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A guide to the Spikes Asia Awards

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First time entering

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Welcome

Welcome to this step-by-step guide to entering Spikes Asia. Each year, the new benchmark for APAC creativity is set across 24 Awards, from Audio & Radio to Social & Influencer, each with its own set of categories. To win a Spikes Asia Award is to inspire confidence in your clients, to attract exciting new briefs and to build your profile across the region. This guide will explain, step-by-step how to make the most out of the entry process, to give you the best chance for success.

First time entering

If this is your first time entering, we suggest reading through this guide in order. It covers everything you’ll need to know at each stage of your entry journey. From how to select the most appropriate categories for your work, to guidance on how to craft your entry, right through to what happens once you’ve submitted your work.

If you still have questions or can’t find what you’re looking for, our Awards Team is on hand to help.

Entered before?

If you've entered before and are looking for a more specific piece of information, use the side navigation to quickly locate it. Alternatively, explore the ‘How to craft your entry’ section for advice from former Jurors and examples of winning work.

Where to start

Spikes Asia recognises the APAC region’s best-in-class creativity. But before the Jury begins their deliberation, there’s plenty to prepare. Having an excellent creative idea is just one part of the process. To give it the best chance for success there are some key things you need to keep in mind.

Important dates

Below are some key dates to keep in mind. Make note of them now to give yourself plenty of time to meet the final deadline.

What's happening

Dates

Eligibility period

1 Jan 2024 - 31 Jan 2025

Entries open

24 Oct 24

First late fee

After 19 December 2024

Second late fee

After 16 Jan 2025

Final entry deadline

28 Jan 2025

What's new

We’re constantly refining and evolving our awards and their categories to ensure they reflect the landscape of our industry and pave the way forward. For 2025, we’ve introduced a number of changes, including updates to the Audio & Radio, PR, Innovation and Social & Influencer Spikes.

Find out more

Entry Kit

The first step in the journey is determining if your work is eligible, and if so, which Awards and categories best suit your work.

Is your work eligible?

This guide is only a helpful summary of key information. It is not a substitute for reading the full entry rules, terms and conditions.

  1. The entry has launched/aired/run within the relevant eligibility dates for the Spikes Asia Award it is entered into.

  2. The entry has been created within the context of a normal paying contract and genuine brief from a brand OR, if it’s a case of self-promotion or a non-profit organisation, the client has approved all of the media / production / implementation.

  3. You have permission to enter this work from the commissioning brand/brand-owning company. We may request proof of this permission directly with the Brand or Brand-owning company.You have included the brand contact details in the entry including name, position and full contact details.

  4. The entry has been submitted exactly as published / aired / released / launched and has not been modified for entry into Spikes Asia.

  5. The entry is not speculative or conceptual advertising, and has not been banned or withdrawn from the market.

  6. A duly authorised senior officer (CD, CEO or Chairperson) from the Entrant has given permission for this work to be entered.

  7. The entry was not entered to the same Spikes Asia Award last year. You may be able to enter the entry into an alternative Spikes Asia Award, provided it meets the relevant entry requirements, including the eligibility period requirements.

  8. There is no reference to your company or any contributing creative companies in any digital or physical materials, except in the case of self-promotion or if the reference existed in the original execution.

  9. The entry, and/or digital or physical materials can be understood in English. For further information click here.

  10. You understand that, if you withdraw your entry after 19 December 2024 , you will not receive a refund. Please see Part A of the Rules for more information on cancellations, refunds and withdrawals.

  11. If new results are collected after the entry has been paid for, we will only accept additional written information in the results section of the entry form on or before 13 February 2025.

  12. All media included in your entries must be the final version at the point that you complete and pay for them. No replacement or additional media can be accepted after an entry has been finalised and received by the Festival without exception.

  13. By submitting an entry you confirm that you own all applicable legal rights for all media included in your entry.

  14. Entries will be accepted on the basis that:

  • They are designed specifically for and to run in the Asia Pacific* region and are created or produced by companies in the Asia Pacific* region

  • They are designed specifically for and to run in the Asia Pacific* region and are created or produced by companies outside the Asia Pacific* region

  • They are designed to run globally as long as they are created or produced by companies in the Asia Pacific* region.

    *For the purpose of Spikes Asia, those countries are: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Fiji, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mainland China, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan,Tajikistan, Thailand, The Philippines, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Union of Myanmar, Vanuatu, Vietnam.

If you’re unable to meet all the requirements on this list, your entry may be ineligible for the Spikes Asia Awards 2025. Failure to meet all of these requirements could see your entry being disqualified or withdrawn without a refund.

Contact us

Where is your work eligible?

Once you’ve made sure your work meets all the necessary eligibility requirements, it’s time to identify which Award or Awards best suit your work. For this, reference Entry Kit Part 1. Here, you’ll find a breakdown of all the Awards and their categories, including their judging criteria and material requirements.

  1. What key elements do you focus on when describing your work? Is it the craft, the engagement or maybe the creative strategy? Identifying the root of your work will allow you to match it with the most appropriate Award.

  2. What was the objective? What were you trying to achieve? Was there a particular element that really helped to deliver on that objective? Identifying the intention behind your work will help you when it comes to category selection.

