KUALA LUMPUR – Two new categories will be introduced this year at the Kancil Awards, the advertising industry’s ‘Big Ticket’ event, to reflect the changing sentiments about creativity and consumer engagement.
“Creativity remains the fundamental tool to building brands and problem solving,” asserts T. Renganathan, Organising Chairman of Kancil Awards 2015. “Despite the rapid changes in the advertising, creative communications, and media landscapes, there’s no substitute for a compelling creative idea that conveys the right message to the consumer targets.”
This year’s theme, “Deervid vs. Golion: Find a Different Way to Fight”, aims to reiterate the belief that even small-budget ideas can take on the flashy, big-concept ideas with some ingenuity and imagination.
According to Creative Council Chairman Tan Kien Eng, there are two components in rationalising this year’s theme.
“There’s a national agenda – and it’s really about Malaysia, a small nation striving to be the most creative in the world up against bigger nations globally. It’s also about driving an open mind culture. Big ideas can originate from anywhere – from the most junior person in an agency or from the smallest of agencies. Indeed, it’s a celebration of the impossible overcoming the odds.”
Renganathan also subscribes to the notion that the right idea and execution can achieve the desired result. “A good creative is good creative, plain and simple. Our appeal to small and medium-sized advertising agencies is to be courageous, to go beyond the beaten path, and strive to make their mark.”
The two new categories – Young Kancil and Kancil for Good – are designed to uplift the awards in attracting fresh talent and rewarding agencies involved in community work.
At press time, 14 teams, each comprising three members with less than two years experience in advertising or marketing communications, overseeing art, copy, and planning, have signed up for the Young Kancil 24-hour challenge. Their task is to create a campaign, to be given by a client one day in advance of the Kancil Awards, within 24 hours. This challenge aims to demonstrate “the real world of advertising” to the young entrants of the advertising industry.
The Kancil for Good category seeks to reward marketing communications, including CSR activities, social initiatives, social enterprise, and community outreach programmes that have made a positive impact in improving people’s lives.
“Consumers relate and connect better with brands that make a positive impact in their lives,” says Renganathan. “We want to acknowledge work for brands that create lasting and favourable impressions – with a feel-good factor in the mix.”
The jury panel for Kancil Awards 2015, headed by Tan, comprises six international and 20 local judges. The six international judges are Laurent Thevenet, R/GA Singapore; Sompat Trisadikun, Leo Burnett Thailand; Thomas Kim, Playground Korea; Eddie Azadi, Google Asia Pacific; Santosh Padhi, Taproot India; and Ali Shahbaz, Grey Singapore.
The primary objective of the Kancil Awards, says Renganathan, is to raise the creative bar of the industry in Malaysia. This, he adds, is achieved through the celebration of the best work created throughout the past year.
Kancil Awards 2015 will be held on 4 December starting 6:00 pm at the Shangri-la Hotel.
Note: This is a press release from Kancil Awards
