Manila TVC Commercial Young Lotus

Manila TVC Commercial Young Lotus





This year BBDO Asia is launching an innovative approach to the Workshop. Its approach will see 30 young creatives from 15 different countries 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.

Manila Shooting Day

Manila Shooting Day

Manila Present Story Board

Manila Present Story Board

Jimmy Lam on AdFest at 10 IN PRINT

Jimmy Lam on AdFest at 10
IN PRINT, ADFEST 2007

From copywriter to ECD and CEO, then TVC director to regional ECD, Jimmy has over 30 years of creative and creative management experience. Wanting to contribute his experience to the industry that made him
what he is today, Jimmy has become publisher and editor of Longyin Review the Chinese advertising showcase magazine, founder of the LongXi Chinese Awards, captain of
Clipper Asia and a creative trouble shooter for Dentsu Asia. But he is mostly known as AdFest’s co-founder and president. After planning and pulling off AdFest at 10, Jimmy Lam looks back his baby’s 10th birthday bash.

adobo: Have you settled down to your regular work after hosting Asia’s largest advertising festival?
Jimmy: Right after AdFest 2007, I was back to my normal work mode as the regional trouble-shooter and trainer for Dentsu Asia, and have been traveling like mad.

adobo: It was a big year for AdFest this year, being on its 10th year. How did you and Vinit Surapongchai get AdFest on its feet?
Jimmy: I first met Vinit in Cannes 1994 as fellow TV Lions judges. After several days in the freezing dark room, Vinit and I made the “big escape” over lunch to a small Vietnamese restaurant behind the Majestic Hotel. Over bowl of steaming hot beef noodles, we came up the idea of starting a more affordable advertising festival for ad people in our region. In 1998, AdFest became a reality.

adobo: Twenty-one years ago, the Media Spikes was the first Asian advertising awards show. How do you see AdFest vis-a-vis the Media Spikes?
Jimmy: Ten years ago, they (Media Spikes) were the only meaningful regional awards. And AdFest was started as more than another regional awards (show), an annual gathering for industry people in our region to learn, exchange ideas, meet old friends and make new ones. Since last year, Spikes has moved from a one-night awards evening to a two-day event like a festival. Like any entity, AdFest just have to keep moving forward and not live on yesterday’s success.

adobo: Where is the AdFest now after 10 years? What do you think the festival stands for, in the minds of the agency heads and creatives who attend and participate in the festival?
Jimmy: It is THE annual gathering for industry people in our region, and in participated by more and more industry people outside our region. It is when and where most of us can learn, exchange ideas and see where we go from here.
adobo: What were the BIG things that happened at the AdFest this year for you?
Jimmy: Accommodating over 5,000 entries, 10 awards categories (three of which we have never done before), 51 judges, 15 speaking sessions, over 1,600 delegates in a long four-day festival, and become the official complaint department alias President of AdFest.

adobo: What do you think of the quality of work entered into the show?
Jimmy: The creativity bar in conventional media categories such as TV, Press and Outdoor Lotus is more or less the same. There seems to be a bit lack of “wow” in ambience adverting unlike previous years. We still need to find a way to get Print and Film Craft Lotus attracting the quantity and quality of entries it deserve. For the Radio Lotus, it is only the beginning, similar to what happened DM and Cyber Lotus which started three years ago. To me, the excellent creatives came from Cyber, 360 and Innovation Lotus.

adobo: You had a very good pool of judges this year, with creative giants David Droga, John Hunt, Piyush Pandey and Linda Locke as jury heads. How would you assess the judging this year?
Jimmy: Both Vinit and I believe we are doing the right thing to have separate judging panels on various categories, so that the judges can stay focused and spend quality time to go through all entries and have ample time for discussion and debate.
The question is affordability. I hope we can afford to invite more judges in some of the panels next year.

adobo: What was the buzz you heard from the delegates after the AdFest?
Jimmy: There were still a few small glitches on the operation in processing of entries, punctuality of speaking sessions, smoother running of awards presentation that we have to fix, to continue to be the most eminent industry annual event in Asia Pacific region. And, where were all the many big agency parties that we used to have?

adobo: Tell us about The Cup in relation to the AdFest?
Jimmy: AdFest is one of the three founding festival partners of The CUP. More festivals are joining to make The CUP the festival of festivals. It will be interesting to see how the finalists of AdFest 2007 fare at The CUP in November.

adobo: You are a forward-thinker. What is your vision for AdFest in 2008 and beyond?
Jimmy: I am seeking advice from friends of AdFest for me to work on the drawing board of AdFest 2008, to match the success of “AdFest Turning 10.”
None of us can imagine what our industry will become in 10 years from now. AdFest will always move to keep up with times, and it’s not an option. It will continue to be the annual gathering where most of us can learn, exchange ideas and see where we go from there.




