“I was very happy to see a pretty high standard across most categories,” juror Ali Shabaz says. “What really impressed me was the attention to craft, particularly in digital and film.”

“A lot of creatives are out there solving problems for brands in unexpected ways,” says juror Tynesha Williams.

“I enjoyed seeing some of the work for smaller brands that don’t get huge visibility, with a more artistic angle in their executions,” juror Alvar Suñol says.

“I was beyond thrilled to see the work from this year’s showcase,” says juror Sherman Winfield. “It’s been a tough few years in the creative space globally. It’s beyond evident that brands and agencies alike are getting back [to being] comfortable with bold and audacious work.”

“I was surprised, relieved and super-happy to see a lot of brave clients and braver agencies creating impactful campaigns this year,” juror Albert Chan says.

In addition to commenting on this year’s Best-in-Show winners, multiple jurors called out several other projects worthy of special mention.

“It was a joy to see some exceptionally smart work in this year’s show,” says juror Sandy Greenberg. “From VMLY&R’s NYC Says Gay to Preacher’s Can I get an AHA to Rethink’s Draw Ketchup, you can always count on Communication Arts to attract the best work in the print world. In Non-Traditional, a highlight was Boone Oakley’s StarMed Wilmore Funeral Home, and my personal favorite campaign was Rethink’s Ability Signs for Decathlon Canada.” 

“I think a great example is [Penguin Random House’s] Unburnable Book, which took a stand on censorship and wrapped it with a smart, simple idea and brilliant execution,” juror Marty Senn says.

“The two entries I’ve chosen [to mention] couldn’t be more distinct from one another: while one is firmly planted in the real world—with real consequences for real people—the other is based completely within the unreal, intangible world of Meta,” says juror Cher Campbell. “The First Meta Sneaker from VMLY&R is the first idea I’ve seen that demonstrates that being able to move between platforms [creates] ownership within the metaverse. The Election Edition from Impact BBDO does the opposite. It proves the absence of something is as powerful as its presence. It solved a problem in an important and elegant way: You need paper to print ballots? Here’s some paper. But the small sign on every newsstand with a QR code to that day’s publication? That was genius. More papers being read on the day there were no papers? Wow, I’m jealous.”

“I think if there was a theme this year it would be ‘think fast,’” juror Morgan Tierney says. “Ideas like Wendy’s Boomer Book, IKEA’s Cristiano Bottle and even Bacon Shoelaces all had their fingers on the cultural pulse and the nerve to just put something out there fast, rather than wait for the focus group’s results. I was [also] impressed by the amount of ideas that turned a negative into a positive. Supply shortage? Enter Thigh Stop. Devastating flood? Say hello to #Flutwein. Ideas like that speak to the resilience and optimism that are [the] hallmarks of great creative.”

In addition to asking the jurors about what they liked, I also asked about their biggest disappointments with the entries.

“I wished to see more entries from other countries, especially ones we seldom hear about,” says Chan. “I hope we can celebrate more creativity from a more diverse society, all over the world.” 

“I felt some of the entries [would’ve] had so much more potential if they had been pushed as ideas across categories,” Shabaz says. “Perhaps it was due to budget constraints, but I felt some entries didn’t live up to the client’s potential or took the idea far enough.”

“The overall level of craft in the entries wasn’t hitting any high-water marks,” says Senn. “[Laziness]? Tight timelines? Who knows?” 

“It’s been well over two years since the you-know-what hit and we were subjected to endless ‘we’re all in this together’ ... and yet here we are in 2022 still waiting for some brave brand to finally kick the door down and blow us away with comedy,” Tierney says.

“While AI/machine learning is still in its infancy, I was hoping to see how brands took on this new global phenomenon,” says Winfield.

“It would have been nice to see even more entries using emerging tech,” Williams says. 

Finally, I asked the jurors what developments might dramatically alter the role of advertising in the future.

“Experiential advertising will be big in the future,” says Shabaz. “There will be a big demand for brands to connect one-on-one and deliver rich consumer experiences to stay on top of the game.”

“If my seventeen-year-old daughter is any [indicator] of the purchasing habits of the next generation, influencers will gain even more importance in our industry,” Greenberg says. “When she hears a message from Charlie D’Amelio or JoJo Siwa, it’s not an ad; it’s a tip. Also, as we think about the meaning of ‘craft’ in our industry, we should expand our definition beyond brilliant direction, flawless casting and gorgeous cinematography. There’s a new type of raw, authentic, spontaneous content that is equally captivating to a large segment of the population. While many of us classic ad folks scratch our head at the phenomenon that is TikTok, it’s important to remember that our parents felt the same way about Elvis.”

“New developments constantly alter the role of advertising,” says Williams. “There is always some new tech that allows consumers to be less impressed with ads. It’s the ‘I can do it myself’ period, and we have to keep figuring out how to meet the moment. [Consumers] are making so many great things on their own. We always talk on my team about making sure [ours] isn’t an idea that the average consumer with a phone could create themselves. This was never a thing before. You weren’t competing with DIY ads and content. That’s not a bad thing: It just doesn’t allow the industry to get lazy. It pushes us.” 

“With social tensions and cultural divisiveness at an all-time high, we advertisers have an obligation to continue to use our platforms to provide valuable LGBTQ+ representation and amplify more BIPOC voices,” Tierney says. “It’s no longer sufficient for a brand to change their logo for Pride month or cast one token BIPOC actor. As communication experts, our role includes pushing our clients towards diverse stories and meaningful action.”

“Brands are now being looked upon to care more and be even more human than ever before,” says Winfield. “Once we get past pulling at heartstrings, we’ll see which brands connect to people in the most effective way.”

A minimum of six out of nine votes was required for a project to be awarded in this year’s competition. Judges were not permitted to vote on projects with which they were directly involved; I voted in their stead. I would like to extend our grateful appreciation to our jurors for their conscientious efforts in selecting our 63rd Advertising Annual. —Patrick Coyne ca