SHANGHAI, CHINA – In a bold step to bridge cultures and spotlight Asia-Pacific’s creative excellence on the global stage, The One Club for Creativity has unveiled the One Show–ONE Asia Cross-Culture Jury Initiative.
The program, part of The One Club’s ongoing mission to celebrate and elevate creativity worldwide, is designed to expose Western judges to the nuance, craft, and cultural brilliance of APAC work while amplifying the region’s presence in international jury rooms.
Since its inception, the ONE Asia Creative Awards has gained recognition for its rigorous judging process — mirroring that of The One Show and ADC Annual Awards while celebrating the boldest creative ideas from across the region. By convening distinguished juries, the award has solidified its reputation as one of the most respected creative honors in APAC.
The new Cross-Culture Jury Initiative adds another layer of equity to the judging process. Each year, a select group of Western creative leaders will serve as jurors at ONE Asia, and later bring their deepened perspective into the following year’s One Show global jury room. Conversely, leading APAC creatives will take their seat on The One Show and ADC Annual Awards juries, ensuring that voices from the region are equally represented at the world’s most influential competitions.
The inaugural cross-cultural jury members for ONE Asia 2025 in Seoul include:
- Noel Bunting, CCO, Publicis London
- Ross Taylor, Group ECD, Havas Play London
- Paddy Treacy, Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy New York
They will join their APAC counterparts this October, immersing themselves in the region’s top creative work and perspectives.
Adding further weight to the initiative, Judy John, Global CCO of Edelman and member of The One Club Board of Directors, will once again serve as moderator and advisor. Although a non-voting participant, John’s presence reinforces the importance of APAC voices in shaping the global creative conversation.
The initiative aims to provide Western judges with more than just exposure – it seeks to immerse them in the cultural contexts, storytelling traditions, and creative codes unique to APAC. By judging in rooms led by APAC voices, they gain richer insights that will influence their decisions when evaluating work on the global stage.
“The One Club is uniquely positioned to lead programs that make global competitions more equitable,” said Adam Izen, director, The One Show, based in New York. “Through this One Show-ONE Asia Cross Culture Jury Initiative, we’re giving more judges a deeper understanding of the creative culture and industry in the APAC region. That insight helps ensure work from APAC is judged in the right context, and strengthens our mission to celebrate and support theglobal creative community.”
Season Zhou, APAC Director, Growth & Partnerships for The One Club, based in Shanghai, added “Too often, work from Asia-Pacific is seen through a global lens that doesn’t reflect our realities, cultures, or creative codes. By bridging cultural understanding, we’re not just giving APAC work a fairer stage but helping the global creative conversation become more complete.”
Entries to the ONE Asia 2025 can be submitted now, with entry fees increasing after each deadline period. The extended deadline is August 25, 2025, and final deadline September 12, 2025. Finalists revealed in the Fall and winners announced in December 2025.