How to craft your entry

Once you feel confident with your category selection, it’s time to think about how best to tell your story. Allowing yourself enough time to do this thoroughly gives you the best chance of success.

Written submission

The written explanation is a compulsory element for every Award. It serves as an opportunity for you to tell the Jurors everything they need to know about your work, from the creative idea, strategy and execution, right through to the results.

Each question has been specifically designed to help you showcase your work, so make sure you take full advantage of each one and answer with as much relevant detail as possible. If you’re entering your work across multiple Awards, resist the temptation to copy and paste your answers. Tailoring them for each entry, within the context of that Award and category, will make it easier for the Jury to understand why your work deserves to win there.

At Cannes Lions 2024, former PR Jury President Jo-ann Robertson took to the stage to offer advice on how to craft a winning entry. See her tips on category selection below.

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Often, the first thing the Jury looks for when distinguishing between shortlisted pieces and winners is how the objective links to the impact and results. You may have a beautiful piece of work, but did it work for the brand? If your objective is to drive sales but your results focus on increased awareness, the Jury will notice this disconnect. They’re industry experts, so think carefully about what they would view as a metric of success.

It’s also important to remember that most of the Jury won’t be from your market. This is where the cultural context question comes into play. Use it to provide insight into why your work is relevant for this particular brand, at this particular moment, in this particular market. Help them understand why this work pushed the boundaries of what great is for the audience in the market where it ran.

Jo-ann had some great insight into how and when the Jury reference the written submission.

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So, to summarise:

  • Make the most of every question

  • Link your objective to your outcome

  • Include relevant results and provide cultural context

Supporting materials

The supporting materials are some of the most important elements of your entry. They are what the Jury examine, watch and read during their decision-making. Each Award has different material requirements. Some elements are mandatory, others recommended or optional. Below is an overview of the entry requirements – please see Entry Kit 1 for the full list, plus formatting guidelines.

Regardless of the Award you’re entering, some general rules to remember are:

  • All case films and presentation images must be in English.

  • Work that was not originally published in English (TV commercials, print ads, billboards, etc.) can be translated or subtitled exactly as it was published or aired so that it can be understood in English by the Jury.

  • If translating original video work, please note that dubbing is not allowed. Voiceovers can be translated, but visible speech must be kept in the original language and subtitled.

  • Supporting materials must not contain any reference to your agency or any contributing creative companies or individuals.

Presentation image

The presentation image is compulsory across many Awards. This is a visual presentation of your work, including images and English text, concisely summarising the brief, execution and results. It is often referenced by Jurors and should provide an engaging, easy-to-digest.

Case film

The case film is not mandatory for all Awards but is often a highly recommended addition to your submission. A case film gives you an opportunity to introduce and explain your work. It’s often the first thing the Jury sees, so include your cultural context, reference your original objective and final outcome and keep it under 2 minutes. The case film will be displayed publicly on our intelligence platform The Work.

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"If you can tell the crux of your story; what it was you were trying to achieve, how you achieved it and the impact it had. If you can communicate that in the first 20 seconds, then you will be flying through shortlisting."

Jo-ann Robertson, CEO | Global Markets | Cannes Lions 2024

Helpful resources

We have a range of resources available to help with crafting your entry. Get inspired by previous winning work, dive into Jury room insights to better understand what Jurors are looking for and talk to our Awards team about category selection.

Awards Team

If you have any questions about the entry process, from category selection to eligibility, or just the process in general, our team is here to help.

Contact us

The Spikes Asia Creativity Report

The Spikes Asia Creativity Report 2024 is available to everyone for free via The Work. The annual report includes the definitive rankings for creative excellence in branded communications and provides insights, analysis and interviews with winning creators.

Download The Report

The Work

Search 250,000 of the best pieces of creative work, plus reports, interviews and insights from leading brands and agencies.

Take me to The Work

Winners Spotlight

Explore the Winners Spotlight page for insights on the 2024 winning work, via our Inside the Jury Room and Spotlight On sessions.

Watch Awards content

How to submit

If you’d like to work on your entry offline, you can do so by downloading the questions for each category via the entry system. Once you’ve perfected your answers and have everything ready to submit, you’ll need to add all of the materials to the entry system.

Last minute checks

Use this checkout checklist to ensure you’ve completed everything correctly:

  • Have you double checked your work meets the eligibility criteria detailed in Entry Kit 2?

  • Have you made sure you’ve got permission from the brand to enter the Work?

  • Have you made sure you’re entering your work exactly as it aired?

  • Have you checked to make sure your visual assets are all in English or include English subtitles?

  • Have you got the rights to all the assets you’re submitting with your Entry?

  • Have you supplied all of the media placement information outlining when and where your work ran? (This information is used frequently, so make sure it’s correct!)

  • Have you made sure not to reference the agency or any contributing creative companies in the written submission, as well as in any digital assets or physical materials?

  • Have you asked a fresh pair of eyes to sense and spell check your entry?

  • Are you completely satisfied with the final version? Remember, once you checkout you can’t make any more changes.

