MANILA, APRIL 19, 2013 – TBWA\SMP and M&C Saatchi Kuala Lumpur emerged as the top two agencies with the most number of adobo Design Awards shortlists, at 14 and 10, respectively.
The former’s larger than life ‘Project Edsa’ campaign secured two finalist slots in the Best Design Outdoor/Ambient and Environmental Design categories. Popular with the judges is the agency’s guitar-shaped packaging for snacks brand Marty’s called ‘Smashables’.
Lone regional entrant M&C Saatchi Kuala Lumpur did a good job as it landed 10 finalist slots. Their most popular works were print works for SPCA Selangor, an animal welfare organization based in Ampang Jaya, Selangor.
There was also good turnout for other agencies such as Leo Burnett Manila, Dentsu Philippines, BBDO Guerrero, Campaigns & Grey, DM9JaymeSyfu, IdeasXMachina, Lowe Philippines and Publicis JimenezBasic.
“With the competition being about design, we focused on the aesthetic more than the idea and most of the judges are aligned in their choices in this regard,” said Thomas Yang, head of jury and deputy ECD & Head of Art & Design at DDB Singapore.
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The Open/Theme Category’s Best in Poster, Professional Division shortlist is dominated by Dentsu Philippines. Last year’s winners, Paulo Villones and Lorenzo Alajar, are back this year as their works – ‘Habulin Mo Babaeng Lumpo’ (Villones) and ‘Melting Pop’ (Alajar) – contend for metals.
Meanwhile, Dentsu Philippines’ Valerie Villaflor’s work, ‘MNL Pop Culture Monument’, did not only land in the Open/Theme category shortlist but also won MyPhone’s vote for the MyPhone Pinoy Award. MyPhone is a proudly Philippine-made mobile phone brand and a staunch supporter of Filipino designs.
According to Yang, who’s behind DDB Singapore’s gold Cannes Lion-winning campaign ‘Lifecycle’, the strongest element that stood out for him in almost all of this year’s entries are the illustrations. “I saw some new styles which I have never seen before. The illustration category represented the Philippines well,” he added.
Graphic designer, entrepreneur and restaurateur AJ Dimarucot, who has judged previous runs of the adobo Design Awards, said, “I love that there was a new category – production design. What came as a bit of a surprise was that there were a lot of good entries. That’s definitely something I want to see more of in the [adobo Design Awards’] upcoming shows.”
Dimarucot added, “Entries this year are stronger. There were more entries from outside of the advertising industry, including small shops and independent agencies.”
The two-day judging took place at SumoSam Olympia, Makati Ave., who also sponsored sumptuous meals and snacks for the judges.
The awards night is set to take place on April 26, 2013 at the Ayala Museum, Makati City. Out of the 84 shortlists, 42 have been converted to metals.
The 4th adobo Design Awards is presented by adobo Magazine in cooperation with event partners MyPhone and Havaianas, and sponsors Robert Mondavi Wines, Manila Beer, Tanduay Black, Executive Decisions, OnMedia, Pinwheel, 25th Media, Central Digital Lab, Provago; venue partners Ayala Museum, Aubergine Restaurant and SumoSam Olympia, official tabulators Isla Lipana PWC and media partners, Business Mirror, Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Philippine Star.
To view the complete shortlist, click here.
