Ho Chi Minh Young Lotus: 06/01/2007

That was the message screaming from a giant billboard welcoming our cab as it made its way into Pattaya town, courtesy of McCann Erickson Thailand. Which reminded me that McCann had upped its ante in recent years at Asia Pacific’s premier advertising event, notably McCanns no holds-barred party which is, interestingly, labeled Creative Coup this Friday night. Featuring top UK acts from The Comedy Club, live percussions shows, choreographed troop performances, caged dancers, a Thai rock band and Jan Gerits jumping out of a box!

In the meantime, Walking Street had it fair share of jay walkers from this year’s AdFest delegation of almost 1600 people. The Happy A Go Go Bar, followed by the Super A Go Go bar didn’t fail to please the tired eyes of delegates recovering from a hard and hectic day of talks, lectures, and workshops. Campaign Brief Asia’s Kim Shaw in the meantime headed to the Carousel to pay his bar dues from last year. While ADOI’s Gary Tay and Joe De Silva were busy interviewing delegates in the fish tank bar at the Royal Cliff main lobby. Ham was also on an urgent mission to attend TBWA\’s diner session which was regularly peppered by some pretty challenging ‘Did you Know’ jokes by, did you know, John Merrifield.

This morning The Hammer spoke to John Hunt who’s the Film Jury Prez this year. John was also Cannes Jury Prez two years ago. He shared his thoughts on how Asia seemed to be at some creative crossroad after 10 years of AdFest. John says the time for a new wave of creative styles and ideas will emerge in the next curve for the region. He also had very good words to say about McCann India’s Pepsodent TVC!

AdFest announces founding partnership

AdFest announces founding partnership of Intercontinental Advertising Cup 2007
The 10th Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (AdFest) continued the screening of entries for TV and Radio Lotus for its second day, when almost 1600 delegates gathered at PEACH, the Royal Cliff Beach Resort in Pattaya Thailand - an increase in attendance of fifteen per cent compared to 2006. With the number of entries increasing 5,012 this year, the exhibition of two-dimensional work has outgrown its original space and now covers three floors of the convention centre. This includes Print, Outdoor, DM, 360 and Innovation Lotus entries. To help delegates access to Print and Cyber entries, these have been made available for viewing via six screening stations located in the exhibition.

SPEAKER SESSIONS
The first session of the day was organized by Japan Advertising Agency Federation (JAF). Three speakers were joined by Mr. Chris Kyme.of 8 Partnership, Hong Kong who moderated the discussion. They were Naoko Katayama, strategist from Dentsu, Yutaka Sugiyama, senior creative director from Hakuhodo and Tomotake Kawagoe, creative director from ADK. The session, entitled ‘The Practical Guide to Planet Japan’ shared different campaigns with delegates to provide a better understanding of the unique Japanese advertising style. Integrated campaigns such as the Cool Biz concept to help reduce global warming were debated, along with the viral campaign for Nike iD, featuring the colourful ‘Akibaman’ series broadcast exclusively through MySpace.

Ms. Daniela Krautsack from Mediacom Vienna covered the subject of ambient media in her presentation, ‘Cows in Jackets''. From her worldwide study interviewing 270 creative experts and advertisers, she is producing a book and documentary on the growth of ambient media around the globe. As media fragmentation and advertising clutter has increased, ambient media has become a useful way of capturing people’s attention in an unusual environment, when they least expect it. Her study has captured examples of ambient media from Europe, North and Latin America and Asia Pacific.

FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS
The afternoon session featured regional award shows and the festival of festivals, The Cup.

AdFest invited festivals from other regions to showcase their award winning work. Mr. Daniel Marcet presented FIAP - the Latin American advertising festival. Mr. Jure Apih presented the award winners from Golden Drum – the new Europe advertising festival.

Lastly, Mr. Michael Conrad announced the launch of the first ever, Intercontinental Advertising Cup (The Cup) to be held in Spain in November 2007.

This ground-breaking idea is jointly supported by the founding partners of Mr Vinit Suraphongchai, Chairman of Working Committee of the Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (AdFest), Mr. Michael Conrad, President of Berlin Creative Leadership School, Mr. Daniel Marcet, President of the Ibero-American Advertising Festival (FIAP) and Mr. Jure Apih, President of the Golden Drum Advertising Festival of New Europe.

The objective of The Cup is to create a global awards show that places a greater emphasis on the influence of culture and language which impacts and defines creative advertising around the world.

