It is a distinct honour to lead the Direct and Promo jury at this year’s Spikes Asia for many more reasons than this space will allow me to enumerate. There are two, however, that I simply cannot bear to neglect mentioning, as both involve a glimpse into the future.
The first is that the Spikes attracts and rewards the best-of-the-best creative work from the region of the globe that is demonstrating with growing consistency its rightful reputation as an industry leader. From clever applications of new technologies to inspired solutions with no technology, it is difficult to find a region of the world more closely associated with marketing innovation and inspiration than Asia.
The second is that the Direct and Promo categories represent the growing future of the marketing world, and to be entrusted to apply their standard is a privilege and a pleasure. As technologically empowered creativity enables more fluid one-to-one engagement, and equally fluid disengagement, the challenge of truly involving people in branded experiences cannot help but move to the forefront. The creative currency then quickly becomes the ability to leverage insights into individuals to create incentives for participation in brands with purpose. In short, the very definitions of world-class direct and promotion activation work.
For these two reasons, and countless others, I cannot think of a place I would rather be this September than facing the future as chair of the Spikes Direct and Promo jury. If you share my curiosity at what tomorrow will bring, I am sure you will agree it is the best seat in the house.
