Judging AdFest 2022: Grey Malaysia’s Graham Drew

Campaign Brief Asia asks Grey Malaysia’s Chief Creative Officer and AdFest 2022 judge, Graham Drew a few questions about the recently completed award show.

1) What were your overall impressions of the standard of work that you saw in the judging this year?
I’ve had the privilege of judging a couple of shows this year and I have to say that the standard is down a little. I think there was a flurry of responsive work to Covid last year and this year seems to have lacked that insightful punch that we saw from those. A lot of great tactical ideas here, but we were sorely lacking the bigger ideas that had genuine scale and impact.

2) What was your favourite ad/campaign from your judging?
I was judging branded entertainment, for that im always looking for things that genuinely entertain first, but where the brand has an integral role that is central to the execution. The First Take is an amazing platform idea that can run and run. It’s not an ad idea, its not a stunt, its just a a brilliantly simple concept that is applicable to any artist, in any genre in any country – if you are fan, you are instantly intrigued to see the content. In an age of fake news and filters, what I liked the most is the authenticity that lies at the heart of it – an artist in the raw, that’s beautiful.

3) Highlight 2 or 3 other ad/campaigns that stood out for you and explain why?
Pale Blue Letter. Such a cool use of everyday tech. This idea would have been a creative contrivance if it wasn’t for a music artist where you could rely on a fanbase putting in the effort.

Shooting Star Bullet Train – This felt like the best kind of old school idea. They could have added AR filters and all sorts of things, but they didn’t – a simple, universal symbol of hope for the whole world to witness when they needed it.

4) Where is the best work coming from? (ie is there a country or a network that is doing very well?)
Was a great mix, across the board.

VIEW CB ASIA’S COVERAGE OF THE WINNERS

VIEW CB ASIA’S COVERAGE OF SPECIAL WINNERS

READ PAUL CHAN’S COMMENTS
READ JESSE WONG’S COMMENTS
READ RICHARD YU’S COMMENTS
READ DAMISA ONGSIRIWATTANA’S COMMENTS
READ JEROME OOI’S COMMENTS
READ TAY GUAN HIN’S COMMENTS
READ GERALD FITZGERALD’S COMMENTS
READ WOON HOH’S COMMENTS