Please note

No changes can be made once you have clicked “Submit” and “Checkout”. Please only check out when your entry is 100% complete. All supporting case films and materials need to be the correct and final versions and cannot be changed once you’ve submitted your entry.

Deadline FAQs

What happens if you’ve missed it?

If you think you will have trouble meeting the final deadline (28 January 2025), get in touch with our Awards team to discuss what options are available.

Can I edit my entry after submitting?

No, once you’ve submitted your work you cannot make any changes. This includes adding or removing assets.

Fees

Award Fee SGD Fee after 19 December 2024 (SGD) Fee after 16 January 2025 (SGD)
Audio & Radio 640 800 850
Brand Experience & Activation 795 955 1005
Creative Commerce 795 955 1005
Creative Data 640 800 850
Creative Effectiveness 995 1155 1205
Creative Strategy 795 955 1005
Design 640 800 850
Digital Craft 640 800 850
Direct 640 800 850
Entertainment 795 955 1005
Film 795 955 1005
Film Craft 795 955 1005
Gaming 640 800 850
Glass: The Award For Change 640 800 850
Healthcare 640 800 850
Industry Craft 640 800 850
Innovation 795 955 1005
Integrated 995 1155 1205
Media 640 800 850
Music 640 800 850
Outdoor 640 800 850
PR 640 800 850
Print & Publishing 640 800 850
Social & Influencer 640 800 850

What happens next?

Judging

After you check out your entry, each piece of work is reviewed multiple times by our Awards team before it gets to the Jury. If there are any issues, a member of the team will be in touch. If you don’t hear from us, it means you’re all set and your work has progressed through to the judging stages.

1. First stage

Jurors consider and score each entry on a scale of one to nine based on whether they consider it a shortlist candidate. The Jury will then review and finalise this proposed shortlist. Typically about twenty percent of entries will make it to this stage.

2. Second stage

Guided by the Jury President, the Jury reviews and debates entries in the shortlist before voting on whether they consider each a Gold, Silver or Bronze winner, or if it is a Shortlist only. It takes a two-thirds majority vote to claim a trophy.

3. After voting

After voting, results are read out and Juries confirm the decisions. Candidates for Grand Prix, selected from Gold or equivalent winners, are also identified and further discussion follows before the final vote to determine the Grand Prix winner.

4. Non-profit organisations & charities

Entries for non-profit organisations and charities aren’t eligible for the Grand Prix in their Awards, but will be considered for the Grand Prix for Good.

Clarification about your entry

Our team will use the entry contact you’ve provided if the Jury needs any clarification about your entry.

Shortlists

What happens if you’ve been shortlisted?

Shortlists are decided in the first round of judging. If you make the shortlist, our team will let you know via email and provide assets that you can use to celebrate your success on social media. The shortlists will also be available on The Work from 13 March 2025.

Where can you find shortlisted work?

Being shortlisted at Spikes Asia is a huge achievement. Fewer than 25% of all entries make the cut. All entries submitted will be exclusively available on The Work. Non-subscribers will be able to access a list with the winners’ details, while subscribers can read the full entry and supporting material.

Winners

What happens if you win?

If your work has been selected for a Spikes Asia Award, our team will be in touch. Winners will be announced in April 2025 (after the Awards Show).

Can you get a duplicate of the trophy?

All credited Spikes Asia winners, both companies and individuals, can purchase additional Spikes Asia trophies, as well as certificates. Visit the Trophies and Certificates page to place your order. If you have any questions, please contact the Awards team

How can we make the most of our win?

Celebrate on social media! We’ll share assets that you can use to share across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our LIONS Intelligence content team regularly interview winners to find out more about how the work got made. These interviews will be used in editorial content such as the Eurobest Creativity Report. If you’ve got a story to share, please reach out to the team.

Post-Awards

The end of the Festival does not mean the end of our content. There’s plenty of post-Awards content for you and your team to engage with when you get back to the office.

Spikes Asia Creativity Report

The Spikes Asia Creativity Report will be available to everyone for free in March via The Work. It announces the region's definitive rankings for creative excellence in branded communications and provides insights, analysis and interviews with Spikes-winning creators.

Inside the Jury Room

This series brings together Jurors and Jury Presidents to discuss some of the winning pieces of work. It provides insight into the process behind the selection of the winners and submission advice for future entrants.

Contact us

Our dedicated Awards team is on hand year-round to support you with your entry journey. Our Awards experts can help you formulate your entry plan by:

  • explaining the updates to the Awards, e.g. what’s new and what’s changed this year

  • talking through your work and suggesting relevant categories

  • sharing tips about how to craft your entry

  • scheduling regular catch-ups to answer any questions you have throughout the entry process.

These services are complementary to make your entry experience as smooth and straightforward as possible.

You don’t have to wait a full year to enter Spikes Asia again.

As you shift your focus to your next project, keep our three other Festivals in mind:

Cannes Lions Festival The benchmark for international creativity.

Eurobest Europe's benchmark for creative and effective communications.

Dubai Lynx The MENA region's premier Festival of Creativity.

Our Awards Team is available at awards@spikes.asia year-round to help support you on any future entries.