Creative Juice\G1's 'Police' spot for Thailand Yellow Pages and BBDO Bangkok's 'Worms' ad for Uni President -- both highly awarded at the Media Spikes -- will battle for Yellow Pencils in the TV category.
D&AD judge Carlos Bayala, creative director at Mother Buenos Aires, said: "Worms was the bravest, most original idea I saw in the room. I think it is not only a great script -- it works. It makes people understand why this is a premium tea."
D&AD judge Carlos Bayala, creative director at Mother Buenos Aires, said: "Worms was the bravest, most original idea I saw in the room. I think it is not only a great script -- it works. It makes people understand why this is a premium tea."
Naga DDB Malaysia's 'School photo' for Nikon and BBDO Singapore's 'Head banger/Tattoo artist/Indian dancer' campaigns for Pepsi-Cola are also up for silver prizes.
The most nominated work this year, however, was Wieden & Kennedy's 'Grrr' for Honda, nominated for nine silver awards. 'Getting dressed' by BBH for Lynx was nominated for five silvers, while Lowe London's 'Pilot' for Stella Artois was nominated for four silver prizes. According to Saatchi & Saatchi executive creative director Jureeporn Thaidamrung, who was one of the judges in the D&AD's art direction category and is leaving Saatchis this month to set up her own creative hotshot (see p5), snapping up silver awards is expected to prove particularly difficult this year.
The first Thai creative to bring home a silver D&AD award, Jureeporn said: "Thais have had many In-Books and silver nominations but it's hard getting a Yellow Pencil, and it seems more difficult this year. I'm not sure whether we can reach the silver status this year. I'd say winning at D&AD is far more difficult than Cannes."
Which, according to Tan Shen Guan, vice-chairman and ECD at Y&R Shanghai, is what has made China's In-Book entry for Green House Organic's 'Onion' particularly rewarding. While it failed to grab a Media Spike, the campaign took home two silvers and a bronze at AdFest.
"I'm especially pleased that this campaign is from mainland China, which is a very difficult market to operate in. It's the third-largest advertising market in the world and yet it is disproportionately awarded in those terms. D&AD is very tough, so all the more kudos that one managed to get it.
"The campaign took a simple, powerful idea and made it stand out. Everybody seems to believe that genetically modified foods are the cure for world hunger. This campaign jogged people into reevaluating that thinking."
The winners of the D&AD Awards will be announced on May 25, when Yellow Pencils will be awarded to winners. However, the most prestigious of creative awards -- the Black Pencil -- is only given if a piece of work breaks the mould or sets new standards of creative excellence.
