Thasorn Boonyanate’s LIA Diary wrap-up: What makes LIA’s TV, Cinema and Online Film judging experience truly unique

Fresh from four days in Las Vegas judging the TV & Cinema and Online Film categories at the London International Awards (LIA), Thasorn Boonyanate, Chief Creative Officer of BBDO Bangkok, reflects on an experience filled with firsts – his first time judging at LIA, his first trip to Las Vegas, and even his first visit to the U.S. Sitting alongside an international panel of top creatives, Boonyanate immersed himself in LIA’s unique face-to-face judging process, where every debate, laugh, and insight was shared in the same room. Here he shares what made the LIA experience unlike any other, the judging system’s standout features, and the creative work that left a lasting impression.

How did you find the overall judging experience?
It was my first time judging at LIA, and also my first time in Las Vegas, my first time in the U.S. In short, I’m a virgin.

Everything here was a brand-new experience for me. We had nine jurors from around the world:
Colombia – John Raul Forero (DDB Columbia)
Italy – Cinzia Crociani (LePub Milan)
Germany – Stephan Vogel (Ogilvy EMEA)
India – Umma Saini (PhonePe Bengaluru)
Australia – Rachael Ford-Davies (Collider Sydney)
USA – Ryan Paulson (Dentsu Creative New York), Larry Gordon (Freelance, New York), and our Jury President Dan Lucey (Havas WW New York)
And from Thailand – me.

Let me explain how LIA judging works. They believe in face-to-face judging, no online sessions. Before coming here, I actually thought they had forgotten to send me the online judging link. Turns out, they never do that. They want everyone to sit together, side by side, and experience the work as one room.

Day 1–2:
We watched about 300 TV, Cinema, and Online Film entries from all over the world (without popcorn!). Some were short, some were long. The longest entry was a full 90 minutes. We watched them all together and voted “In” or “Out” for the first two days. (and Yes I went out to have a real “In & Out Burger” after second day, classic!).

Day 3:
We started forming the longlist I guess around 86 entries out of 300. We scored each piece from 1 to 10, with no debates yet. All discussions were saved for the final day so that the LIA Creative Liaisons could watch the debates live. I think that’s brilliant. It lets the Liaisons see how creative leaders think and argue in real time, something most creatives won’t experience until they become CDs or ECDs. LIA gives that experience early, which I think is incredibly cool.

Day 4 – The Judgment Day:
I knew the Liaisons would be watching, but I didn’t expect so many of them! They filled the room behind us, observing every debate. This was the best part of the entire process. After three days of watching the same work, we finally got to talk, to defend, challenge, and share our points of view.

We started around 9:15 a.m., and the discussions got heated. Some were harsh, some funny, some emotional, but every debate revealed the true color of creative opinion. I loved it. I wished the day could’ve lasted longer because I learned so much from everyone’s perspective.

I’ve judged many shows before Cannes, ANDY, The One Show, Adfest, Spikes, but nothing feels quite like LIA. It’s unique, intense, and fun at the same time. I love that you sit together, no rushing, just enjoying the work as a group.

Another thing I loved: having the Liaisons sit right behind us. After the judging, many came up to me to share what they learned, which debates made sense, which didn’t, what they loved, what Gen Z might relate to, what they wouldn’t. That’s precious knowledge. And they weren’t afraid to share, I think that openness is what makes LIA truly special. The Liaisons learned a lot, but so did I.

What did you like about the LIA judging system?
First, I love that LIA doesn’t limit the number of statues. If a piece of work deserves more recognition, it gets it. There can be more than one Gold in a subcategory if the whole room agrees. That’s incredibly generous and fair.

Second, I love how they start by calling out Gold – Silver – Bronze – Finalist, not the other way around. It shows that LIA wants to celebrate great work first, not just finish with it. Advertising isn’t a big deal for consumers, they don’t care about awards. So if we, the industry, don’t celebrate creativity, we’re devaluing our own craft. LIA gets that and I admire it deeply.

Third, the four-day film judging system works perfectly. By the time you reach the end, you’ve seen some films multiple times. If you still love it after the fourth day, it must truly be great. Imagine watching 300 films and still wanting to see one again that’s how the system naturally filters out the best of the best.

Your 3-5 creative highlights? The standout campaigns that impressed you most.
There were so many great films this year, funny, serious, beautifully choreographed, bold, simple. I feel privileged to have seen them all. Here are a few that really stuck with me:

“The Last Copy of Ilon Specht” for L’Oréal Paris
A Grand Prix-worthy documentary. It celebrates female strength and the fight for equality since the Mad Men era. It revives one of the best taglines ever – “Because I’m worth it” – and gives it a richer, more meaningful story. The documentary is beautifully shot and powerfully told. For me, it’s the best cinematic piece this year. Loved it.

“Make New Zealand the Best Place in the World to Have Herpes” for The New Zealand Herpes Foundation
The brilliance is right there in the line. It’s daring, provocative, and aims to create a society where having herpes isn’t shameful or isolating. I love the satire, I love the self-aware humor, and their “How-To” film is brilliantly executed. One of the most original campaigns of the year. Love it!

“Being Vegan is Good Shit” for SAMY Alliance, Madrid
I’m not a vegan, but I loved this ad. Most vegan campaigns are too hardcore, but this one isn’t. It convinces you with humor and charm, “Being vegan is good shit.” It cracked up the whole jury room. Coincidentally, on Day 4 of judging they served vegan hummus, so I tried going half-vegan for a day… and found myself very happy in the toilet. The message is convincing, the music’s an earworm, and the visuals are cute and brainrot-level catchy. Well done!

“Best Friend”, “Romance”, “Cheeses”, “Award Board” for Bankwest via Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, Sydney
Purely funny commercial ads with great copywriting – proof that good, classic advertising still exists. It’s familiar yet fresh. I didn’t realize until later that the director was Steve Ayson, the man behind “Mom Song” (Old Spice), “Five-Year Plan” (Old Spice), “Lunar New Year” (Nike), and “Get Ready” (Dollar Shave Club).

When you pair strong writing with one of the best directors in comedy, this is what you get. Well done.

Thank you to the LIA team.