By Mark Tutssel, Global Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett and Jury Foreman, D&AD White Pencil category, 2016
The world we operate in has experienced tectonic plate changing effects. The worlds of marketing and media have been rapidly reshaped by data and technology, transforming the way brands communicate, opening up opportunities that were previously unimaginable.
Approaching creative challenges with an inventive spirit has never been more important. The alchemy of creativity and technology has been and will continue to take us to a whole new space. Based on the work we've seen and the impact we've experienced, I am confident that powerful ideas can indeed change the world.
That is why it's so important that we as an industry strive to work with brands to do valuable and meaningful things for the world we live in.
D&AD is a celebration of the finest creative work in the world. When your idea wins a coveted D&AD Black Pencil, it means you've left an imprint on the industry. And when you win a D&AD White Pencil that symbolizes the power of creativity as a force for good, it means you've contributed to the betterment of our lives. This is an ultimate goal that we all aspire to achieve in our career.
Together with the rest of the esteemed jury, I will be looking for ideas that ignite the imagination and have the vision to see beyond the everyday. Ideas that have transformational impact. Brave, future-facing ideas that provoke mass participation and change human behaviour.
Our quest will be to find the most influential creativity in 2016.
The best work transcends advertising and creates something far more valuable for people. Visionary brands understand that. They understand that doing good in the world is beyond public service and social corporate responsibility. Consumers are interested in cultivating their own unique emotional relationships with certain brands and will choose to connect with and buy from the ones that share their values. This is why purpose-driven brands are succeeding.
Last year, P&G Always' "#LikeAGirl" was awarded the illustrious D&AD Black Pencil in the White Pencil category. Always is a prime example of a brand that has integrated that focus on purpose into its mission. They wanted to change girls' lives one girl at a time by championing their confidence.
Based on the insight that girls' confidence drops significantly during puberty, the team created a social experiment to smash this destructive stereotype of doing something "like a girl" for women. It grew to become one of the most influential movements worldwide. This campaign demonstrated that consumers want to engage when there is a clear message that addresses a very important and real issue that affect them or the people in their lives.
"#LikeAGirl" showed the world what the power of creativity and the desire for good can create.
We'll continue to look for big game-changing ideas that create cultural impact at scale. And we'll look up to D&AD for setting the bar high.
As an industry, we need to use our collective talent to empower the brands we work with and give back to altruistic efforts. When all the work we produce is ingrained with a clear sense of purpose and potential for positive human impact, then everybody wins.