The idea for the Advertising Cup was conceived in 2006. All finalists from AdFest, FIAP and Golden Drum will qualify to be judged by a panel of internationally renowned judges who understand the importance of local culture in the search of creative excellence.

Mr. Michael Conrad, formerly Worldwide Creative Director of Leo Burnett said, "It is time the world has an alternative concept and approach to judging creativity in advertising. Any global domination of judging and evaluation can in the long term be counter-productive. A greater emphasis should be given to the diversity of culture and language."

As the largest creative awards in Asia Pacific, AdFest has long been an advocate of local advertising and is a magnet for advertising excellence in the region. Its organizers believe passionately that local culture is an integral factor in the development of relevant and effective media communications.

Jimmy Lam, Chairman of the AdFest Sub-Committee for Judges and Speakers explains, “Great advertising is about connecting with and relating to your audience. You cannot ignore the importance of local culture and language when they help convey a message clearly to the heart and soul of people that use them”.

A semi-permanent judging panel will be the format to ensure the quality and the continuity of the criteria for winning Cup Awards. Nominees of the various awards categories will be invited to attend THE CUP Awards Gala.

EVENING COCKTAILS HOSTED BY BERLIN SCHOOL OF CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
While there was no official event scheduled for the evening slot at AdFest, a cocktail party was organised by The Berlin School of Creative Leadership and hosted by Michael Conrad, president , Benjamin Lorch and Carsten Rasner. The school has launched the first Executive MBA for Creative Leadership, designed to arm the next generation of creative directors with the business and leadership skills to run a successful and profitable creative department or agency.

Chairman of the AdFest Steering Committee, Mr. Toshiaki Nozue sits on the school’s board of governors and the faculty reads like a who’s who of creative excellence. It includes many individuals who have been judging chairmen at AdFest, including Marcello Serpa, Akira Kagami, Tham Khai Meng, Piyush Pandey, Craig Davis, John Hunt, David Droga and Michael Conrad himself.

AP AdFest 2007 is the largest ever. 5,102 creative works have been submitted from over five hundred agencies in forty-nine cities around the region - a six per cent increase on the number of entries entered in 2006.

AdFest 2007 celebrates “Turning 10”

Delegate numbers and award entries continue to increase for the tenth consecutive year.

AdFest is “Turning 10”. For four days from 14-17 March 2007, it will celebrate a decade of success from which has emerged the largest regional awards event in Asia Pacific. A fifteen per cent increase in registration means the biggest contingent of over 1600 delegates from more than forty countries around the world will arrive at PEACH (Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall) at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort in Pattaya, Thailand. They will witness a festival of creativity that encompasses more media channels than ever and embraces the contribution of both advertising and production industries in Asia Pacific.

ADFEST LOTUS AWARDS
The Asia-Pacific Advertising Festival (AdFest) Working Committee has confirmed that 5,012 entries have been submitted this year, an increase of six per cent on the number of entries in 2006. The coveted AdFest Lotus Awards will be even more sought after this year. AdFest is one of the founding partners of The Intercontinental Advertising Cup, in collaboration with Ibero- American Advertising Festival (FIAP) and the Golden Drum Advertising Festival of New Europe. All Lotus Award finalists will be automatically entered into the Cup, which will take place in Spain in November 2007.

Over five hundred agencies in forty-nine cities around the region have entered. The top five cities by number of entries are Bangkok (807), Mumbai (732), Singapore (587), Tokyo (551) and Hong Kong (327). Print Lotus entries have increased slightly on last year and TV and Outdoor have dropped slightly, perhaps reflecting the proliferation of different media channels in the advertising market. There have been significant increases in entries for DM, Cyber and Film Craft as well as entries in new award categories for Radio, 360 (Integrated Work) and Innovation Lotus, sponsored by Contagious.

ADFEST JUDGING PANELS
AP AdFest has invited fifty-one judges to join the judging panels, which are divided by category, in order to cope with the volume of work that needs to be assessed. Jimmy Lam, chairman of the sub-committee of speakers and judges said, “I am immensely grateful for the commitment from our judges. As busy international and regional creatives, they apply themselves passionately with the highest standards of judging to ensure that the best work wins.”

