Shouvik Prasanna Mukherjee

Chief Creative Officer, Asia Pacific / EVP Global Creative Innovation  | Golin

I'm hunting for ideas that don't mirror reality‚ they bend it. Work that transforms divides into dance floors, turns friction into fuel, and makes business the unexpected hero of social change. Show me creativity that doesn't just open doors - it builds new rooms entirely.

The brave are getting braver. I'm seeing brands shed their corporate armour to become cultural activists. AI isn't replacing humanity - it's amplifying it. The best work now feels less like advertising and more like starting necessary fires. Purpose isn't a checkbox anymore - it's the entire playbook. And these awards matter because great work dies in darkness. These awards aren't trophies‚ they're signal flares showing others what courage looks like. Every winner becomes permission for someone else to push harder, dream wilder, and turn "that's impossible" into "watch this." We are not just celebrating campaigns - we are architecting tomorrow's creative courage.

Irene Kugelmann

Chief Creative Officer | DDB Germany Group

I love seeing surprising work. Being inundated with content left right and center everyday, makes communication that stands out in a surprising way a real joy to see. This is where craft plays a vital role for me: A great idea, an amazing execution and a point of view still remain the points that make work matter. AI has us all at the edge of our seats, but there is a universal truth to communication: A poor story stays poor even when enhanced by the powers of AI.

Targeting is the death of experimentalism in communication. Therefore it's quintessential to award work that breaks the mould of the expected.

Deirdre Waldron

CEO | TBWa\Ireland

I'm really looking for work that stand out because they're smart, well-crafted, and genuinely creative‚ stuff that makes people stop and take notice. It's important that the work feels fresh, is built on real insights, and actually works across whatever channels make sense. At the end of the day, I want to see ideas that raise the bar for creativity and effectiveness, and that people in our industry will still be talking about long after the awards.

There's a real push for authenticity and relevance at the moment, and the best campaigns feel less like traditional ads and more like experiences or conversations people actually want to be part of. These awards are important, because they celebrate that kind of innovation and set a benchmark for what great work looks like in our industry. Plus sharing and celebrating creative excellence helps inspire everyone to keep pushing boundaries and trying new things.

Krystle Mullin 

CCO | john st. / T&P Canada

BIG ideas (obviously!)

What stands out: The ambition & want to make real change for clients.

Peter Robertson

ECD International | Mother

I'll be looking for a body of work that isn't defined by the postcode of the office, but by its ability to travel. Ideas that might spark in one city, but are strong enough to start a conversation everywhere. Campaigns that feel like they could only have been made now, in this cultural moment.

These awards are important because they spotlight agencies and work that are defining where the industry is heading. They remind us that truly global creativity isn't about scale of media spend or office location - it's about ideas strong enough to connect across borders and cultures. The smartest campaigns don't try to look "global" from the start. They start from a sharp cultural truth, and because they're so specific, they end up resonating everywhere.

Simon Lloyd

Deputy CCO EMEA | VML

It's so hard to win big on the global stage. It brings an extra level of dedication to be able to resonate across markets, commanding creativity with such broad and wide reaching ambitions. The creative is always the first to be compromised. I am looking for scale, simplicity and storytelling.

Global work has so many challenges. It can be slow, generic, and oh so hard to get true cut through. The work that does well really resonates. Especially if you have worked on global accounts in the past. There are those bits of work that truly do this well, and those that try but fail. I love that these awards can highlight and celebrate the tenacity of those involved in making these project outstanding.

Vikram Pandey

Chief Creative Officer | Leo

Ideas that solve for real-world brand challenges in the most innovative way are the ones that I get draw towards.

While AI has been in the new for a long time now, fortunately we as an industry are reaching a point where just use of AI won't cut ice. I like how we are maturing to identifying use of tech and data as being a tool.

Noelia Fernandez

ECD | Ogilvy

Ideas that make me jealous‚ the kind that blow my mind and make me think: I wish I'd come up with that.

There's a wave of brands doing really bold work ‚ closely connected to culture and deeply tuned into what's happening on social media. They understand the language and mindset of the platforms and engage audiences through what they're already consuming. They shine a light on great ideas and push creatives to keep raising the bar every day.

Laura Jordan Bambach

Founder and Chief Creative Officer | Uncharted

The tingles of excitement and jealousy when you see something you wish you'd done with every fibre of your creative self.

In some areas, the importance of design is becoming stronger again.