Seen and noted

BEST TV
Winner: Toyota Australia 'Hilux in the Middle'. Ahh, the lost art of storytelling. It's played a major role in meaningful human interaction since the beginning of time. And in this spot we have a classic story arc. The scene is set. An incited incident occurs. There are obstacles to overcome (literally in this instance). And a kinda climax that leads to an emotive ending that makes the brand more relatable and trustworthy. Textbook.

Runner-up: Marubeni 'Share the Challenge'. Ignore everything I've just written. I like this because it's fuckin' nuts.

BEST PRINT
Winner: Cycle Kids 'White House'. 'A bike can take you anywhere'. And in this campaign, 'anywhere' isn't the cliched places you'd expect. It's aspirational future careers. I love this campaign because Cycle Kids aim to put children on a path to success by providing access to critical bike programs. And that's very cool IMHO.

Runner-up: Fruit Fly SA 'Devastating Impacts'. I kinda dismissed this ad to begin with. I felt it was a little fruitless (pun intended). But then I thought, it's simple, and it stands out. And for government work, that's the sweet spot.

BEST OUTDOOR
Winner: Eletromidia 'Guarded Bus Stop'. Any idea that helps vulnerable people feel safer out in the 'real' world gets my vote. Yes, the naysayers will contest that this isn't 'real' etc. But I genuinely think this idea could be the start of something much bigger. Excited to see the expansion of this, and the impact it can have around the world.

Runner-up: Boody 'Make yourself comfortable'. As someone who has never experienced this particular discomfort daily, I'm probably not in the position to comment. That said, I can imagine it's painful, annoying and uncomfortable. Hopefully, the product lives up to the promise.

BEST INTERACTIVE
Winner: Bitis Hunter 'Solemates'. With campaigns like this, I can't help but think, 'what came first, the name or the idea?', nevertheless the thought that shoes are more than just footwear - that they can reflect personal style, personality, and lifestyle choices that could help us meet like-minded people is pretty cute.

Runner-up: Abstain.




This week's guest judge is Adam Bodfish, executive creative director, McCann Birmingham.

They say, the creative adult is the child who survived... sadly, my hairline didn't.

But my appetite for creativity has grown stronger by the day.

This hunger for originality, innovation, and building brands has enabled me to work with some of the best brands and agencies in the world - present company included.

I have successfully developed and implemented fully integrated and results-driven work for clients including Samsung, Nespresso, Diageo, HSBC, McDonald's, Bosch, Sea Shepherd, Thomas Cook, RAC, Kenco, Nestle, Whirlpool, and Land Rover. And my work has picked up at the usual suspects, such as Cannes, Effies, LIA, One Show, AWARD Awards, Kinsale, Campaign and Spikes Asia to name but a few.