ADFEST 2017 has begun to unveil this year’s line-up of speakers, workshops and events – with many more session announcements still to come.
Once again, the festival will be divided in two halves: Craft@ADFEST (22nd to 23rd March) will explore the trends influencing production, post and digital companies; while Creative@ADFEST (24th to 25th March) is tailored for agency and marketing professionals.
The first sessions to be announced are:
The Next Frontier in Virtual Storytelling
Luke Ritchie, Head of Interactive Arts, Nexus Interactive Arts (London)
Wednesday 22 March, 10:45 am
Ritchie will explain the rise of Mixed Reality storytelling, where virtual characters and stories are inserted into our real lives. As Head of Interactive Arts, a specialist interactive storytelling division of Nexus Studios, he’ll explain why Mixed Reality demands new storytelling techniques.
Want Bigger Ideas? Become a Dad
Chris Gurney, Regional Executive Creative Director, ADK Global, Singapore &
Naohiro Togawa, Creative Director, ADK, Tokyo
Wednesday 22 March, 2:30 pm
Chris and Naohiro will share some examples of the way fathers at ADK (and other creative thinking dads) are bringing bigger ideas outside the office to help inspire our kids and others in the community. Togawa, Creative Director at ADK Tokyo, will introduce the agency’s newly formed ‘BrainTal’ platform, while Gurney will share examples from dads who have taken their ideas beyond the office. Think like a dad - unleash your altruistic creativity.
No, Not Shiny, Make it Real!
Marko Klijn, Ringmaster, Cirkus, Auckland
Wednesday 22 March, 3:15pm
With all the slick CGI-enhanced feature films being pumped out, the art of stop motion is being forgotten. Cirkus will revisit this niche artform and showcase how stop motion can create visuals that look more real and tactile.
Where Do Posts Go When They Have No Likes?
Claudia Cristovao, Group Creative Director, AKQA, Tokyo
Thursday 23 March, 10:45 am
We have officially reached peak content. There are too many posts, reposts, videos, stories, periscopes and regurgitations of seamless sameness cluttering up multiple feeds. Who has time to scroll through – much less engage with them?
“Barely a couple of years have passed since brands got the hang of social calendars, and awoke to the costs of maintaining armies of social media managers – only for users to flock out of the conversations that were patiently built. This session will explore how brands can break through and add value to users’ lives in the new age of hyper-curated, selective social,” says Cristovao.
The Gunn Report 2016
Emma Wilkie, Managing Director, The Gunn Report, London
Friday 24th March, 11:30 am
Emma Wilkie returns to ADFEST for the World Premiere presentation of The Gunn Report 2016.
“Expect to see all the ads that defined 2016. It will be the most comprehensive showcase of 2016’s best, and I’ll be unveiling the exclusive Asia Pacific ranking – only at ADFEST,” says Wilkie.
In the Absence of Great Work, Nothing Else Matters
Jean-Paul Burge, Chairman & CEO, BBDO Asia, Singapore
Friday 24th March, 4:00 pm
Our industry is under unprecedented pressure. This is affecting the quality of people entering the business, the morale of those currently working in it, the time we have to create great work, and the budgets we have to deliver it. How do we continue to create and protect great ideas with all the noise going on around us? Burge will explore BBDO Asia’s principles and processes, and share some observations on what we can do as an industry to increase our hit rate in creating better work.
How to Build a Contagious Brand
Paul Kemp-Robertson, Co-Founder, Contagious, London
Sat 25th March, 10:45 am
Contagious has distilled a decade of knowledge about brave, innovative creativity, and defined four essential ways of working that make a company’s marketing truly contagious.
“I will explain the thinking behind these four pillars and illustrate each one with world-class case studies, as featured on the Contagious I/O intelligence platform,” says Kemp-Robertson.