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Opportunities for agencies to have their work evaluated by an expert community that’s nonetheless objective and independent are rare indeed. As the only global advertising competition judged by journalists who write about the industry, the Epica Awards offers that chance. And this is mainly what sets this creative prize apart from other industry-related shows.
So it is no surprise to see this crucial difference highlighted by NEW! Creative Agency, Lithuania, for the 2023 call for entries campaign. Using bubble wrap as a visual metaphor, the images encourage agencies to “Get judged outside your bubble”.
Creative director Mindaugas Juozapavičius says the idea ‘bubbled up’ naturally: “The brief was clear and there’s a very strong USP.”
Mindaugas has headed the creative department since January 2022, but the agency itself was founded 11 years ago. It has a staff of 26. “Even though we’ve tried several approaches to the agency model throughout the years, currently the best term to describe us as an agency would be ‘the all-rounders’,” he says.
He adds that the agency strives for effectiveness as well as craft. “We take quite a bit of pride in the fact that since the very beginning of our agency, not a single year has passed without us getting awarded at Lithuanian marketing effectiveness awards.”
In terms of an award show judged by the press, the agency is “100% positive, if the press we are talking about is the expert press. And that’s definitely the case with the Epica Awards jury. The more impartiality the better, it helps to celebrate the real gems.”
This year’s competition highlights include a new Media Grand Prix – now officially established after a soft launch last year – and a new AI Craft category. As well as acknowledging this emerging field, AI Craft will allow traditional entries to shine in the Print Craft, Illustration and Photography categories.
Talking of AI, this year the awards feature an industry first: an experimental AI awards juror which will give its opinion on the entries. These will not impact the main jury, however.
An online ceremony will take place on December 7. Meanwhile, the deadline to submit entries is set till October 6. Voting will take place between October 28 and November 20. Shortlisted entries will be announced on November 22.
