ASIA-PACIFIC – SINGAPORE, JULY 23, 2012: Spikes Asia, the regional creative advertising and communications festival for Asia Pacific, has appointed this year’s final three jury presidents: Yang Yeo will chair the Design Jury, Glenn Osaki will lead the PR Jury, and Michael Hilliard has been appointed the first Branded Content & Entertainment Jury President.
Yeo, chief creative officer of JWT Shanghai, is known for shaping advertising creativity in China since his arrival in Shanghai in 2006. He led China to its first-ever Gold Lion at Cannes in 2008 with the adidas Beijing Olympics campaign, and won China’s first-ever Cannes Grand Prix in 2011 with the Samsonite ‘Heaven & Hell’ print ad, which also went to win three additional Grands Prix at Spikes Asia last year in the Print, Outdoor and Print & Poster Craft catefories.
“Design is where I started before advertising, and I look forward to going back to my roots where it’s a lot more pure, aesthetic, and immediate,” Yeo said, on his appointment.
Osaki, Asia president of MSLGROUP, is a 25-year veteran of MSLGROUP and has vast Asia experience, which includes regional management for clients such as Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, United Technologies, World Gold Council, Sunkist, Underwriters Laboratories, SPX Corporation, Business Software Alliance and numerous assignments for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Osaki expressed that the need to value PR’s creativity is imminent, saying that the “creative skills in relationship and community management, problem-solving, issues avoidance, and resolution are the PR industry’s points of difference”. He added: "I am thrilled to lead the PR jury for Asia’s most celebrated creativity awards festival, to help define and honour the ground-breaking creativity that is being practiced in our industry every day.”
Hilliard, Finch Australia’s executive producer, is a film, television, and transmedia producer. His work, which has been recognized by the Cannes Lions, The One Show, the Directors Guild of America, and the Emmys, have also become a part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
He said: "It is a privilege to serve on the first Branded Content and Entertainment jury at Spikes Asia. In the inaugural year for the category at the Spikes, it’s very important that the jury gets it right. It will really set the standard for the years to follow. Singapore is kind of like a fountain of youth. Singaporeans have been able to curate and build on a rich history of trade and a large expat community that cycles through the town – the country’s position as a global hub for business, investment and talent means that there is always a stream of fresh thinking and fresh talent coming into the city. It’s a great place to come together to recognize the best work from the region."
Lions Festivals chairman Terry Savage said, "Yang, Glenn and Michael have outstanding track records and strong leadership skills. We are honored to count on their expertise to lead their juries in awarding the best work in the region. We look forward to welcoming them to Spikes Asia."
Delegate registration for Spikes Asia is now open, with anyone registering before August 1 benefiting from the early bird rate. For further information on the Festival and how to register, visit www.spikes.asia.
