Enter the GONG Awards: practise for Cannes

Since 1980, the Gong Awards has shone a light on Singapore’s best creative work, inspiring local creatives to raise their standards. But while the Gong Awards is a proudly local show, its purpose isn’t just to celebrate local work. It is to be a springboard that propels local creatives to success on the global stage, helping to put Singaporean design and advertising on the map.

In fact, many of the show’s top winners have gone on to win at international festivals like D&AD, One Show, Clio, Spikes and of course, Cannes, the World Cup of creativity.

That is why this year, the Association of Advertising & Marketing Singapore (AAMS) is calling for agencies to start their preparations for the 2024 award season now and Practise for Cannes – by entering the 2023 Gong Awards.

To test their work at the local show, start crafting their entries while there’s time, and take their first steps towards winning at Cannes 2024.

To inspire the creatives to push their entries, this year’s Best of Show will be entered into Cannes 2024 for free. And for the first time at any award show, finalists will receive jury reports with details on what the judges said about their entries and how they can improve.

Janson Choo, Gong Awards 2023 Co-Chairperson and Executive Creative Director at BBH Singapore, said: “Just as how national competitions help prepare top athletes for the world championships, Gongs is an important dress rehearsal for local creatives who hope to win at Cannes. Test your work here, get an honest assessment of where it’s at. Then keep chipping at it, coming up with new ideas if you have to, until you’re confident your work can compete at the global level.”

In line with the shifts in the media landscape, two new categories have been added this year: Branded Entertainment and Social & Influencers.

In addition, there are also four new People awards up for grabs: Young Strategist of the Year, Young Account Person of the Year, Young Director of the Year and Young Photographer of the Year.

“If done well, award shows create benchmarks and shine a light on new talent. It’s important that we continue to invest in the future and education of our talent to keep moving our industry forward,” says Sascha Kuntze, Gong Awards 2023 Co-Chairperson and Chief Creative Officer at BBH Singapore.

Enter now at practiseforcannes.com.