Show Me Something New
August 07, 2016
[from an art curation blog where it was posted without attribution]
I'm judging the New Category at the London International Awards this year.
It's always the hardest thing to judge, as everyone who has been on the jury says, for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, the pieces are all entirely different, in form and scale, making like for like comparisons hard. Secondly, we're looking for pieces of work that can help drive the industry forward, beyond its assumed outputs. It has to factor in not just how good an idea is but whether it provides a useful new direction for brands and agencies.
This year the president is Emmad Tahtouh, Director, Applied Technology at FINCH and winner of the first D&AD Black Pencil. [Also a former professional poker player].
The jury includes: Lars Bastholm, CCO at Google Zoo; Laura Jordan-Bambach, Creative Partner at Mr President; Andrew McKechnie, Global Group Creative Director Apple; Joe Sciarrotta CCO Ogilvy & Mather Chicago; Taras Wayner, ECD at RG/A - so we have a good balance of agency profiles, although obviously we need more women.
We don't want to see something new that is either: a] fake b] a social campaign designed to make the brand seem smart and kind but that makes no sense when you think about it c] a pointless use of technology d] a PR stunt dressed up as innovation.
We do want to see, reward, celebrate and promote generative mutations that can open up new avenues of thought, new roles for agencies, and for advertising, inside business and culture.