The topic that everyone has an opinion on — creative awards. One of the most contentious conversations in the industry, you either love them or hate them. Which is exactly where our guests stand this week. We’re asking those who’ve won them, lost them, judged them and scorned them some of the questions we all want answered.

How can you judge something so subjective? Are the projects real? Are judges biased towards the studios & clients? Is it just a money-making exercise? How does it impact our teams? Do our clients care?

Rob Duncan, Creative Director at Mucho, believes they enable him to hire the best talent in the world and help the studio cast a critical eye over the work they’re making. But that remote judging has lowered the standards of the shortlists.

Mitch Paone, Partner & Creative Director at DIA, has boycotted them entirely. Believing they’re a business first & foremost. And having been in the judging room, he thinks bias runs too deep to ever be truly objective when choosing the winners.

Katherina Tudball, Creative Director at Superunion, sees the good in them. A chance to celebrate good ideas and your team's hard work. Having been involved for years, she shares the criteria for jury selection and what it’s like narrowing down a year of industry hard work.

Alice Ishiguro Tosey, Independent Creative, sits on the fence, acknowledging that getting them early in your career opens doors, but that the mental health repercussions of rejection have a long-lasting impact.

And ultimately, are the people who hate them, just bitter because they don’t win them?

* It's not won any awards.

–

Hosted & created by Katie Cadwell

Edited by James from Be Heard

Original music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.