LONDON, UK — In the post-pandemic era, traditional print media faces the challenge of capturing attention through strong visual impact and emotional connection with audiences.
Woon Hoh, Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy Indonesia and a jury member for the Press & Outdoor category, described the judging process for the 2024 D&AD Awards as rigorous: “It was pretty brutal. We had 500 in in the first online shortlist, and then it came up to 40 plus. It was very healthy discussion and, to my surprise, a lot of votes on the work were pretty unanimous.” Woon, who has had an illustrious career at top agencies across Asia, including BBDO, McCann, JWT, and HAKUHODO, is known for his infectious personality and creative problem-solving. He has led teams to numerous international awards and is currently focused on nurturing young talent in Jakarta, driving innovation and excellence in the creative industry.
Mónica Moro, D&AD Press & Outdoor Jury President and Chief Creative Officer of McCann Spain, emphasized the need for innovation in judging. She instructed her jury to first ask, “Does this work make me jealous?” and to seek out fresh angles that represent the press. The jury prioritized works with strong emotional resonance and clear messaging.
Woon highlighted the creative potential of print advertising, noting, “There are still opportunities for creativity, but it cannot be the same old formula,” referencing the overused visual puns.
He pointed out campaigns that exemplified excellent crafting, even if unconventional. He cited the Pot Noodle “Nothing Fills a Hole Like Pot Noodle” campaign by adam&eveDDB UK, which won a Wood Pencil. The campaign’s intentionally “ugly” design matched the brand’s character, making it memorable. Pot Noodle is a staple in the UK, known for quick meals, especially among university students. The campaign humorously suggested that Pot Noodle could satisfy hunger and literally “fill a hole.”
Read more about “Nothing Fills a Hole Like Pot Noodle” here.
Another notable campaign was “Not Milk. We Didn’t Write This Campaign” by MRM Chile for NotCo’s NotMilk, which won a Graphite Pencil. Woon praised its authenticity and cleverness, as the copy came from legal documents filed by a competitor. “That’s what makes it a genius campaign in my eyes,” he said.
Read more about “Not Milk. We Didn’t Write This Campaign” here.
The only campaign to win a Yellow Pencil in the press and outdoor category was “Coors Lights Out” by Rethink Canada for Molson Coors. This campaign turned a media event into a unique commemorative piece when baseball player Shohei Ohtani broke a Coors Light ad with a foul ball. Instead of fixing the flaw, the brand released special edition cans featuring the broken ad, a bold move that resonated with fans.
“They literally took the campaign and made it into social media content, with the line ‘Hit the slot.’ That’s it. It was brilliant,” Woon commented.
Read more about “Coors Light Out” here.
Another standout was British Airways‘ “Windows” by Uncommon Creative Studio, which used tight cropping of an airplane window pane to create anticipation, cleverly incorporating the British Airways logo in an incomplete yet iconic manner.
Read more about “Windows” here.
Woon expressed his enthusiasm for judging the Press & Outdoor category, though he preferred in-person judging over online sessions. “It was not as magical. Unlike before, when you could scrutinize printed posters up close,” he remarked, suggesting D&AD consider this for future sessions.
The D&AD Awards judging took place at County Hall in the Southbank Centre, London, culminating in the awards ceremony on May 22.
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of D&AD 2024.
