What the judges are looking for

"I'll be looking for ideas that AI couldn't have created. For me, standout campaigns typically come from an unexpected human insight and are deftly delivered in a culturally connected way. Considering the nation's current mood, I'm excited to see campaigns that offer real-world solutions, make people smile, or do both!"

"I'm looking for work that delivers a jolt of the unexpected. Genuinely fresh thinking grounded in smart human insight and then nailed with impeccable craft and crystal-clear delivery. It's got to command attention and properly connect on an emotional level. And rather than just a nod to the cultural moment, owning and shaping it. Given how much the world has changed, I'm looking toward how our best and brightest creative talents adapt to create work that genuinely connects today."

“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 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.”

“The clue is in the title, but what makes the Creative Moment Awards so special is the clear focus on creativity. I'm looking for genuine innovation and razor-sharp opportunism, rooted in clear strategy, with knock-out execution and game-changing results. Not much, then. If you've got some fantastically creative work up your sleeve, don't miss out on the chance to scoop one of the best accolades going.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

"Stand out creative which seems so obvious yet so bloody clever with the impact stats to back it up."

"Entries need to entertain and tell the full story from brief to execution through to evaluation – I’m keen to see ground-breaking creativity and a clear relationship between the work and stated commercial objectives."

"For me it’s all about dare, share, care: is it daring enough to capture attention, is it easy enough to pass on and share, do people care enough about it to take a different course of action."

"I’m on the hunt for work that blows my mind with a brilliant idea and impeccable craft. The kind of creative that leaves a lasting impression on the industry and the audience. Give me that combo of out-of-the-box thinking and skilful execution and i’ll give you all the gongs under the sun."

“Make me sick with jealousy about an idea I wish I’d had. Make me green with envy at the impact it made.”

"I hope to see business impact; work that is relevant to the brand, tells its story and makes a difference. I’m hoping to avoid entries where people remember the agency for the idea more than the brand they are working for."

"I'm looking for entries that combine talkability and bankability, deliver creatively and commercially and as a result, are seen by both your target audience and your client's CEO because there is genuine business impact."

“I want insights that make me think. Creative that makes me smile (cry/laugh/scream… whatever’s your jam). Execution that makes me applaud. And impact that make me envious.”

“I’m looking for work that’s punching. Campaigns that aren’t staying in their lane. The ones that find new ways to make me stand up and take notice.”

"Particularly in the current climate, brands are tired of just getting what they pay for. What I'll be looking for is campaigns that use the unique power of earned creative to generate fame and fortune that money alone can't buy."

"I’m looking for fresh ideas that make me pay attention. Ideas that genuinely get noticed beyond our industry. Things I’d want to tell people about at the pub. Insights and executions that make me smile through their sheer ingeniousness."

"I'm not looking for anything in particular. Best thing about judging the Creative Moment Awards and what it champions is seeing a piece of work from an unsuspecting brand, a new agency or a truly original creative thought, that makes you go, "Damn, didn't see that coming, that's special." You just know that when you see it, so there's no checklist in my pocket."

“Ultimately, I’m looking for work that’s impossible to ignore - of the moment, stop-me-in-my-tracks engaging, born of revolutionary, culturally on-point thinking and delivered with exquisite craft. And, lest we forget, the kind of work that leaves me wishing I’d done it.”

“Show me an idea that’s beautifully simple, that makes me feel something and that, most importantly, has genuinely done the job that the client set out to do.”

“I’m looking for ideas that make people feel something and say something. Smart thinking rooted in insight, brought to life with craft and cultural relevance. Whether it earned headlines, hijacked the group chat, or just made me a bit jealous, if it sparked real-world buzz, I want to see it."

“I’m looking for ideas that are daring, stand-out and embed themselves in culture. A piece of work that is spoken about in the real world and by real people, not just in agency board rooms. A piece of work which makes me sick to the pit of my stomach I didn’t come up with it.”

“I'm looking for ideas that are 'extremely something' - boring ideas don’t break through and they’re anything but exciting. I want ideas that have been pushed to the edge, crafted to truly stand out and make an impact. NOT BORING IDEAS.”

"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 drawn to work that walks the line between being memorably simple and clever enough to work hard for the brand. For me, the best ideas feel fresh, carry a bit of that ‘WTF’ factor, and trigger real reactions from people outside the marketing bubble — unless that’s the audience, of course.”

"I just want to see a bloody good idea expertly executed with craft, heart and soul.”

“I’m looking for something I’ve never seen before and so couldn’t possibly describe here. The ballsier the better.”

“I’m looking for smart creative work that had real -world impact. What stands out to me is a well-crafted asset. The production has a huge influence on getting the message across effectively, so I’ll be awarding points to beautiful, well-thought-out films and pictures, and content that punches above its weight.”

“I’m looking forward to celebrating the kind of brave, unexpected and ambitious activity that jolts audiences into action.”

"What excites me the most about a great creative campaign is when it's super simple but laser sharp - the kind of work that hits you in the stomach, or makes you laugh out loud without overthinking it. I want to see work that I’m jealous I didn’t make, beautifully crafted, emotionally charged and feels fresh. I feel like that’s the kind of work the industry is getting back to, that’s the work I want to be part of."

“This year, I’m looking for that breakthrough insight, the one that’s been right under everyone’s nose, yet somehow hasn’t been spotted. And when it’s finally uncovered, everyone will have that “How did I miss that? It was right there the whole time!” moment.”

“In short, fun! With the world as intense as it is, campaigns that give people a bit of joy, humour or emotional brevity in their lives are more important than ever - reminding people of the goodness in communities.”