Countdown to Spikes Asia starts

In three weeks, Spikes Asia, the regional Asia-Pacific Awards and Festival for creative excellence in advertising and communications, will be opening its doors for three days of learning, inspiration, content and networking. With a record number of entries and delegates expected, Spikes Asia 2012 is set to be an exciting and outstanding event.

Unmissable world class content will be available for delegates, with 30 seminars offering an engaging programme focusing on creativity and learning, and The Forum, a new stream of content offering attendees the chance to interact with speakers on the specific themes: The Creative Future of Media; Creativity in Mobile Advertising; Consumer Insights and Understanding People; Creativity in Branded Content and Entertainment; and The Creative Future of Technology.

This year’s speaker line-up includes:

Alan Dunachie, Director of Operations, Economist Group, UK

Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide

Andrew Robertson, CEO, President, BBDO Worldwide

Chris Dobson, Executive Vice-President of BBC Advertising, BBC Worldwide

Daito Manabe, Media Artist

Dominic Proctor, President, GroupM Global

Elliot Polak, Founder, CEO, Textappeal

Ishita Sharma, Global Brand Manager: Closeup; Global Platform Leader: Digital, Closeup, Unilever

James Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer, Diageo Asia Pacific

Jose Miguel Sokoloff, President, Lowe Global Creative Council; Co-Chairman, CCO, Lowe SSP3, Colombia

Julian Boulding, President, thenetworkone

Lyn Heward, Creative Director, Cirque du Soleil

Nick Brien, Chairman, CEO, McCann Worldgroup

Prasoon Joshi, Chairman, CEO, McCann Worldgroup India

Rei Inamoto, Chief Creative Officer, AKQA

Tham Khai Meng, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy & Mather

Tina Manikas, Global Retail & Promotions Officer, Draftfcb

Todd Solondz, Writer, Director

A programme of evening events offers dedicated networking opportunities, an essential value of the Festival, to all attendees. Spikes Nights begin with Facebook hosting a welcome drinks reception at their offices at the end of the Festival opening day, offering the chance for an informal mingle with fellow delegates.

The second night sees the return of the ever-popular Networking After Dark; this year JWT, Lowe Asia Pacific, McCann Worldgroup, Ogilvy & Mather, TBWA and VivaKi will all host six amazing parties. On the final night, bringing the Festival to a close, the hotly anticipated Awards will be held at the Marina Bay Sands and followed by celebrations at the After Party, taking place at Avalon nightclub.

Offering inspiration, dedicated screening areas and exhibitions will showcase the best of creativity in the Asia-Pacific region and all of the shortlisted work from this year’s entries. Alongside this, Innovasia, the Festival’s technology zone, will display the new wave of technology-based products coming out of Asia and beyond.

Delegates will have the opportunity to understand how technology can aid brands to create groundbreaking work. This year, SpikesAlso will take form of an interactive exhibition, ‘KnownUnkown,’ a live installation reflecting expression of art on everyday consumer products featuring work from local artists.

Helping to nurture upcoming talent within the industry, the Young Spikes programme not only offers discounted packages to young creatives, young marketers and students, but also provides tailored academies – the Spikes Asia Creative Academy for students and the Young Spikes Marketers Academy – giving young talent the chance to learn in an invaluable environment from some of the best people in the industry.

The Young Spikes Competitions provide the next generation the chance to showcase their skills. This year three competitions will take place; Integrated, Media and, new for this year, the Agency Shoot Out Competition with teams of two creating a print advert. Entries will be judged by members of the Spikes Asia juries and the winners will be announced and awarded during the Awards Ceremony.

About the juries, Philip Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of Lions Festivals, commented: “It’s really important to be launching the new Creative Effectiveness and Branded Content and Entertainment categories at Spikes Asia this year and we have got some highly regarded, key experts on these inaugural juries. They join an outstanding line-up of talent and we look forward to seeing which work these four juries decide to honour at this year’s awards.”

Commenting on this year’s Festival, Terry Savage, Chairman of Lions Festivals, said: “There is a huge amount happening at Spikes Asia this year with many different elements combining to create a massive creative hub where regional work will be celebrated and admired, industry Issues will be discussed and debated and creativity will be ignited. With early indications showing that both entries and delegates will be at an all-time-high, Spikes Asia continues to build and reflect, remaining at the forefront and therefore making it an invaluable date on the industry calendar.”