“The entries received into Spikes Asia always act as a good indication of regional industry trends and the direction it’s heading in, which is why it’s interesting to see that the categories showing the strongest growth are Digital, which has seen entries rise by 68%, and Mobile, where entries have grown by 48%. On a country level, it’s fantastic that Sri Lanka has almost doubled its entries, whilst Malaysia, Pakistan and Chinese Taipei have also seen substantial increases. It’s going to be an exciting few days as we start to see the best in APAC’s creative communications rising to the top,” says Terry Savage, Chairman, Lions Festivals.
The following number of entries have been received in each category: Branded Content & Entertainment (187), Creative Effectiveness (31), Design (332), Digital (461), Direct (329), Film (397), Film Craft (258), Healthcare (173), Innovation (63), Integrated (59), Media (422), Mobile (186), Outdoor (605), PR (247), Print (379), Print & Poster Craft (306), Promo & Activation (434), Radio (115).
Ahead of the Festival, the Innovation jury, led by Emad Tahtouh, Director of Applied Technology at FINCH, have completed a preliminary round of judging to arrive at a shortlist of entries, each of which will be presented live to the jury at the Festival. Commenting on the category, Emad said, “Asia is at the heart of technology. Its manufacturing, creative invention and innovation processes cannot be matched by any other region. It is relied upon more than any other region in the world, and is at the centre of all things tech.” Ten entries have been shortlisted, with Australia having the most shortlisted, closely followed by Japan and the Philippines. Live judging takes place on Wednesday 24 September and is open to all delegates, who will be able to witness first-hand the region’s latest innovations and technologies.
In total, 90 jury members will meet in Singapore to judge entries from across Asia Pacific and decide which are groundbreaking enough to take home a trophy. Alongside the awards, the four-day Festival, filled with non-stop content, networking and learning, is set to recharge and inspire delegates, whilst particular focus is put on nurturing talent through the Young Spikes competitions and academies. The Awards Ceremony, where the 2014 winners are revealed, will bring Spikes Asia 2014 to a close, with celebrations continuing into the night at the official After Party.
Spikes Asia takes place from 23 – 26 September at Suntec, Singapore.(KH/SI)
