Spikes Asia is the region’s oldest and most prestigious creative advertising award show and every year as part of the event, a Young Spikes Competition takes place. 

This initiative provides Asia Pacific’s next generation of creative talent a chance to gain recognition in the industry and make their mark. 

Aimed at creatives who are aged 30, this year two groups from Dentsu Creative represented the network: Danni Liu, Senior Copywriter and Yuhang Lin, Designer joined the Digital category and Dou Chen, Copywriter and Jing Peng Designer joined the PR category.

Teams from Dentsu Tokyo also took part in the competition.

We asked the group to talk about their experience and what they learned by taking part.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVAL?

Team China: Being able to represent so many of our company’s outstanding team members at the Young Spikes is truly a blessing. The journey is not just about competition, but also about building connections and exchanging ideas.

We also had the opportunity to meet and befriend participants from markets such as Japan and Malaysia. It was great to connect with Kazuya san and Kanako san from our Dentsu Japan team. 

The debrief session, where we conversed with judges and competitors from diverse cultural backgrounds, gave us a complete and authentic understanding of the international advertising vibe and its allure.

WHAT DID YOU DO AT THE FESTIVAL?

Danni & Yuhang: Our schedule included more than just the highly regarded Young Spikes competition - we also made time to attend case study sessions, listen to engaging lectures, and make new connections. The Debrief review roundtable following the competition was the most thrilling experience, as we conversed with different judges and gained a lot of spot-on advice. Simply fabulous!

Dou & Jing: Crafting a PR campaign and presenting it in English within a 24-hour timeframe proved to be quite a challenge. Arriving at an idea was a lengthy process for us, as we continuously postponed and began again. We came up with an idea that just clicked and immediately got to work, constantly revisiting and perfecting it until it reached its full potential. The judges’ acknowledgment of it as the most fresh idea they had witnessed at the time filled us with happiness.

WHAT MADE A BIG IMPACT ON YOU AT THE FESTIVAL?

Yuhang: Meeting contestants and judges from varying backgrounds greatly impacted my perspective. Our idea was the topic of much discussion among the judges, as it greatly impressed them. However, they noted that there were some weaknesses in its execution on foreign social media. This experience reminds us that even in one of the most dynamic markets ourselves, there is still value in exploring international digital concepts and incorporating them into our strategy, resulting in exciting new possibilities.

Dou & Jing: Understanding the category in its entirety is necessary. When considering the theme, our team spent a significant amount of time discussing different ideas in the PR category, but failed to fully consider the practical implementation of these ideas. Our post-competition dialogue with the judges enlightened us on the distinct judging criteria for each category. Moving forward, we aspire to utilize this newfound knowledge to improve our performance.

Danni: Through this competition, I have become more open-minded. I witnessed cultural diversity everywhere, mirroring Singapore’s multicultural society where the event was held. The next person you interact with could be from any corner of the region, and the next idea they share could be influenced by a diverse perspective. It’s impossible to predict what will come next. Such a charming journey we’ve had!