BEST TV
Winner: Columbia Sportswear '
Engineered for whatever'. This feels like it escaped the formula factory, because it doesn't follow the tropes commercials usually do. In a world of low cognitive load, it's self-aware, unpretentious and still has some visual novelty that makes it an easy, fun watch. Which in turn makes you like the brand more, because it isn't trying too hard to sell you something.
Runner Up: Decathlon '
Teacher For a Day'. In a category hooked on gladiatorial grit and testosterone, Decathlon swaps the stadium for the classroom. A welcome break from the visual monotony of sports ads.
BEST PRINT
Winner: LIDL Lidl Sweden '
Nighttime Deliveries'. My origin story as a writer means I have a special appreciation for simple, design tweaks that nail the message. While the craft could have been pushed, flipping one letter in the logo to show nighttime deliveries is as smart, subtle, and brand-owned as it gets.
Runner Up: Greek Summer Road Safety '
Paradise'. You gotta love some deadly irony. A simple spin on a cultural context, though its resonance might narrow without that specific place-name double meaning.
BEST OUTDOOR 
Winner: Columbia Sportswear '
Helicopter Test #EngineeredForWhatever'. I like the way it turns product testing into street theatre. Feels like Mythbusters-meets-Jackass. A little unhinged, yet it makes perfect sense. It's basically saying. "We dare you to doubt us," while leaving you wondering, "What will they do next?".
Runner Up: Yorkshire Tea '
Proper'. This one hit closer to home as many taglines don't translate well in our region. The playful hijack of their own OOH is self-deprecation done well, and a good way to win some local love.
BEST INTERACTIVE
Winner: Way Out West '
The Kidney Pass'. Purpose with personality. Flips a throwaway festival cliche into a national organ donor drive. The blend of humour, cultural currency, and tangible impact is exactly the sort of gutsy, behaviour-changing ideas I love.
Runner Up: Dame '
Toy Stories'. Clever way to sidestep boring user reviews that no one reads and reframing them as literature people would like to read. While the reach may skew niche compared to the other interactive work, it feels fresh in the way it transforms product reviews into page turners.
This week's guest judge is
Nayaab Rais, Executive Creative Director at FP7 McCann, Dubai.
With 18 years of creative leadership across MENA, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, Nayaab Rais has built a global reputation for ideas that win both hearts and hardware. From securing DDB Dubai's first Cannes Lion to leading campaigns for brands like Mastercard, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Arla, she's helped over 50 brands earn global recognition - collecting 200+ awards, 100M+ views, and a spot among the Top 15 Creative Directors globally.
In an industry where no creative leader looked like her, Nayaab built a career by redefining what leadership could look like - and now she's helping others do the same. She is spearheading McCann Worldgroup's Ilon Collective in the region, mentoring young female creatives and training them to not just create better work, but to own the room while doing it. She's a regular speaker at universities and regional forums, known for blending creative inspiration and her insights as a licensed psychotherapist, as well as rants about why the industry still labels "female creatives" like an endangered species. Her unique perspective has earned her jury seats at Cannes Lions, One Show, LIA, Clios, and NYF, and a place on regional advisory boards for young creatives. Through it all, her mission remains the same: to help more diverse talents rise, more unheard voices break through, and more young women realise they don't have to fit the mold to lead it.
