The Philippines’ creative award show Kidlat Awards is the first in the world to award ideas in product category vs media category

Boracay, Philippines, one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world, is home to The Creative Guild of the Philippines’ Kidlat (Filipino word for “Lightning”).

For 25 years, the country’s creative show Kidlat has always been known as an awards show committed to raise the standards of creativity in the advertising industry.

Photo caption above: The Kidlat 2015 Jury: Donald Lim (ABS-CBN), Gigi Lee (Y&R Malaysia), Jury President Leigh Reyes (Lowe), Rey Tiempo (Dentsu), Richmond Walker (Ogilvy), David Guerrero (BBDO Guerrero), Edmund Choe (TBWA Singapore), Brandie Tan (Publicis Jimenez Basic),Third Domingo (Ideas X Machina), James Bernardo (FCB) and Dave Ferrer (JWT).

This year, Kidlat becomes the first advertising award show in the world that judges ideas according to the product category it is in, regardless of the medium used.

By doing so, it seeks to mirror the market place and determine which brands triumph with their breakthrough ideas.

Merlee Jayme, DM9 Jayme Syfu’s Chairmom is this year’s Creative Guild president. It is her third time to head the organization. On her 2nd term in 2008, she brought the show to the shores of Boracay.

“All these years, we’re used to judging ideas per medium. With the changes we did to our rules, we would award the best ideas in particular product categories. It ‘s very interesting to recognize the best idea in telco or dairy or alcoholic drinks against the best idea in print, film or radio. Suddenly, we look at ideas differently. The criteria even changed! With our digital world today, it’s timely to go media neutral and let the brand ideas be king.” She said.

With the big change of: ‘Brand over Medium’, the creative community also believes that clients will welcome this. Suddenly creativity becomes very relevant to their brands, regardless of media budget.

The Kidlat Festival is on until March 7, 2015.

Photo captions: Top The 2015 Kidlat Team –  Aids Tecson, Jeng Floresca, BBDO’s Jao Bautista, TBWA’s Bryan Siy, DM9’s Merlee Jayme, Y&R’s Herbert Hernandez & FCB’s James Bernardo. Bottom – Boracay’s first timers: Y&R Malaysia’s ECD Gigi Lee (left), TBWA Singapore Chief Creative Officer Edmund Choe