Busan, South Korea’s Ad Stars, Asia’s largest advertising festival and awards gathering, announced the Grand Prix of the Year winners today with top honors bestowed on two campaigns: New Zealand Transport Agency’s gripping auto-safety ad, “Mistakes”, for excellence in public service advertising and Procter & Gamble’s inspirational, “Like a Girl”, in the products and services category.
Matt Eastwood, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at J. Walter Thompson, headed the panel of international judges for the festival. Eastwood said that both Like a Girl, created by Leo Burnett and Mistakes from Clemenger BBDO, were clear choices by the panel.
“When it came down to the final decision I polled the room, it was almost 80% with their hands up for Like a Girl, which to me is fantastic,” said Eastwood. Adding that judges also favored Mistakes by a large margin.
“Both of the pieces have such restraint. They don’t push something at you, they kind of get out of the way and let the story tell itself.”
Fellow judge, Merlee Cruz Jayme, Chief Creative Officer from DM9 Jayme Syfu, said that Like a Girl was the right choice.
“For me it is always new when you choose in the category,” said Jayme. “Does it resonate well in the category? It did.”
![Matt Eastwood, Merlee Cruz Jayme, Jose Miguel Sokoloff. [Photo: BIA]](https://www.brandinginasia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Matt-Eastwood-Merlee-Cruz-Jayme-Jose-Miguel-Sokoloff.jpg)
Executive committee judge, Jose Miguel Sokoloff, President of Mullen Lowe Group Global Creative Council, told Branding in Asia that Like a Girl retains its emotional hold on the viewer, regardless of how many times you see it.
“You walk into any judging situation trying to find something new, because that’s what we do every day,” said Sokoloff.
“But advertising should work when you see it over and over again. Some pieces of classic advertising you never get tired of watching and they never stop influencing you and this is one of those. This makes it even more meaningful.”
Both ads excel at what they do
Eastwood feels that the great strengths of Like a Girl and Mistakes is their ability to hold back without imposing themselves on the viewer.
“Both of the pieces have such restraint. They don’t push something at you, they kind of get out of the way and let the story tell itself,” said Eastwood.
“Particularly the Mistakes spot, it’s so restrained, so authentic, it doesn’t need high drama, it’s so quiet, but it touches you.”
Fellow judge Sonal Dabral, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer at DDB MUDRA, echoed Eastwood’s sentiment on the effectiveness of Mistakes.
“It could have very easily become melodramatic. Even the special effects act to tell the story and you don’t get distracted by it.”
Interpretation of familiar themes
The themes in both ads are largely nothing new; feelings of love, loss and rejection play on an infinite loop of the shared human experience. Yet, Like a Girl and Mistakes both forage their own unique interpretation of common themes in the arena of human emotion.
“When you touch the right human insight it becomes new and it takes on something that touches us somehow and it becomes fresh to our eyes,” said Jayme.
When asked about the trend of longer, more involved story-telling captivating a world often noted for an ever-shortening attention span, Eastwood expressed great optimism with the popularity of ads such as Like a Girl.
“That so many people sat down for three minutes and paid attention to an ad about feminine hygiene, that’s incredible,” mused Eastwood.
“That would have never happened with a 30-second ad twenty years ago. So, I think it’s an amazing time to be in our industry.”
The Winners
https://youtu.be/bvLaTupw-hk
Ad Stars is an open competition with both amateur and professional entrants. Ad Stars 2015 saw 17,698 entries submitted.
Prior to the final judging by the executive committee entrants are screened by 193 judges from 67 countries.
The two Gran Prix of the Year winners each walk away with a $10,000 prize.
Grand Prix Winning List
“Not A Bug Splat” Reprieve / Foundation For Fundamental Rights BBDO Pakistan
“I Touch Myself” Project Cancer Council NSW JWT Sydney
“Safety Truck” Samsung Leo Burnett Argentina
“MIC – Moby Dick” Penguin Group (China) Y&R Beijing
“Like a Girl” Procter & Gamble Leo Burnett Canada/Chicago
“Like a Girl” Procter & Gamble Leo Burnett Canada/Chicago
“Like a Girl” Procter & Gamble Leo Burnett Canada/Chicago
Samsung “Memory Recaller” BBDO Thailand
“House of Mamba” Nike AKQA Shanghai
“House of Mamba” Nike AKQA Shanghai
“The Message from the Lungs” Thai Health Promotion Foundation BBDO Thailand
Download complete list of winners here.
Ad Stars official site: www.adstars.org
