodo , Hakuhodo Kettle

SOTETSU is a Japanese railway company operating entirely within Kanagawa Prefecture, which neighbors Tokyo, since 1917. In March 2023, SOTETSU established a direct through service to central Tokyo by connecting with the Tokyu Line, which had been a long-awaited dream since its establishment.

Our film follows the track of the father-daughter relationship evolving over twelve years as they commute to work and school on the same train on the Sotetsu Line. The entire story is set on a train and was filmed in one shot. As the daughter grows, she explores new social values, ventures beyond her family circle, and becomes distant from her father. The ever-changing father-daughter relationship throughout the years is styled as a seamless time-lapse sequence of 50 lookalike actors with train’s winding movements to express the swaying emotions of the two. In the final scene, the father prepares to get off at their usual station, except this time, the daughter will continue on to her new university in Tokyo. She is on the new connecting line that goes directly into Tokyo.

Location: India┃Advertiser/Client: KC Mahindra Education Trust┃Agency: Ogilvy Mumbai

* Rimantas said, “It was heartening to see pieces that embrace their cultural identities, unique local issues and crafting resonant narratives.”

‘Nanhi Kali’ is a pan-India program, designed to support economically and socially disadvantaged girls to complete 10 years of schooling. In India, instead of being sent to school, girls are often made to help with daily household chores. Since this is part of their upbringing, girls accept it as normal. As a result, their confidence and self-worth take a huge beating and they never realize their potential. This would change if girls were sent to school. The brief was to make people understand this situation and encourage them to support ‘Nanhi Kali’.

The film draws parallels between two ‘Lajjos’ - a young village girl and a buffalo. As the story unfolds, we see how these two have more in common than just their name. Narrated from the buffalo’s point of view, the film highlights how they both work long, hard, and selflessly for their respective families. Unless something changes, they will end up staying beasts of burden. For the girl, education is what can bring about a change because for her it is not just a human right, it is a way for her to feel human.

Nurlan Satarov

: Creativity is all about connecting the dots between what I like to call ‘ingredients'. It's a bit like making a salad or a sandwich – it might sound simple, but the real magic happens when you start thinking about how to put it all together, finding new perspectives, employing clever tricks, and merging seemingly unrelated things. The true art of it lies in the small details and the care you give to them, even after you've put everything together. That's where the real difference is made.

Nurlan also commented on Rimantas' recommendation of "The Train of Memories" saying, "It may be a simple story, but it has great technique and a deep sense of metaphor."

What small details stood out to Nurlan during the preliminary round?

Location: Republic of Korea┃Advertiser/Client: Samsung Electronics┃Agency: Cheil Worldwide

<FAITH> is a short film written and directed by Na Hong-jin, who creates extreme suspense with his unique mise-en-scene in films such as The Chaser, The Yellow Sea, and Gokseong, and shot by Jung Jung-hoon, and was created to showcase the powerful camera capabilities of the Galaxy S23 Ultra with its professional-grade camera.

The film is themed around the theme of Faith, as the title suggests, and tells the story of how those who think they have the strongest beliefs can realize that 'it's not just you. It belongs to everyone." The story is told through 'Key'.

With the expertise of director Hong-jin Na and the Galaxy S23 Ultra's Nightography feature, the short film was shot in the dark - in low light - with stunning visuals and crisp details to effectively showcase the feature.

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Location: Singapore┃Advertiser/Client: Unilever LUX Singapore┃Agency: Wunderman Thompson Singapore

Sexist camera angles aimed at women at sports events not only objectify them but also disrespect their skills and achievements.

LUX stands with women against sexism in sports by raising awareness of sexist media camera angles with a campaign called Change The Angle. South Africa’s players sported QR codes on parts of their bodies where the media cameras tend to focus. Scanning the QR code led to the Change The Angle film where female athletes revealed our message about sexist camera angles. The film ended with a call for media cameras to focus on female athletes’ strengths and prowess and to follow the simple actionable guidelines included.

LUX has long stood with women against sexism wherever it occurs and wanted to create awareness of sexist camera angles which has gone unchecked for far too long.

< knock Knock>

Location: Republic of Korea┃Advertiser/Client: Korean National Police Agency┃Agency: Cheil Worldwide

* 2023 Grand Prix of the Year (PSA) *

SHELLMET is a combination of shell and helmet and is an upcycled helmet developed by the town of Sarufutsu in Hokkaido, Japan, and plastic manufacturer Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

The town of Sarufutsu, one of the scallop-producing areas in Hokkaido, Japan, exports about 40,000 tons of scallops every year, but at the same time, 40,000 tons of shells are being discarded as marine debris. When the export of shells was suspended in 2021, the town suffered from soil pollution and odors as the shells were left behind.

TBWA\Hakuhodo and Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. stepped in to solve this problem by creating a durable new material from scallop shells and recycled plastic and repurposing them into helmets.

Less than 50 days left until the first round of entries for MAD STARS 2024! 🌟

Don't miss out on the chance to showcase your quirky creative solutions and compete for the prize this year.

Remember, the first deadline is on May 10th (KST), with the final deadline on June 15th (KST).

It's not too late to join the excitement! Show the world your idea and make your mark.

Submit your entry here 👉 https://bit.ly/3x4rjlZ

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #awards #madstars #award #madstars2024 #award winning #case studies #finalist #Youtube

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madstars-festival · 1 month

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[JURY INTERVIEW] Gabriel Lora's First Impression of MAD STARS 2023

- Gabriel Lora, VP, strategy & digital Transformation at FCB Mexico

Gabriel Lora is VP, strategy & digital Transformation at FCB Mexico. He has worked on major brands such as BMW, Apple, Little Caesars, Mondelēz, and Yves Rocher in his career, designing digital strategies focused on understanding the consumer throughout their journey.

Since 2022, he has served as an instructor at MAD STARS' Global MAD Academy, a global online integrated practical training platform for Marketing, Advertising, and Digital content.

Last year, for the first time, I participated as a judge in the main competition of MAD STARS' Interactive, Moblie, Data Insights, Social & Influencer, Integrated, Innovation, and Commerce Stars, evaluating the entries from a professional perspective as a digital marketing strategist.

Gabriel Lora said that judging allowed him to look more closely at the world of Asian advertising!

Gabriel shares some of the things that stood out for him.

Q. Please give me your impression of your first MAD STARS festival

A. The experience was amazing. As you can imagine, Mexican and Korean cultures are very different but at the same time, we share a lot of things. So the combination of all of this was a very nurturing experience. Understanding how people in Asia integrate things like technology into problem-solving was amazing. Also, it’s interesting to discover that even though we are in very distant places, we share kind of the same problems. So all of this, mixed with the possibility of meeting very professional partners from all around the world, and sharing with them knowledge and good moments was something indescribable. Special thanks to the MAD STARS team who put so much effort into making feel us at home.

Q. You were also a jury member. What were you looking for in the work that you sent through? Did anything stand out in the jury room experience?

A. For me, the best way to judge a piece is to look at the mix between math (data) & magic (creativity). This combination needs to be balanced to resolve the problem that the work is addressing. If one of these factors is not present, or it’s not congruent for me, it’s not good work. Also, it needs to be an idea that belongs to a complete and extensive ecosystem of thinking. At FCB, we have a concept (and philosophy) that’s called, NEVER FINISHED, and it means that the best ideas are the ones that can be adapted and amplified over time. Math & Magic allows this kind of ideas (and projects).

Q. You are a former MAD STARS global instructor. Please tell me what that entailed and what the experience meant to you. Are the any observations that have stayed with you?

A. In all my professional career, my work as an instructor and educator has been very important. It’s of course an honor to share and expand the knowledge around my work. In this case, working as an instructor with MAD STARS brought me the opportunity to share valuable content around some topics that I love, that is design, strategy, and innovation. The merge of these three disciplines is fundamental to understanding the way that the world, creativity, and humans behave and communicate through technology, and for me this is fundamental. I have received good feedback for my course, and I hope I can participate more in the future.

Q. How does South American creativity compare to the creativity you saw at MAD STARS? Are there any cultural, social, or industry factors in particular that impact it?

A. Asian culture and Latin American culture share a lot of things, positive and negative. One of the big winners of the year, Knock Knock, talks about a problem that we share between cultures (gender violence in homes). For me, understanding the way that the agency approached the problem, got a solution, and incorporated technology was very interesting and I saw that this kind of idea can have a global impact. In the end, we are humans, and behaviors, drivers, ways of thinking, mindsets, etc. are social structures that can allow us to create bridges between cultures that could look very different but in the end are so close.

MAD STARS 2024, which gathers creative solutions from all over the world, will be held for three days from August 21st at Haeundae and BEXCO in BUSAN, KOREA!

This year's MAD STARS will be themed "AIM, Aim Marketing Success with AI", and we will share marketing success stories and insights on how to navigate the current era utilizing various AI technologies, including Metaverse and AIGC, the latest buzzwords in the industry.

We look forward to your interest and participation!

SUBMIT NOW👉https://bit.ly/3x4rjlZ

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #award winning #interview

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madstars-festival · 1 month

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1st Deadline D-50⏰

The 1st deadline for MAD STARS 2024 is just 50 days away!

What brilliant ideas have you come up with this year? We're awaiting your participation in MAD STARS 2024, filled with fresh and creative ideas.

The 1st deadline is May 10th (KST). Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your ideas to the world!

[1st Deadline (Early Bird) Entry Fees]

Professionals: $150 (7 Stars) / $200 (17 Stars)

General public (Non-professional): Free of charge

Submit your creativity👉https://bit.ly/3x4rjlZ

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #madstars #digital #awards #award #madstars2024 #entry #call for entry #call for entries

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madstars-festival · 1 month

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Apply for the Young Stars MAD Competition 2024🔥

🌟 Calling all aspiring college student creatives! 🌟

Get ready to unleash your talent in the Young Stars MAD Competition 2024, presented by MAD STARS. 🚀

Since 2008, Young Stars has been a platform for budding creators worldwide, providing an opportunity to showcase their skills in marketing and advertising. 🎨💼

Here's what you need to know:

📅 Registration Period: Until May 26th (KST) 🏆 Announcement of Finalists: June 11th (KST), on the MAD STARS website! 🌍 Final Round: August 20 - August 23 (KST) in BUSAN, KOREA 🎁Benefits for Finalist

Free Registration to access MAD STARS 2024 (Including Opening Ceremony, Awards, Exhibition, Conference)

Opportunity to attend Networking with juries

Provide a winning trophy to whom win a bronze or above (1 trophy per team)

Provide certificates of participation for all finalists

Eligible for internships at renowned advertising agencies.

Open to college and graduate students of all majors, Young Stars offers a creative challenge where participants craft an ad within 30 hours based on a given theme. 🎓✨

Don't miss your chance to shine! Join us in the Young Stars MAD Competition 2024 and let your creativity soar. 🚀

Apply now 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3P7ch4X

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #youngstars #youngstars2024 #universtudent #madstars2023 #university #student

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madstars-festival · 2 months

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[JURY INTERVIEW] MAD STARS' YOUNG STARS, To Become SUPER STARS of the Future

- Chermine Assadian, global creative lead, VML

- James Keng Lim, director of creative strategy, GCI Health

Young Stars MAD Competition (YOUNG STARS) is a marketing·advertising competition for students around the world to submit fresh ideas based on the subject of the contest that will be announced on-site.

Last year, 97 university students from 5 countries participated in YOUNG STARS, competing under the theme of 'Happiness with A Child'!

The Gold winner was awarded to the Backlight team of Wang Leyi and Zhang Zijie from Shanghai Normal University for their work 'Translate your parenting skills.'

Instead of directly encouraging young people to have children, the team at Backlight wanted to create a campaign that resonated with them by identifying what they need and understanding the real challenges they face, so they creatively conveyed the message that "Through raising a child, one can discover a whole new and improved version of themselves" highlighting the positive changes that individuals go through during the process.

Being a Young Star in advertising is tough. A lot more is expected of you than when you were new and naïve when your fresh ideas received glowing praise and your ability to translate them into campaigns was not expected to attain lofty heights.

'Translate your parenting skills.' is partnering with the world's most influential job app LinkedIn, the world's most influential job app, where users enter their parenting accomplishments or newly acquired skills on a specific page and the software automatically translates them into valuable workplace competencies. The humorous approach communicates to both job seekers and employers that being a parent doesn't make you less competitive and shouldn't be a target for discrimination.

The Backlight team says that with this campaign, they wanted to make young people realize that parenting serves to promote overall personal development, allowing individuals to become new and better people.

James Keng Lim, Director of Creative Strategy at GCI Health, who was a YOUNG STARS jury last year, said, "It was authentic, well-thought-through, impeccably articulated, and audaciously presented. The future of our industry is in good hands." and said the campaign stood out to him.

Being a YOUNG STARS, or "Rising Star", in the marketing, advertising, and digital content industry is never an easy road to travel. It's not the same as when you're a fresh, naïve newcomer who's lauded for your novel idea but not expected to have the ability to turn them into campaigns. At some point, you have a lot more to think about, and expectations are justifiably higher.

However, last year's YOUNG STARS contestants were different. They overcame the pressure to produce creative solutions to challenging themes in a short amount of time and impressed the juries.

Ahead of the recruitment of participants for the Young Stars MAD Competition 2024, which starts on March 18, we spoke to two of last year's YOUNG STARS judges.

Chermine Assadian, global creative lead at VML, and James Keng Lim, director of creative strategy, GCI Health.

We sat down with them to reflect on last year's Young Stars, which was an unforgettable experience in Busan, South Korea, where they evaluated the entrants' work and interacted with them.

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Q. You joined a jury about the YOUNG STARS 2023, please share your memories of the participants you met.

Chermine Assadian

: Quite professional! I must say the brief was very, very hard.

Changing behavior is probably the most complicated challenge in our job. In this case, the task was to encourage Korean couples to make more babies. It’s the most personal and life-changing behavior to tackle. But the YOUNG STARS did a great job trying to find good insights, cultural relevance, and surprising ideas.

James Keng Lim

: First things first. I just want to congratulate ALL the participants in the YOUNG STARS category. If I could give an award to everyone, I would. It takes mental fortitude, tenacity, hard work, and a perverse sense of sadism to want to put yourself out there, under immense pressure and insane deadline, not to prove to the judges you are creative, but rather, to prove to yourself you can make a difference.

So kudos to all the YOUNG STARS. You are the SUPERStars of the future.

Q. The enthusiasm of the participants is said to be overwhelming, as a jury, what impressed you the most about YOUNG STARS 2023?

James Keng Lim

: For budding talents, the final output was encouraging with loads of potential under the right guidance. But it is the depth of the thinking that I was most impressed with.

Chermine Assadian

: One thing I thought was admirable to witness was their thirst for knowledge. Many of them came to see the juries afterward to ask questions, and to understand what didn’t work in their ideas and how they could improve. It takes courage to go and ask questions when your idea wasn’t in the shortlisted ones.

Q. How do you see the future of creativity in Asia being led by YOUNG STARS?

Chermine Assadian

: The future of Asian creativity is bright. We must continue to stay proud of our identity, embrace our cultural diversity, and push relentlessly toward meaningful creativity. And we need more mad people across all disciples, specialists, and skill sets of the creative ecosystem,” Assadian stated.

James Keng Lim

: At the moment, some of the most interesting work is coming from Asia and the Middle East. These two regions embrace their identity and tackle local problems to ultimately do work that wouldn’t come from anywhere else. And that’s the start of any great idea,” Lim added.

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The Young Stars MAD Competition 2024 is now open for applications starting March 18th (KST)!

Any college student or graduate student can participate regardless of their major!

Show us your ideas that will change the world. We're looking forward to hearing from college students who want to unleash their creativity!

Learn more about Young Stars MAD Competition 2024

👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3P7ch4X

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #madstars2024 #award #youngstars #college student #graduate student #competition #ad

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madstars-festival · 2 months

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[WINNER INTERVIEW] THE MAKING OF A GRAND PRIX OF THE YEAR WINNER

Last year, 20,282 entries from 63 countries were submitted to the MAD STARS. Among the 788 winning works, 'SHELLMET' by TBWA\Hakuhodo was selected as the Grand Prix of the Year, in the PSA category.

SHELLMET is a combination of shell and helmet and is an upcycled helmet developed by the town of Sarufutsu in Hokkaido, Japan, and plastic manufacturer Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

TBWA\Hakuhodo and Koushi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. stepped in to solve this problem by creating a durable new material from scallop shells and recycled plastic and repurposing them into helmets.

What was the story behind the creation of the shells, connecting the common essence of shells and helmets to protect against external impacts?

We caught up with Takahiro Hosoda, chief creative officer at TBWA\Hakuhodo, who led the campaign, to find out!

Q. Where did the idea for SHELLMET come from?

A: It was about three years ago. A company called Koushi Chemical Industry tweeted about a new technology. It had developed technology with which eggshells could be transformed into plastic. An art director on my team noticed this and started imagining potential creative applications. We discussed this as a team, and one member remembered a story about seashell waste build-up affecting areas of Hokkaido in northern Japan. We thought that if we could leverage this technology and make plastic from these waste seashells, we could turn them into a valuable resource. That was the germination of the idea that would become SHELLMET.

Q. What were the challenges in getting it from idea to product?

A: The biggest issue was the "Strength" of the plastic material itself. We were birthing a product that is meant to protect human lives so there was no room for any compromise on safety. We collaborated with university-level researchers and tested them over and over.

Q. Were there any “Godsends” that helped to make it easier?

A: Actually, the godsend was the design of SHELLMET. We mimicked the rib structure found on actual scallop shells, initially as a visual nod to the source material from which SHELLMET is made. However, it turned out that this very design, the rib structure, gave SHELLMET the extra strength and durability that make it so viable as a product. There was some discussion about the cost implications of this design initially, but by pursuing this design, we achieved 30% more strength compared to ordinary plastic helmets.

Q. After the campaign, what will happen to SHELLMET? What are its plans?

A: SHELLMET will not end with a single campaign. We want to take this new product and new material and make it a viable choice worldwide.

Firstly, we want to spread SHELLMET the product, throughout the world. We’ve already managed to make SHELLMET the official safety helmet for the 2025 Osaka Expo, and we are getting many orders from factories across Japan choosing to use SHELLMET to protect their employees.

SHELLMET can be used to protect the lives of cyclists and can become the emergency protective gear of choice for all businesses, schools, and government facilities across the world. We’ve only scratched the surface and we intend to take it as far as we can.

Secondly, we want to expand the usage of the material from which SHELLMET is made. The material has so many potential applications like smartphone cases, earphone cases, or suitcases to name just a few. We are already being approached by many businesses and we are excitedly exploring future applications.

Q. What do you think are the criteria for great creative work? What helps you to make your work, and the work of your agency creative?

A: Firstly, to move people with ideas they’ve never seen. This is the essence of good creativity, and this does not change. However, great creative work in our times must also satisfy three important criteria. Namely the brand, the user, and society itself. Most traditional creative briefs are focused solely on brand profit and benefit.

We make a point of exploring these questions always: “How can we make the customer happier?” “How can we benefit society and bring meaningful change?”

Secondly, expand your thinking and vision through questioning, which will help you create a bigger, more impactful, and meaningful idea. This will, in turn, will help the brand reap even greater benefits.

Q. What does it mean to you and your agency to have won the award at MAD STARS?

A: To me, this trophy is not a symbol of what we’ve achieved. It is a symbol that orients us toward the future, telling us to do more.

We’re going “madder” than ever before and will continue to create meaningful changes for society. We thank all members involved in MAD STARS for this great honor. From the bottom of our hearts!

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Who will take home this year's Grand Prix of the Year? It could be you at MAD STARS 2024!

The 1st entry deadline (Early Bird) is approaching fast – May 10th.

Share your innovative solutions in Marketing, Advertising, or Digital content, and be a part of changing the world!

Let your ideas shine bright at MAD STARS 2024.

Submit your idea 👉🏻 www.madstars.org

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #madstars2023 #award #interview #award winning #winner #hakuhodo #psa #shellmet #grand prix of the winner

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madstars-festival · 3 months

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Information on Entry Fees - Early Bird

MAD STARS 2024 1st entry is being accepted ❗

Starting this year, MAD STARS Professionals entries are now fully paid. Since the entry fee varies by entry period and category, I would like to inform you of the fee for the first entry that is currently being accepted!

The 1st Deadline is May 10th (KST)🗓️ ️

We wait for creative solutions that will change the world!

Shortcut entry 👉🏻 www.madstars.org

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #entry #call for entries #call for entry #entry fee #early bird

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madstars-festival · 3 months

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[JURY INTERVIEW] MAD STARS, WHAT AN EXPERIENCE

MAD STARS attracts attendees from every corner of the Asia-Pacific region as well as jury members from places as far-flung as Mexico and Sub-Saharan Africa.

We wanted to know what they thought of last year’s festival, so we asked juries from countries near and far.

Kapil Bhimekar, creative director, Leo Burnett

MAD STARS was a highly inspiring and enriching experience. I was pleasingly surprised in so many ways, be it the quality of work, the venue, or even the whole organization of the event itself, it was so well done.

The thing that especially stood out for me was the people of Busan. I have never felt such warmth. The people from the organizing committee, as well as the locals around the town, were extremely helpful. The city overall has a beautiful welcoming vibe to it.

James Keng Lim, director of creative strategy, GCI Health

From a purpose and their entries model point of view, MAD STARS deserves all the credit. It embodies the ethos that the maddest ideas can change the world, independent of the size of the proverbial purse strings. I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate and commend the organizers and the relentless work done by the staff.

The festival ran like clockwork. It was well-organized and thoughtfully put together. I think I speak for all the juries when I say it is a festival all of us want to be a part of. That’s a huge compliment and validation of the great work done to put this festival together.

Rimantas Stanevičius, creative director, Milk

This was my first time at MAD STARS. While the festival typically doesn't extend invitations to preliminary jurors, my enthusiasm for a complete experience led me to secure a grant from the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture. This allowed me to travel to Busan and represent our local Art Directors Club through podcasting.

I had the privilege of meeting tons of amazing people from the industry, forging new connections, and rekindling old ones. For example, I had a chance to reconnect with fellow alumni from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership. I’d say my time there was well-spent, producing over two hours of interviews talking to Rey Kim of Mad Stars, Gabriel Lora, Jesse Wong, Becky McOwen Banks, and Mohammad Akrum Hossain among others.

Nurlan Satarov, creative director & creative group director, Cheil Worldwide

This was my third time as a juror since 2019, and I've noticed that the festival's scale and influence keep growing with each passing year. What sets MAD STARS apart from other awards shows is that it’s free to enter. And guess what? They've got a ton of entries that have won big awards at Cannes Lions, One Show, Spikes, and D&AD (the toughest festival to win, in my opinion). It's awesome spotting hidden little gems amidst the massive cases. Making it onto the list of award-winning works alongside those giants is a sweet deal, even if you land on the shortlist.

I genuinely enjoy heading to Busan and connecting with fantastic folks at Mad Stars. It's such a cozy and welcoming event. Returning to the festival in person after the pandemic was especially wonderful. There's just something special about being able to participate in person and connect with people face to face again. There's no denying it, festivals by the sea have this magical vibe that's hard to replicate elsewhere.

Speaking of the judging process, the system got a major upgrade. All the necessary information and materials were delivered promptly and without any hiccups, making the whole experience smooth and convenient. With over 20,000 entries last year, Mad Stars has certainly become a big fish in the global awards scene. Winning any type of award at Mad Stars amid such fierce competition is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the outstanding quality of the work. It's no small feat to stand out among the world's top-notch entries. A big shoutout to the folks in the jury support division – they made a difference and helped make the whole process even better.

MAD STARS are like ROCK STARS. It's hard not to love what they are doing.

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MAD STARS 2023 was filled with so many diverse experiences and warm memories!

What kind of juries will be joining MAD STARS this year?

We are looking forward to welcoming global experts who will evaluate various creative solutions with a fresh perspective at MAD STARS!

Don't miss out on the opportunity to evaluate outstanding entries from all over the world and make memories in the hot summer in the beautiful city of Busan by the sea!

Want to be a jury member for MAD STARS 2024?!

👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3wcSNp8

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #interview #jury #judging #creatives #creative solutions #creativity

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madstars-festival · 3 months

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We Await Your Ideas❗

"MAD STARS 2024" Entry is open!

We eagerly anticipate a diverse array of ideas from around the world that have led to success in the fields of Marketing, Advertising, and Digital content!

Especially noteworthy is that to take the quality and prestige of the Awards to the next level and ensure sustainable growth, we are overall paid for entries in the Professionals.

Entry fees vary based on the entry period and category!

🗓️2024 Entry Deadlines 🗓️ ✔️1st Deadline (Early Bird): May 10 ✔️2nd Deadline (Regular): May 31 ✔️Final Deadline (Late Fee): June 15 ✔️Finalist Announcement: July 19 ✔️Winner Announcement: August 23

Submit your idea 👉🏻 www.madstars.org

MAD STARS 2024 will take place in Busan, South Korea, from August 21 to 23! We look forward to receiving your creative ideas that have the power to change the world☺️

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars2024 #madstars #awards #award #callforentry #callforentries #creative solutions

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madstars-festival · 3 months

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[SPEAKER INTERVIEW] When Technology And OOH Hang Out Together, Great Things Happen - Tom Goddard, president & executive chairman of WOO

Tom Goddard has been president of the WOO(World Out of Home Organisation) since 2017, a worldwide association of outdoor advertising companies that supports and promotes outdoor advertising.

He was also a speaker at this year’s MAD STARS. He is an encyclopedia of out-of-home advertising and one of the drivers of its growth. His MAD STARS topic, Innovation in Out-of-Home Advertising, discussed the potential that technology can unleash.

Q. What were the main insights on which your session was built?

A: Innovation is key to the growth of Out of Home as the media world becomes bigger - thanks to online - but also more complex. Fortunately, we have the means to innovate - via technology - and prove that it works in the exponential growth of digital OOH. Technology is a friend to OOH whereas, for other legacy media, it's a challenge, even an obstacle.

Q. You have a world view of OOH advertising. Where in the world is it being done especially well?

MAD STARS 2022 Gold Winner - Liquid Billboard / MAD STARS 2022 Bronze, Crystal Winner - GIANT 3D CAT

A: I believe Asia in general, and South Korea in particular, are good examples and leading the charge in many respects. Digital is a key driver in many markets but in others, what we call classic is by far the main channel and likely to remain so in the foreseeable future. But that's the strength of the medium, we operate on two canvasses. Outside the coastal cities classic is by far the biggest medium in the US, still probably the world's biggest national market. India too.

Q. What are the main challenges to OOH now?

A: Growing our global market share from its current 5% or so to 10% and beyond must be the biggest challenge. It's what the medium merits. Within this audience measurement is a big factor, we badly need more consistency. Advertisers demand it, especially for global campaigns. Sustainability, too, is now center stage for advertisers and business in general, as it should be. OOH has a great story to tell but a difficult one to get across, as many of our canvasses are illuminated and using energy. But it compares very favorably, when measured against other media, although we have a lot more work to do. WOO recently formed a Global Sustainability Task Force to help our members, and the industry to hasten our efforts and achieve Ad net zero in a timely fashion.

Q. On the other hand, what is great about OOH right now? A: The extremely productive marriage of creativity and technology is unique to OOH. Other media, including online, struggle to use technology to improve creativity and creativity means impact. For most media, technology is a way to improve performance in terms of what we used to call direct marketing - targeting individual consumers, addressable TV for instance - but creativity has suffered, and such ads don't become part of the culture in the way they used to. The impact is therefore reduced. Technology enables digital OOH to produce amazing canvasses which engage and interact with people as well as have an unrivalled impact.

Q. Are there any exciting things under development for the future?

A: Automation and, to a degree, programmatic are opening a new world for OOH in terms of its place in omnichannel marketing, the key priority for many major advertisers. We know that OOH has an unrivalled impact, what we need to do is ensure our delivery is fast, seamless, and measurable.

Q. Where does OOH stand in the division of media (vs TV, online, radio, etc) now? Where do you hope it will stand in the media split in five years? A: Online isn't going away but I think advertisers, increasingly, are seeing its limits. And there are some big clouds on its horizon including privacy and concerns about the sheer scope and power of the tech giants. Traditional media like linear TV, print, and radio are clearly on the back foot in this battle. OOH, to a degree, has already undergone its own digital transformation and that should help to increase our market share, taking us to 10% and more. I expect to see this growth achieved by the end of this decade.

Exploring the development of the outdoor advertising market worldwide through various case studies would be insightful. Take a closer look at how the outdoor advertising industry is evolving by examining diverse examples from around the globe.

Source: WOO (World Out of Home Organisation)

We hope to witness more vibrant Digital Out of Home (DOOH) advertisements that captivate hearts by integrating exceptional technology.

We also look forward to your continued interest in MAD STARS 2024, scheduled in Haeundae, Busan, South Korea, in August!

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars2023 #madstars #awards #ooh #dooh #woo #tomgoddard #award #interview #Digital Out of Home #Digital Advertising #Out of home #Out of home Advertising

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madstars-festival · 4 months

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Happy New Year🎇

We extend our heartfelt wishes for a prosperous new year to each of you.

We sincerely thank you for your generous support of MAD STARS over the past year. Your passion, resilience, and creativity have enabled us to bring together creative communication solutions in the fields of Marketing, Advertising, and Digital Content.

In its 17th edition, MAD STARS has undertaken further measures to enhance its awards program's quality and prestige. Notably, we have decided to introduce an entry fee in the Professionals category to ensure sustainable growth and discover high-quality creative solutions from diverse regions across the globe.

We continue to adapt to the changes and challenges in the advertising and marketing industry, contributing to social values and maintaining our position as an internationally recognized awards festival.

As we embark on this new year, we wish you continued interest and support. May your days be filled with happiness and prosperity.

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars #awards #award #madstars2024 #2024 #AI #AIM #happy new year #greetings

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madstars-festival · 5 months

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[Delving into MAD STARS 2023 Winners] 4 Grand prix! Cheil Worldwide's 'Knock Knock'

The 'Knock Knock' campaign, crafted by Cheil Worldwide, clinched a remarkable total of 12 trophies at MAD STARS 2023, boasting 4 Grand Prix, 5 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, and 1 Crystal!

The collaboration between ‘Cheil Worldwide’ and the ‘Korean National Police Agency’, the 'Knock Knock’ campaign, raises the question: What ingenious idea led to its triumphant success?

In the past 8 years, domestic violence in Korea has surged by 718%. According to police statistics, reported cases of domestic violence totaled 245,064 in 2019, 221,824 in 2020, and 218,669 in 2021. Experts attribute this increase to the extended periods victims and perpetrators spend together due to social distancing and lockdown measures, making reporting even more challenging.

Designed with this challenging context in mind, 'Knock Knock' addresses situations where victims of domestic violence, child abuse, or dating violence find it difficult to directly report to 112 when sharing the same space with the perpetrator.

The campaign introduces an emergency phone system that enables victims to silently alert police about their danger, allowing them to dial 112 on their mobile phones, 'knock knock' just twice knock any number afterward. This action signals the police, who then send a link to the caller's mobile phone for real-time video transmission, location verification, and secure chat functions, facilitating optimal immediate response.

To implement this, over 4,800 emergency hotline counselors from the National Police underwent training to recognize crises solely by the 'Knock Knock' sound, resulting in a significant 42% increase in reported cases of domestic violence.

The initiative not only will benefit crime victims but also serve as a valuable tool for witnesses to various crimes, such as voice phishing, assault, and drunk driving, who wish to report without exposing themselves.

The success of 'Knock Knock' at MAD STARS 2023 lies in its life-changing campaign nature, language-agnostic adaptability, and sustainability as a long-term solution beyond a single campaign.

Providing a platform for victims to report without hesitation, 'Knock Knock' is a beacon of courage in challenging circumstances.

Experience the campaign now on the MAD STARS archive!

⬇️ Curious about 'Knock Knock'? ⬇️

youtube

⬇️ Want to know the behind-the-scenes story of 'Knock Knock'? ⬇️

#festival #advertising #busan #marketing #creative #digital #madstars2023 #madstars #awards #award #award winning #case study #case studies #cheil #police #Youtube

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