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issue #9 May-June 2007

ASIA PACIFIC ADVERTISING FESTIVAL 2007

ASIA PACIFIC ADVERTISING FESTIVAL 2007
IN PRINT, ADFEST 2007

AdFest 2007 is where great names in advertising from Asia and the world meet and where Asia’s greatest ads are awarded on that famous Thai beach called Pattaya. The four-day festival drew over 1,600 people from Asia’s
creative community to celebrate the 10th Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (AdFest), at the PEACH, Royal Cliff Beach Resort. AdFest is “the largest ever gathering of advertising and production professionals in Asia Pacific!”
This year, 895 TV ads were screened, and 1,453 press ads, 1,392 outdoor ads as well as entries for DM, Cyber, 360 and Contagious Lotus for Innovation awards were exhibited in three floors of the convention hall. Over 5,000 pieces of work from over 500 agencies in 49 cities around the region, a six percent increase on the number of entries entered in 2006.
This year, the festival marked its 10th anniversary, with founders Jimmy Lam and Vinit Suraponchai leading the celebration. David Droga of Droga5 headed the inaugural 360 and Innovation Awards jury; TBWA Worldwide’s John Hunt presided over TV; O&M India’s Piyush Pandey led the Print jury; Singapore’s Linda Locke did Outdoor; Tony Hertz of Hertz Radio presided over the inaugural Radio Lotus; Bejamin Palmer, for Cyber and Dave King, for Direct Marketing.


The Best in TV went to last year’s Cannes Gold Lion winner, Toyota “Humanity” by Hakahodo Japan. Leo Burnett Bangkok topped Print for the beautifully crafted Clima Bicycle Lock “Barriercylcle” print campaign. In Outdoor, BBDO Singapore’s captivating poster for Wrangler “Squat” was declared best of the lot. Best in Radio went to ADK Tokyo for Jino Forestino “Photoshoot,” Best in Cyber to Xbox 360/Micorsoft “Big Shadow” by GT Inc. Tokyo and the Best in Innovation went to Oxyride Batteries “OxyrideManned Airplane” by Hakahudo Japan. The judges felt that no work qualified to be named best in Direct Marketing and in 360 Lotus.
An overall great year for Tokyo, Thailand and Singapore which brought back home a big haul of the Lotus crystal ball awards.




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issue #9 May-June 2007

Camp Creatives TOP STORIES

Camp Creatives
TOP STORIES

Facing down the Storm
For the second year in a row, Leo Burnett’s young creatives outgunned everyone else. Two of its junior writers, Nonie Tobias and Mella Advincula, beat 25 other teams in the third annual Camp Creatives, for the right to represent the country in the Young Creatives competition in the next Cannes Advertising Festival.

Teams from TBWA \ Santiago Mangada Puno and Blue Bottle, won second and third places, respectively. The former earned the privilege of competing in the Young Lotus shootout at the next Asia Pacific AdFest in Pattaya.

This year’s judges—chief creative officers and executive creative directors Tanke Tankeko of Creative Juice, Dave Ferrer of JWT, Merlee Jayme of DM9 JaymeSyfu, Don Sevilla of JimenezBasic, and Creative Guild President Leigh Reyes—were on the lookout for an unexpected and original idea. More importantly, they searched for a creative team that could spot a winning idea right off the bat.

They found both in Leo Burnett’s Tobias and Advincula. In answer to a brief that called for “world peace” in the work environment, they presented a campaign of “Happy Thoughts.” Their idea had white- and blue-collar workers cavorting in cartoon land and literally floating high on positive thinking, in storyboards, print ads and ambient materials.

“It’s a beautiful idea,” says Reyes. “Amazing for people so young—how they can build an idea, push it and stick to it.”

