Raj Kurup, chairman and chief creative officer, Creativeland Asia; Santosh Padhi, executive creative director, Leo Burnett; and KV Sridhar, national creative director, Leo Burnett, are the three Indians chosen to be part of the jury of the London International Awards (LIA). All of them are on the jury panel of Integrated Media and Television and Cinema. Bill Bruce, chairman and chief creative officer, BBDO New York, is the jury president for this segment of awards.
The London International Awards is currently in its 23rd year. It aims to recognise creative work in advertising, design and digital media globally.
Kurup has been part of the juries for various festivals, such as the Abbys and GoaFest, in the past. His work has also won various awards in festivals, such as the New York Festivals, Cannes and LIA. He said. “There was a lot of good work displayed in Cannes this year and India has a very good chance of winning. My favourite campaigns are Cox and Kings Monuments created by Saatchi & Saatchi and Luxor Highlighters by Leo Burnett.”
Padhi has been on the jury panel twice for the New York Festivals and was also on the LIA jury last year. He was also part of the jury for the AdFest. He thinks that all the campaigns that have won in Cannes have a strong chance of winning in LIA.
“I believe that 30 per cent of the work that has won throughout the year will win at LIA as well. But since this a different jury panel, their decisions will differ,” he said. His favourite campaigns are Lead India by JWT and Luxor Highlighters by Leo Burnett.
Sridhar or Pops, as he is popularly known, has judged festivals such as the New York Festivals, AdFest and GoaFest.
He says, “Since this is the last awards show of the year, the ads which have been winning throughout the year will stand a good chance at this awards show as well. Ninety per cent of the work will be repeated, but there will be close to 10 per cent of fresh work, which has not won previously.”
He feels that LIA is a good opportunity for agencies that did not participate in festivals such as Cannes, owing to the high entry cost, and for campaigns that were shortlisted as finalists, but did not win.
The awards ceremony will be held on November 10 in London. The awards are spread across nine segments: Design, Digital Media, Integrated Media, Non-Traditional Media, Package Design, Posters and Billboard, Print, Radio and Television and Cinema.