Here are some thoughts from our jury to give you an insight into what they are looking for when judging entries.
What the judges are looking for
“It goes without saying the past year has been really tough, but creativity often thrives under tight restrictions and in times of adversity, so I’m excited to see the work that has come out of it. The Creative Moment Awards is always an inspiring one to judge (the clue is in the name) and I’m looking for campaigns I wish I’d come up with!”
“What I am looking for as a judge are campaigns that genuinely have elicited positive change in audiences and society….and what I’ll be looking to sift-out are any with ‘plastic-purpose’ (not sustainability campaigns!) ie those with the veneer of purpose, but no depth or impact.”
"I love judging for the Creative Moment Awards! Because somehow this is the place where I can witness the synergies of all communication disciplines coming into one. At the end of the day, that's why we're in this business - to come up with a creative (communication) solution to a business problem. And I like it here because I can see this being the aim of a campaign, rather than fitting into a preset category. The winning ones are the boldest ones. You cannot bore someone into selling something."
"It’s an honour to return for the 3rd time to the Creative Moment Awards jury. As always, but maybe even more this year, I’ll be looking for fresh ideas that are both timeless and timely, that are culturally relevant, capture the zeitgeist, and are earned media drivers, brought to life through campaigns that generated substantial results for the clients who had the courage to make them happen. Best of luck to all the participants!"
"Stoked to be judging The Creative Moment Awards again this year. As the bar gets higher yet again, what an absolute privilege it is to have the opportunity to wallow in all of the best in class creative thinking from across the creative industries."
"Creativity is a wonderful thing. It allows us to change the way we view the world and to think that little bit differently; allowing us to broaden our horizons, enrich our lives and solve problems great and small. It's a joyous, positive spirit and I can't wait to see the best of it in this years Creative Moment Awards."
“Last year was a tough year of restrictions and consistently changing rules and parameters, which is a nightmare for most creatives. I look forward to seeing campaigns/initiatives that were clever, showed real strategy and allowed nuance to guide it even with the imposed limitations.”
"I'm looking for work that is culture first. That is unexpected, intriguing and is not just memorable, but unforgettable."
"I’d love to see ideas that have been brought to life through sophisticated chemistry between relevant insights and beautiful creativity."
“I love work that is original in thought, and executed excellently. I love the stuff that a team has taken way beyond what was probably expected by a client. And I love creativity that has made a mark in popular culture too. That’s a lot of love.”
"I'm looking for a great creative that's simple - something that you can sum up in one sentence and it just makes sense straight away, coupled with clear outcome measures that show the effectiveness of a campaign."
“I’m looking for campaigns that strike the right balance between being exciting creatively and staying true to the brand, and that ideally deliver results beyond a coverage log. Making me smile helps too!”
“The world has changed in the last year, I want to see work that reflects and embraces that in the most interesting, weird and wonderful ways.”
“I'm looking for authenticity, a piece so seamlessly executed I can easily relate to the creator of the piece in question.”
“Something that's made it out of the echo chamber of the marketing world and become something that your (other, more normal) friends or family would recognise and talk about.”
“It’s an honour to be part of the Creative Moment Awards once again! I’m looking forward to see ideas even greater than last year’s amazing work. As a judge, I am always excited to see innovative, surprising and disruptive ideas, that make an impact in the culture. Simple stories that have great impact.”
"For me, it's all about measurable creativity, and I'm looking for work that combines the very best creative thinking and execution with undeniable results. Social, behavioural, financial - whatever the end goal is I'm a sucker for creative work that truly moves the dial for the brands behind it, especially if its impact is felt long after launch day!"
"For me it’s all about campaigns that actually make people take note and feel something, whether it’s humour, surprise, intrigue, compassion, joy or something else. And for the entries to focus on the why behind the campaign, and what it really achieved for, or with, real people."
“I’m looking for ideas that make me want to pinch myself for not having thought of it first! Ideas that make me laugh or cry –any idea that evokes some sort of response/emotion. Creative campaigns that can be explained in a sentence and automatically people go ‘AHH, I get it, genius’."
“This year I am looking for craft, strategy and a single minded approach to a comms challenge. Something that inspires and really challenges the audience to rethink or see themselves in the creative.”
“I'm really keen to see entries that tear up the rule book and are brave enough to challenge the format they're delivering in. Whether that be through technology or thematically. But also taking something we're all familiar with (like storytelling) and showing a different perspective that makes everyone go 'wow, that was clever'.”
“I’m looking for an entry to create that little spark that makes you think, ah clever. And then it’s about impact. Did the creative live up to its objective; did it create change, change opinion, drive sales? Ultimately, it’s got to be more than just creative for creative’s sake.”
“I’ll be looking for campaigns that spark me with a little bit of creative jealousy. There’s nothing better than an idea that makes you go ‘I wish I did that!”