The judges also admired the TBWA\SMP entry, which had people being unusually cheerful, all because a camera was pointed at them. The dark horse entry from Blue Bottle had the jury rubber-necking, too, with its play on, well, work as play.

Indeed, dark horses gave the favorites a run for their Cannes plane tickets. Along with Blue Bottle, a team from J Romero & Associates made it to the finals, while a few from the first-tier creative agencies did not fare as well.

One standout participant, Paul Toledo, wasn’t even a creative. He was a suit from JimenezBasic. Judges found his enthusiasm so irresistible that they awarded him Best Radio Performance by an AE Training to be a Creative in a Creative Workshop.

Understandably, Dino Jalandoni, Leo Burnett creative director and Creative Guild officer, was both estatic and relieved that his agency’s team still managed to win.

“I was just like an expectant father…I saw a lot of really good thinking, and the teams were not just being creative for creativity’s sake.”
So what advice did he give his victorious wards?

“I just told the team to play it loose and do it the Burnett way, which is solid thinking and having fun.”

Fun was the order of the day. Earlier in the workshop, Camp Creative chairman Nathan Javier of JimenezBasic organized a series of lectures, to prepare the participants for the overnight shootout.

Asked about the one thing these creatives under 30 picked up in Camp Creatives, the Blue Bottle kids said, “You really have to have fun while you’re pushing yourself.”

The Lotus Blooms by Ryan Rubillar

The Lotus Blooms by Ryan Rubillar
IN PRINT, NEWS, ADFEST 2007

A month has passed since we first set foot in Pattaya, to represent Manila at the Young Lotus at Adfest. Yet memories of the competition are still fresh and vivid, and in living color.
We lost. To Japan! Oh and yes, to China.
But we bested everyone else.
Back then, the pressure to win never bothered us (or at least we tried not to be). We just wanted to do something that would make us and our agency proud.
“See that. We did that in only two days, using this cool Nokia N93i.” Something to that effect.
But it looks like the Muse was on our side. The jury shortlisted us into the finals. When they showed our work on the gala night, along with Japan’s and China’s, in front of two thousand delegates (only the movers and shakers of the industry in the whole Asia Pacific region!) I couldn’t be more ecstatic... or anxious.
Then people began congratulating us. The thought that we did a good job finally sank in. Yes, all our hard work paid off! How we love this industry for giving young talent a chance for glory!
Of course, right then and there, we knew who won—we just wanted to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. Leaks do happen before awards show, no thanks to the power of alcohol.
Going through task of producing a 60-second TV commercial—in 48 hours with nothing more than a video phone—was an ordeal, as daunting as it was draining. Factor in the language barrier between us, the Thais and the Europeans, along with a TV camera crew that followed us wherever we went. (By the way, the whole competition was supposed to be a reality show where the whole creative process is documented from conception down to production.)
The brief was to sell Pattaya. The objective was to erase the negative perception of the place as a sex tour destination, by communicating: “You can do good things in Pattaya.”
Our solution: project Pattaya as a place for the family. How? By depicting a tourist in a series of 15s doing things all by himself such as playing football on the beach with himself; painstakingly carrying a dozen of shopping bags by himself; or as simple as taking a picture, alone. Then we flash the copy: “If only you brought them along.”
In a flash of inspiration, the Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” popped into our heads. The lyrics were perfect. In stark contrast to the video of the lonely tourist, the song is cheery. Enough to make anyone hum along.
Now, competition aside, I say it was one of the most wonderful experiences we ever had, and which we will never have again. The viral video of BBDO for the Young Lotus says it best, “...that will change their lives forever.”
It was an amazing learning experience indeed. Young people, from different nations, bonding, comparing cultural differences, discovering commonalities, sampling the Thai massage together, talking about Manny Pacquaio, sharing the same youthful passion for good advertising and most importantly, erasing misconceptions about each other by replacing them with great memories.
Yes, my fellow Asian creatives, the lotus blooms, even in Manila.


Ryan Rubillar is a copywriter at TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno and was one of
Manila’s Young Lotus representatives at AdFest 2007.

Interview with AdFest 2007 Chairpersons

Interview with AdFest 2007 Chairpersons
Tony Hertz: Language isn't a barrier at the AdFest Radio Lotus Awards

“Radio is my medium. It feels like home, where I'm completely comfortable, and always have been,” Tony Hertz says. “Radio has been my passport to 26 countries and enabled me to share what I know with literally thousands of creative people, face to face, all over the world.”

This highly-acclaimed radio specialist, whose career has spanned over 30 years and 4 continents, is an award-winning agency CD and owner of his own London-based Radio Creative/Production company, Hertz: Radio and Other Clever Advertising Ltd. He was a member of the first Cannes Radio Jury in 2005, and is the Chairman of the first ever Radio Lotus Awards at next year's AdFest.

He laments that radio advertising has not been given the respect it deserves here in the region, or around the world. “In the last few years, I've done workshops in KL, Singapore and Manila. And from them, I'd guess that with few exceptions, radio creativity in the region is in the same state it is everywhere else in the world - lagging behind TV, Print and Outdoor in terms of level of appreciation by advertisers, media people and creative directors, and also - or perhaps therefore - lagging in quality of thinking and execution,” he says.

Entrants to the Radio Lotus awards are encouraged to send in radio commercials in their original language. While judging commercials in a variety of languages can prove to be challenging, Tony has no doubt that it can be overcome. “Language is often seen as a barrier, and the fact that it wasn't at Cannes and won't be at AdFest is the result of 3 factors, all of which involve a lot of work,” he says.

The first factor is the selection of the jury. A team of outstanding advertising professionals with an international outlook and a passion for great radio will make up the AdFest radio jury, representing every regional language. “We all know that judging radio is not easy in any language, and we commit to the hard work involved!” Tony says.

The second is the administration and organization of the entry and judging process. All radio entries must be accompanied by written texts both in the original language and English, and an accompanying paragraph in English to explain cultural and market context. “Personally I would rather see effort put into first class translations and explanations rather than recorded English versions which are hardly ever satisfactory,” he says.

The third factor is a universal truth. “Great advertising in all media speaks to fundamental human needs, and radio is no different,” Tony says. Brands connect to their audiences via great ideas, irrespective of language. “My own experience of conducting radio seminars in 25 countries bears this out – the same commercials touch workshop participants the most, and they are the ones that combine ideas with emotional relevance. Simply put, great radio transcends language.”

“Great radio can be serious, funny, moving, warm, monologue, dialogue, music or a combination of all of them,” Tony says. What makes a creative piece great? “First, is the same as for all advertising – a great idea – a new or different way of looking at a brand, product or service and/or its relationship with its consumers,” he says. “Second – again, same as for other media – immaculate execution. The writing, casting, performances, timing, direction, music, atmosphere must be to the highest possible standard. And third - specifically for radio - does it engage? Does it make emotional contact? Can I listen to it many times without becoming bored? And above all, can I see something?”

Tony is thrilled and honored to be the Chairman of the Radio Lotus jury. “I'm looking forward to working with the jury - under no illusions that it will be easy, but if there's gold silver or bronze in there, we'll find it,” he says.

Interviewed by Angelia Seetoh for adfestbuzz.

Mad about Awards - Exclusive

Mad about Awards - Exclusive

Donald Gunn, author of The Gunn Report, the most respected world’s league table for advertising agency creative awards, recently announced the 2006 worldwide creative rankings. The 8th edition of the Gunn Report “Bible,” in book form and sponsored by P&G, is available for purchase. Campaign Brief Asia’s, editor Kim Shaw, teased and held Asia’s creatives in suspense, for the latest Asia Creative Rankings. He finally shared his precious findings at the recent AdFest.


Both the worldwide rankings and the Asia rankings measure, identify and celebrate the best creative people in the advertising world, from a base of thousands of names and thousand of awards won in the major award shows. Statistically and laboriously put together from the results of major international, regional and local advertising awards shows like Cannes, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Media Spikes, AdFest Lotus, and some local shows.

Creative awards to many young creatives are a measure of success. Winning a Cannes Lion or a One Show Pencil can get them into the best agencies and get them a huge pay rise. They crave and hunger for the recognition. Awards motivate. Creative recognition gives validation that the work you and your ad agency have produced are great, world class ideas. And guess what, many are for real clients and many are market successes. Some scams get through the cracks, but the awards shows have matured, and more positively, most creative directors have as well. The judges of the awards are a wiser and more exposed lot.

