INNOCEAN scores 14 awards at MAD Stars including Grand Prix for Night Fishing

INNOCEAN’s “Night Fishing” film, created in partnership with Hyundai Motor Company, has won a Grand Prix at MAD STARS 2025. Overall the agency also took out two Golds, three Silvers, three Bronzes, and five Crystals on Friday night.

“Night Fishing” is a 13-minute “snack movie,” starring actor Sukku Son and the Hyundai IONIQ 5, gained significant attention as the first branded content to be screened in Korean theatres.

Praised for its groundbreaking creativity and cinematic storytelling, the campaign was shot from the car’s point of view to maximize immersion. Its innovative approach to branded entertainment not only captivated audiences but also delivered effective brand storytelling. Winning the Grand Prix in the PR category, the campaign also secured two Golds, two Silvers, and three Bronzes across Branded Entertainment, Film, and Media categories.

Additionally, INNOCEAN earned one Silver and two Crystal awards for its in-house social contribution campaign Life-saving Bathhouse, and three Crystals for the Genesis GV60 campaign.

Beyond the awards, INNOCEAN co-hosted a lecture with Shinsegae Property under the theme “AI-Powered Digital Out-of-Home Advertising”, presenting a strategic vision to strengthen the future of Korea’s DOOH market and its global competitiveness.

The session emphasized that when AI moves beyond a purely technical function and integrates with digital outdoor media, it can evolve into a “public medium” — connecting cities and people, offering meaningful experiences, and delivering cultural context.

As a case study, INNOCEAN highlighted its The Biggest Lifeguard campaign at Busan’s Haeundae “Grand Josun Media,” where real-time weather and marine data were linked to DOOH displays to deliver safety messages to beachgoers, contributing to local community safety. INNOCEAN currently operates the exclusive rights to “Grand Josun Media,” Korea’s only non-capital special outdoor advertising zone, delivering innovative creative DOOH campaigns.

INNOCEAN also showcased Timeless Moment, a media art project presented last year at Shinsegae Department Store’s flagship façade “Shinsegae Square,” underlining how Korea’s DOOH content is increasingly going beyond commercial advertising to embody cultural value and gain international recognition.

Yongwoo Lee, CEO of INNOCEAN, said: “Building on our achievements at MAD STARS 2025, we will continue to strengthen our position as a global creative leader by delivering innovative ideas and differentiated solutions.”

Now in its 18th edition, MAD STARS 2025 was held from August 27 (Wed) to August 29 (Fri) across Signiel Busan and the Haeundae area. The event, themed “AI-vertising: The Era of AI-driven Advertising and Marketing”, was hosted by the MAD STARS Organizing Committee with support from the City of Busan and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.