What separates a good idea from an award-winning one? And who gets to decide?
That’s the challenge facing 42 creative leaders and clients from 15 countries as the ONE Asia Awards 2026 final judging officially kicks off in Kuala Lumpur.
Organized by The One Club for Creativity, this marks the first time ONE Asia has ever brought its judging to Malaysia, where different creative minds, cultures and perspectives come together to debate, challenge and recognise the very best work from across the region.
Opening the proceedings, Yash Egami, The One Club COO, reminded judges of the responsibility that comes with recognizing outstanding creative work.
“These awards can change careers, build reputations, and put agencies on the global map. As a global nonprofit, The One Club is committed to education, professional development and strengthening creative communities worldwide,” he said.
Adam Izen, Chief Awards Officer at The One Club, placed the spotlight on the integrity of judging and the importance of independent thinking.
“Every entry deserves our attention, and every award needs to be earned here. We challenge jurors to question one another, defend their opinions and remain open to changing their minds when presented with a different perspective.”
He also highlighted The One Club’s Cross-Cultural Jury Exchange, which brings international judges into ONE Asia discussions to deepen their understanding of the region’s diverse creative cultures. This year’s exchange includes Tara Ford, Nick Noh and Simon Au, bringing perspectives from outside Asia-Pacific into the judging room while building stronger connections with The One Show’s global jury.
Tay Guan Hin, The One Club APAC Regional Director, showed how human habits and biases shape AI responses, linking it to this year’s ONE Asia theme, “Where Taste Matters.”
“Algorithms reward familiarity. Creativity rewards surprise,” he noted.
He also emphasized that as AI makes content easier to produce, the ability to recognise truly original ideas becomes increasingly important. He also introduced the judging experience’s theme, ONE Family. Many Worlds., celebrating how different cultures, instincts and opinions can lead to richer creative discussions.
Building on that spirit of collaboration, Season Zhou, The One Club APAC Director of Growth & Partnerships, brought the gathering together through introductions of the production crew, media partners, volunteers and judging panels, thanking Directors Think Tank as the exclusive judging sponsor and production partner for bringing a distinctly Malaysian perspective to the experience.
For ONE Asia, the best creative work is not simply what everyone agrees is good. Sometimes, it is the work that challenges how we define good in the first place.
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of ONE Asia Creative Awards 2026.