Each advertising awards category has a panel of judges, headed by a judging chairman. Chairing the Film Panel is John Hunt, worldwide creative director for TBWA Johannesburg. Sitting as judging chairman for Print is Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and national creative director for Ogilvy & Mather India. For Outdoor awards, it is Linda Locke, Regional Executive Creative Director for Leo Burnett Asia Pacific. The judging chairman for Direct Marketing is Dave King, national creative director for M&C Saatchi in Sydney. For the Cyber Lotus, it is Benjamin Palmer, chief executive offiver and chief creative director for the Barbarian Group, based in Boston, USA.

There are three new categories for Lotus Awards this year. The chairman for Radio Lotus is Tony Hertz, director of Hertz:Radio and Other Clever Advertising. 360 Lotus for integrated and multi-media campaigns and Innovation Lotus (sponsored by Contagious) will be chaired by David Droga, creative chairman of droga5 in New York.

There are two categories open to production houses. The panel of judges for TV Craft is chaired by Nelson Ng, editor at Touches, Hong Kong. Steve Dunn, head of art for JWT, London is chairing the judging panel for Print Craft.

ADFEST SPEAKERS
To reflect the cultural diversity of channels that is evolving in the advertising world, AP AdFest has also organized an unprecedented fifteen speakers to stimulate and inspire delegates as they attend the festival.

Confirmed creative speakers at the event include Mr. David Droga speaking on how ‘The future isn''t what it used to be'', Mr. John Hunt talking about how ‘If it ain''t got that swing, it don''t mean a thing'' and Mr. Benjamin Palmer giving advice on ‘Learning by doing''. Mr. Peter Souter valiantly tackles the unpredictable with ‘The future of advertising''.

This year, AdFest has invited speakers to throw some light on consumer insights. Mr. David McCaughan runs McCann-Erickson’s Pulse survey. His topic is ‘Don''t call them consumers''. Ms. Daniela Krautsack''s from Mediacom Vienna will talk about the influence of ambient media in ‘Cows in Jackets''.

This year, the successful panel discussions that are so popular at AdFest have been brought back and include Mr. Paul Kemp-Robertson from Contagious leading a panel discussion on “Brand Utility” with creative leaders from the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Lewis Blackwell advises delegates to ‘Look, don''t read”, and will lead a panel discussion with some of AdFest judges.

Japan Advertising Agency Federation will share with delegates ‘The Practical Guide to Planet Japan’. Three speakers from Dentsu, Hakuhodo and ADK will be joined by moderator Mr. Chris Kyme. Japan Association of Commercial Film will present its all time favourite ‘Remarkable Five’, introducing five young TVC directors from Japan, Philippines, New Zealand, Singapore and Bangladesh. Each budding director will present his or her short film based on the “Turning Ten” theme of AdFest 2007.

AdFest has invited festivals from other regions to showcase the best work. Mr. Daniel Marcet will present FIAP - the Latin American advertising festival with its winning ads. Mr. Jure Apih will present the award winners from Golden Drum – the New Europe Advertising Festival. Mr. Michael Conrad will talk about the mission of the first ever InterContinental Advertising Cup to be held in Spain in November 2007.BBDO Asia will also present the results of the Young Lotus Workshop, which this year has been filmed from start to finish in a virtual reality test case.

ADFEST YOUNG LOTUS WORKSHOP
This year, the Young Lotus Workshop is being conducted for the fourth time. Inspiring the talent at the Young Lotus Workshop will be Chris Thomas - Chairman& CEO BBDO Asia Pacific, Peter Souter - Deputy Chairman and CCO, AMV BBDO London, Suthisak Sucharittanonta - Chairman & CCO, BBDO Bangkok, David Guerrero - Chairman & CCO, BBDO Guerrero/Ortega and Simon Bond - Regional Director, Proximity Asia.

Thirty young creatives are participating from fifteen cities participating in the first reality-based workshop of its kind, ever. Over two full days, as the creative development for the workshop takes place, the participants will be recorded and taped, leaving no part of the process out. The ‘reality’ of creating inspired thought and growing each idea will then be observed and judged.

The Asia Pacific Advertising Festival aims to provide a creative forum and stimulus for learning in a festival atmosphere for the advertising community in Asia Pacific. It is where the great cultural diversity of work from the region is showcased, rewarded and celebrated. It is for people to inspire, learn and absorb, teach and innovate, communicate, discuss and debate. The 10th Asia Pacific Advertising Festival 2007 is held from March 14-17 2007. The event takes place at its permanent home, the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall (PEACH), Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand.