Ideas are the common language at Adfest
Jon Skinner, creative partner at independent creative consultancy 12:20 in Sydney is on this week’s Adfest Interactive Lotus & Mobile Lotus jury. Here are his thoughts on what he’s seen, exclusive to CB.
Adfest 2014, the annual Asian advertising festival, is in full swing with the judging now mostly complete and crowds of delegates from here there and everywhere arriving by the planeload.
For the last few days I have been judging the Interactive Lotus and Mobile Lotus categories along with jurors from China, Singapore, Japan and Thailand and Malaysia.
It has been a great experience with healthy debate about what should (or shouldn’t) win and why. During one of these debates it struck me that even though all the jurors were sharing their views in English, the big winners, I believe, would have been pretty similar even if we could not have understood each other. It was clear to see that the genuinely new, innovative and powerful work cut across language barriers to require very little debate. Those rare ideas speak to anyone and everyone, wherever they’re from.
Adfest, with its multinational congregation is testament to the need for and power of simple, bold and game-changing thinking. It also serves as a solid reminder as to why we all got into this industry – great work and fun!
As well as the opportunity to meet some fascinating new people, the next few days are laden with workshops and talks by a line-up of master craftsmen and industry leaders. And those delegates (and judges) who aren’t recovering in their rooms from overnight adventures on ‘Walking Street’ will be filling the conference rooms to refuel their inspiration.
‘Co-creation’ is the theme of this year’s festival, but I think it also sums up the Adfest experience in Pattaya as a whole. Set in a beautiful part of the world (where unlike Cannes a beer doesn’t cost you $20) the event marries a celebration of great work with a great time.
So, if you haven’t taken part in Adfest before, set your sights on snagging a Gold Lotus or two and see you here in 2015!