Binaifer Dulani from Talented Agency India on ONE Asia Creative Awards 2024 judging in Manila

By Binaifer Dulani (pictured), Founding Partner & Creative, Talented Agency India.

Earlier this week, The One Club for Creativity’s ONE Asia Creative Awards 2024 held judging for the first time in Manila.

The APAC creative community — with jurors from India, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, China, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Pakistan, and more — showed the power of their collective perspective as we delved deep into every piece of work. Work which will soon be celebrated as APAC’s best, as the ONE Asia Awards gets featured in The One Club’s global creative rankings.

Arcade Film Factory, a ONE Asia partner and leading production house in Manila, hosted the welcome dinner and kicked o the event and chemistry for the days to come.

In true fashion of the ONE Asia community, this is my experience at ONE Asia judging and around Manila, using “the power of one”.

One feeling: Optimism. The one Club’s Kevin Swanepoel and Tay Guan Hin set the tone for the event by urging jurors to give every idea a fighting chance, and lean in to our optimism. Two days of rigorous judging meant showing respect for the makers by delving into every part of the work, and gaining perspective from our eclectic jury.

One takeaway: To quote Maya Angelou, ‘…people will never forget how you make them feel.’ The entire ONE Asia team led by Season Zhou and Sarah Hou, with special support from Angel Guerrero, is a living testament to how practicing hospitality is a powerful way to build a real sense of community.

One hero: As I toured across Intramuros in Old Manila, I got an opportunity to learn about Philippines’ hero Josè Rizal. His writings invoked the Philippines’ revolution against the Spanish colonial government of the time. He was executed by the Spanish forces, but legend has it that he wanted to be shot facing his executors. When that request was turned down, just as he was shot and about to fall to the ground, he tripped, falling back down, making eye contact while he took his final breath. His resilience and ideals are etched in the heart of every Filipino. Even today, the bullet that was used to shoot him, in his vertebrae, is preserved in the Intramuros Museum. It’s a good reminder that writing with intent has the power to change the course of history.

One insight: The history of the Philippines is a great example of understanding the dynamics of power. Sometimes, winning and losing matter as much as whom you lose against. A mock battle was fought between the Spanish and Americans to save Spanish honour (who didn’t want to accept defeat from the resilient Filipino revolutionaries of the time), and to transfer the control of Manila to the Americans.

One legend: In the south of Philippines, home to Tagaytay and Taal (the country’s second active volcanic site), the belief goes that your prayers are more likely to be answered, because of the mountainous region and its proximity to the clouds – for the Gods to hear you. It goes to show – any kind of faith is a good motivator.

One (unconfirmed) theory: In the incredible Casa de Manila, built by the Government to show the affluent lifestyle of the Filipinos during the late Spanish Colonial period, many a historian has written about how ‘bathtub culture’ perhaps originated here. House help of the affluent families, in the absence of their masters, would spend time in the bathroom, wanting to soak in their bathing water to be more like them. This may or may not be true, but a good story sticks.

One idea: The winners of the ONE Asia Awards will soon see how an idea can change their life. But it’s equally important to remember that you need to pour into yourself to be able to give life to ideas too. No place like Manila to connect with your inner voice.