If you’ve ever attended ADFEST, you will
likely have met Vinit Suraphongchai – a godfather of Thai advertising and
Co-Founder of ADFEST.
When it comes to mentoring the next
generation of creatives, Vinit is one of the most passionate people you’ll ever
meet. He is especially proud of his role in launching ADFEST’s mentoring
program for up-and-coming creative professionals, the Young Lotus Workshop,
which will be hosted next year by MullenLowe Group. He’s also a proud advocate
of our Fabulous Five program for emerging directors.
Earlier this year, we asked Vinit why
ADFEST – which is about to host its 22nd festival – still matters in
an industry that’s in the midst of immense disruption.
He said creative professionals occasionally
need “time out” to take stock and look back on what’s been done over the years
– and that’s why ADFEST is so important. It’s a chance ask yourself, “Is what
I’ve been doing still relevant, what are my future plans?”
“I think the industry needs opportunities
to look back on itself so that it can refocus and look forward, in a way.
That’s how I see it,” explains Vinit, who began his career as a marketing man
and an interior designer before drifting into advertising and enjoying a
30-year career.
Two years ago, in an interview with Campaign Brief, he explained why he first got together
with ADFEST President Jimmy Lam to launch the first ADFEST in 1998.
“The general standard of creativity in
advertising in the Asia Pacific, with the exception of Australia and New
Zealand, was not high 20 years ago. The vision of ADFEST was therefore to be a
forum for exposure, to raise the standard and awareness of creativity in
advertising, as well as to create an awareness and greater use of one's own
heritage and culture,” he said.
To celebrate ADFEST’s 20th
anniversary in 2017, Campaign Brief
also invited Vinit to reveal his favourite ADFEST Grand Prix winners of all
time. He chose five campaigns from five countries: ‘Weight Lifting’ (O&M, 1998, Thailand); ‘Whale’ (Dentsu,
2002, Japan); ‘Hostel’ (Eye Bank Association of India, 2007, India); ‘Tan Hong
Ming’ (Leo Burnett, 2008, Malaysia) and ‘Dumb Ways to Die’, (McCann, 2013,
Australia).
* You
can watch our interview with Vinit via ADFEST’s officialYouTube channel. Video
production by Miles Cooper and Milos Cubrilo.
