If this is a sign of another good year for Philippine advertising, then so be it. Two entries from the Philippines are in the selection round of Uniqlo’s 2010 Cannes T-Shirt Design competition. Art directors Angelo Estrella of Campaigns and Grey, and Katrina Encanto of JWT are in this year’s shortlist.
The Japanese fashion house and clothing unit Uniqlo, is well-known on the advertising circuit. Uniqlo’s website entry was the darling of the Cannes Lions 2008, and won a Grand Prix Lion.
Last September, the competition drew thousands of entries for the 2010 contest. From the shortlist, an official selection committee from the Cannes Lions Festival organizers will review finalists. Only 20 designs will be produced as official Uniqlo products.
Being in the shortlist was a surprise to Estrella, having crammed the design the night before submission. “I sent it the last minute, a classic photo-finish deadline. so knowing that i got in with the other 199 designers was really unexpected but exciting nonetheless,” says Estrella.
Encanto had the theme for 2010’s Cannes Lions Grand Prix as inspiration for her design. “I thought about the gruelling process of asking what-if’s and pushing initial thoughts further towards different directions. Inspiration, I think, fuels you to do it like the wind,” shares Encanto.
“With great inspiration comes a great idea. Or sometimes, even a Cannes Lion,” she adds.
It was while brainstorming that the 27-year old, advertising plebe Estrella started with a doodle that formed into a light bulb. “That was my eureka moment. I even kept the fading ink look from my old Pentel pen so it retained a human touch. I ended up naming it "doodle into inspiration", explains the art director of his entry.
Uniqlo’s winning entries were made into official festival tees, and made available at Cannes in 2009. The shirts were also on sale at Uniqlo outlets.
This year’s semi-finalists will be announced in Spring 2010.
To view the entries, click on
http://ut.uniqlo.com/utcannes/#/item/2215 and http://ut.uniqlo.com/utcannes/#/item/3621.
adobo magazine. The Word on Advertising.