Heads of global agency networks put awards as a key performance measure. The mantras and work philosophy of great agencies have the creation of great ads from great ideas as the way to do business. And the awards will follow. As Piyush Pandey, National Executive Creative Director of O&M India and Asia’s first jury president at Cannes, candidly put it, “I think those who debate about winning awards over growing the business, is trying to save his ass. They go hand in hand. I believe there is a cake and there icing on the cake. The cake has to be intact so the icing is meaningful, and interesting.”

Miles Young, Chairman of O&M Asia Pacific, measures the network’s performance in terms of “growth and our product.” The products, the ads, that win awards are proof of success.
Is obsessing about awards a bad thing? Let us hear from what young creatives and the world’s leading creative think of awards.

David Droga, Droga5,
New York, “World’s Best Creative”

(On being called the “World’s Best Creative Director) It is flattering but it is a subjective thing. There are people that I think are the world’s best creatives. I have enormous respect for people like Dan Wieden and Jeff Goodby. I am always intimidated by their success. But we are an industry that loves to give awards and loves to give people titles. And is it a nice thing to be called that? Absolutely. It means you have to constantly prove it. For me, it is not just about awards, it is about the cultures I have built, and people I have helped influence and have brought up.

(On winning 50 Lions, three Grand Prixes). It is not my be all and end all. If you are going to compete (in awards shows), you compete to win. I had the luxury of having won so much, I can feel I can do much more and it is not a definition of who I am. Awards are a great benchmark. It is great incentive I always want my team to be motivated but it is not the end point. When it becomes your focal point when you do anything than it becomes dangerous. I would rather be known as the producer of the work than the award it has won.
The two most important shows are Cannes, because it is the biggest competition against everyone, and, D&AD, because it is the toughest.

John Hunt, Worldwide Creative Director,
TBWA\ Worlwide
I am after people who want to have great ideas that will probably convert into awards. This whole thing about your value is only awards driven is wrong. At the same time not an excuse not to do a great idea.

Graham Kelly, Creative Integrator,
TBWA & Tequila Singapore
It depends on the category. Cannes would still be a big draw for traditional advertising. For Interactive, I would rate the One Show highly. It is difficult to choose which show is important, it depends in which context it is. I do not look at one. For Direct Marketing, the John Capels awards is important, we got the Grand Prix last year.

Tin Sanchez, Senior Copywriter, JWT Manila
It will be Cannes. It is a bigger picture. More people involved and more ads involved.

Manny Del Rosario, Creative Director, O&M Manila
Cannes is the most important. It is a world stage. I do have a little nick-nack from that show. I think I still want a D&AD and a Clio. We have some unfinished business for that show. The One Show pencil has the best looking trophy in town and it is an ergonomically design!

Thirasak Thanpatanakul
Executive Creative Director,
Creative Juice\G1
It would great to win the Cannes Grand Prix, however I think is reserved for big brands like Guinness, Carlton Beer, Sony but not for Bangkok Insurance. The Bangkok Insurance TV campaign had five votes for Grand Prix at Cannes last year, which is good, but we needed 11 votes to make it.

Brandie Tan, Creative Director,
JWT Manila
As an art director, D&AD and One Show are important because the work is recognized and are more mature in art direction than in other shows. In AdFest you still have allot of visual puns, visually directed ads but not type styled ads.

Piyush Pandey,
National Executive
Creative Director, O&M India
Juries, including ourselves, are subjective and there are different juries everywhere. I think the biggest achievement is when one campaign or a piece of communication wins at more places than one. To me that is more important. I achieved this with the Anti-Smoking Marlboro Man and Fevicol.
Creative rankings matter but how much it matters is the point. You can look at it from India’s perspective Cannes is the show. For creative people independently, it is D&AD. Awards show are a very good thing. They give awards in the Army to motivate soldiers to be courageous. I do not have to convince myself that the ads work, what we have been produced in India have won effectiveness awards. Clients enjoys it.

Tony Sarmiento, Executive
Creative Director, Proximity
Philippines
D&AD and Cannes. It is the arena everybody should be playing. It is the world stage. It is so hard to be in it and so hard to stay in. You have to be there not once, not a fluke.