Why did you think it was important to join the PHNX jury this year?
Being part of a movement that changes something to a category is always important. Advertising for many years was a closed environment, and festivals like PHNX can change that. Everyone is open to sending your work and being able to join as a jury makes the market more democratic and more accessible for everyone. I'm excited to be part of it and see everyone's work.
What do you think of our hybrid jury, featuring creatives but also strategists, clients and people from all corners of the industry?
A good idea can come from anywhere. I believe in it. Agencies have been working even more integrated these days, and I think it is a natural movement. The creative team is just one part of an idea's path, so It's also important to have different perspectives to evaluate how good an idea is.
What do you think of the idea of free entry until the shortlist stage?
It helps to make the category more democratic. There is a lot of good work out there, and initiatives like this help to bring them to the surface. It's important to open opportunities and don't keep our market in bubbles. I hope that we can have more festivals like this shortly.
How would you define the perfect PHNX Awards winner?
Simplicity and effectiveness. Craft and polishment are a must-have, but I'm always caught for simple thoughts that you can see yourself mesmerized by each minute you see them. Hoping to see good thoughts well executed.
What is having the biggest impact on creative trends at the moment?
We need to have a reason behind it. It's never just about the trends or being a trend. What's the idea? What's the reason to use it? That's what I believe is the difference. If you find a good idea that can use a trend to come to life, you can have something powerful, but pushing a trend on an idea is a mistake. The idea comes first. Always.
Who would you nominate as your two or three “creatives of the year”?
I saw a bunch of good stuff this year, to be honest. In the back of my head, I have these 3 that I think merge quality and simplicity very well: