What’s New for Spikes Asia 2025

Restructuring the Audio & Radio Spike

We’ve updated the Audio & Radio Spike to reflect the expansion of audio work across the industry.

As technology advances, audio content has adapted across platforms – breaking free from its traditional radio roots. To reflect this shift, we’ve changed the name from ’Radio & Audio’ to ’Audio & Radio’.

Refreshing the PR Spikes

We’ve refreshed the PR Spike so that it accurately reflects the current PR industry and celebrates work that delivers a brand message, changes behaviour or engages customers at scale. Work entered into the ‘Excellence in PR Craft’ section can only be submitted and paid for by independent PR agencies, companies owned by a PR network or independent PR networks. This section will sit outside the existing maximum limits for entry within the PR Spike.

Refreshing the Innovation Spike

A lot has changed since the Innovation Spike was introduced in 2014, which means updates were needed. This year we’ve put more emphasis on environmental, societal and financial innovation – reflecting the ever-changing landscape of creativity that addresses the world’s most pressing challenges and opportunities.

Work entered into the Innovation Spike should demonstrate ground-breaking innovation, technology and problem-solving creativity that turns imaginative ideas into impactful reality.

Refreshing the Social & Influencer Spike

Understanding the significance of creators, we’ve refreshed the Social & Influencer Spike to put more focus on content creators than ever before. This refresh places an even greater emphasis on recognising and celebrating the role creators play in shaping and amplifying brand messages. It acknowledges the dynamic influence they have on engaging and resonating with audiences across social and digital platforms – reflecting the evolving nature of communication and branding in the modern era.

Introducing a dedicated space for humour

We’ve introduced a new humour category to the Cultural & Context sections that sit across the Spikes to celebrate the art of humour in branded communications. Work entered into this category should use wit and satire to provide amusement and create memorable, laughter-inducing connections with audiences.

Introducing a new question on your work’s objectives

Understanding how the creative idea helps a brand achieve its goals is a key factor in Jury discussions. So, we’ve included a dedicated question in the written submission that asks for the objectives of the work. This is a compulsory element on each entry and will provide essential context when the Jury evaluates your work.

Making the cultural context question compulsory

Last year, we introduced a question about cultural context to help Jurors better understand the nuances of your work. The Jury found it so valuable that this year, we’re making it a compulsory element of every entry. Use this question to really explain why your work is relevant for this brand, in this market, at this time.

Providing an option for the Jury to see the responses to sustainability and DEI questions

This year we’re opening up the option for you to share your responses to the sustainability and DEI questions with the Jury. In doing so, we hope to encourage those making progress in these areas to share their success and to ignite conversations in the Jury room.

Introducing an AI disclaimer

For Spikes Asia 2025, we’re introducing a question that will ask entrants to disclaim whether AI was used in the work – and if so, how. This is to help the Jury judge the work fairly and with the whole picture.